5Pointz hasn’t gotten much coverage since the Wolkoffs demolished the graffiti haven last August, but construction has finally started on the two rental towers that will rise in its place at 22-44 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City.
Photographer Mitch Waxman stopped by the site recently and caught crews at work excavating and driving piles for the foundation.
Topping out at 41 and 47 stories, the planned buildings will contain just over a million square feet of floorspace. The beige stone-clad high rises will include 1,115 apartments, according to permits, and 20% of the units will rent at below-market rates. Affordable units will be split between the two towers, and there won’t be separate entrances for market-rate and affordable apartments.
22-44 Jackson Avenue, formerly 5 Pointz. Photo by Mitch Waxman
The first few floors will host 20 artist studios, galleries, 40,000 square feet of retail, and a public parking garage with 262 parking spots. They’ll also be flood proofed, which is an important consideration for a property within a few blocks of the East River and the heavily polluted Newtown Creek. The garage will be hidden away on Davis Street, fronted by galleries and a 40 by 80 foot “dedicated graffiti wall” planned as a concession to artists.
The site plan promises plenty of green space, including a large interior courtyard between the buildings and private park space with fountains at the back of the complex, along Sunnyside Yards.
HTO Architects designed the buildings, and David and Jerry Wolkoff of G&M Realty are the developers.
The wrecking ball finished off the site’s old warehouses, which were once occupied by the Neptune Meter Company, in late January. Then the Department of Buildings approved new building permits last month.
22-44 Jackson Avenue, rendering courtesy of HTO Architect
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
