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Photos: 190 Bowery Has Had Almost All Of Its Graffiti Buffed Off
By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 25, 2016
Modified Aug 25, 2016
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Scott Heins/Gothamist
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 25, 2016
Modified Aug 25, 2016
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Last year, the landmarked graffiti-covered mansion at 190 Bowery, aka the historic Germania Bank Building, was sold for $55 million (photographer and longtime owner Jay Maisel had purchased it for a mere $102,000 in 1966). With plans in place to turn it into high-end office space, the new owners began the process of buffing the iconic street art from the building (which just suffered from a minor fire earlier this month). And now, that process has almost been completed, with 80-90% of the street art buffed.
You can still see some of the art up close, but it has become very faded, and will only continue to fade into artistic oblivion—currently the new white-ish sheen is an odd sight after decades covered in dirt, and makes it look like it's seasick.
Curbed points out that the one major piece still standing is a tag from NEKST, the late street artist Sean Griffin, whose name has adorned the building since 2007. So it seems that new owner Aby Rosen, who had previously promised to at least keep the NEKST tag, is making good on that. For now, crews appear to be taking a break from cleaning the building to deal with construction on the first floor.
Click through to check out photos of the newly-scrubbed building, along with some flashback shots of 190 Bowery earlier this summer, before it had its soul scrubbed. And below, you can watch a video detailing the moment in 2014 when artist Eric Rieger, aka HOTTEA, put up a piece reading "UUGGHH" around the building in response to the then-imminent sale.
As for getting a peak inside before it is totally converted, security is still pretty tight, and keeping an eye out for photographers. In other words, as with previous false starts, don't hold your breath about seeing the inner workings for yourself.
Additional reporting by Scott Heins
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Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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