During the autumn of 2013, while many NYC art blogs were obsessing over Banksy and the lost of 5 points, NYC's graffiti community created a gallery of their own just up the street from 5 pointz, within the old CN West / QP's Marketplace buildings.

This was a spontaneous event - no one planned or organized it. These former QP's Marketplace buildings were abandoned and accessible for months, though it wasn't until a single writer - 'Sebo' - painted on the rooftop that other writers realized the buildings were accessible (and thus prime for painting in).

What normally would send a trickle of graffiti artists who saw it in person (via the N/Q and 7 subway lines that pass within easy view) instead became viral candy to NYC writers and fans, many of whom posted photos from the roof making it easy to find the buildings, or simply straight out gave out the address in Hipstergram. Within a month nearly ever viable clean wall in the old QP's Marketplace buildings were covered in high quality graffiti pieces. This was simply unprecedented. Every week people sent in new photos of new art in this place (many seen here). In all my years (well, decades at this point) of exploring abandoned buildings, I've never seen one become so completely graffitied in such an extremely short amount of time. It used to take years for an abandoned building to become this well graffitied. In today's social media world, it can take just hours.

In all my years (well, decades at this point) of exploring abandoned buildings, I've never seen one become so completely graffitied in such an extremely short amount of time.

While 5ptz was being whitewashed, the walls of this building were being covered in murals by NYC's true graffiti artists - taking over walls the old fashion way: via brute force and a complete disregard for permission from anyone.

*note - for anyone that says I'm 'blowing up the spot' by posting this. The cat left the bag long ago. When everyone talks about a spot on social media, giving out the address and/or posting photos making it obvious where it is, that's when the spot is blown up and that's why security is parked outside. I've known about this building my entire life and this is the first time I've posted one thing about it online.