5 Pointz

We first went to 5 Pointz in 2010. We walked around, we chatted with the super-friendly Meres One, we gaped and gawked at the masterpieces in aerosol. Over the years, the biggest change hasn't involved the styles, palettes, tags, or types of characters on the walls of this complex in Long Island City, Queens --- although those change with great frequency. It's the people: 5 Pointz has become a destination for all kinds of art lovers, including, on our most recent visit, a mom taking glamor shots of her teenaged daughter.

However, the most significant change is still to come: plans continue to raze most of the so-called Institute of Higher Burning in coming months, to make way for residential towers. Much, so very much, stands to be lost.