Here is the story of Alex Goldberg, the “Mayor of Nolita” according to his sister. He’s 14 years old and has already held jobs at Supreme and NikeID (take that child labor laws!). He helps out at Peasant, Papabubble and DiPalo’s. He’s got free clothes, celebrity friends and courtside tickets for the Knicks. He also drinks decaf cappuccino. Here’s to growing up fast.
Next up: Jamie Foxx. The actor was near the bar, giving a woman a massage, and saw the crowd now gathered around Alex. Foxx offered to buy him a drink. What do you want, little boy? “A pina colada,” Alex said. The crowd laughed, and he got one, virgin.
Alex’s adventure ended hours later, at Nobu, where the pool crowd had migrated to feast on junket sushi. He had been chatting up Venus and Serena Williams at a nearby table, and mugging for cameras with a cigar hanging from his lips while eating a bowl of ice cream. Then the faces at his table went blank. Alex looked up and saw what they saw. His mother.
The Extreme New York Childhood of Alex Goldberg [NY Mag]
Photo by Danielle Levitt for NY Magazine
Graffiti Archaeology, which usually covers San Francisco, has put together a timelapse montage of graffiti and street art at 11 Spring Street, the Candle Building. They’re only covering the South wall for now, but you can expect another collage of the West wall on Elizabeth Street in due time.
11 Spring Street, on the corner of Elizabeth and Spring Street was bought from Lachlan Murdoch, son of Rupert, back in July to turn into condos. Fortunately, the new owners asked Marc and Sarah at Wooster Collective to curate the final beautification, inside and outside, before renovation begins. So far, Michael DeFeo, the London Police, WK Interact, Elbowtoe, Above, Faile and Bast, have contributed to Wooster’s project. On December 16th, a huge party will take place to celebrate the new art and pour out a little OE for this dear, departing friend.
Jake at Gothamist took some photos and panoramas during a sneak peak inside the building. We’re curious to see whether nostalgic graffiti and street artists will continue painting the building after it’s turned into condos.
Screengrab of Graffiti Archaeology’s timelapse montage of 11 Spring Street’s southern wall. You can virtually peel back the layers!
The days are numbered for the Candle Building at Eleven Spring Street, the giant street art oasis on the corner of Spring and Elizabeth Streets in NoLIta. In just a month, construction begins converting the building into three condo units. The building has been a magnet for street artists over the years, and rightfully so. Boarded up and with no apparent use, the layers of paint, posters (and occasional Skewville sculpture) have been allowed to steadily collect. The only signs of life have been candles in upper windows, the building’s namesake, and a few lazy attempts to buff the walls.
Photo by xymox
Steven Kurutz of the New York Times focuses on the mystery of the building and quells our curiosity a bit.
Over the years, the building has become the New York equivalent of the spooky suburban home with the chipped paint and weedy lawn. The curtains and lighted candles that for years adorned the upper-story windows only added to the haunted-house aura. Some wonder if the interior is full of bizarre mechanical gadgets, an architectural version of the game Mousetrap. Others say there are no stairs, only ramps. “I heard it was an icehouse, where the mob kept bodies,” Mr. Steele said.
The new owners say they are “sensitive to the street art issue,” whatever that means. Will the wall be buffed clean or turned into the street art equivalent of a sanctioned skate park? We’ll be watching.
The Candle Building will be one stop on the Graffiti Bike Tour this Saturday.
