Germania Bank Graffiti Scrub Nearly Complete on the Bowery [PHOTOS]
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So, that’s the natural color of the Germania Bank Building. The month-long effort to blast away decades of soot-stained grit and graffiti from the 1898 facade is nearly complete. Onsite activity seems to be winding down.
Since the beginning of July, men in jumpsuits have been cleaning the exterior on a daily basis, either by sky-high power washing with mobile lift or, more simply, via those sticky graffiti removal panels. Not even the rooftop fire two weeks ago, which damaged some of the iconic copper cheneau, could sideline the deep cleanse, as workers were back at it the next morning.
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The million-dollar question is whether taggers and artists will continue marking the property in kind. Especially since newbie owner Aby Rosen is playing favorites by allowing the NEKST tag to remain intact. Or whether 190 Bowery will go the way of the so-called Candle Building on its backside, and stay polished.
Aby Rosen purchased the Germania Bank Building from photographer Jay Maisel two years ago for $55 million. The Great Bowery – a consortium of creative agencies – is currently the only commercial occupant in the building. The ground floor remains a vacancy.
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