Hated Landlord SMA Equities Donates 104 Delancey for ‘Low Brow’ Art Gallery
This image has been archived or removed.
Controversial landlord Samy Mahfar (aka SMA Equities) is in dire need of some good press these days. Perhaps that explains the so-called donation of 104 Delancey Street (former Washington Mutual bank and exhibition space) to become a multi-level gallery dedicated to “low brow” artists. The New Allen Art Foundation is curator in residence, an art program founded by Baby Brasa partner and artist Milan Kelez.
The entire commercial space is earmarked for the new enterprise – the 4,000-square-foot ground level plus nearly 4,000-square-feet on the second and basement level floors. It should open sometime in November.
This image has been archived or removed.
Mahfar’s REAL New York office with mural
(The definition of donate here is probably “until a bigger tenant can sign on for $$$.”)
You are probably familiar with The New Allen already through the recent collection of artwork along both sides of Allen Street between Delancey and Stanton Streets (each tagged #TheNewAllen). Originally launched as an open-air gallery, The New Allen began painting the murals over the summer with the goal of “uniting a collective of graffiti artists and muralist that are transforming Allen Street into the city’s premiere street art gallery.”
According to a press release:
Many of the artists participating in the gallery have been painting along Allen Street and other areas on the Lower East Side for years. Their work has transformed neglected walls and gates by giving them fresh and contemporary images that have been positively received by neighbors and local businesses in the community. Among the artists whose works are anticipated to be displayed are Baron Von Fancy, Eelco Virus, David Junelovf, The London Police and world-renowned New York graffiti artist Os Gemeos.
Adds Samy Mahfar, a principal of SMA Equities, “This is a great use for the space, which we offer tangible and cultural benefits to the community. In recent years, the space has been used for individual art showings to much acclaim, as well as hosting a temporary Chabad learning center.”
What a joke. This, like the 100 Gates Project, is another lesson in artwashing, a verb coined to describe the phenomenon whereby street art (as street cred) is exploited to soften areas for incoming gentrification. It’s swiftly becoming an arrow in the quiver for advocates of the demolition and scrubbing of neighborhoods.
It’s also worth noting that SMA Equities brokerage offshoot, Real New York, operates an office on Allen Street.
This gallery has been removed.
Recent Stories
Woman Dies Month After Being Hit by School Bus in Chinatown
A pedestrian struck by a school bus in Chinatown last month has succumbed to her injuries. On December 16, at approximately 1:45pm, 67-year-old Ahhon Lau was struck in the intersection of Monroe and Catherine Streets. When officers arrived at the scene, Lau was found unconscious and unresponsive, with trauma about the body. EMS transported her […]
Brooklyn Fare Market Makes it Official at One Manhattan Square
Brooklyn Fare Kitchen & Market officially announced its Lower East Side entrance with banner advertising at One Manhattan Square. The vinyl skins are now in the windows along Cherry Street, advertising free delivery and fresh produce. As previously reported, the upscale grocer signed a lease to occupy 25,500 square-feet across two floors in the base […]
Crab du Jour Goes Down After a Year on Grand Street
Crab du Jour, the ubiquitous franchise selling Cajun-style seafood, closed its Lower East Side location earlier this month. The shutter comes exactly one year after the fast-food spot first opened at 384 Grand Street. Several readers alerted us to the closure, noting that the restaurant hasn’t been open the last several days. Moreover, customers can […]
Former Red Square Retail Demolished for New Development
Nearly six years ago, the Dermot Company purchased the former Red Square for $100 million from Michael Rosen. The residential complex was further upscaled in the interim, and whitewashed into submission. The $100 million deal included space in the adjacent one-story retail. What largely went unnoticed at the time, though, is that the Rosen family […]
Man Shot Dead After Opening Door to Gunman at Lillian Wald Houses
A man was shot dead inside his apartment in the Lillian Wald Houses Friday night after the suspected killer knocked on his door, police said. The perp entered 691 FDR Drive just before 10:00pm and went to the fourth floor apartment of thirty-year-old Davon Venable. Reports noted that Venable and his father heard a knock […]
