Mysterious Tribeca Mural in Danger of Disappearing
An outdoor advertising company wants to erase a historic (and legally protected) wall sign in Tribeca, but preservationists are saying, “not so fast.” The wall in question is at 109 West Broadway, at the corner of Reade Street, where a faded three-story billboard of uncertain origin and ambiguous meaning urges passersby to “Brush Up Business with Paint, Paste, Paper, Push,” while a companion panel depicts a disembodied hand, suspended in space, brandishing a paintbrush.
The sign appears to be at least 75 years old, which would date its provenance to the Truman administration. (The five-story Italianate style loft building it adorns dates from the 1860s.) Its message remains murky because the sign does not identify the business it was presumably intended to promote. The Soho-based open-air advertising firm New Tradition Media, which represents brands like Amazon and Coca-Cola—and promises to “prioritize the elevation of traditional craftsmanship into bespoke masterpieces”—aims to reactive this wall with current logos and iconography.
Before this change is legally permissible, New Tradition Media must seek the approval of the City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), since 109 West Broadway falls within the Tribeca South Historic District. And before the LPC will rule on this application, it seeks an advisory opinion from Community Board 1 (CB1)
At its May 28 meeting, CB1 enacted a resolution saying, “all residents, tourists, office workers, celebrities, etc. in Tribeca would be horrified to see these two signs disappear forever,” and arguing, “removing 20th century building signage from a 19th century building in favor of permission to paint over it with 21st century advertising is contrary to any known preservation purpose, inappropriate, and unprecedented (for no reason other than to squeeze every bit of profit out of a property).”
The resolution concludes by recommending that the LPC, which is scheduled to vote on this matter tomorrow, June 4, veto the proposal.
O no! I love that mural! Something of Old New York that still exists. Why does everything have to become cold and sterile? Let us have something with color and character, please. Yes, the painters are gone but this wonderful mural still exists, reminding that once artistic individuality was a neighborhood quality.