Overview

Originally a horse stable in the late 19th century, 11 Spring Street is a beautifully crafted stone building. But until it recently changed owners (reportedly for just under $15 million), 11 Spring was more often mentioned as “the candle building,” known for its uniformly tied white window drapes and the eponymous candles in each of its 60 windows. But even more notable than the mysterious candles, drapes, and the beautifully crafted stone was the bottom floor of the building that had long been a venue for muralists, graffiti artists, and renegade tromp l’oie-ists from around the globe. Pieces done on its brick bottom level are well documented, numerous, and often remarkable even superlative examples of the genre. The developers, Caroline Cummings and Bill Elias, sensitive about taking an eraser to this artistic institution, showed some class by hosting a graffiti exhibition throughout the building’s 6-floor interior as a last hurrah for the street art. (Pictures from the exhibition can be found here (more…)