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New Condos Could Destroy Mural That Honors Local History

 Developers plan to build 28 condos in the building that was until recently home to Eagle Provisions.
New Condos Could Destroy Mural About Neighborhood History
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GREENWOOD HEIGHTS — A mural about the neighborhood's past could be destroyed by its future.

The wall painting "One World Unity" on the corner of 18th Street and Fifth Avenue could be wiped out when a developer moves forward with plans to build condos there, according to Department of Buildings records.

Developer Ioannis Glyptis recently filed an application to convert 626-630 Fifth Ave. into a six-story building with 28 condos and ground-floor stores, The Real Deal first reported.

Glyptis did not respond to requests for comments on the fate of the mural, but renderings of the project suggest the art won't be preserved.

The building will be partially demolished and enlarged by three stories, according to DOB records.

A project description on architect Tom Winter's website says that "the facades of the existing three-story brick buildings are integrated into the new design," but images on Winter's website appear to show plain red brick where the mural is now.

Winter declined to comment.

The building is well-known to beer lovers citywide because it was until recently the home of Eagle Provisions, the Polish grocery that sold a vast selection of pilsners, lagers and ales. The store's owners sold their building for $7.5 million in March.

The colorful "One World Unity" mural takes up the building's entire 18th Street side. It was painted in 2006 by young artists with the nonprofit Groundswell. They designed the painting after interviewing locals about neighborhood history, said Groundswell spokeswoman Ariel Estrella.

The picture includes local landmarks such as the Eagle Provisions sign and the now-closed Aaron's department store. At the mural's center a parrot family nests in a tree — a reference to the parrots that live in Green-Wood Cemetery.

Groundswell executive director Amy Sananman said she was saddened to hear that the mural could be erased, because it represents a "vibrant moment" in local history.

"We wished One World Unity could have stood as a legacy to the past in a changing neighborhood, instead of another example of community loss due to the effects of gentrification," Sananman said of its potential loss.

She added, "The youth artists on the project took time to bring in the histories, stories and diverse perspectives of community members. It is an unfortunate irony that it was this mural impacted by the new construction."

Both Winter and Glyptis have worked on other residential developments in the area. Winter designed a seven-story building at 236 17th St. and Glyptis was the developer on a 16-unit building at 683 Fourth Ave.