By Serena Solomon
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
HELL'S KITCHEN — A Christmas tree now stands where a Hell's Kitchen sculpture garden once did.
Local artist David Scalza has replaced "Another Man's Treasure," a sculpture garden that was torn down last Tuesday after a dispute with the Department of Buildings, with a festive tree to ring in the holidays.
Scalza said the tree serves as a physical reminder of the local community's ongoing effort to have the garden restored.
"It's just a little thing to say we are down but we are not out," said Scalza. "Our little tree is a statement of 'Press on, People.'"
The after the Department of Buildings labeled the artworks a fire hazard and threatened to impose $18,000 in fines unless the works were taken down. The dispute is now before the Environmental Control Board, which is expected to question the building inspector who cited the garden at a March hearing.
Scalza said he managed to barter the 6-foot tree from a local vendor, swapping it for a large wooden box, a carpet and a wicker chair. Scalza wrapped the tree with leftover lights from his dismantled sculpture garden.
The community has rallied to defend the garden, which Scalza created four years ago after he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. A former ABC TV news editor, Michael Jacobsohn, has created a mini-documentary called "Save our Sculpture Garden" and members from the local art world have petitioned community leaders.
Despite this support, the landlord packed the sculptures away in the basement last Tuesday. Since then, state Sen. Tom Duane has committed to finding a truce between the department, the landlord and Scalza, or find another location for the garden.
The first Environmental Control Board hearing, held last Friday, was adjourned until March 25.
"It was up and people got to see," Scalza said of his artwork."It went down, life goes on."
