New York ( CNN ) -- A New York graffiti art exhibit that drew visitors throughout the world was painted over early Tuesday morning despite efforts by artists and fans to keep the popular outdoor attraction open . The whitewashing of the renowned graffiti haven known as 5 Pointz , a hulking warehouse in the Long Island City section of Queens , appears to mark the end of legal efforts by supporters to save it and even a last-minute attempt to secure landmark status for the building . A federal judge last week denied an injunction to stop the razing of the building by developers Jerry and David Wolkoff , the warehouse owners , who plan to transform the site into high-end condos . `` I 've been learning a lot in this whole battle , '' Jonathan Cohen , aka `` Meres One , '' the 5 Pointz art curator , told CNN affiliate NY1 . He added , `` I guess I have a little less faith in the system . '' Jerry Wolkoff told CNN that he decided to paint over the walls now because the building will take several months to tear down , and he did n't want the artists ' work to be ruined in the process . `` I had tears in my eyes this morning when we painted over it , '' Wolkoff said . `` I have nothing but admiration for the work they 've done . '' Graffiti artists turn abandoned luxury liner into giant canvas . Wolkoff said the new buildings will have a `` 60-foot high wall '' for the artists to paint on . He anticipates beginning the demolition in early 2014 . The 5 Pointz is a massive canvass where `` aerosol artists from around the globe paint colorful pieces on the walls of a 200,000-square-foot factory building , '' according to its website . The exhibit has been featured in several music videos and documentaries . @ 5PointzNYC , the official Twitter handle for the exhibit , sent this out Tuesday : `` 5 Pointz is gone , painted white overnight by the owner ... with police protection . '' The exteriors walls of the warehouse chronicled decades of New York graffiti art . Banksy bids farewell to New York .
New York graffiti exhibit 5 Pointz painted white by building owners . This marks beginning of efforts to save site visited by artists from throughout the world . The warehouse owners plan to build high - end condos after the warehouse .