The conversion of the historic Germania Bank Building, a.k.a. 190 Bowery, into…something (Aby Rosen's RFR Realty, which owns the building, hasn't made its intended purpose clear) is well underway, with cosmetic work happening on the building. Scaffolding has come down, and this week, Bowery Boogie reported that not only were some stained-glass windows unveiled, but cleaners were spotted power-washing the building's exterior.
When RFR presented its planned changes to the Landmarks Preservation Commission last year, one notable element of the overhaul was the fact that the graffiti that covers the building's limestone facade would be left mostly intact, even as other changes—new doors, those stained-glass panels, and ADA-compliant entrance—would be made.
A spokesperson for RFR confirmed that the windows (some of which were original) were cleaned and repaired. As for the graffiti removal, that's apparently meant to test different methods of cleaning the facade, "in case [RFR] decides to proceed with cleaning it," per the spokesperson. Fingers crossed that it won't lead to all of the graffiti being whitewashed away.…
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