(CNN) A federal judge has awarded $6.7 million to 21 graffiti artists after their works were destroyed in 2013 at the 5Pointz complex in Queens, New York, to make room for luxury condominiums.

US District Court Judge Frederic Block made the award Monday after a jury ruled in November that Jerry Wolkoff, the owner of the buildings that comprised 5Pointz, violated the artists' rights under federal law.

Eric Baum, an attorney for the artists, told CNN that the decision is "a triumph for artists all around the country."

"The cultural significance of 5Pointz and the value of the aerosol art created by the 21 plaintiffs has been recognized as fine art. It is now clear that the federal law protects the dignity of the artist and ensures that their artwork is treated respectfully," Baum said.

The law, known as the Visual Artists Rights Act, affords legal protections to artists whose work meets certain requirements, whether or not the artists own the work.

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