Long-Awaited Station Square Restoration Progresses

By Michael Perlman

Station Square is continuing to undergo restoration, brick by brick, after construction began in April and sections were fenced off to vehicular traffic. Last week, local residents and LIRR commuters observed workers reinstalling the historic brick surface along Continental Avenue, which many considered a breath of fresh air. In a time when many buildings citywide that merit preservation fall victim to the wrecking ball, Station Square’s restoration is a rare sight, and marks one of the largest restoration projects in Forest Hills history.

Station Square is the gateway to Forest Hills Gardens, America’s earliest planned garden community, founded in 1909. Inspired by Sir Ebenezer Howard’s Garden City Movement, the model residential development was designed by principal architect Grosvenor Atterbury and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. Station Square accommodated a classy social life, particularly at the Forest Hills Inn, which opened in 1912 and offered 150 rooms, adjoining the Raleigh apartments on the east and the Marlboro apartments on the west. The LIRR Station, once accessible from the Inn through arcades and bridges sheltering residents and visitors from the weather, enabled a 13-minute commute to Manhattan. The Tudor village ambiance gave birth to historic events including annual 4th of July celebrations, Col. Theodore Roosevelt’s “100 Percent American” speech on July 4, 1917, and Helen Keller’s address to over 1,200 soldiers of the Rainbow Division that same year. 

Tony Barsamian, a member of the Board of Directors of the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation provided an in-depth view of the restoration. In order to upgrade utilities to meet 21st century standards, the overwhelming majority of original bricks were carefully salvaged and stored in Station Square and FHGC facilities. “We have cleaned and replaced every brick with either the original brick or custom-tailored bricks 100 percent to match the originals. We’ve padded them with the same sand in terms of how we lay them down. We don’t use mortar, since it cracks when it is icy or snowy, or water gets into it and then it freezes. We have gone out of our way to maintain it to hopefully last another hundred years.” 

In addition to addressing the roadway’s sinking elevation, Barsamian said, “We made improvements in the center island in terms of bringing it back to its original form.” He continued, “When you dug underneath Station Square, you saw that some of the lines and infrastructure elements were dated. Between National Grid and Con Edison and some other service providers, they came in and upgraded their connections to the homes and our community at large.” Water lines were also repaired. The plans will reportedly include the illumination of Station Square’s arcades.

Routine maintenance has been conducted annually, but not a restoration to this level, according to Barsamian. “This is a unique project that should garner great support from historians, since it will bring to life something that could have disappeared. We will probably be finished in February, but a ribbon-cutting ceremony or party may take place in March to welcome everyone to the beautifully restored Station Square.”

“When I watch bricks being put down in 2018, I imagine what it must have been like in the early 1900s,” said Barsamian. “I ask myself, ‘What were the original construction workers and masons thinking? Did it occur to them that they were involved in something so monumental that it has become a model throughout the country and the world, and when someone wants to create a planned historic village? Did the workers have any concept that the brick that they put down would still be walked and driven on?’ This is a throwback to an earlier time, and yet it was futuristic while designing from the past.” 

Barsamian owes much of the success to restrictive covenants. He explained, “A major reason that the community has been maintained for 100+ years is that homes are required by a covenant in their deed that they keep the integrity and structural soundness of the founding fathers’ established code. You cannot walk in and say I’m going to put in a checkerboard look or paint my bricks green and orange. People buy into the neighborhood knowing that there are restrictions on what can be done, and they need to seek our approval based on the community’s original design. That is why it is a timepiece, where you might as well be in an 1800s European Tudor village.”

Station Square’s restoration is not only marked by the most recent roadway project, but is witnessed along its Tudor facades. George Hoban, president of Station Square Inn Apartments Corporation, explained, “Over the past 10 years, our corporation has spent over 7 million dollars restoring our three buildings, and I don’t think people realize that it was funded entirely by less than 100 owners through assessments. People may also not realize that out of the hundreds of brick patterns throughout the buildings, each and every brick pattern is unique.”

Hoban also extended compliments to the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation and Friends of Station Square for their commitment to restoring and beautifying Station Square over the years, and said “The planning and logistics behind this project were obviously challenging, but they have come through flawlessly.” As a 21-year resident, he added, “I still feel a sense of joy each and every time I come home and see the beauty of the Square. I would see the surprised faces of New Yorkers coming off the LIRR into the Square for Forest Hills Stadium concerts and sensed that many were unaware such a beautiful and unique place existed in NYC.”

For another resident Dan Ziegler, who is the owner of Station Square Fight Fit at the Forest Hills Inn, he is also very pleased with the restoration of a town center with many paths. “When I come home, I almost feel like I'm in Europe. Famous people used to stay in my building, and I love how we can go for a stroll in the Gardens and look at mansions, or walk to Queens Boulevard for more of a city vibe. It's almost like ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ where you go through a door, and each door has something special.”

“Visitors may not realize that when you get an aerial view of Station Square with its bricks, it looks like a map of England,” said Gigmy Bista, manager of Jade Eatery & Lounge. “I cannot wait for the restoration to be complete. We would always have locals, commuters, and tourists taking pictures and hanging out, and it was really good for businesses.” Station Square is symbolic of his first time settling in America. “When I attended Queens College, I started working at Jade as a server and remember admiring the Square so much, having my meals on the Square’s bench, and feeling special. I always think of Jade and the Square as my second hometown.” 

A similar version of this feature has been published in Michael Perlman's Forest Hills Times column: http://www.foresthillstimes.com/view/full_story/27618913/article-Station-Square-restoration-moving-forward

Station Square: Restoring The Gateway To Forest Hills Gardens

By Michael Perlman

The talk of the town is the much-anticipated Station Square Restoration Project, announced last week by the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation, which maintains the character of Forest Hills Gardens, an earliest planned garden community in America, originating in 1909.

The Forest Hills Inn triumphs over the stately Station Square, Photo by Michael Perlman, November 2015

Station Square, November 2015 photo by Michael Perlman

A statement read, “This will be a multi-faceted project with many phases, and involving more than just the restoration of the historic road surface. All the public utilities will also be upgraded, including their infrastructure, once the roadway is opened.” The project will commence this week and continue through 2018. While vehicular traffic will be off limits east of Continental Avenue, emergency vehicles will be permitted. 

Station Square circa 1916 to 1920 postcard, Courtesy of Rego-Forest Preservation Council

Local residents began to discuss Station Square’s history and their hopes for a community anchor. Sir Leonard Lombard, a director of the Station Square Inn Apartments Corp said, “What makes its ambiance unique is the whimsical Arts & Crafts style that the architects employed, combined with the fantasy-like Neuschwanstein romantic road castle. The architectural and cultural history, which was in vogue at that time, is unlikely to be duplicated with today's technology and state-of-the-art construction methods.” He hopes the restoration will continue with the facades. “I hope to see a more unified commercial look and more upscale shops along Station Square.” 

Inspired by Sir Ebenezer Howard’s Garden City Movement, this model residential development was designed by principal architect Grosvenor Atterbury and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. Station Square accommodated a classy social life, particularly at the spire-adorned Forest Hills Inn, which opened in 1912 and offered 150 rooms, adjoining the Raleigh apartments on the east and the Marlboro apartments on the west. The LIRR Station, accessible from the Inn through arcades and bridges sheltering residents and visitors from the weather, enabled a 13-minute commute to Manhattan. Historic events transpired, including annual 4th of July celebrations, and at the Station, where Col. Theodore Roosevelt delivered his “100 Percent American” speech on July 4, 1917, and Helen Keller greeted over 1,200 soldiers of the Rainbow Division that same year. 

LIRR Station with original fountain as the centerpiece circa1915, Courtesy of Susanna & Robert Hof

When guests and prospective residents of the Forest Hills Gardens picked up a copy of “Forest Hills Inn,” an early 20th century illustrated pamphlet by philanthropic organization Russell Sage Foundation’s subsidiary, Sage Foundation Homes Company, they learned about the Gardens’ benefits of location, education, and business, as evident by the planning of parks and open spaces alongside homes with architectural treatment. It read, “Grouped around the arcade, through whose arches may be seen the Common, the groves, and the homes of Forest Hills Gardens, are attractive stores and shops that supply every normal want. In the center of the Square, the play of a fountain adds to the vivacity and charm of the scene. The architecture and plan of Station Square have been designed to provide an attractive spot for the common use and pleasure of residents. Beauty, harmony, and utility are here combined in a unique way.” 

Grosvenor Atterbury's sketch of Station Square, circa 1909 - 1910, Courtesy of Susanna & Robert Hof

One couple who builds upon the history of their families living in the Gardens since its origins is Susanna and Robert Hof, owners and managing brokers of Terrace Sotheby’s International Realty, which occupies three Station Square storefronts. Since pedestrians will be channeled onto the sidewalks, he said, “We see it as a net neutral or even positive aspect for businesses.”

The project will preserve and utilize the roadway’s authentic bricks, which will be stored in a loading area along Greenway Terrace. Robert H. explained, “The distance between the roadbed and the sidewalk has deepened. The brickwork, in the pattern of a Union Jack is sacred, and where there are gaps, they will be filled in with proper vintage bricks of the same type and acquired potentially from Upstate New York.”

Susanna H. provided further insight. “As part of the plan, the Forest Hills Gardens Corp. is trying to work out the details to restore the large decorative lanterns that hang from the facades.” The center island is also expected to be repaired, which is where a fountain once provided water for horses, and then around 1916, two kiosks were added and would function as police and taxi outposts. “It is wonderful how it evolved into a sitting area,” she said.

In a joint statement, they explained, “We are very enthused over the restoration plans, and thank Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, who was instrumental in arranging a grant which helps all of us.”

Wendy Bachman, president of Friends of Station Square admires how Station Square was described as "one of the finest public spaces in America" by Robert A.M. Stern, former dean of the Yale School of Architecture and founder of architectural firm RAMSA. “The LIRR, Forest Hills Gardens Corporation, and Friends of Station Square collaborated for over 25 years to raise funds and seek guidance in maintaining this American architectural jewel,” she said.

Past restoration success stories include the center island in 1995, the LIRR Station in 1999 after being deemed “National Register - Eligible,” and landscaping as the result of the Millennium Appeal from 2000 to 2001. She continued, “The guts of the square need a complete overhaul. After the restoration is complete, my hope is that it will take another 100 years before any work of this magnitude.” 

The Sage Foundation’s 1912 ad read, “Endowed by nature with every beauty, the country is disfigured by towns, cities, and suburban developments which make a sorry and hideous spectacle. Our rapid growth may be a reason for our having neglected to take some thought of how we were planning and what we were building, but the time has come for more forethought, and this excuse should no longer be tolerated.”

This precise planning lives up to its testament. “I feel truly blessed to live in Station Square and love looking out my window, seeing the clock and life in Forest Hills Gardens passing by, changing with seasons,” said Mr. James, who embraces the turn-of-the-century ambiance. He continued, “One observation is the expression on people's faces when they step off the LIRR for the first time, wondering where they are, and amazed with what they are seeing in Queens.” 

Forest Hills Inn & Station Square with ivy, 1966 postcard courtesy of Rego-Forest Preservation Council

A similar version appeared in Michael Perlman's Forest Hills Times column: www.foresthillstimes.com/view/full_story/27562259/article-Restoring-the-Gateway-to-Forest-Hills-Gardens-

For updates on the Station Square Restoration Project, email the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation at info@fhgc.org  

Forest Hills History Mural Embraced By Community

Street artists Praxis & Crisp with Coordinator Michael Perlman, A Tribute To Ascan Avenue & The Forest Hills Gardens Mural

Adding Forest Hills alongside the Ascan Backus Homestead & Mr. & Mrs. Sage, Photo by Michael Perlman

By Michael Perlman

On April 2 to April 4, Forest Hills residents and commuters witnessed the transformation of a blank canvas into a work of art at a long-neglected underpass on Ascan Avenue. With the title “A Tribute To Ascan Avenue & The Forest Hills Gardens,” Forest Hills’ newest mural was born. 

After observing the community’s positive response last summer to the Ramones mural on Continental Avenue by the internationally-known street artists “Crisp” and “Praxis,” natives of Australia and Columbia, this columnist appointed them. The new mural bears homage to influential founding parties of the Forest Hills Gardens, set alongside a Gardens’ street lantern which depicts the neighborhood’s classic two trees and a fountain motif, and also sheds light on a flourishing community. Also resurrected is the Backus family homestead, better known today as Walgreens on Queens Boulevard at 69th Road. 

The underpass now features profiles of financier and railroad executive Russell Sage and philanthropist Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage, who amassed her husband’s fortune and helped establish the Russell Sage Foundation, which purchased 142 acres for the Forest Hills Gardens in 1909. Adjacently profiled is “King Farmer” Ascan Backus, regarded as the most successful 19th century commercial farmer in the northeast, when Forest Hills was known as Whitepot prior to 1906. Also honored are Forest Hills Gardens’ principal architect Grosvenor Atterbury and urban planner and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. Among the mural’s goals is to establish a face behind the names of frequented destinations including Russell Sage JHS 190, Olivia Park, and Ascan Avenue.

“The support and positive feedback from the local community that passed by while we were painting was overwhelming,” said Crisp. “It was lovely seeing its impact on all ages, from toddlers pointing things out to their parents, all the way up to a 96-year-old reflecting on his time in the area.” One fan stopped his car and later returned to share a photo of Ascan Backus II, Ascan Backus’ grandson. A young child felt passionate enough to ask questions, relay praise, and recommend highlighting the underpass’ “1909” marker, which has been pursued in the mural. Crisp added, “History is easily forgotten, so we educated people about their contributions to the area, and many loved learning about local history visually through the mural.” 

Keeping "King Farmer" Ascan Backus' memory alive!

Local residents and businesses helped shape the content of the mural and contributed nearly $4,000 since December 2016. Organization sponsors were the West Side Tennis Club, Ridgewood Savings Bank, Trylon Vet Care, Exo Café, Ripe, Knish Nosh, London Lennie’s, Belle Arti Center for the Arts, Oliloli Studio, Aigner Chocolates, Banter, Portofino, and Cipollina Gourmet. Fundraisers were held at Knish Nosh, Roast n Co, and La Boulangerie; the latter two restaurants where Marvel and DC Comics artist John Stanisci sold prints of his work and sketched characters upon request to raise funds. Additionally, Century 21 Department Store provided gift cards and wreaths for donors during the holiday season.

“The West Side Tennis Club is proud to have supported this project, particularly during our 125th anniversary,” said Bea Hunt, WSTC, Co-chair, 125th Anniversary Committee. “The mural is a brilliant combination of the people instrumental in creating this community and unique historic architectural elements, and it will raise appreciation of these great pioneers and our rich history.”

Fan Susan Weinstein, a Forest Hills resident, who is an avid walker and history buff said, “It’s a pleasure to learn new things and keep an eye on our quality of life. Now people will learn more about why the Forest Hills Gardens was founded and what it was founded as.”

Another Forest Hills resident, Waice Shah said, “At Russell Sage JHS, I never realized who Russell Sage was, but I always knew that if my school or any street is named after someone, 9 out of 10 times you can do your research and be wowed by their accomplishments.”

Mickey Leigh, brother of the late Joey Ramone, even stopped by. He chuckled and said, “I much prefer a mural than an abstract design of bird droppings.” As a notable himself, he pointed to the wall and said, “I am working my way towards obtaining the status of these accomplished people.”

Nearby residents also praised the mural. Kew Gardens resident Seth Welins said, “The Forest Hills Gardens is gorgeous and leads into an interesting shopping area. I would often walk through the underpass very quickly, but the finished product will encourage me to slow down a bit and admire the artwork. It’s also an educational resource and a win-win for everyone.”

Richmond Hill resident Shamim Arman views the mural from an artistic perspective and as a representation of a diverse community linking yesterday to today. “If we have the space, art is the best way of providing information to many people. You really have to think in detail that not anyone can do this, and I don’t think any other group features as much about a diverse community than artists.”

Fundraising hosts emphasized the importance of collaborating and contributing. La Boulangerie co-owner François Danielo explained, “As I like to say, Forest Hills is a small village, and part of it is to interact and help each other. Those responsible are creating a soul for our village, and it’s important to differentiate ourselves from the rest of NYC.” Hichem Ammous, co-owner of Roast n Co said, “Partnerships are a great tool to make the community stronger and well known, and we feel proud that we participated.” 

Multi-generational fans come together

Recreating a Forest Hills Gardens historic streetlamp, shedding light on Forest Hills' past & future

A similar version of this feature appears in Michael Perlman's Forest Hills Times/Queens Ledger column: www.queensledger.com/view/full_story/27396817/article-Community-embraces-Forest-Hills-history-mural- 

2/12 Art Sale To Benefit Forest Hills History Mural

Special Community Event: On Sun, Feb 12 from 4:30 PM – 9:30 PM, meet best-selling artist John Stanisci at RoastNco, a unique café/restaurant at 100-12 Queens Blvd. This Marvel & DC Comics artist will sell & sign prints of his great works including Spiderman, Batman, Star Wars, & Captain America. Character sketches upon request. Proceeds to benefit the Forest Hills History Mural Fundraiser. Now's your chance to own something special, give a gift for Valentine’s Day, & help beautify Forest Hills, while paying tribute to historic influential figures & scenes. This will benefit our local arts, culture, & education.

Questions? Contact Michael Perlman at unlockthevault@hotmail.com

Please spread the word & invite friends through our Facebook event page: www.facebook.com/events/598707950319836

NY1 News coverage of our recent fundraiser:
www.ny1.com/nyc/queens/news/2017/01/22/comic-book-artist-helping-to-bring-mural-to-queens-.html

Dec 27: FREE Forest Hills Gardens Tour!

FREE Forest Hills Gardens Holiday Tour on Sun, Dec 27 from 2 PM - 4 PM. 

To RSVP, visit: www.facebook.com/events/935178509883356  

Please add your friends to the event page & share over social media.

We will visit historic sites including the storied Forest Hills Inn & Tea Garden, PS 101, The Leslie, Adolph Weinman's WWI Soldiers & Sailors Memorial, Church-in-the-Gardens, & the Christian Science Church. Also to be explored is the Gardens' celebrity culture with names i.e. Burt Bacharach, Fred Hart, & Alrick Man, Jr.

We will meet at Station Square outside the LIRR Station at Continental Ave & Burns St. Please join Jeff Gottlieb (Central Queens Historical Association, President), Michael Perlman (Rego-Forest Preservation Council, Chair, & Legendary Locals of Forest Hills and Rego Park, Author), & Cheryl Cuddeback (longtime resident, author, & real estate salesperson).

The forecast is predicted to be mild. Questions? Email jeffgottlieb@hotmail.com & unlockthevault@hotmail.com  

Touring Forest Close & the Forest Hills Gardens with Architectural Historian Barry Lewis

By Michael Perlman, Rego-Forest Preservation Council Chair & Forest Hills Times Columnist

On a warm Saturday morning, nearly 40 residents of Forest Hills and other communities gathered in Station Square, to begin their weekend with a tour of the Forest Hills Gardens and Forest Close. Many anticipated their first encounter with notable architectural historian Barry Lewis, who conducted historic NYC tours, televised on Channel Thirteen, and wrote the book, “Kew Gardens: Urban Village in the Big City.”

This tour was made possible by the Historic Districts Council, NYC’s largest citywide preservation advocate. It is part of the non-profit’s “Six To Celebrate,” where the HDC will offer tours of the neighborhoods which encompass the six preservation-worthy selections of 2014 between June and October. HDC Preservation Associate Barbara Zay explained, “These tours serve to highlight neighborhoods that many New Yorkers are unaware of, and in places that are more heavily trodden, to shine a light on unknown aspect of their history or built environment.”

The Forest Close Association nominated Forest Close, an assemblage of rowhouses designed in 1927 by Robert Tappan, a client of Cord Meyer Development Company. It is bounded by 75th Road, 76th Avenue, and Austin Street. Zay explained, “The HDC seeks to raise awareness of this delightful neo-Tudor enclave and explore opportunities to further protect it for future generations. The Association is concerned about new developments and real estate projects in its surrounding neighborhood that could threaten the Close’s sense of place.”

“Town home living in Forest Close and nearby Arbor Close allows for gardening, outdoor dining, or winter reading by the fireplace,” said Forest Close resident Elisa Barsoum Losada. “Each home has a private patio overlooking a shared common green space and has doorbells on the patio and front doors. These features encourage a sense of community, and allow neighbors to live and work together throughout the seasons.”

“Contemporary architects and developers can take a lesson from the design of Forest Close,” said Joanne Wasti, who opened her home and served fine cookies and lemonade. She explained, “As people become more aware of their carbon footprint and green design, Forest Close is an example of a design emphasizing community and away from the car culture. The shared garden area also helps with run-off and cools our homes in the summer.”

The Association maintains a covenant which regulates changes to its architecture and open space, similar to the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation, which upholds restrictive covenants governing the Forest Hills Gardens.

Established in 1909, the Gardens is America’s earliest planned garden community. It originated when the Russell Sage Foundation purchased land from the Cord Meyer Development Company, and Principal Architect Grosvenor Atterbury and Landscape Architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. developed what would become an internationally recognized model of urban planning. Tudor and Arts & Crafts mansions, a few apartment houses, the Forest Hills Inn, religious institutions, and outdoor and indoor recreational features can be found.

Barry Lewis highlighted the community’s history and clever design principles. Station Square was conceived as a town center, which merges residential space with an inn, shops, and the LIRR station. Lewis explained, “Atterbury’s walkway system around Station Square is brilliant. He figured, ‘Why should people staying at the Inn have to schlep their luggage outside?’ He created over the street bridges and a walkway system that goes through the buildings.” He continued, “This is urban thinking. Not suburban thinking. It’s about civilizing the city’s way to live in the industrial era.”

Lewis glanced across the way at The Inn Apartments (separate from the Inn) and pointed at the oversized casement windows. He said, “These architects understood that modern people wanted light and air in their apartments. The waffling allows for a multiple exposure.” He continued, “There was a feeling of security and coziness using distressed brick over fieldstone, which gives a rugged feeling of civility.”

Addressing front lawns of homes, Lewis pointed out that most are not fenced in, which can be attributed to covenants. “You would get off the train from NY, where everything follows a grid street system and felt claustrophobic, but here you would have a feeling of openness,” he said.

Every community faces some controversy over development. Lewis addressed the last lot to be developed, which is where The Leslie apartments stands. The site was formerly the Russell Sage Foundation’s sales office and the Austin Hanks house, where the lone surviving family member refused to sell for redevelopment’s sake. Not long after she died, The Leslie was completed in 1942.

The Leslie’s advantages were sunken living rooms, artist studio windows, social rooms, and indoor and outdoor play areas. Additionally, he stated, “An entire city block is completely surrounded by gardens. This was a template for some white brick apartment buildings of the post-war period such as the Manhattan House.”

The Community House

Another stop was Atterbury’s 1926 Community House, which contains a theater, a social hall, and basketball courts. Lewis said, “There was room for everybody. It was very common in a quality community development to have a clubhouse.” He related it to garden communities of Jackson Heights and Kew Gardens. Other historic sites that Lewis featured were the West Side Tennis Club, the Church-in-the-Gardens, the Tea Garden, Hawthorne Park, PS 101, and the Holland House just beyond the Forest Hills Gardens.

The Church-In-The-Gardens

“Protecting places such as the Forest Hills Gardens and Forest Close is important, for it is part of the fabric of New York City,” said Elmhurst resident Helen Chin. “It is unique not just terms of community, but in architecture, design, and urban planning. What was incredible is how soothing and nurturing the environment was.”

A similar version of this feature was published in Michael Perlman's Forest Hills Times column: http://foresthillstimes.com/view/full_story/25273891/article-Closer-look-at-two-significant-neighborhoods

Forest Hills Inn's 100th Anniversary Marked By Restoration & Historic Committee

This is Michael Perlman's feature story on the Forest Hills Inn's 100th anniversary in the Queens Ledger/Forest Hills Times. Please feel free to post a comment on the link & share it with your friends. Let's take part in this historic moment:
 

http://www.foresthillstimes.com/view/full_story/17799132/article-Scaffolds-come-down--reveal-Forest-Hills-history

Circa early 1920s postcard of the Forest Hills Inn towering over Station Square

The Inn as of August 2009 amidst scaffolding

The Inn as of March 2012

Scaffolds Come Down & Reveal Forest Hills History

Passersby and residents of the historic Forest Hills Inn at 1 Station Square can see the light of day, and even more so in the near future with planned restorations of adjacent buildings.

This prominent Forest Hills Gardens tower’s scaffolding and netting, which was erected circa 2004, is now at ground level at Station Square and Greenway South, and the repaired façade can once again be appreciated for its Tudor and Arts & Crafts appeal.

The Forest Hills Inn officially opened on May 1, 1912, making its restoration timely for its 100th anniversary.

Forest Hills Gardens originated in 1909. The Russell Sage Foundation appointed Grosvenor Atterbury as the Gardens’ principal architect, and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. as the landscape architect for public spaces and parks.

Inspired by Ebenezer Howard's Garden City Movement of England, this is our country's earliest planned garden community. It is a highly recognized model of urban planning, with Old English mansions tastefully situated on classically named private winding streets with lush landscape.

The board of Forest Hills Inn meets with contractors monthly to plan the restoration. The roof and facades of all three buildings have not been restored for at least the same number of decades, but now repairs on the Inn’s tower are complete.

Terra-cotta roof tiles were falling, and the pebble stucco finish on the façade became porous. This affected the metal structure underneath, allowing water into the apartments. Also weathered were top-floor terraces bearing gargoyles, which serve as drainage features.

“While examining the façades, we kept noticing weathered features, needing restoration,” explains Martin Restituyo, president of the One Station Square, Inc. co-op board. “Our five-year capital improvement plan, estimated at $3.5 million, will soon address all remaining restoration, which encompasses the Inn Apartments (of the Forest Hills Inn), the Raleigh, and the Marlboro. Restorations are funded through shareholder assessments. Unlike the past, we have appropriate plans and funds.”
 

“Restorations are funded through shareholder assessments,” he adds. “Unlike the past, we have appropriate plans and funds.”

Before Martin Restituyo’s presidency in December 2008, the previous board erected scaffolding around the Inn in 2004, without obtaining Forest Hills Gardens Corporation approval. The board felt it was essential due to emergency repairs, but the Gardens Corporation referenced restrictive covenants that protect the Gardens’ historic character.

By March 2009, the legal dispute between the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation and the Inn’s board was settled, and the tower’s repairs were completed in a year’s time.

Restoration of Station Square is costly, but possible with commitment. Friends of Station Square vice president Suzanne Parker explains the non-profit’s mission. “To protect, beautify, and educate the community about Station Square, Forest Hills, and its environs,” she says.

As a case in point, she cites re-installing a restored lantern to a corner of Burns Street after raising approximately $20,000, but that the majority of the eight remaining lanterns from 1910 are in deterioration. “Friends of Station Square embraced these whimsical icons of the prevailing Arts & Crafts style of the Square as an ongoing project, and continues its fundraising efforts,” notes Parker.

In the Inn’s early years, the Sage Foundation Homes Company distributed an illustrated 25-page prospectus to new residents and guests, establishing why the Inn and the Gardens is unique.

“Forest Hills Inn is a delightful all year round home for the busy man or woman who must spend the day in the city, but appreciates every minute saved for outdoor living and recreation amid wholesome and aesthetic surroundings,” read the brochure.

Station Square was conceived as a town center with the Inn, apartments, connected shops and the train station, which took locals to Penn Station in 13 minutes. The 150-room Inn’s rates were $14 - $18 per week, including meals. References were required. Guests were welcomed to socialize at the Inn’s reception and smoking rooms on a vine-screened loggia overlooking the square. Guests enjoyed dinner overlooking the Greenway and Tea Garden, which hosted weddings. Tennis courts, golf, billiards, and a squash court were other fine amenities.

The 100th anniversary of the Inn is marked by the board’s establishment of a Historic Committee, co-chaired by Martin Levinson and George Hoban, who is collecting memorabilia for preservation’s sake, while telling a most significant chapter of Forest Hills history.

"The Innside Story" on a super-sized matchbook cover, circa 1950s

The social heart of Forest Hills! Amazing how the matches were embellished with an artist's touch.

If we were able to journey back in time, which space(s) should define your day?

One of the earliest postcards depicting the Forest Hills Inn circa 1912. Note the long-vanished fountain in the center of Station Square, which has been replaced not long after with a center island with traffic control booths & a landscaped sitting area.

One of many matchbooks from the Forest Hills Inn's hotel days under Knott Management

The July 4, 1919 carnival poster in front of the Forest Hills LIRR train station. Two years earlier, President Theodore Roosevelt delivered his famed Unification Speech atop the station steps to the crowds at Station Square.

Station Square has a traditional yet renewed sense as the seasons change

The banner on the right boasts the Forest Hills Gardens Centennial in 2009, but the Forest Hills Inn opened in 1912.

Forest Hills train station

Wide perspective on the Forest Hills train station

Fall 2009 photo: Friends of Station Square planned on restoring 1 of 8 Arts & Crafts lanterns designed by Grosvenor Atterbury. 

March 2012 photo: Friends of Station Square succeeded in restoring 1 of 8 Arts & Crafts lanterns designed by Grosvenor Atterbury. This marks a case study of "steep" commitment towards the restoration & beautification of Station Square.

View from Greenway Terrace towards the Forest Hills Inn at Station Square, March 2012