Forest Hills Gardens, a ritzy community on the south side of the LIRR main line tracks roughly between Continental Avenue, Union Turnpike, the LIRR and Greenway South, was one of America’s first planned developments. It was begun in 1908 and its English green style setting is the work of Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., the son of the co-designer of Central and Prospect Parks. Its well-kept buildings are mostly in a Georgian aor Tudor style, laid out along mostly narrow streets that defy the surrounding Queens grid.
The develpment has street fixtures like streetlamps and signs that are unique to the community and found nowhere else in NYC, with a few distinct designs. I’ll detail the lampposts in a future post but here’s an example of the street signs, which were slightly altered about 25 years ago with a new Optima font for the lettering.
11/28/12