Fresh Paint

Paint can be utilitarian or decorative: In the case of Forest Hills Gardens’ distinctive light poles and lamps, it’s both. Paint protects the metal that the poles and lights are made of from rain, snow, and rust. And the blue/green color is one of the hallmarks of the neighborhood. Originally called Harwichport Blue, it was designed specifically for Forest Hills Gardens more than a century ago.

John Lopez has been painting our light poles and lamps and keeping them looking great. He and his crew have repainted more than 130 in the last couple of years. There are roughly 200 in the neigborhood, including several brand new poles and lamps. “I love them; the designs are beautiful,” says Lopez. “People see me painting and say hello and how nice the lamps look,”

continues Lopez. “I love that!” It takes about one to two hours to carefully paint each pole and lamp, depending on how much sanding and scraping each one needs before painting.

Lopez is no stranger to Forest Hills Gardens. He has been working in the neighborhood for the last 35 years, and has lived in the Gardens for the last 7 years. So feel free to say hello and

thank him when you see him painting.

To help keep our light poles looking good, please take care around them when you or your gardeners are working on the curb plots. Also please keep your dogs from peeing on them.

LIRR Station Upgrade

Construction Has Begun

The pressures of a growing community beyond our borders has added another layer of complexity to our mission of neighborhood preservation. You may have noticed the new equipment on Burns Street, signaling the beginning of a transformative journey for our beloved LIRR Station, a cornerstone of our community that has faithfully served us for over 100 years. After long periods of on again/off again discussions, the LIRR Station upgrade project has officially begun on Gardens property. Enhancements will focus on improving ADA access and extending the current platforms to accommodate modern train lengths, ensuring that our station continues to meet the evolving needs of our residents and surrounding neighbors.

As Forest Hills emerges as a recognized transit hub within the expanding city, these upgrades are not only necessary but also reflective of our commitment to maintaining the integrity of our neighborhood amidst growth pressures. The FHGC Board has met repeatedly with representatives from the various arms of this project (MTA, LIRR, and their contractor, Forte) and has negotiated numerous aspects to be assured that the historical nature of our community is addressed and all changes are functional as well as operationally and architecturally appropriate. Pebble finish and stucco mix will be used appropriately to continue the neighborhood aesthetic. Dense plantings, such as arborvitaes, on the embankment as well as the restoration of the west side wall have been assured for the finished product.

Just like with movie shoots and other outside users of our private streets, the FHGC, LIRR and Forte entered into licensing agreements for the staging of their upgrade project and use of Gardens’ property. Designated areas were selected to minimize impact along Burns Street. Since the overall project is projected to take two to three years till completion, the newsletter will attempt to provide regular updates on its progress.

A Forgotten Chapter in Gardens'

Traffic History: Ruleta Clusters

In the ever-evolving landscape of New York City’s streets, few relics better capture the city’s layered past than its traffic signals. While today’s intersections are dominated by bright, energy-efficient LED lights, mid-20th century New York utilized straightforward fixtures for traffic control—most notably, the distinctive two-color signals known as Ruleta Clusters.

Named after the Ruleta company that pioneered them, these signals featured only red and green lenses—omitting the now-standard yellow caution light. Though three-color traffic signals were also common, Ruleta Clusters were a frequent sight throughout the five boroughs. They were typically installed on streets with lighter traffic flow, but as neighborhoods grew and city patterns shifted, many of these two-light signals remained in increasingly congested areas.

Long-time Gardens residents may remember these charming fixed-face anomalies. Mounted in four-way configurations at intersections, they stood out for their simplicity. Their design reflected an earlier era of urban planning—when automotive traffic was less dominant and pedestrian interactions shaped street life more directly. The original Ruleta signals were installed from the 1920s through the 1940s and became a familiar part of the city’s visual identity for decades.

Change, however, came steadily when in the early 1950s, the city embarked on a major modernization effort, gradually replacing its aging signal infrastructure with more advanced and adaptable systems. Adjustable Marbelite signals began to take the place of the older fixed units, offering greater control over timing and visibility. By the 1980s, the city’s final Ruleta Clusters were phased out in favor of modern three-color LED signals.

One of the last holdouts, the Gardens removed its Ruleta Clusters at the Ascan Avenue intersections of Greenway North and Greenway South in the mid-80s. While many residents at that time argued to keep the quaint "European-feel" fixtures, due to numerous accidents, the traffic fixtures were upgraded and replaced with modern ones similar to one utilized throughout the city. A remnant from that era is still evident on Greenway North (pictured in the "Fun Fact" section). These "electric eyes" were used to monitor traffic flow and still remain even though not in use. And yes, they were painted in our neighborhood's "Harwichport Blue", which is the historic name of the blue/green paint color used throughout the Gardens. It is currently known as Benjamin Moore Olympus Green #679.

Aging Trees Require TLC

The severe drought of 2024 placed significant stress on many of our majestic "senior citizen" trees, which have long been a symbol of our community's beauty and uniqueness.

As part of the Board's efforts to be proactive in regards to assessing the overall health of our trees, with our outside specialists' assistance, the Gardens was broken down into quadrants, with each section's trees systematically evaluated and maintenance performed. This spring, sadly some of our trees required removal after an in-depth examination with a resistograph (pictured above) confirmed this step was necessary. Resistograph testing is a non-destructive method, utilizing a specialized drill to assess the internal condition of wood by measuring its resistance, help identify incipient decay, cavities, and other structural concerns. Burns Street trees have shown through resistograph testing that there are others which have decay and will require removal soon.

While there is no race to replace them all immediately, the Board is dedicated to maintaining the aesthetic quality of our neighborhood and is considering various factors when considering replacements. (For one, any mature tree removal affects the overall neighborhood canopy for many years to come since it takes tens of years before a replacement tree reaches maturity.) The sooner replacements are in the ground, the sooner the canopy is restored. Another consideration is that the removal exposes the remaining trees to wind damage (each tree supports and protects those around them). Our arborists and historic

landscape architects have devised a replacement plan to guide the board in making sound decisions. This includes selecting appropriate and sustainable species for replanting that correspond to the original vision for Forest Hills Gardens.

As envisioned by our original esteemed landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., the Gardens trees are profoundly woven into the very fabric of our community's streets, which are meticulously categorized into three distinct planting zones: local side streets, neighborhood routes, and main thoroughfares. In honoring Olmsted's original design, side streets are enhanced with exquisite flowering trees, carefully considering the existing scale and the interplay of "overstory" and "understory" trees. On our main thoroughfares, magnificent oaks and elms are planted, ensuring the continuation of the breathtaking street canopy that so many residents cherish. Each tree averages between 3 to 4.5 inches in diameter and weighs around 300 to 700 pounds. This spring, the Board authorized the planting of twelve trees by our arborists, with costs for purchase, transport, and installation ranging from $900 to $1,700 per tree. There are preliminary plans to install some elms this fall.

Sidewalk Replacement in Flagpole Green

Crews have been removing the old sidewalks in Flagpole Green over the past few weeks. The existing paths were fully excavated.

The installation of new pebble sidewalks was completed this past week. These walkways are durable, visually appealing, and blend naturally with the park’s landscape. They also offer environmental and safety advantages.

Now that the project has been completed, stop by and admire the enhanced beauty and accessibility of Flagpole Green.

Save the Date:

FHGC Annual Budget Meeting

Thursday, September 25, 2025 at seven o'clock in the evening. Meeting will be held at the Community House, located at 15 Borage Place.