Station Square prior to Upgrade (QP)
May 9, 2019 By Meghan Sackman
The restoration of the brick roadway at Station Square, the historic center of Forest Hills, is nearly complete and has recently opened up to pedestrian traffic.
The roadway at Station Square, which is located by the Forest Hills LIRR Station and is the main entry point to Forest Hills Gardens, has been undergoing a major revamp over the past year to prevent it from deteriorating beyond repair.
The renovations have been going on for about 17 months according to Tony Barsamian, a Forest Hills Gardens Corporation board member, who also said the square officially opened to pedestrians on May 5.
Barsamian said all of the bricks that make up the roadway have been restored. The entirety of the bricks were raised and relayed to make the surface even. The broken bricks were replaced and the bricks that were kept were either cleaned or repaired.
Station Square (Photo: Wikimedia)
“We put them back the way they were 100 years ago,” Barsamian said of the historic roadway. “We kept it a true historic restoration, not just a renovation,” he said.
Pedestrians are now able to roam the newly updated square, also the location of two destination restaurants that saw business drop during the construction: The Dirty Pierre, which remained open during the restoration, and Jade Eatery and Lounge, which was forced to close during the work but has recently reopened.
Vehicles are still not permitted to drive on the parts of the roads that run through the square, which include 71 Street/ Continental Avenue, Burns Street, and Greenway Terrace, due to final touch ups being made to the bricks, Barsamian said.
A full reopening of the square, including roadway access to vehicles on these streets, is planned for the end of May, weather permitting.
Station Square (Google Maps)
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4 Comments
I am appalled by the cheesie sign in wedding invitation script PAINTED DIRECTLY ON THE HISTORIC BRIDGE giving directions to the stadium.
This is not a place to paint on a sign giving directions to forest Hills stadium. But if you must, use a neutral font.
This commercial outfit running the stadium rock concerts has no business imposing on the community any more than it has to.
It is a shame they did not level the subfloor before laying the new brick. There were be a great deal of puddles which will lead to damage in the coming years. Either way glad to see the FHGC finally addressing some areas that need attention.
I was hoping the very old stairs to the station would be improved. Some agency like the MTA should look into it. Long overdue imho.
I’ve been over there and the bricks still seem very uneven. If that was the main objective, it does not seem worth it.