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ClearView Kids Daycare Center Planting Roots in Forest Hills

Dan on August 20, 2025

A Dynamic Daycare Inspiring Young Minds

By Michael Perlman

It is essential to build a solid foundation in our earliest years, and in the forefront is ClearView Kids Daycare Center. Located in the heart of Forest Hills’ residential and commercial district at 68-60 Austin Street, Suite 200, this full-time weekday nursery to prep school center for children, ages 2 to 5, has been educating, motivating, and enriching young minds in distinctive ways since opening day on April 1, 2025.

ClearView Kids Daycare, 68-60 Austin St, 2nd floor, Photo by Michael Perlman

Upon entering the daycare, warm smiles and a friendly demeanor light the way. A logo in the foyer reads, “A place where every child shines. A place of love, learning, & support.” A thought bubble features an eye with three children sharing a book, and lustrous rays extend into depictions of diverse activities. Personalized attention and a variety of group settings becomes apparent.

A welcoming space, Photo by Michael Perlman

Bianna Mazler, who achieved a Masters in Speech and Language Pathology, serves as ClearView Kids’ executive director. After immigrating from Uzbekistan, she settled in Rego Park, and currently resides in Kew Gardens.

Diana Mozner serves as the center’s educational director. She resides in Queens Village and formerly called Rego Park home. She achieved a Masters in Music in Turkmenistan, and locally, she achieved a Masters in Special Education from Touro College. She takes pride in being a licensed music and special education teacher.

ClearView Kids Daycare offers bright and spacious classrooms to teach and nurture up to 100 students, and enrollment currently remains open. Students are enrolled from Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens, Fresh Meadows, and sections of Long Island, which indicates how students and their parents value the daycare’s vision and commitment to excellence. The curriculum blends diverse research-based approaches, tailored to developmental milestones and each child’s individual needs.

Developing bonds over interactive games, Photo by Michael Perlman

“In regard to education, we integrate various curriculums to deliver highest quality services. We make learning fun and meaningful,” explained Mozner. Mazler added, “Our children learn best through exploration and play, and we create an environment where those moments materialize daily.”

The highly skillful staff consists of teachers and teachers assistants, who achieved Bachelors and Masters degrees. Also ready to serve are chefs, who Mazler feels are “very kind and loving people,” which is their most important title. “We believe in teamwork. Everyone is valued, and it does not matter if you are cleaning, cooking, or a teacher. We are all one,” she said.

Owners, staff, & children welcome you, Photo by Michael Perlman

Mazler explained how their enduring friendship evolved into a thriving business partnership, after meeting approximately twenty years ago while working in the field. “Since Diana is a special education teacher and I’m a speech pathologist, we were providing homecare services for the same client. We quickly became friends, and then best friends. Over the years, we worked as a team, celebrated many successes, and realized we could achieve so much more together. That’s when we decided to open our own daycare, knowing we could make a greater impact in the lives of many children.” Their shared passion, mutual respect, and seamless collaboration, strengthened by two decades of experience in daycare center environments, remain the driving forces behind their success.

“Our mission is to provide the highest quality of care for children, to embrace inclusivity and diversity, and to nurture each child with love, guiding them toward a life built on compassion and support,” continued Mazler. She also shared the inspiration behind the center’s engaging name, “ClearView,” which was mutually selected. “As parents, we wanted to offer families a ‘clear view’ by being open, transparent, and deeply committed to the well-being of every child in our care. We want parents to know exactly what their child is learning and eating, while we provide a safe and positive environment. Simultaneously, we maintain a clear vision of how we conduct our work by helping children grow strong, confident, and ready to thrive.”

The Monday to Friday schedule, which runs from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM, offers significantly more than a standard daycare routine. It is a day filled with opportunities for growth, learning, and joy. Children enjoy a rich variety of activities, including free play and library time, circle time, learning centers and small-group projects, indoor and outdoor play, gross motor activities, music and movement, art and sensory exploration, and storytime, among others.

Outdoor play area, Photo by Michael Perlman

Mazler highlighted several qualities that distinguish their daycare apart from others. “We truly love children from the bottom of our heart, and that love is felt from the very moment that parents bring them through our doors,” she shared. The team also places great emphasis on helping children transition smoothly from their home to the daycare environment, which is an experience that can be stressful. With years of expertise, they apply gentle, preventative strategies to ease separation anxiety, and create a sense of comfort and security from day one.

Another standout is preparing three balanced meals and two nutritious snacks, consisting of high-quality ingredients in a kosher kitchen. Milk and eggs are among the organic products. They are committed to accommodating dietary needs, as well as diverse tastes, since healthy food should be delectable and suited to a child’s preferences. Breakfast, for example, may consist of oatmeal with fruits, eggs, and toast or French toast. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available. “We introduce our students to a variety of foods and textures, prepared in a healthy manner, and over time, they become curious and often end up loving them,” said Mazler.

“We offer music classes and sports once per week, and we have our students help prepare challah from scratch on Fridays in our weekly cooking class,” said Mozner. The hands-on approach not only engages their senses, but teaches practical skills that they can carry into their homes as they mature.

“By playing sports, children learn how to follow directions and develop motor skills,” said Mazler. The program offers judo and karate classes, which help children develop physical strength, coordination, balance, and self-discipline, while also building confidence and fostering respect for themselves and others. Another unique aspect is etiquette classes, where children acquire essential social skills, such as sharing, expressing gratitude, and showing respect.

Students also participate in themed performances in conjunction with upcoming holidays, such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, which reinforces the traditions and values each season represents. Sensory integration therapy consists of exposing children to materials, including sand and water. This summer, shows are held weekly, which feature a range of subjects. Animals were in the spotlight of one show, and others featured interactive foam and paper as a source of entertainment. Water activities enable students to discover the properties of water, develop interpersonal cues and establish bonds, and enjoy the summer warmth in the center’s enclosed on-site playground.

Where creativity is key, Photo by Michael Perlman

Based on Mazler’s observations and feedback from parents, she shared a few of many reasons why co-owning a daycare is gratifying. “After a few months of operation, their children start following directions. They develop speech and language skills. They start interacting with other children and are more mature. They’re never hungry when they come home. Parents tell us ‘Thank you!’ We also hear how their children, even on weekends, are looking forward to visiting our daycare.”

“Kids feel the atmosphere. They feel it’s a home when they come to our daycare, since we all have positive energy,” said Mozner. “When they come here with their parents, they don’t want to leave, even if it is their first visit. They already feel loved. You don’t have to tell them ‘I love you.’ They know. We always recommend parents to take a tour and see for themselves, since only parents can feel if this is the right place for their child. Our daycare is education combined with positive energy and love.”

Colorful interactive spaces along with a Tree of Life, Photo by Michael Perlman

The layout and configuration of rooms with their purpose, lighting, and the whimsical and colorful huge murals lining the hallway also contribute to the daycare’s unique personality. Children are inspired to use their imagination. One of the murals features toddlers steering a rubber duckie alongside a rainbow, above a rainbow pencil-inspired house, and a toddler hitting a drum as another makes their way down a sliding pon. In a room, cutouts of Cookie Monster and Bert surround a miniature library, enabling a classic adventure. Another space features an interactive colorful growth wall, where children can learn to measure their height alongside a giraffe, monkeys, flowers, and insects.

Murals enable one’s imagination, Photo by Michael Perlman

The duo can also be regarded as artists from designing their center’s engaging logo and beyond. Mozner explained, “We conducted much research regarding what is good for kids, such as how the lights are supposed to be and what colors to use. We read lots of literature, but also applied our own imagination.”

A journey begins at ClearView, Photo by Michael Perlman

ClearView Kids Daycare Center is partnering with the QUALITYstarsNY program, a rating and improvement system for early childhood programs, which provides support and resources throughout New York State.

To discover the magic at ClearView Kids, visit www.clearviewkids.com, call 347-730-4235, email Clearviewkidsinc@gmail.com, follow @clearview_kids_daycare_center_ on Instagram, and book a consultation and tour. Enrollment and a journey awaits!

Brown Brothers, Foremost Photographers Documented Forest Hills & The World Behind The Lens with the Historic Brown Brothers

Dan on August 20, 2025

By Michael Perlman

Percy Loomis Sperr, Eugene Armbruster, Jacob Riis, and among the most influential photographers… Brown Brothers! Founded in New York City in 1904 by brothers Charles H.S. Brown and Arthur R. Brown, the preeminent firm would be recognized for its production of several million stock photos and negatives, ranging from Forest Hills Gardens to The Kew-Forest School to the Queensboro Bridge undergoing development to New York at large. The collection continues with the American landscape and even worldwide. Sports and building interiors were also captured, and nearly all subjects. Today, Brown Brothers is acclaimed as America’s oldest stock photo syndicate, which brought news and commercial photography into the spotlight with their gelatin silver and albumen silver prints, and rare glass plate negatives.

The Kew Forest School pre Union Turnpike, circa 1918

Some of their work is now available for purchase on eBay for the first time in history, and a sample is in the possession of this columnist. Their work can also be viewed in the collections of prominent museums, such as the New York Public Library, Library of Congress, Getty Museum, National Portrait Gallery, and Museum of Modern Art.

Observing the Queensboro Bridge being erected, circa 1908

Brown Brothers’ headquarters was based at a succession of addresses, which consisted of 156 Broadway as of April 4, 1904, 108 Fulton Street from 1904 to 1915, and the commanding Times Square location of the Fitzgerald Building at 1482 Broadway after 1915, and 220 West 42nd Street as late as the 1940s under Arthur Brown’s management. At their 156 Broadway address, they were noted as illustrators and correspondents, and the top of their letterhead read, “Constantly receiving photographs from our photographers and correspondents in all parts of the world.” At the time, they achieved over 200,000 original photographs of diverse subjects.

Brown Brothers’ 220 W 42nd St office, Courtesy of Mike Heffner

In November 1972, Brown Brothers migrated from their over 30-year home to Sterling, Pennsylvania under director Harry Collins, his wife Meredith, and their daughter Meredith. Collins estimated an inventory of eight million items, and erected a metal fireproof building on a farm to store the collection.

Harry Collins, Owner after Charles Brown & Arthur Brown, Courtesy of Mike Heffner

The firm took some of the earliest photos of Forest Hills Gardens that exist after its initial development. This earliest planned garden community to be inspired by Sir Ebenezer Howard’s Garden City movement, originated in 1909. The Forest Hills Inn and Station Square, as well as the winding streets, parks, and earliest homes were products of masterminds, including principal architect Grosvenor Atterbury, and landscape architect and urban planner Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. Arthur R. Brown and Charles H.S. Brown, as well as their staff members may have walked in the footsteps of Atterbury and Olmsted, Jr, and witnessed early construction and the finished projects. As a case in point, a composition of distinctive rowhouses along the communal Greenway Terrace with the towering Tudor-style Forest Hills Inn dominating the backdrop is formulated brilliantly, and makes a viewer feel as if the brothers complemented the vision of Atterbury and Olmsted. Residents of today honorably walk in the footsteps of our exceptionally talented ancestors.

Greenway Terrace facing the Forest Hills Inn

Charles H.S. Brown was born in 1874 in Hoboken, New Jersey, and was the senior founder of Brown Brothers. He passed away in April 1926, and was survived by widow Edith Owen Brown, a son named Barclay Brown, and his brother, Arthur Brown. He last resided at 411 West 115th Street, an architecturally intact six-story building, where “The Colonial” is inscribed above the pilastered entranceway.

Arthur R. Brown had Scottish roots and was also born in Hoboken. He passed away in April 1950 at age 73, and last resided at 305 Lincoln Avenue in Rockville Center, Long Island. He and his brother were sons of a brownstone contractor. His career originated as a book salesman under Harper Brothers and Scribner, and selling three-dimensional effect stereopticon photos for another well-known firm, Underwood & Underwood.

When surviving brother Arthur Brown was asked by New York Evening Post journalist Agnes Adams for her April 15, 1936 article about his definition of a good picture, he replied, “One that tells you the whole story without a word being written about it.” This was his photographic philosophy, which indeed generated success.

Her feature read, “The Brown files contain plates and prints of most of the important people and events from that period (1904 founding) to this (1936 interview): the first Johnstown flood and now the second Johnstown flood, parades to celebrate national joys and sorrows, famous people photographed in various stages of their rise and fall, gadgets, machinery, buildings, beautiful women. In fact, it’s more of a chore to find something Mr. Brown hasn’t photographed than what he has.” Prior to newspapers having their own photographers, he would serve a number of publications. Early on in his career, he took the photos and employed twelve photographers, but as of 1936, he remained in his office and employed five photographers.

Certain prints from photographs were bestsellers, and a prominent subject matter generated $1,500, which is equivalent to an estimated $34,305 in 2025. “He saw, coming out of St. Bartholomew’s on Easter morning in 1905, two women who he thought looked worthy of a picture. He stepped up and snapped them, just as they were about to drive off. They were the late Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt (Alice Claypoole Vanderbilt) and her daughter, Gladys, who later became the Countess Laszlo Széchenyi,” the author stated.

An essential component to a superb product was nerve, which included being present where Arthur Brown and his staff were unwanted. He also felt that photography was not significantly improved over yesteryear, but rather different. A scenario was provided. “New York, for example, used to be typified by the Flatiron Building. Next it was the Woolworth Tower; then the Empire State. Now hinterlanders – and localities, too – are asked to look at Radio City and see New York. But in all the pictures, the photographer was supposed to make the buildings look as tall as possible.”

114 Greenway North toward Puritan Ave, Circa late teens – early 1920s

Arthur Brown’s ticket into the business stemmed from the historic medium of stereopticon, in which it was a commonality for most homes to own one. This device enabled looking at two identical prints adjacently mounted, and one image could be viewed. Back then, males were able to pursue their college studies, often by generating profits through selling stereopticon views, but in the thirties, history repeated itself through magazine sales. Adams wrote, “Stereopticon printmaking and selling was a flourishing business (at the turn of the century), and Mr. Brown undertook it after being a promotion manager for a monthly publication. He soon found that local pictures were needed. He could get plenty of views of the Eiffel Tower, the House of Commons, the Taj Mahal. What he didn’t have were the Battery and the Brooklyn Bridge.” This was the steppingstone for a photographic team that he could call his own, and ultimately his firm.

“The most popular print which the studio has is one of the late Theodore Roosevelt laughing in a way best to show his much-caricatured teeth. It is a pitilessly frank relief map of his face. It also reveals that the late ex-President didn’t always have his clothes immaculately pressed. But it’s what is called a speaking likeness, and Mr. Brown sells about two dozen prints of the picture every year. It tells the story of the man,” she wrote. This 1912 image was taken by renowned news photographer Charles Duprez (1888 – 1967), a New Jersey native, outside of Roosevelt’s home, which he referenced as a “routine” photo. He documented Manhattan from atop the Woolworth Building, which became the world’s tallest building in 1913.

Brown Brothers photographer Charles Duprez atop Woolworth Building, Courtesy of Mike Heffner

Another famed Brown Brothers photographer was “baseball lensman extraordinaire” Charles Martin Conlon (1868 – 1945) of Albany, New York, whose acclaimed photos became the basis of baseball cards. He captured what is regarded as baseball’s greatest action photo (1909), where Ty Cobb slides into third base under the leg of Jimmy Austin, who played third for the New York Yankees.

A significant photo that Arthur Brown captured was 27th President William Taft and 28th President Woodrow Wilson exiting The White House at the latter’s inauguration. Outside of the studio, he amassed many cameras at home. On vacation, he would take pride in photographing his grandchildren. He was also a collector of earlier photographs, and copies of steel engravings and woodcuts predating photography. Due to their distinctiveness, it inspired illustrations for book and magazine publishers, and newspapers. Among his most prized collectibles was a print of the earliest sunlight picture of a human face ever produced; Dorothy Catherine Draper circa 1840, photographed by her brother, John William Draper, an NYU professor.

Greenpoint native William Henry Zerbe (1864 – 1943), who last resided at 86-08 121st Street in Richmond Hill, was a member of Brown Brothers as of its early days. He joined The New York Herald in 1913 and was an organizer of the New York Press Photographers Association, along with Arthur Brown and colleagues. Notable for his artistic quality, he was featured in one-man exhibitions at city museums and galleries, and earned a membership in the Royal Photographic Society of England.

On eBay, one of their many superb series feature public school students in academic and shop classes, libraries, playgrounds and gardens, or sitting in their jackets in a cold schoolhouse with an open door, presumably at the time of early 20th century illnesses. Brown Brothers captured the ambiance vibrantly, and the sense of nostalgia communicates with current generations, evoking memories and initiating discoveries. The spirits of yesteryear can be grasped.

The field of deltiology has been influenced by Brown Brothers’ expertise through early 20th century postcards, where true to life and vibrant color schemes were applied through lithography tools. An example is a Divided Back Era “Grant’s Tomb at night” postcard. It reads, “The spectacle of the illumination and firework display of the battleships on the occasion of the last Presidential revue was one of the grandest ever witnessed. Grant’s Tomb, situated on an elevated section of Riverside Drive, directly overlooks the Hudson and is visible for miles across the river, a prominent landmark and memorial of a glorious period in the history of the United States.”

Lelands, a notable sports cards and memorabilia auction house, acquired Brown Brothers and its archive in 2020. “I handled many photography archives in my 40-plus years in the business, but the Brown Brothers archive is by far the most diverse,” said President Mike Heffner of Lelands in Matawan, New Jersey. Generations of photographers and collectors have been greatly inspired by Brown Brothers’ quintessential work. “It gives me a good feeling to know that the Brown Brothers photographers will always be remembered and admired through their contributions to the photography world. They deserve this, as many were innovators,” he continued.

Lelands’ goal has been to preserve the collection while making it available to the public by selling many images. “Just by having their photos out there in the form of prints and media, their legacy will be preserved forever,” said Heffner.

He also had much to share about Charles and Arthur’s legacy, as well as their colleagues. “Although they are no longer with us, their visions will live on forever. They deserve more credit than they get. Considering that they were one of the very first stock photography houses in the world, they were 100 years ahead of the times. Their ability to assemble an archive and hire some of the best photographers in the world is truly astonishing. They not only began taking photos in the early 1900s, but they also began purchasing photography collections at that time. Some of these collections date back to the 1870s.”

“I would be very happy if there was a project solely dedicated to these men and their creations,” said Heffner, referencing commemorative projects, such as a mural, exhibition, and street co-naming.

Curt Schmidgall is the owner of BBC Emporium in Burlington, Iowa, another notable auctioneer of sports cards and photo memorabilia, which has been appearing on eBay. “Acquiring a portion of the Brown Brothers archive felt like purchasing a time capsule of Americana that provided a glimpse of early American life and culture. It is rewarding to research and rediscover these photographs, and get them into the hands of collectors and historians who can properly enjoy and display them,” he said.

One of the main pursuits of a collector is to recapture their childhood or collect historical items in their most original form, according to Schmidgall. “Original Type 1 photographs are not only tangible items from the time period, but they capture a visual representation of the subject that is unique from other collectibles.”

He feels inspired by how they are one of the oldest and longest existing photography companies in America. Additionally, he explained, “What stood out most to me was the Brown Brothers’ breadth and diversity of the photo subjects. While their photography had a heavy emphasis on NYC-related subjects, their photographs spanned many countries, subjects, and decades.” Given the historical contributions of their work, he also feels that they merit public commemoration.

Robert Hof and his wife Susanna Hof reside in Forest Hills Gardens, and even their families have called Forest Hills home for six generations. They are the principals of Terrace Sotheby’s International Realty, and have been inside nearly every Gardens house. When the Brown Brothers’ Forest Hills Gardens photos were brought to his attention, he was determined to help identify their locations, since additional early 20th century developments transpired. He explained, “I would like to express my gratitude that Brown Brothers immortalized these locations. I wonder what their motivation was. Perhaps it was a business venture, or purely for posterity. I am impressed with their whole line of work. Landmarks make us feel grounded. Underneath, we are all on the same ground, but until you start to develop, you have places that are memorable.”

Pol position: Get His Name Right, It’s Mamdani

Dan on July 3, 2025

Andrew Cuomo continues to get his name wrong, but Zohran Mamdani clearly thrashed Cuomo in the primary election for the Democratic Party for mayor last week. Cuomo called him ‘Mandani,’ as he conceded the election. Meanwhile mayor Adams refers to Mamdani as a ‘shake oil salesman’ who will say anything to win. The win for Mamdani was initially seen as a big boost for Mayor Adams, who is running on the independent line in November. People in the Democratic Party who don’t buy the ‘movement’ will now have Curtis Sliwa, Eric Adams and even Cuomo, who, as of now has not taken his name off the ballot. He had until last Friday to do so, and didn’t.  The three are expected to split the vote for the more conservative leaning voters out there. If someone convinces Curtis to lose the beret’, he’s got a shot. The general election is not ranked choice, so their votes could cancel each other, leaving a no path to victory. 

The shocking candidacy of Mamdani went from 2% in the polls to victory in just four months. We had Zorhan in our office for an interview quite early in the show and he unveiled his campaign logo to us. “What do you think,” he said. We think that whatever you did, it worked! What worked for Mamdani was his relentless work on the campaign trail, 24/7. We got reports from our readers that they saw him biking on Northern Blvd. in LIC, then two hours later he was walking in Maspeth. Biking in Brooklyn Heights and even hugging Cuomo supporters wearing ‘Vote Cuomo’ attire. Biking around the city is sure a new way of campaigning. Don’t think it’s going away anytime soon. He is an agent for change more than an agent of socialism.

Hanif Holds Seat in Slope

In Brooklyn’s Park Slope, Palestine supporter Shahana Hanif easily defeated challenger Maya Kornberg in that race. We noticed widespread support for Hanif, with posters on doors of homes and even inside apartment buildings throughout the district.

Prayers in Middle Village Race

This is something you will only read here; PS 49 in Middle Village is where all the contenders, Democrats and Republicans in the local council primary happen to be personally polling before heading to their respective election-night parties. We got word that each of them participated in a prayer “….. whoever wins,” was said, “we pray that we always think of this community we love, first.” Now that’s community solidarity. Hats off to those candidates. That’s precisely why the 30th remains a great area for people to live. The 30th district, also covering Maspeth, Ridgewood and Glendale happened to host the closest race throughout the city. The three-way race ended with all three, Phil Wong, Paul Pogozelski and Dermot Smyth, each getting about 30% of the vote.  Wong had a slight edge after the first ballot. The ranked choice drop-down is in play. 

Rajkumar Even Lost in Her Own ED

Most thought Assemblywoman Jennifer Rajkumar might give Jumaane Williams a run for his money for the public advocate’s race. Jumaane Williams had a decisive 80% of the vote and it was noted that the Queens Assemblywoman didn’t even beat him in her own Woodhaven, Richmond Hill Assembly district. You see, Rajkumar was that woman in the red dress in just about every picture Mayor Adams was in during the first two years of his mayoral bliss. In fact to some say it was even a bit creepy. We heard the chatter …. “Why is this red dress in every photo with the mayor?” Well it seems to some of our ‘undercover’ Albany trolls claim the red dress was always seeking higher office, not really paying too much attention to her district. Rumblings of a rival run for that Woodhaven Assembly seat is now in play.

Ramos Challenger

It seems another Queens Assemblywoman is looking to make a move. Assembly representative Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas is planning to look at a run for the State Senate seat currently held by Jessica Ramos. Ramos recently supported Cuomo for Mayor, which angered most on the left and sparked encouragement for a run against the Senator.



Matt Freese Displays PK Heroics in Gold Cup

Dan on July 3, 2025

By Noah Zimmerman | noah@queensledger.com

Penalty heroics by New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese sent the United States through to the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals over Costa Rica. After a dramatic 2-2 match, the American shotstopper came up with a series of stops in the shootout.

The first to step up was Freese’s teammate Alonso Martinez, the leading goalscorer back in New York. Martinez was calm and collected, winking before slotting his spot kick down the middle. It would end up being the only shot Freese didn’t get a hand to.

Freese saved the second shot, this time diving to his left. On the third he went left again, but his touch couldn’t keep the shot out. Sebastian Berhalter followed that up with the first miss for the US, leveling the shootout after three rounds.

Freese came close to another save to his right, but again wasn’t able to keep the Costa Rican penalty out. This time Alex Freeman converted for the Americans to keep it tied entering round five.

With the game on the line, Freese came alive. With the Minnesota crowd behind him he made his second save of the shootout against Francisco Calvo, who had opened the scoring for Los Ticos from the penalty spot in the 12th minute. This time legendary goalkeeper Keylor Navas answered with a save on John Tolkin to extend the match.

By this point, Freese was in the zone. The whole stadium knew what was coming and sure enough “Matty Ice” pounced to his right for a definitive stop against Andy Rojas. Damion Downs converted the final penalty for the US, ending an enthralling quarterfinal match.

On Wednesday night, the US took the field against semifinal debutants Guatemala. La Azul also advanced in a shootout, stunning Canada in an all-time Gold Cup upset. The other semifinal matchup pinned cup-holders Mexico against El Salvador, seeking their first appearance in the final since 1981. The CONCACAF Gold Cup Final is Sunday, July 6 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Kickoff will be at 7pm on Fox.

Back in the Northeast, New York City FC will be eagerly awaiting the return of their top goalscorer and shotstopper. They sit in the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as the season enters the final 15 matches. There is still plenty of time to secure a postseason berth, but NYC needs to build some momentum quickly in order to secure a top seed.



Liberty Open 8-Game July Homestand vs LA

Dan on July 3, 2025

By Noah Zimmerman | noah@queensledger.com

The Liberty limped their way to the end of June, dropping five of their final seven after starting the season 9-0. Without star center Jonquel Jones, they’ve had a tough time on both slides of the floor with their lead in the East shrinking to half a game.

It seemed New York was going to begin righting the ship with a late win against the Valkyries in Golden State on Friday, but momentum swung right back with their largest margin of defeat this season in Phoenix and a tough loss to 2nd place Atlanta. In Phoenix, the Liberty had six players in double-figures, but Breanna Stewart’s team-high of 17 wasn’t enough to match Satou Sabally’s 25 for the Mercury. Satou’s sister Nyara Sabally added 16 for the Liberty.

In Atlanta, New York couldn’t stop the Dream’s shooting touch as they hit 53% of their shots, led by Brionna Jones’ 21 points and 20 from Allisha Gray. Natasha Cloud picked up her second 20-point game of the season and Stewart put up 21 in the losing effort for NY.

Some good news for New York is the return of Leonie Fiebich from international duty with Germany in the EuroBasket tournament. Fiebich averaged 14.8 points and 6 rebounds in her 6 games with Germany. The forward has been absent for New York’s entire seven-game skid and will provide shooting and playmaking on offense with size and versatility on the defensive end.

On Thursday night the Liberty will begin a vital homestand spanning nearly the entire month of July. They host the LA Sparks in the first of eight consecutive games at the Barclays Center. Los Angeles is one of five teams under the .500 mark, and New York will hope that they provide the spark needed to get back on track.

Following the game on Thursday, the Liberty will host the Seattle Storm on Sunday, July 6 at 1pm before taking on the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday July 8 at 8pm.

In other Liberty news, Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart were both named starters for the WNBA All Star Game later this month. In their 12 games together they have both averaged over 20 points per game, the first time in Liberty history and fifth time in the W that two teammates have done so. The selections are Ionescu’s fourth and Stewart’s seventh, and the two will hit the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on July 19.



Nets Set NBA Record With Five First Round Picks

Dan on July 3, 2025

Cam Johnson traded to Denver for 2032 pick

Noah Zimmerman | noah@queensledger.com

The Brooklyn Nets held onto all five of their first round draft picks in last week’s 2025 NBA Draft, setting a league record at the Barclays Center on Wednesday. Their top pick was BYU playmaker Egor Demin at #8, followed by French guard Nolan Traore, UNC wing Drake Powell, Israeli guard Ben Saraf, and Michigan big man Danny Wolf.

General Manager Sean Marks and Head Coach Jordi Fernandez have made their vision clear. They want a fast-flowing offense with playmakers who can slot into different positions and set up scorers. 

While they may have been hoping for Ace Bailey or Jeremiah Fears to drop to the 8th pick, Brooklyn seems quite pleased with their selection of Demin. His size and passing ability made him one of the top playmakers of the draft class, and although players like Khaman Maluach, Noa Essengue, and Derek Queen were available, Brooklyn stuck with their gut.

Brooklyn followed up their pick with the selection of Nolan Traore, another foreign-born, playmaking guard. With Saraf and Wolf also prominent playmakers, many wonder if these selections could be a bit redundant.

Only Drake Powell breaks Brooklyn’s 1st round mold, with North Carolina standout bringing athleticism and “3&D” potential at the #22 pick. In addition, Brooklyn added Alabama big Grant Nelson to a training camp deal to compete for a two-way contract.

With the start of the NBA offseason, the Nets also made a few big moves. On Monday Brooklyn dealt top trade asset Cameron Johnson to the Denver Nuggets for a 2032 unprotected first rounder and sharpshooter Michael Porter Jr. The move lands a valuable future pick and a young star scorer while giving Johnson a chance to contend for a ring with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Former Net Bruce Brown previously won a championship with Jokic and Denver in 2023.

Brooklyn also retained wing Ziaire Williams and center Day’ron Sharpe on two-year deals. Both provided valuable depth despite a difficult season and will return as the Nets continue crafting their team for the future. Young guard Cam Thomas was also extended a qualifying offer, with Brooklyn hoping to bring him back on a miulti-year deal.



St. John’s Standouts Sign NBA Deals After Draft

Dan on July 3, 2025

Luis Jr., Richmond, Scott, and Smith sign with Utah, Washington, Boston, and Atlanta

By Noah Zimmerman | noah@queensledger.com

Four recent Red Storm stars are headed to the NBA. St. John’s basketball standouts RJ Luis Jr., Kadary Richmond, Aaron Scott, and Deivon Smith have all signed NBA deals following last week’s 2025 Draft. 

No Johnnies were selected in the two rounds of the draft, but they were quickly picked up before the end of the week. Luis Jr., the former Big East Player of the Year, signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz. Richmond signed a two-way deal with the Washington Wizards, while Scott and Smith signed Summer League deals with the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks respectively.

Luis Jr. was projected to be a possible late second-rounder, but remained on the board after the final day of the draft on Thursday. While undrafted and on a two-way deal, he joins former Rutgers star Ace Bailey, NCAA Champion Walter Clayton Jr., and Wisconsin sharpshooter John Tonje in a loaded Jazz draft class.

Brooklyn-born Kadary Richmond will be adding depth to a retooling Wizards team fresh off a trade for CJ McCollum and top-10 pick in Tre Johnson. Like Luis Jr., his two-way deal will help him pick up valuable G-League minutes amid strong competition.

For both Scott and Smith, they’ll have to prove their value in Summer League, which tips off later this month. Scott will be with the Celtics, who are searching for gems in the wake of Jayson Tatum’s achilles injury. Smith will be with the Hawks, hoping to land a pro deal to play near his hometown of Decatur, GA.

Meanwhile in Queens, St. John’s has crafted an elite transfer class as they prepare to follow up their strongest season in 40 years. After falling in the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament, Rick Pitino has picked up Ian Jackson, Bryce Hopkins, Joson Sanon, Oziyah Sellers, and Dillon Mitchell to replace his graduating players and transfer departures.

It’s sure to be a fascinating season both for the Johnnies alumni in the NBA and Pitino’s St. John’s squad when both seasons tip-off this Fall.



Haliburton Hurt as Thunder Win First Ring of OKC Era

Dan on July 3, 2025

NBA Offseason and Draft Officially Underway!

By Noah Zimmerman | noah@queensledger.com

The Larry O’Brien Trophy is heading to Oklahoma City for the first time, as the Thunder fended off the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7. It was the 20th Game 7 in Finals history and first since 2016, capping an all time classic series. 

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won a triple-crown with the regular season MVP, scoring title, and Finals MVP. Across the court, Tyrese Haliburton put on a postseason for the ages, with last-second game-tying or winning shots in every round of the playoffs. 

Unfortunately Haliburton’s dream was cut short, as a torn Achilles tendon cut his night short, likely sidelining him for the entire 2025-26 season. Without him the Pacers were unable to get past Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso, both with terrific defensive nights for the Thunder.

In the wake of the dramatic season finale, attention shifts to the offseason and Draft. Moves have already started, with Kevin Durant traded to Houston. The Rockets now hold Durant and the picks Phoenix originally traded Brooklyn for him, but gave up the #10 pick in the deal. Phoenix will likely continue to be aggressive in trades, though it’s unclear what direction they’ll choose.

Brooklyn’s four first round selections gave them the most in the draft, also holding the 6th pick in Thursday’s second round. The Nets will also look to the trade market, as they are a probable dumping ground for bloated expiring contracts.

Across town, the Knicks didn’t have much to do in the draft. After parting with most of their picks in trades, New York only held the 50th overall pick in Round 2. The Knicks have their work cut out for them, as they still have a head coach to hire following their firing of Tom Thibodeau.

Next season is sure to be a fascinating one, especially in the East. With Achilles injuries to Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum, the Bucks, Celtics, and Pacers will all be missing their first guard option, likely for the whole year. It’s a perfect opportunity for the Knicks to go all-in, as most contenders will be hailing from the Western Conference.



Mapping America’s Bravest in Forest Hills & Rego Park, Uniting Generations on Memorial Day & Year-Round

Dan on July 2, 2025

By Michael Perlman

Monuments, buildings, parks, and parade routes throughout Forest Hills keep the memory of America’s bravest alive on Memorial Day and year-round. Honoring those who dedicated their soul to safeguard our country is always timely. Come along for a leisurely stroll to explore some of these historic sites.

The Captain Gerald MacDonald Statue stands prominently in Captain Gerald MacDonald Memorial Park as a bronze sculpture bearing homage to Gerald MacDonald (1882 – 1929), a Forest Hills resident and WWI veteran. He was an officer of engineers, who erected bridges and dug trenches. The sculpture was dedicated on May 27, 1934 by Mayor Fiorello Henry La Guardia, after American Legion Post 630 allocated $1,500 at the request of WWI veteran Henry MacDonald, Gerald’s brother. The granite base inscription reads: “Capt. Gerald MacDonald; Memorial Dedicated By Forest Hills Post No. 630 The American Legion; To Those Who Served In The World War; 1934.” The statue was sculpted by Henry MacDonald’s brother-in-law, Frederic de Henwood (1864 – 1948), a world-renowned sculptor whose works appeared internationally, and was designed by architect William Henry Deacy (1889 – 1967).

Gerald MacDonald Memorial Park was officially named on April 25, 1933, and historically, the brick circle was known as Flagpole Square, where a huge flagpole once existed. On May 28, 1933, the New York Times reported, “The ceremonies included a parade through Forest Hills by American Legion posts, Boy and Girl Scouts, and civic groups. Colonel F.W. Stopford of the U.S. Army, who was the principal speaker at the ceremonies, praised Mr. MacDonald’s war service as an officer of engineers at the battle of the Meuse-Argonne.” It was announced by the Long Island Daily Press that movies of the park’s dedication would be presented at the Post on November 6, 1933.

A few years ago on eBay, this columnist acquired a rare MacDonald Memorial Games brass medal that represents Forest Hills and WWI history, and features Captain Gerald MacDonald. Into the 1940s and potentially later, the Captain Gerald MacDonald Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary existed at 119-09 Sutphin Boulevard. The Veterans of Foreign Wars memorialized the captain by naming their post, The Captain Gerald MacDonald Post, No. 643 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, according to the 1934 Encyclopedia of American Biography by Winfield Scott Downs.

For over a decade, Forest Hills resident Stephen Melnick, who founded Friends of MacDonald Park, works tirelessly and recruits volunteers who also maintain and enhance the park’s landscaping and overall appeal. Undoubtedly, Captain Gerald MacDonald is watching over in pride. “It is important for the history of our community to get passed down to each generation. Respect and honor for all veterans, such as Captain MacDonald, should be instilled,” said Melnick.

The trail continues nearby with the historic Art Moderne style Midway Theatre at 108-22 Queens Boulevard, with its accordion-like façade and vertical beacon, curved corner, and oval lobby with a sweeping stairway. It was designed in 1942 by America’s foremost theater architect, Thomas Lamb, and architect S. Charles Lee. Upon making an entrance, theatergoers once took pride in a large illuminated WWII Battle of Midway map-inspired work of art. When community residents picked up a copy of The Forest Hills-Kew Gardens Post on September 18, 1942, they came across an ad stating, “The Midway Theatre has been so named and dedicated as a tribute to the gallant men of our armed forces, who achieved so brilliant a victory at Midway Island.” Patrons were ready for a single-screen theater, where they could enjoy films and attempt to escape the traumas of WWII.

On Flagpole Green, formerly Village Green in Forest Hills Gardens, stands an ornate Neo-Classical pink granite and bronze monument, which honors 102 residents and was dedicated in 1920. The WWI Soldiers & Sailors Memorial was designed by renowned American sculptor Adolph Alexander Weinman (1870 – 1952), who lived nearby at 236 Greenway South and operated a studio at 234 Greenway South. The memorial reads, “Erected by the citizens of Forest Hills in recognition of the patriotic spirit and loyal devotion of the men of this community who served in the Military Forces of The United States in The Great War.” The design represents “The Call to Overseas” above the names on the tablet including Dr. Joseph MacDonald, Gerald MacDonald, Henry MacDonald, George C. Meyer who served as president of Cord Meyer, and David and Howard Springsteen of the community’s farming family, when Forest Hills was known as Whitepot. In summer 2022, residents observed meticulous restoration work, resulting in the polishing of the bronze tablet, which developed a green patina as far back as most residents can recall.

The forested Samuel Picker Square at 69th Avenue and Burns Street features a plaque and a stone memorial bearing an inscription: “This Sitting Area is Dedicated to the Memory of Samuel Picker; Outstanding American Community Leader and Dedicated Legionnaire; 1921 – 1981; Forest Hills Post 630 The American Legion.” It also features the name of past Councilman Arthur J. Katzman, a parks advocate. A dedication ceremony was held in 1983.

Samuel Picker wore several hats, mostly throughout the 1960s and 1970s. They included Queens County American Legion Commander, Governor of District 20-K Lions International, Queens Cancer Crusade committee member, and president of the National American Legion Press Association. He served as Grand Marshal of the American Legion County Parade in Ridgewood in June 1971, which began with exercises at the War Memorial on Myrtle Avenue, and surpassed expectations with 15,000 guests.

He also served as president of the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind. This organization offered philanthropic gift guide dogs and rehab to qualified blind applicants, where masters and guide dogs were trained at the Foundation’s center in Smithtown. Picker owned one of the earliest extant Forest Hills shops, Continental Hardware at 102-01 Metropolitan Avenue, and was also a consultant and buyer. The Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce has been going strong since 1977, and he was its founder and first president.

“Monuments and plaques are always important, since people forget at times. It is inspiring for residents to step up and do some of the great things that Samuel Picker did for our community,” said Pat Conley, 1st Vice Commander of American Legion Continental Post 1424.

Marching in the spirit of our bravest has been a unifying theme of the Forest Hills Memorial Day Parades. Forest Hills residents can trace an extensive route of historic parades. In 1922, red paper poppies were sold by a group of young ladies for 10 cents, and the proceeds benefited the veterans’ Mountain Camp. They hoped that everyone in Forest Hills would wear a poppy, which would pay tribute to wounded soldiers in the war. Abraham Lincoln’s “The Gettysburg Address” was read, and the Forest Hills Choral Club led “My Country Tis’ of Thee.”

In June 1923, The Forest Hills Bulletin captured how a multi-generational community bonded and paid tribute: “On Memorial Day, the Forest Hills Post of the American Legion conducted services on the Green, in which they honored Rice Bassett, Whitney Bowles, Clarence O. Collins and Lewis Serlin from Forest Hills, who rendered the supreme sacrifice during the war. Commander Thomas B. Paton, Jr. was in charge.” A parade was led by a 15-piece Naval Reserve Band.

The publication continued, “During the services, an aeroplane circled over the Green, and Comrade John von Hofe dropped a wreath, to which was attached a message from President Warren Harding. The wreath was placed on the memorial tablet and the message, calling upon the people for renewed consecration to ‘the finest sentiments of national love, devotion and loyalty’ was read. The speakers were Robert W. McCleary, Major, Coast Artillery Corps, and Hon. Robert W. Bonynge, ex-Congressman from Colorado, who both made stirring appeals for national patriotism. The Choral Club led the singing: Lead Kindly Light was sung by the post quartette, and Dr. Latshaw led in prayer.” A Memorial Day essay contest would engage the interest of neighborhood children, including those of Public School 3.

On May 31, 1938, The New York Times read, “In Forest Hills, a Memorial Day parade was headed by a detail from the Sixty-second Coast Artillery (Anti-Aircraft). The American Legion and other veteran organizations took part together with youth auxiliary units. The parade started at Austin St. and Ascan Ave. and proceeded to the Flagpole Green and thence to Jerry MacDonald Park, and to the Forest Hills Theatre, where exercises were held.”

The 2025 parade will begin on May 25 with an opening ceremony at 11 AM at American Legion Continental Post 1424 at 107-15 Metropolitan Avenue. At 12 PM, the parade will proceed west along Metropolitan Avenue and culminate at Remsen Cemetery, the site of a wreath-laying ceremony. Local and statewide community or civic organizations can march by emailing americanlegionforesthills1424@gmail.com.

The 2023 parade featured over forty organizations and Fleet Week military participants. An honorable highlight was meeting 93-year-old Co-Grand Marshal Anthony Sarro in his uniform, as he paraded alongside his portrait from the time he served in WWII.

The American Legion, incorporated by Congress in 1919, is the nation’s largest wartime veterans’ service organization. It maintains a mission to mentor youth and sponsor wholesome community programs, advocating for patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to fellow service members and veterans.

The original Forest Hills Post 630 was chartered in 1919, and would launch and publish the Post Bulletin, which was renamed the Forest Hills-Kew Gardens Post. This post named and dedicated Gerald MacDonald Memorial Park and unveiled its namesake monument. In the 1930s, meetings were held at the Seminole Club on Seminole Avenue at Harvest Street (112th Street at 70th Road) under Commander Clarence W. Williamson, who also served as the American Legion’s Queens County Americanism Chairman.

Today at American Legion Continental Post 1424, a plaque commemorates past commanders. The earliest recorded is James P. Grimes in 1946, alongside names including Stanley J. Koerner in 1953, John Civita from 1968 to 1969, and Arthur L. Dunckelman from 1984 to 1987. Former Forest Hills resident Michael Albetta served as parade coordinator from 1978 to 1990, president and founder of the Remsen Park Coalition which helped restore and landmark Remsen Cemetery, and was coordinator of the “Colonel Remsen Memorial Encampment.” Last week’s column features Forest Hills’ earliest extant site, Remsen Family Cemetery at Trotting Course Lane and Alderton Street. It was designated by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1981, and reflects the Colonial period and the American Revolutionary War.

Sponsored by American Legion Continental Post 1424 and the Remsen Park Coalition, the May 30, 1979 parade was predicted to be the largest of its kind countrywide, with hundreds of marchers and nearly 5,000 spectators. It culminated with ceremonies in commemoration of veterans at Remsen Cemetery, including Revolutionary War Colonel Jeromus Remsen.

The 1980 Forest Hills Memorial Day Festival marked an expansion to a two-day event. On May 25, over 200 Colonial troops participated in the “Colonel Remsen Memorial Encampment,” held at Greenfield Park bordering Union Turnpike. Attendees acquired a taste of Colonial life, complete with the era’s crafts. The next day, over 2,000 marchers proceeded along Metropolitan Avenue from the turnpike, which was the parade’s former starting point.

Switching gears to Rego Park is Lost Battalion Hall at 93-29 Queens Boulevard. From 1938 to 1939, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) funded an Art Moderne building that bears homage to the 77th Division of the U.S. Army for its heroism in the WWI Battle of Argonne in France. Over half of its 550 American soldiers perished and are remembered as members of “The Lost Battalion.” Historically, the building featured a firing range and drill hall for the Queens Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. This is also where the Civilian Defense Volunteer Office welcomed enrollees for World War II. The building was placed under Parks Department jurisdiction in 1960, and serves as a community recreation center, but awaits reopening after an interior renovation.

Adorning the historic façade is a tributary limestone inscription with two bronze tablets of the Statue of Liberty. In a most unassuming place, the gymnasium, players would encounter two “Sailor, Soldier, Marine” WPA murals of the Lost Battalion in action, which were painted by Oscar Julius in 1938. Two bronze plaques are displayed in the lobby. One features Lady Liberty with an inscription that reads, “In Memory of The Lost Battalion. Built AD 1938 By Work Projects Admin. George U. Harvey, Boro. President of Queens.” Another memorial plaque features BP Harvey’s portrait as Lieutenant colonel, DSC (Distinguished Service Cross) dedicated by the citizens of Queens in 1946. For now, these artifacts are in storage.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented a proclamation and proclaimed August 22, 2003 as “77th Appreciation Day” in recognition of the brave men and women who served on behalf of our nation. An excerpt read: “For 86 years, the 77th Army Infantry Division has protected our city and our nation in times of crisis. On its 86th anniversary, we salute its descendant, the 77th Army Reserve Command and its courageous and skilled members who continue this illustrious unit’s legacy of valor. The unit was established on August 25, 1917 in New York State, and was called the ‘Metropolitan Division’ because a large percentage of its membership was residents of New York City.”

“Wish You Were Here…Forest Park & Rego Park Historic Buildings” Mural, Uncovering The Rich History Behind The New Mural

Dan on July 2, 2025

By Michael Perlman

Last week’s column highlighted behind-the-scenes aspects and feedback on the new Forest Hills and Rego Park architectural mural, an exquisitely detailed 24-foot by 4-foot installation at The Bagel Spot at 101-01 Queens Boulevard, where the creative vision of several award-winning architects and old-word artisans is preserved. Since 2023, this columnist/Rego-Forest Preservation Council and Four Borough Neighborhood Preservation Alliance were in collaboration with the mural’s exceptional artist, Gigi Chen, appointed by this columnist as a project coordinator and historian. The highly skillful firm, Noble Signs, installed it on June 6.

Photo by Argenis Apolinario

In an ideal city, the featured historic buildings would be landmarked, but some underwent demolition. In the spirit of the Architectural Uprising movement, lost treasures can be replicated. Now it is time to explore architecture and history of what embodies “a living museum.”

Hollywood Lanes at the Metropolitan Industrial Bank Building ~ Opened on November 8, 1952 on 67th Avenue and Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills, and built at $400,000, the popular Hollywood Lanes housed 30 lanes, and offered lunch, dinner, a cocktail lounge, and a snack bar. General Manager Mannie Rose envisioned grand tournaments. The opening ceremony’s special guest was Dick Hoover of Akron, Ohio, who was the youngest bowler to win the All-Star tournament at age 21. Hollywood Lanes accommodated professional bowlers, championships, open bowling, and birthday parties. By 1990, New York City had 44 bowling alleys, in comparison to approximately 160 in the 1960s. It remained in operation until 2002, and is now occupied by New York Sports Club.

Architect Philip Birnbaum designed this bank, retail, and recreation building in partnership with builder Alfred Kaskel. The façade features concave polished stainless-steel horizontal fins. Swedish granite columns with vertical polished stainless-steel fins convey continuity throughout this Mid-Century Modern property, which won a first prize award by the Queens Chamber of Commerce in 1952.

Midway Theatre ~ This historic Art Moderne style theater stands proudly at 108-22 Queens Boulevard, with an accordion-like façade and vertical beacon, curved corner, and oval lobby with a sweeping stairway,  and opened in 1942. It was designed by America’s foremost theater architect, Scotland native Thomas Lamb and consulting architect S. Charles Lee, and achieved a record as one of Queens’ longest continuously operating movie theaters.

Upon making an entrance, theatergoers once took pride in a large illuminated WWII Battle of Midway map-inspired work of art. When residents picked up The Forest Hills-Kew Gardens Post on September 18, 1942, they came across an ad stating, “The Midway Theatre has been so named and dedicated as a tribute to the gallant men of our armed forces, who achieved so brilliant a victory at Midway Island.” Patrons were ready for a single-screen theater, where they could enjoy films and attempt to escape WWII traumas.

Opening attractions were the U.S. Navy’s Technicolor short subject, “The Battle of Midway,” as well as “The Pied Piper” and “Just Off Broadway.” Other popular films were “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “Casablanca,” “Pride of the Marines,” “Help!,” “West Side Story,” and “Saturday Night Fever.” Among the celebrities who made appearances were Bob Hope and Lucille Ball.The Midway screened first-run films, Walt Disney cartoons, and up-to-the-minute news, and operations shifted from RKO to Skouras to United Artists. It also transitioned from a single screen to a quad to nine screens.

 Forest Hills Stadium with an eagle sculpture, and Frank Sinatra concert and Davis Cup tickets ~ The first tennis stadium countrywide was completed on August 11, 1923 in time for the Wightman Cup. The arched colonnade, graced with eagles and West Side Tennis Club crests, was designed by West Side Tennis Club member Kenneth Murchison, a foremost public buildings architect, and in partnership with engineer Charles Landers. It was erected by the Foundation Company of New York, whose expertise was superstructures and substructures internationally. In a 1922 edition of MIT’s “The Technology Review, an ad referenced it as “America’s Tennis Stadium.”

The nearby Tudor clubhouse features an extensive tennis player “wall of fame,” including portraits of Bill Tilden, Helen Jacobs, Rod Laver, John Newcombe, Andre Agassi, Billie Jean King, and John McEnroe. A series of firsts transpired on the stadium’s hallowed grounds. In 1953, Maureen Connolly Brinker was the first woman to win a Grand Slam. This was the U.S. Open’s birthplace. Singles and National Championships and the Davis Cup also made history. Since tennis was a segregated sport, racial color barriers were broken when Althea Gibson was the first African American to win a U.S. National Tennis title in 1957, and Arthur Ashe was the first African American man to achieve the U.S. Open title in 1968.

As of 1971, the stadium began hosting annual Robert F. Kennedy Pro-Celebrity Tennis Tournaments. The 1976 event, which benefited the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial, featured influential tennis players including Stan Smith, Jimmy Connors, Guillermo Vilas and Wimbledon crown recipient Björn Borg, who were joined by the Kennedy family, Chevy Chase, Walter Cronkite, Art Buchwald, and Muhammad Ali.

Frank Sinatra, Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Trini Lopez, The Who, Hall & Oates, The New York Pops, and Santana are a miniscule percentage of musical legends since the stadium’s adaptation as a concert venue. The Forest Hills Music Festival originated in 1960, and the Stadium underwent a rebirth in 2013, where Mumford & Sons launched a new era. The stadium was also the setting of Alfred Hitchcock’s film, “Strangers on a Train” (1951), and The Beatles’ helicopter landing on grass courts before performing, which was among the most dramatic moments in 1964.

Howard Johnson’s ~ Rego Park residents were fortunate to have “The largest roadside restaurant in the U.S.” at 95-25 Queens Boulevard, which opened in 1940, a short distance away from the World’s Fair. The three-story, $300,000 restaurant occupied a Georgian Colonial mansion-like restaurant, designed by chief architect Joseph G. Morgan of the restaurant chain, and the building earned a 1st prize Queens Chamber of Commerce award. It was owned by Howard D. Johnson, who commissioned the Fair’s esteemed seafood chef, Pierre Franey. This is also where chef Jacques Pépin worked, and was later the recipient of an Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement.

The façade featured sculptures, ornamental cast stone, pilasters, a portico, dormers, shutters, and urns, and was topped off with a cupola. An Art Deco roadside neon sign boasted 28 ice cream flavors, a grille, a cocktail lounge, steaks, chops, and chicken. The seating capacity was 700 indoors and 300 on its terraces. The Colonial Room and Empire Room dining spaces were available for weddings. Crystal chandeliers, murals designed by famed Parisian colorist Andre Durenceau (rescued by this columnist last year), and a winding grand stairway in the rotunda were regal appointments. By the early 1970s, industry standardization and a change in taste called for fast food, causing this American icon to undergo demolition in 1974. The Rego Park restaurant is depicted in author Paul Freedman’s book, “Ten Restaurants That Changed America.”

1939 World’s Fairgrounds featuring the Trylon & Perisphere monuments rising above Constitution Mall with the George Washington and Four Freedoms sculptures ~

“The World of Tomorrow” was a dominant theme of the 1939 – 1940 World’s Fair, which attracted millions of New York residents and tourists to Flushing Meadow for a celebration of technological innovations and cultural history like no other. It spanned the period of April 30, 1939 to October 27, 1940. Over 44 million visitors attended during the summers.

A linen postcard, designed for the Exposition Souvenir Corporation by the Grinnell Litho. Co. read, “On the theory that the best commemoration is a re-dedication, the New York World’s Fair 1939 celebrates the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of George Washington as the first President of the U.S. by dedicating itself to the task of building a ‘Better World of Tomorrow.’”

The Fair’s centerpiece was the symbolic Trylon and Perisphere monuments, which were a 700-foot spire and a 200-foot in diameter sphere, respectively, designed by Wallace K. Harrison and J. Andre Fouilhoux. In March 1937, Fair President Grover Whalen said, “Entering the sphere, the visitor will emerge on the moving platform. The effect will be that of suddenly stepping out into space. Far beneath he will see cities and towns and farmland, and all the interdependent activity that links them.”

Fairgoers would exit the Perisphere across a bridge to the ground by steps inside the obelisk or by an exterior 900-foot Helicline, a sweeping ramp around the fountain, which offered a commanding view. The Trylon’s monumentality was evident structurally and atop through a beacon of light. It was estimated to be the equivalent of five to ten million candlepower, which would be evident for 30 miles at sea and approximately 200 miles by plane.

Gulf Service Station ~ Rego Park once had its own version of the Empire State Building, as in a streamlined illuminated glass block Art Deco tower of the Gulf Station on the northeast corner of Queens Boulevard and Horace Harding Boulevard. A curved façade with curved windows and stainless steel accents were among the other novelty features, since nearby service stations exhibited Tudor and Mediterranean influences. It was erected by John Meehan & Son Construction Company for Gulf Oil Company. It was deemed futuristic, coinciding with the 1939 – 1940 World’s Fair’s “World of Tomorrow” theme, and was situated en route to the Fair when Horace Harding Boulevard was briefly known as World’s Fair Boulevard. The Gulf Station earned a 1st prize award by the Queens Chamber of Commerce in the commercial construction category. The site was redeveloped in 1987 when the 17-story Queens Boulevard Tower opened at 92-29 Queens Boulevard.

Trylon Theatre ~ With the advent of the 1939 – 1940 World’s Fair, Cooper Union alumnus Joseph Unger (1896 – 1996), designed an Art Deco neighborhood theater at 98-81 Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills to reflect the Fair’s technological innovations and respond to a booming population. It was named after the Fair’s symbolic monument, the Trylon, which was alongside the Perisphere. Analogous to the Fair’s theme, “The World of Tomorrow,” the theater was “The Theater of Tomorrow.” The marquee once boasted classics such as “The Wizard of Oz,” “Gone With The Wind,” and “The Ghost Breakers” starring Bob Hope.

Unique stone façade offered striated and fan-like details, an elliptical white tile marquee, and a sleek vertical glass block projection tower. The marquee and projection tower illuminated Queens Boulevard at night, much as the Trylon and Perisphere monuments made efficient use of light in Flushing Meadows. The projection tower was Joseph Unger’s rectangular variation of the globular Perisphere. The centerpiece of the entrance pavilion’s floor was terrazzo, bearing a 3D mirror image of the Trylon monument, complementary to the Trylon on the semicircular mosaic ticket booth. The floor was accompanied by a delightfully colorful array of inlaid mosaic tiles on both sides in a classic chevron pattern. The single-screen auditorium featured a stepped ceiling with curves among sleek accents, and the proscenium featured pilasters with thematic murals depicting media and sculpture in a growing city. The standee area featured a backlit Trylon mosaic fountain.

In 1999, the theater closed. In 2006, Ohr Natan, a synagogue and community center opened, but in 2022, the congregation was forced to relocate despite opposition due to condo plans.

 Tower Diner bank building ~ Opened in 1993, Tower Diner at 98-95 Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills was a representation of a Greek-American dining classic. Owners Spiro and John Gatanas and their parents creatively adapted the Colonial Revival style Emigrant Savings Bank. Authentic features included an imposing clock tower/cupola with a weathervane and eagle, Corinthian columns, a slate pitched roof, a portico, and a cornice. Tower Diner was a must-stop for an extensive American and cultural menu, including chicken souvlaki, turkey burgers, spinach pies, cranberry chicken, and pasta primavera.

Earlier incarnations were a nightly dancing spot at Manna-Hatin Restaurant, which featured Billy Rose’s Aquabelles from the 1939 World’s Fair’s Aquacade, and Croft Chemists which housed a soda fountain. The corner Art Deco building was rebuilt for the City Savings & Loan Association circa 1963, and is believed to have been designed or inspired by Massachusetts native and award-winning architect George L. Bousquet, who once worked under Thomas Lamb, a foremost architect. Despite community resistance, Tower Diner was forced to shutter its location in late 2021, and was replaced by a condo.

 Jay Dee Bakery ~ In Mid-Century Modern style pinkish red neon, massive Art Deco letters read “Jay Dee Bakery,” a neighborhood cornerstone at 98-92 Queens Boulevard from the early 1950s through 2009. Philip Kampin and Maurice Goldstein were noted as the owners in 1952. It recalled an era where rye bread, Napoleons, and assorted cookies were freshly prepared on premise, and the staff and patrons exchanged stories. Jay Dee catered numerous social functions. The window was a neighborhood showcase filled with multi-layer cake models. The façade’s whimsical Ravenna glass mosaics in green, orange, and gold were a work of art, and Moderne curves characterized the interior ceiling and walls, where indented clouds displayed cake models. In 2009, this columnist rescued the sign among other relics.

 Forest Hills Theatre ~ The Tudor-style former theater at 107-16 Continental Avenue was designed by a foremost public buildings architect, Kenneth Murchison, and retains an ornate Tudor façade with lions, heraldic shields, fruits, knights, vines, urns, and tilework. For $300,000, the Sheer Amusement Company of Queens formally opened “the finest moving picture house on Long Island” on December 5, 1922, and it was the most complete of its kind and size countrywide. The façade would complement Forest Hills Gardens and was part of the adjacent section’s nickname, “The Village.” Its marquee boasted classics such as silent film “Through The Dark,” “Too Many Girls, “The Wizard of Oz,” “Alias Nick Beal,” “Planet of The Apes,” and “Dirty Dancing.”

The theater offered a resident orchestra and organist who played a rare four-manual Smith Unit Organ, sometimes embellished by singers and dancers for a silent film prelude. This also where the Garden Players of Forest Hills and Kew Gardens performed, and on Saturday mornings, children’s films endorsed by the Schools Motion Picture Committee were screened. The theater later featured mainstream and art films, and closed-circuit boxing broadcasts. In 1926, Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan lectured to benefit the American Foundation for the Blind’s mission. In 1971, Roger Williams, known for “Autumn Leaves,” played tunes, gave autographs, and introduced a computerized method of teaching piano and organ.

 

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