[EPISODE] Forest Hills

On this show we will journey to Forest Hills in Queens, including the charming Forest Hills Gardens.

My guests will be David Griffin, founder and CEO of Landmark Branding, and Leslie Brown, president of the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce.

Segment 1

Jeff and David discuss the landscape of Forest Hills before it was settled and how it changed into farmland once it was established. David explains how Forest Hills gained its name and its connection with Brooklyn. He talks about the Cord Meyer Development company, its impact on the development of Forest Hills and how it transformed the landscape into what it is now. Jeff and David talk about the beauty and history of the Forest Hills Garden. David explains restrictions that were placed around Forest Hills Gardens and about the covenants who were placing them.

Segment 2

David talks about Landmark Branding, the work he does there and his blog “Every Building on 5th.” Jeff and David discuss Station Square’s opening and how it helped drive urbanization of the area.  They discuss Forest Hills and the Westside Tennis Club’s history with the U.S. Open and how the area was synonymous with tennis for years. David talks about celebrities who have performed in Forest Hills including The Beatles and Mumford & Sons and celebrities from Forest Hills, including The Ramones and Spiderman.

Segment 3

Jeff comes back from break by introducing his next guest, Leslie Brown who is the president of the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce. Leslie talks about her background and her parents and family being involved in music. Leslie continues to talk about Forest Hills and the vibe of the neighborhood feeling like a small town in the middle of a big city. She talks about the things that bring people in, from the clothing stores to the fresh food. Jeff and Leslie talk about how the people of Forest Hills have become a lot of small families because of the great schools.

Segment 4

Leslie comes back on the mic to talk about all Forest Hills has to offer in relation to its business. She brings up the way to reach her at, [email protected] and starts to talk about “Jazz Thursdays.” Leslie started this 15 years ago as something people could do on restaurant row, a street of restaurants in the midst of Forest Hills.

Both Jeff and Leslie talk about the Queens jazz trail and how some of the best jazz artists came out of Queens. They continue to talk about Louis Armstrong and the fact that he lived in Corona, Queens for a large portion of his life. Speaking of attractions, Leslie brings up Helen Keller, who also lived in Forest Hills for the majority of her life, and how she was a vibrant community member. Jeff brings up the Festival of Cinema, a ten day film showcase in its third year of existence.