Please tell me about Forest Hills..... (New York, York: apartment, condos, co-ops)

[DD3]

Hello,

We are moving to Forest Hills at the end of the year. We would like to know a little about the neighborhood, example what kind of stores,restaurants, schools (we have 3-years old),etc....

Thanks for all the help!

[apvbguy]

Originally Posted by DD3

Hello,

We are moving to Forest Hills at the end of the year. We would like to know a little about the neighborhood, example what kind of stores,restaurants, schools (we have 3-years old),etc....

Thanks for all the help!

forest hills covers a lot of territory, be more specific about where you are interested in and then we can be of help

[lhf1979]

if you're living near austin street and the continental avenue area you'll be fine in terms of shopping, eating etc. good neighborhood.

[DD3]

We are planning to live 71st Ave and Continental

[jvinc]

I currently live in Forest Hills - it's a very nice neighborhood, but like everywhere, has some good and bad.

First, it's very accessible to Manhattan, if that's important to you. The subway right on 71st Street/Continental can get you there in about 30 minutes (if there are no delays) and the LIRR which is a block past Austin Street on Continental can get you there in about 15 minutes for about $4-$6, depending on whether its peak/off-peak. Austin Street is just loaded with stores, restaurants, banks, etc. - a pretty great shopping area very close by. There is also the Long Island Expressway, Van Wyck and Grand Central Expressway a stone's throw away, which can take you pretty much anywhere else.

My impression - although I'm single w/o kids, is that it is a family-friendly neighborhood. There is a very nice little playground right off Yellowstone Blvd (I think about 68th St - a few blocks from where you'd be) where I always see parents taking their kids to play. I also believe there is a YMCA (or community center) on 108th a few blocks from my house. There is also Flushing-Meadow Park not far away, a short drive (or long walk). The 1964 World's Fair was held there, and there are still a few structural vestiges of that still standing. I was at the park recently, it seems really nice, with a carousel, a small zoo and the New York Hall of Science, which has exhibits now that seem totally geared to children (it also has a nice playground area). I would think the schools are probably OK, but someone with children here would have to fill you in on that.

There are many Jewish houses of worship (synagogues) and a beautiful Catholic church right on Queens Boulevard and Ascan Avenue (there's also a Catholic school), I'm not sure about others.

Housing, whether you own or rent, is pretty expensive. The large apartment buildings are mostly on the north side of Queens Boulevard, but there are some on the other side, near the LIRR. 108th Street is block after block of apartment houses (primarily co-ops or condos).

On the negative side, it's becoming pretty congested, the traffic can be bad sometimes (but that's true for many, if not most, parts of NY). Parking (alternate street parking where you have to move your car from day to day) can be a challenge sometimes unless you have a driveway or your apartment building has garage parking.

My opinion, and I'm understandably biased, is that it's one of the nicer neighborhoods in Queens that is still close enough to the City so that commuting to work is not hell on Earth.

If you want to know anything else, just ask, I'll help if I can.

[DD3]

Thank you guys for all the info!