Community update · August 2026 archiveIndependent neighborhood intelligenceForest Hills, Queens
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Community bulletin · August 2026 archive

The neighborhood,
decoded.

A fuller, source-backed guide to Forest Hills construction, transit, public meetings, local events and city services—built for residents, owners and developers.

Open the community bulletinDevelopment desk ↓
Station Square in Forest Hills, Queens
Station SquareForest Hills, Queens
Community packetAugust 2026 archive
10original flyers
11dated events
04transit + street notices
01planning rulebook

Dated notices are preserved as an archive. Confirm current details with the linked agency.

00

The community bulletin

Everything from the latest community update, in one place.

Construction impacts, transit changes, public programs, neighborhood events and the original flyers—edited into a faster read without losing the source material.

Archive note

These notices were circulated for August and early September 2026. Their dates have passed as of September 20, 2026, so they are presented as a historical community update. Links remain useful for ongoing programs.

Street work

National Grid work moves west on Metropolitan Avenue.

Construction was moving west between 72nd Road and 72nd Avenue, with crews expected to remain between Ascan Avenue and 72nd Avenue for another four to six weeks. Metropolitan Avenue was limited to eastbound travel and parking on both sides was affected.

  • Follow posted detours and traffic controls.
  • Crews recessed steel plates, added neoprene and welded plates where feasible to reduce overnight noise.
  • National Grid said it was exploring parking-relief options.
Transit desk

Rail work reshaped Forest Hills trips.

LIRR midday work

No westbound service at Forest Hills and Kew Gardens during the weeks of Aug 3, 10 and 17; eastbound Jamaica trains bypassed Woodside. Work ran Monday–Thursday, 10 AM–3 PM, and Friday, 10 AM–1 PM.

Forest Hills station ramp

Extended shifts on the station's northeast side accelerated the new Austin Street ramp. The most disruptive work was expected during the normal 7 AM–3 PM shift, with most evening work wrapping around 9:30–10 PM.

R train weekends

R trains ran via the F between 57 St–7 Av and 36 St on Aug 8–9, 15–16, 22–23 and 29–30, stopping at Lexington Av/63 St, Roosevelt Island and 21 St–Queensbridge.

DDC street access work

The packet also flagged pedestrian-ramp, partial-sidewalk, parking and driveway work for Aug 3–8.

Civic + development policy

Proposed ELURP and Affordable Housing Appeals Board rules

Hearing held Sep 9

The City Planning Commission and Department of City Planning proposed rules to implement 2025 Charter changes to New York City's land-use review process. The proposal creates procedures for an Expedited Land Use Review Procedure (ELURP) and for the Affordable Housing Appeals Board (AHAB).

90 daysELURP public review, ending with the City Planning Commission in most cases
60 + 30Concurrent Community Board and Borough President review, then CPC review
5 daysWindow for an eligible AHAB appeal request after a City Council action
15 daysTime for AHAB to meet and take final action after a review request

What may qualify for ELURP: modest housing-related rezonings, certain city-map changes, qualifying affordable-housing and resiliency actions, and specified Mandatory Inclusionary Housing text changes.

What AHAB may review: certain City Council rejections or modifications of applications that directly facilitate affordable housing, including Mandatory Inclusionary Housing or housing subject to binding affordability restrictions.

Developer note: the proposal applies existing ULURP fee amounts to ELURP filings and extends the existing pre-application process to Section 197-e applications.

Read the 33-page proposal ↗NYC Rules record ↗Planning calendar ↗

Funding

NYC Green Fund

Treetops offered one- or two-year grants of up to $50,000 per year to qualifying organizations with annual budgets from $175,000 to $2.5 million. Smaller organizations could apply to the Grassroots program.

Treetops ↗Grassroots ↗

Food access

Health Bucks + Get the Good Stuff

Health Bucks matches SNAP spending at farmers markets up to $10 per day. Get the Good Stuff provides a $1-for-$1 electronic match on eligible produce and beans at participating grocery stores.

Health Bucks ↗Store list ↗

Health education

Free multilingual webinars

NYC Health offered virtual healthy-home sessions in English, Spanish and Bengali, with a certificate after completion.

Workshop schedule ↗

Artists

MTA Arts & Design open call

Artists could submit up to 20 images, a bio, CV, statement and application for commissions at Parsons Blvd, Briarwood and Jamaica–179 St.

Artist portal ↗

Veterans

Preserving HER Story

The Military Women's Memorial invited servicewomen to register and add their experiences to its living archive.

Parks

Volunteer beyond the event

After a Trees Count training event, volunteers could continue surveying trees independently in smaller parks using the Tree Census app.

Trees Count ↗
AUG

Community calendar archive

All dates are 2026

DOB in Your Community

Sunnyside Community Center · 43-91 39th Street, Queens.

Pat Dolan Trail closure

Closed for investigative work ahead of a DEP capital project in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Children's Dental Health

Forest Hills Library · interactive workshop for ages 2–5 with a parent or caregiver.

NYC Pathways to Employment fair

1 Centre Street, North Mezzanine · citywide DCAS career fair.

Ecuadorian Independence Day

Queens Borough Hall · 120-55 Queens Boulevard, Kew Gardens.

Let's Talk Periods

Forest Hills Library · supportive workshop for preteens and their mothers or caregivers.

Colon cancer prevention webinar

Free session on risk factors, screening and early detection. Meeting ID 259 300 099 997 953; passcode yw746Vp7.

Original link ↗

Pakistan Independence Day

Queens Borough Hall · 120-55 Queens Boulevard, Kew Gardens.

Jamaica Independence Day

Queens Borough Hall · 120-55 Queens Boulevard, Kew Gardens.

India Independence Day

Queens Borough Hall · 120-55 Queens Boulevard, Kew Gardens.

Senior painting party

Free for district residents age 60+ at American Legion Continental Post 1424, 107-15 Metropolitan Avenue. RSVP: 718-738-1111.

10

Original flyers

Save the details. See the source.

Every flyer supplied with the community packet is reproduced here, paired with a plain-language summary.

National Night Out block party flyer
Community

National Night Out at MacDonald Park

The 112th Precinct Community Council hosted an evening of food, games and music. Rain location: 106-06 Queens Boulevard.

Full-size flyer ↗
Intergenerational Leadership event flyer
Youth + civic life

Intergenerational Leadership

A free learning and networking event at the West Side Tennis Club with the Youth Talk Democracy cohort, food, prizes and volunteer hours.

Full-size flyer ↗
Resources for TPS Holders webinar flyer
Immigration resources

Resources for TPS Holders

CUNY Citizenship Now! and Catholic Charities offered a bilingual English and Haitian Creole webinar. Zoom passcode: 406902.

Full-size flyer ↗Open webinar link ↗
Lunch with NYC Department of Veterans' Services flyer
Veterans

Lunch with DVS

A virtual conversation on federal, state and local benefits and policies for veterans and their families.

Full-size flyer ↗
Rally for Our Park flyer
Parks + advocacy

Rally for Our Park

Queens Community House and Queens Power rallied near the Unisphere for greater support for Flushing Meadows–Corona Park.

Full-size flyer ↗
Veterans Mean Business VA home loan event flyer
Veterans

Your VA home loan benefit

NYC Veterans' Services hosted a moderated discussion on maximizing the VA home-loan benefit with special guest Michelle Houseright.

Full-size flyer ↗
NYC Health Bucks information card
Food access

Health Bucks at farmers markets

Spend $2 in SNAP benefits at a participating farmers market and receive $2 in Health Bucks, up to $10 per day.

Full-size flyer ↗Health Bucks details ↗
August R train reroute service notice
Transit

R trains rerouted via Roosevelt Island

Track replacement sent R trains via the F between 57 St–7 Av and 36 St, with stops at Lexington Av/63 St, Roosevelt Island and 21 St–Queensbridge.

Full-size flyer ↗
00

The weekly brief

3 minute read

Four things worth knowing before Monday.

01

A demolition permit landed at 105-31 65 Road, where DOB records connect the site to a permitted 10-story project.

02

A $1.96M enlargement filing at 110-40 70 Avenue entered plan review on July 22.

03

Façade work was approved for the 7-story residential building at 70-01 113 Street.

04

Forest Hills High work continues: new plumbing filings follow site and excavation work for the school campus.

01

Development desk

Lead signal

Demolition clears a path at 105-31 65 Road.

A full demolition permit was issued July 22 for the existing 2-story building. Separate DOB filings at the same tax lot describe a permitted 10-story, 105-foot project with 45 dwelling units, a long-term care use and an ambulatory care facility.

10 stories · 105 feet

Address105-31 65 Road
Program45 units + community facility
Floor area62,600 sq. ft.
Current signalDemolition permit issued
Owner on demolition permit65th Road Development, LLC
DOB jobQ00497139-I1

Why it matters

A demolition permit is a stronger near-term signal than a proposal alone. It suggests visible site activity may follow, while the project's mix of housing and care uses could add a materially different building type to this part of Forest Hills.

Primary recordsDOB NOW permits ↗DOB NOW filings ↗Data checked Jul 26, 2026
02

Project watch

What moved this week
New filing

110-40 70 Avenue

Horizontal and vertical enlargement of a one-family home with interior renovation.

Estimated cost
$1.96M
Status
Plan review
Approved

70-01 113 Street

Façade restoration approved at an existing seven-story residential building.

Existing units
62
Estimated cost
$70K
School work

Forest Hills High

Plumbing and backflow-prevention filings follow permitted excavation work at the campus.

Owner
NYC SCA
Address
66-55 110 St
03

Permit ledger

Open the live dataset ↗

The week's notable records.

A human-reviewed shortlist—not a dump of every plumbing renewal, scaffold or minor interior filing.

DateAddressSignalWhat changedStatus
Jul 2470-01 113 StreetApproved filingFaçade restoration at a 7-story, 62-unit buildingApproved
Jul 24110-40 70 AvenueNew filingHorizontal + vertical enlargement; $1.96M estimated costIn review
Jul 2368-43 Nansen StreetPermit issuedGeneral construction for a rear enlargementIssued
Jul 22105-31 65 RoadDemolition permitFull demolition of the existing 2-story buildingIssued
Jul 2164-51 108 StreetSign permitIlluminated business accessory signIssued

Editorial note: a filing is an application, not a completed project. “Approved” and “permit issued” are reported separately.

04

Instagram cut

Carousel-ready

One report. Three shareable slides.

The website carries the detail; Instagram delivers the hook and sends readers back for the full source-backed story.

05

The source library

Where the weekly intelligence comes from.

Official sources form the automated base layer. Local reporting and direct verification add context before anything is published.

01Daily

DOB NOW job filings

The earliest signal: new building, alteration, demolition and major enlargement applications. Includes proposed stories, units, cost, owner and job description.

NYC Open Data · w9ak-ipjd ↗
02Daily

DOB NOW approved permits

The construction-start signal. Track issue dates, work types, permit status, job costs and precise location for current DOB NOW projects.

NYC Open Data · rbx6-tga4 ↗
03Periodic

Zoning Application Portal

The planning pipeline: rezonings, special permits, ULURP actions, applicants and project descriptions—often well before physical construction.

NYC Open Data · hgx4-8ukb ↗
04Daily

Legacy DOB records

Necessary coverage for projects that began in BIS or eFiling. Pair the legacy jobs and permit datasets with DOB NOW so older projects do not disappear.

Legacy jobs + permits ↗
05As posted

NYC Rules + planning calendar

The official record for proposed city rules, hearing notices, comment windows and City Planning Commission meetings.

NYC Rules ↗
06Seasonal

Health, parks + grant programs

Official program pages provide deadlines, eligibility, registrations and updates that community flyers may summarize only briefly.

NYC Health ↗

Also monitor: DOB Public Portal for address-level verification, Community Board 6 agendas, Certificates of Occupancy and city planning actions.

DOB Public Portal ↗Community Board 6 ↗DOB source index ↗
06

The weekly system

Automate the gathering.
Keep judgment human.

The safest process treats city data as leads, not finished stories. Automation finds what changed; an editor confirms, explains and publishes.

Mon

Collect

Pull the prior seven days from DOB NOW, legacy DOB and ZAP. Filter to NTA “Forest Hills,” ZIP 11375 and Community Board 6.

Tue

Rank

Score new buildings, demolitions, unit changes, large costs and zoning actions above routine repairs and renewals.

Wed

Verify

Group related filings by job number and BBL. Confirm status, address, owner and project description in the public portal.

Thu

Write + design

Turn the top signals into a headline, a plain-English summary, “why it matters,” citations and three Instagram slides.

Fri

Publish

Approve the final draft, update the site archive, publish the Instagram carousel and send a short email edition.

1City data feedsDOB · ZAP · CB6
2Weekly filterForest Hills + 7 days
3Editorial queueRank + deduplicate
4Human approvalVerify every claim
5Publish onceWeb · IG · email