Notable Artist Gigi Chen Paints Commemorative Forest Hills & Rego Park Mural

by BQE Admin · July 15, 2025

Photo by Argenis Apolinario

New Mural Honors Past & Present Local Landmarks

The Bagel Spot: A Destination for Food & Art

By Michael Perlman

Public art is a gift for the masses, as proven for generations between diverse architectural styles, sculptures, and murals. On June 6, an exquisitely detailed 24-foot by 4-foot mural was installed on the brick façade of The Bagel Spot at 101-01 Queens Boulevard, and serves as a visually engaging nostalgic and educational resource that bears homage to Forest Hills and Rego Park’s rich architectural and cultural history. Numerous definitive architectural features are brilliantly captured, and the creative vision of the community’s 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. This accomplishment adds to Chen’s longtime success of exhibiting nationwide, where she has also created murals for several notable clients.

The mural features unofficial local landmarks that underwent demolition and current preservation-worthy buildings. The lineup includes the Trylon Theatre, Tower Diner bank building, Howard Johnson’s, Hollywood Lanes at the Metropolitan Industrial Bank Building, Gulf Service Station, Jay Dee Bakery, Forest Hills Theatre, Midway Theatre, Forest Hills Stadium with an eagle sculpture, and Frank Sinatra concert and Davis Cup tickets, and the 1939 World’s Fairgrounds featuring the Trylon & Perisphere monuments rising above Constitution Mall with the George Washington and Four Freedoms sculptures.

The mural is accompanied by an architecturally themed sign, which was designed by this columnist, and highlights the mural’s title, “Wish You Were Here ~ Forest Hills & Rego Park Historic Buildings” in medieval typography. The mural’s significance and credits are featured. Two fundraisers in partnership with Marvel & DC Comics artist John Stanisci were held at The Bagel Spot and La Boulangerie, and residents and businesses also donated through GoFundMe and meetings.

The architectural mural’s reality epitomizes teamwork, and is built upon a combination of stories. Stepping behind the scenes, artist Gigi Chen was raised in Woodhaven and fondly recalls spending much time in Forest Hills and Rego Park. She said, “In college, my friends and I would hang out all night in Rego Park, have breakfast at Tower Diner, and then walk along Austin Street to all the shops. We especially loved browsing Barnes & Noble and eating desserts across the street at Piu Bella. I even went to my very first concert as a teenager at Forest Hills Stadium, but progress inevitably marches on. With the exception of the Stadium, so many of those places are gone.”

This columnist shares a history with Chen, as Class of 2000 graduates of LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and the Performing Arts in Manhattan, where they were vocal and art majors, respectively. “We did not spend a lot of time together, but I remember even back then, Michael was always passionate about the history of Queens,” she reminisced. “I went on to become a full-time painter, exhibiting my work in various galleries all over the country and painting large-scale murals.” Her focus has always been wildlife, with an emphasis on birds.

Chen relocated from Woodhaven, settling in West Harlem for the past 20 years. She explained how the mural project originated. “When Michael approached me a couple of years ago to (initially) create a mural honoring lost historic buildings of Forest Hills and Rego Park, it brought me right back to those early memories. Michael’s enthusiasm is infectious, as many locals already know. His love of the community really made me excited for this project as well.”

Research was the heart of the project. “Over the years, Michael compiled an extensive and impressive collection of historic photographs and relics of the history of his beloved Forest Hills and Rego Park,” said Chen.

Her concept for the mural was to create the appearance of a scrapbook with postcards and memorabilia that embodied the buildings’ history. She explained, “During the design process, we chose three main buildings to focus on: Howard Johnson’s, the Trylon Theatre, and Tower Diner. I especially pushed to highlight Tower Diner, since it was so much a part of my life as a young adult. Choosing the right images was based on importance, aesthetics and practicality. While Michael wanted the most historically relevant buildings, I was aiming for beauty and composition, which meant images that I would be excited to paint.”

Another essential aspect was the quality of the historical images, since at times, not many quality images exist, if at all, despite a building’s significance. Prior to digital photography, buildings were not documented as often. Chen explained, “Many photos that exist of these buildings are very low resolution, and some were impossible to use. If we did use them, we would have to conduct extensive research to determine their color and key design details. We ran into this research loop many times. In fact, one of the stars of the mural, the Trylon Theatre (designed in celebration of the 1939 World’s Fair that year), became the most challenging. There are virtually no clear photographs of what the Trylon looked like before it was renovated twice.” The Trylon was the last building that she painted, as a result of the additional time needed for this columnist to help determine close to accurate colors of the mosaic and terrazzo outer entrance pavilion. This was especially for the case of the left slanted mosaic wall (adjacent to the cherished Trylon-adorned ticket booth), which was replaced potentially in the 1960s.

The three Dibond paneled-mural was painted within Chen’s East Harlem studio, on and off over the course of six months. Her main focus for her personal projects is organic forms with occasional architectural elements. “A whole mural of buildings, architecture, and scenery was completely new for me, and it was indeed the most challenging mural project I have ever worked on. I painted the mural image by image, and would structure my workdays with a schedule and a to-do list. I made enlarged printouts from the photos, and would reference them for structure and color. There were a lot of long hours, and the studio was a mess of paint. Because the panels were large, 4 by 8 feet, I could only have two panels out at a time, and I always needed a studio neighbor to help me move them around. My assistant, artist Alexis Kandra, could only help me in the early morning occasionally, or later in the evening because of her own busy schedule. I was generally alone, working on this very complex project.”

“In the end, it was totally worth all the hard work,” said Chen, who feels the project turned out to be a great success. “After the installation, I was so happy to see and hear Forest Hills locals come around, and be so excited to see images of buildings like Tower Diner and share stories of Howard Johnson’s.”

For a few years, Christine O’Brien Barr proudly calls Forest Hills home. She explained, “As someone who did not grow up in Forest Hills, this mural is an opportunity for me to see what used to be and what exists, and how the neighborhood changed. The mural inspires me to look at the past and appreciate the architecture and quality in which buildings were constructed, and it is important to preserve that. The signs, the fonts, and the facades are all important, and this mural reflects them all beautifully. It is inspiring and makes me want to delve into our history.”

Manhattan resident Roger Coryne stopped in his tracks to share memories and observed how many people also embarked upon memory lane. “This mural depicting past and present ‘landmarks’ is a wonderful reminder of what Queens stood for to those of us who were drawn here from the other Boroughs, which were once considered to be crowded and old,” he said. As a case in point, his family resided on Ocean Parkway in the Kensington section of Brooklyn. “My parents loved the fresh, open and modern aspects of Forest Hills, and moved here in the early 1960s, when I was in my early teens. Seeing the mural’s highlight of Howard Johnson’s was particularly joyful, since it was my first summer job back in 1964 or 1965.”

In late 2022, business partners and close friends, Steven Kushmakov and Ruben Davidov, who have strong roots in Queens, acquired NY Hot Bagels & Bialys and renamed it. Afterall, they felt it was “The Spot” to be. They greatly expanded its line of food and cater to a diverse clientele at reasonable prices. Besides the historic tradition of New York’s bagels and bialys, they offer assorted wraps, paninis, special breakfast platters, desserts, fresh squeezed juices, and exotic fresh smoothies.

Fast-forwarding to this June, co-owner Steven Kushmakov had much to share as he stood in front of the mural. He explained, “I feel a deep sense of pride, not just in the artwork, but for the story it tells and the people who brought it to life.” He feels that the mural is much more than just paint on a wall. “It is a vibrant collage of Forest Hills and Rego Park’s history — a tribute to the neighborhood we love and grew up in. It took two long, challenging years, but the vision finally became a reality. I still remember the day in 2023 when Michael Perlman first approached me with his idea. Michael is someone truly dedicated to this community. His passion for preserving and celebrating Forest Hills is inspiring, and this mural is a perfect example of that dedication.

He introduced me to Gigi Chen, his friend and former classmate, and the talented artist behind the mural. Watching Michael and Gigi collaborate was a gift, where their creativity and care for the community truly collided on this wall. Every image, every color tells a story that belongs to all of us. Working alongside them was an absolute pleasure.”

The mural now stands as a proud symbol of the neighborhood’s past, present, and future. “I invite everyone to stop by The Bagel Spot, grab your favorite bagel with a schmear, and take a moment to admire the mural. It’s not just art — it’s a memory, a tribute, and a celebration of Forest Hills and Rego Park,” he continued.

The mural also reflects the story of Noble Signs, which installed the mural and the accompanying sign on a sunny, hot, and humid day, and worked with two of his team members tirelessly. Mac Pohanka, who co-founded Noble Signs and the New York Sign Museum along with David Barnett, was on site.

As sign makers, artists, muralists, designers, and installers, Noble Signs works in neighborhoods spanning the five boroughs, and with people of all ages, interests, and backgrounds. Pohanka said, “While there are many great businesses and neighborhoods, there are surprisingly few with positive collaboration. The renewed appreciation of the city, its architecture, and history in my generation or residents is refreshing, especially in contrast to an earlier generation that sought to distance the outer boroughs from ‘New York City,’ painting them as the suburbs, and not part of the pulse of the city. Steven, Ruben, Michael, Gigi show how their appreciation of neighborhood history can be expressed in a variety of ways, which when brought together, can create something special and unique.”

Pohanka expressed his pride in teamwork and creative visions. “Steven Kushmakov and Ruben Davidov of The Bagel Spot chose to make their business wall a tribute to the community, rather than an advertising space or a regular blank city wall. Michael Perlman poured his passion for Queens’ physical history and penchant for sparking unlikely collaborations into coordinating this project over years. Gigi Chen beautifully translated Michael’s vision and the neighborhood’s architectural history into a mural that tells a story onto Steven and Ruben’s wall to be shared with the neighborhood. This is special and rare.”

Pohanka, a new Forest Hills resident and a local parent, feels it is refreshing to witness this collaboration and love for the neighborhood. He explained, “The Long Island-commuter and big box store version of Queens Boulevard, notorious for traffic and dangerous intersections, is hopefully being toned down in favor of a commercial boulevard aimed at foot traffic, families, and small businesses once again. This project is a reminder of what this 10-lane road looked like not so long ago, and how the will of passionate citizens can impact the physical and aesthetic texture of our city.

He pointed out that The Bagel Spot’s owners visualize installing lights and planters along the block. “This section of sidewalk can feel like an extension of the triangular park across the intersection. Queens Boulevard will never be devoid of cars, but hopefully Forest Hills and Rego Park will be destinations along the grand boulevard, rather than blurs out the window on the way out of town.”