As usual, sourced from Busybody ATL's "Week in Review" email newsletter that summarizes stories across the 9 neighborhood groups covered. Enjoy!

Big citywide stories

Mayor Dickens rips Fulton County over jail funding and tax districts.
Dickens blasted the Fulton County Board of Commissioners for voting down his proposed extension of six tax allocation while also approving a $1.3 billion financing plan for jail renovations.

DeKalb's development authority commits another $75 million to affordable housing.
Decide DeKalb approved a $75 million taxable revenue bond as part of a larger $155 million Housing Investment Bond Program aimed at workforce and affordable housing across the county.

Atlanta Mission drops its 900-bed Beltline homeless shelter plan.
After months of community pushback, Atlanta Mission walked away from its Westside Beltline campus proposal, and some community leaders are now floating a Krog Street Market-style commercial hub for the site instead.

A DeKalb judge survives a bias fight with the DA.
A fellow judge denied DA Sherry Boston's motion to remove a Superior Court judge from criminal cases, despite allegations the judge improperly threatened to jail Boston and two assistant DAs.

A driverless Waymo catches fire near Cheshire Bridge.
The fiery crash is reigniting debate over autonomous vehicle safety just as the company keeps expanding its robotaxi footprint across the city.

ONE Musicfest skips 2026 for a "reimagining."
Organizers confirmed the festival will pause this year and return retooled in 2027, leaving a hole in the city's usual fall festival calendar.

Emory buys Georgia's only proton therapy center for over $100 million.
The acquisition expands Emory Healthcare's radiation oncology reach and comes the same week Emory is also carving out a new executive health clinic on Clifton Road.

Volunteers are patching Atlanta's open utility holes because the city hasn't.
Residents have been placing temporary covers over hazardous, uncovered utility holes near Krog Street Market and elsewhere while they wait on official repairs.

Business openings, closings, and "watch this space" items

CHOA opened a new pediatric care clinic in Adamsville
The clinic aims to expand healthcare access in Southwest Atlanta, an area previously marked by lack of high-quality care options.

A historic 1920s building near Ponce City Market hits the market.
The structure at 530 Parkway Drive NE is up for grabs as a redevelopment site, sitting just blocks from the park and the Eastside Trail.

Gucci and Tom Ford are coming to Buckhead Village.
Fashion veteran Jeffrey Kalinsky is opening a 3,000-square-foot luxury boutique featuring both brands, right as the neighborhood's Terminus Chick-fil-A closes after 18 years.

The Terminus Chick-fil-A on Peachtree Road has closed.
The in-line location shut down July 31 after 18 years in operation.

Zarate Tiki Co. is getting a permanent home in East Atlanta Village.
The beloved Filipino pop-up is opening its first brick-and-mortar spot at 493 Flat Shoals Ave SE.

StillFire Brewing is bringing a taproom to downtown Tucker this fall.
The brewery, which already runs locations in Smyrna and Suwanee, announced its third location as part of Tucker's growing downtown.

Seed Atlanta, a new plant shop, has rooted itself at The Interlock.
The West Midtown shop plans monthly community events alongside its houseplant sales.

The historic Hotel Roxy Lofts on Marietta Street sold for $6.3 million.
The sale marks a notable transaction along West Midtown's Marietta Street Artery.

A big apartment project in Chamblee filed permits, totaling over 300 units.
The city greenlit 102 units plus 3,400 square feet of commercial space at 1900 Century Blvd, and a separate 218-unit project with 6,800 square feet of retail or office space on a parcel next door.

Other permit-watch items: Marietta Street picked up a permit for three commercial hoods, a strong sign a new restaurant is coming to West Midtown, while 1175 Chattahoochee Ave NE is prepping a white-box build-out inside The Complex. In VaHi, a new restaurant is filed for 1397 N Highland Ave and commercial kitchen plumbing is going in at 1180 University Dr. Ponce City Market's food hall is seeking a new alcohol license for Okiboru and Norifish. Brookhaven's new "Mack" townhome project is down to its last four of 53 units, and Chamblee closed permits for new businesses at 5776 New Peachtree Rd and 5880 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.

Upcoming events

The Artlanta Festival and 44 Live Jazz Festival take over Piedmont Park.
The free three-day Artlanta festival kicks off the weekend at the park, followed by the 44 Live Jazz Festival on Saturday

Camp Poncey-Hi begins August 7th in Poncey Highland
This fun neighborhood event features activities for all ages. Go check it out!

The Chastain Park Conservancy hosts a Western-glam gala Saturday.
"The Gilded Trail" benefits the park's ongoing $13 million creek-side expansion.

Decatur's Pan African Festival returns to the square, free to attend.
The annual event brings live music, food, and vendors back downtown.

Chamblee Rocks wraps its summer concert series Friday.
The season finale closes out the free outdoor concert run.

Other notable events: Krog Street Market hosts a Beltline Doggie Crawl Sunday, CatVideoFest 2026 x Furkids screens at Plaza Atlanta Saturday, National Night Out events pop up across Brookhaven and Chamblee Tuesday, the Oakhurst Anniversary Block Party on Saturday, Dillon Francis plays Buckhead Theatre Saturday, and the Fray is at Chastain Park Wednesday.

Government updates

Fulton commissioners take up TSPLOST, data center tax breaks, and a Budget Commission revival this week.
The county's Aug. 3 special session covers the TSPLOST ballot referendum, while the Aug. 5 regular meeting tackles opposition to data center tax abatements, Westside affordable commercial space funding, and the November ESPLOST ballot agreement.

Atlanta City Council votes on 2028 DNC host agreements and several BeltLine rezonings.
The Aug. 3 meeting also covers a Grady Hospital pedestrian plaza on Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, a contested Buckhead Village commercial recreation SUP, and the Lumberyard Lofts rezoning in Home Park.

A citywide trash fee overhaul and cannabis dispensary zoning rule are moving through nearly every NPU.
NPUs across the city, including NPU-M, NPU-O, NPU-D, NPU-C, and NPU-A, are weighing a substitute ordinance that reworks solid waste fees and backyard pickup exemptions, plus a zoning change requiring medical cannabis dispensaries to get a Special Use Permit before opening.

DeKalb schools are writing new AI and campus policing policies.
The district's Policy Committee reviewed a new AI use policy for students and staff along with a "Safe Space to Learn" policy governing how law enforcement can question students on campus.

Decatur commissioners vote Monday on repealing the residential parking program.
The Aug. 3 agenda also includes the school fund millage rate adoption and a new alcohol license for Che Butter Jonez.

Brookhaven's Planning Commission takes up rezonings on Woodrow Way and Ashford Dunwoody Road.
The Aug. 5 meeting covers a Woodrow Way rezoning to smaller lots, an office rezoning at 4170 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, and workforce housing ordinance amendments.

Chamblee's Downtown Development Authority takes up its seventh amendment to a Greystar deal.
The board is also voting on a loan resolution for RD Manor Chamblee, LLC, either of which could move a major downtown project closer to breaking ground.

Permits, construction, and road work

O4W / L5P / Candler Park: A 110,362-square-foot, 7-story mixed-use project with over 93,000 square feet of climate-controlled storage filed near the Beltline at 315 Highland Ave NE. Gas lines are advancing at the Cosby Spear Highrise redevelopment, and an emergency water main closure has hit Edgewood Avenue SE near Sweet Auburn.

Memorial Drive Corridor: New apartments are landing at 997 Memorial Dr SE, and 777 Memorial Dr SE has two permits moving at once, an interior build-out and a heat pump swap, that point to a business getting ready to open. The Beltline's Southside Trail Segment 6 Phase A is under construction at 920 Glenwood Ave SE, adding about 0.2 miles of new shared-use path. A three-lot subdivision is also in the works at 2830 Alston Drive SE near East Lake Golf Club.

Midtown: A full demolition is underway at 1050 Spring St NW, and several Peachtree corridor buildings, including 675 W Peachtree St NE and 1180 W Peachtree St NE, filed for office buildouts and fire sprinkler upgrades. GDOT is resurfacing SR 8 and SR 13, and lighting upgrades continue at the Buford Spring Connector Tunnel and along I-75 between I-85 and Memorial Drive.

West Midtown / South Buckhead: Three new commercial hoods on Marietta Street hint at an incoming restaurant, and a white-box build-out is underway at 1175 Chattahoochee Ave NE inside The Complex. Utility work is happening on Northside Drive NW for storm drainage repairs, and sewer mainline repairs are affecting Rockingham and Mornington drives.

Druid Hills / North Decatur: Emory is converting the entire 5th floor of 1525 Clifton Rd NE into a new executive health clinic, and a $414,540 plumbing permit just closed out at the Emory Point Barnes & Noble. A new $500,000 single-family home is going up on Ravenwood Way, and Lavista is getting a signal upgrade and left-turn lane extension near Shepherds Lane.

Brookhaven / Chamblee: Beyond the two big apartment approvals, a $2 million single-family home is rising on Colt Dr, and traffic signal upgrades are underway along Peachtree Industrial Blvd.

Metro-wide road work to note: A multi-county bridge preservation project is overlaying decks and painting steel beams at seven locations across Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton, including the Moreland Avenue bridge, and SR 154 pedestrian safety upgrades are adding mid-block crossings and turn restrictions at eight locations spanning DeKalb and Fulton.

As usual, content sourced from Busybody ATL’s “Week in Review” email newsletter, which summarizes all 9 neighborhood editions. Hope you enjoy!

Big stories

The Atlanta Beltline has its biggest budget ever at $265.8 million in FY27; here’s where the money is going The record fiscal year 2027 budget will accelerate construction and design across the full trail network, with direct effects on corridor neighborhoods from Reynoldstown to Ormewood Park. This is the clearest signal yet that the finish line is real.

An AJC investigation found that a city contractor received $420,000 a year while the city has almost no documentation of what he did for that money. Foris Webb III was paid more than the mayor's salary, and the city's records offer little accounting of actual work delivered. It's a must-read for anyone who cares about how Atlanta manages public funds.

Atlanta broke ground on the Monroe Drive Safe Streets project, a lane-reduction overhaul that's been years in the making. District 6 Councilmember Alex Wan joined city officials at the July 22 ceremony. The project targets chronic speeding along the corridor and will reshape the commute for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians in the surrounding neighborhoods.

A new Beltline mortgage assistance program will help teachers, firefighters, and healthcare workers buy homes in trail-adjacent neighborhoods. The program is a direct response to the displacement pressure the Beltline itself has helped create. Whether it moves the needle on affordability is the real question, but it's a concrete commitment worth tracking.

The Atlanta Dogwood Festival is officially returning to Piedmont Park on April 9–11, 2027, ending a period of real uncertainty about the event's future. The festival has been one of Midtown's signature spring traditions for decades, and its return is good news for the area.

Chamblee passed a 180-day moratorium on new data center applications, and DeKalb County commissioners are calling for more research before lifting their own pause. Both governments cited concerns about power grid strain, noise, and zoning as the reason to pump the brakes. The county's moratorium is already in place; Chamblee's is now locked in while planners draft new guardrails.

New renderings show how a $588,000-funded pedestrian bridge will span I-85 and connect the Peachtree Creek Greenway between Brookhaven and Druid Hills. The Decide DeKalb Development Authority approved the funding, and the images give the clearest picture yet of how the structure will look and function as a key greenway link.

Refined renderings for the Memorial Drive Greenway now include a dedicated skatepark, as well as shade trees and recreational amenities in a meaningful step forward for a project that's been under discussion for 25 years.

A new residential development near the Beltline and Trestletree communities has been rejected by neighborhood-governing boards, with concerns centering on zoning, scale, and displacement of existing affordable housing. The proposal targeted communities on both sides of a newly completed Beltline trail segment.

DeKalb County School District announced multiple principal reassignments ahead of the new school year. If you have kids in the district, it’s worth seeing who the new head honchos are and if your school is affected.

A 5-acre park on Custer Avenue in Peoplestown designed to solve flooding problems is taking shape and is worth keeping an eye on.

Business openings, closings, and "watch this space" items

L.L. Bean is opening its first-ever Georgia store at Lulah Hills, a 15,000-square-foot location that puts the outdoor retail brand on the map in metro Atlanta for the first time. Pair that with Refuge Coffee Co.'s new cafe at Lulah Hills, and the development’s retail footprint is coming into focus.

Schaf Shop has opened in Midtown as a combined coffee and skate shop, founded by an owner whose personal story, including a breast cancer diagnosis, shaped the concept.

The Juicy Crab is expanding into the Midtown space vacated by Taco Mac, filling a high-visibility corner that's been sitting empty since that abrupt closure last summer.

Beyond Juicery + Eatery opened its Brookhaven location on July 25, bringing fresh juices, smoothies, wraps, and salads to the area along with grand opening giveaways.

Taqueria Taquito Express is planning a Little Five Points location.

Y Bar e Ristorante, a new Italian concept, has opened in Buckhead Village, offering relaxed dining, Italian cocktails, and a 1960s Italy-inspired atmosphere.

Thyme Restaurant is now open on Piedmont Circle in Piedmont Heights for dinner, cocktails, and Sunday brunch

Bun and Bombay, an Indian street food restaurant, opened on East College Avenue on the border between Decatur and Avondale.

Summerland, a new restaurant concept, has opened in Upper West Market.

Ole & Steen, a Danish bakery chain, is making progress on a new Midtown location.

The Goodr Community Market in Edgewood marked its one-year anniversary of providing affordable food access to local families.

A New Orleans firm paid $101 million for The Porter Brookhaven, one of the bigger apartment deals to close in the market this year and a signal of continued investor demand for Brookhaven and Chamblee residential properties.

Regent Partners is in talks to acquire Tower Place 100, Buckhead's first skyscraper, after its previous owner defaulted on a loan. A completed deal could trigger a major redevelopment of the building.

A new residential development is planned along Garson Drive in Buckhead, adjacent to Peachtree Creek and an upcoming Beltline trail extension, with a scheduled 2028 completion.

A Sweet Auburn ground-up residential development on Hilliard Street will include 10 affordable units specifically earmarked for Atlanta first responders and workforce tenants. The project pairs with the new Beltline mortgage assistance program as a concrete effort to keep public servants in city neighborhoods.

The Affordable Midtown apartment community Crest on Peachtree has changed hands following a foreclosure, raising real questions about what happens to its affordability commitments under new ownership.

Other permit-watch items: A new café is being built into the front of Purple Door Salon on Edgewood Avenue, a new restaurant permit is under review at 1397 N Highland Ave in VaHi, and a 1,600-square-foot duplex has been permitted on Hampton Street in West Midtown. In Buckhead, Corso Atlanta Phase II filed a tenant improvement permit covering dining and retail space. A $600,000 commercial project on Apple Valley Road in Chamblee is in early review, which is worth watching as details emerge. A Pilates studio is moving into a commercial strip on Hosea L. Williams Drive in the Memorial Drive corridor.

Upcoming events

Red Bull Showrun Atlanta brings an F1 car to Hank Aaron Drive on Saturday, August 1, free to watch but expect major crowds and road closures around the route.

Bob Dylan plays the Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park on Friday, July 31, with O.A.R.'s Three Decades Tour following on Saturday at the same venue. Two nights at Chastain worth putting on the calendar.

Passion Pit plays The Eastern on Saturday, August 1, a solid anchor for a weekend that already has a lot going on across the southside.

The 19th annual Jerry Day Atlanta lands at Avon Theater on Saturday, August 1, one of the more reliably fun annual traditions in the Decatur area.

Buckhead Restaurant Week runs through Saturday, giving you the full week to work through the neighborhood's best menus.

The Magnolia Run 5K and 2K takes over Piedmont Park on Sunday morning, August 2

Screen on the Green lands at Atlantic Green on Thursday, July 30

Other notable events: Back to Black, an Amy Winehouse tribute, plays City Winery on Tuesday, July 28. Tio Lucho's celebrates Peruvian Independence Day the same night. Oliver Tree plays The Eastern on Wednesday. Tamar Braxton is at City Winery Thursday. Russell Dickerson hits the Buckhead Theatre on Wednesday. The Smithsonian, a Smiths tribute, plays Variety Playhouse on Saturday. Food and Street Art Tours run on the Beltline Thursday through Saturday from 99 Krog St. Back-to-school events and supply giveaways are scheduled across Atlanta, DeKalb, and Decatur school districts.

Government updates

Decatur's City Commission passed a $47.5 million General Fund budget for FY 2026-2027 and locked in the millage rate at 12.97 mills, both votes going 4-1 with Commissioner Arnold dissenting. The city is drawing $3.4 million from reserves to balance the books, and commercial property growth drove most of the expanded tax digest. The commission also voted to preserve existing resident-only street parking regulations near downtown.

Avondale Estates is weighing a formal civility pledge following a confrontation at a recent public meeting, and the board was also scheduled to review a stormwater infrastructure agreement for Center Street and a mid-year budget amendment.

NPU-N's July 23 agenda included a $21.9 million funding request from Gorman & Company to Invest Atlanta for a Memorial Drive project, as well as a high-density rezoning proposal at 774 Ponce de Leon Ave that would open the door to a large mixed-use building under the Beltline Overlay. The agenda also covered a citywide solid waste fee restructuring ordinance and a proposed Special Use Permit requirement for medical cannabis dispensaries.

NPU-O meets July 28 with an agenda that includes a Fayetteville Road and Second Avenue annexation and rezoning (Z-26-42), the citywide medical cannabis dispensary SUP rules, a Drew Charter School APS renewal presentation, and an ownership transfer hearing for Jolene Jolene on Hosea Williams Drive.

NPU-D meets July 28 to vote on a resolution opposing a tax abatement at 1425 Ellsworth Industrial Drive and to weigh in on the citywide cannabis dispensary zoning change. Alcohol license reviews for Fetch and Publix Moores Mill are also on the agenda.

Chamblee's City Council voted on a 180-day data center moratorium at its July 21 meeting, with additional agenda items including a roadway resurfacing contract award, park namings, a trail planning item for the Century Center area, and budget amendments. The Chamblee Downtown Development Authority meets July 28 to vote on a loan resolution and an amendment tied to a Greystar development deal.

Permits, construction, and road work

Piedmont Park / VaHi: Other than Monroe Drive Safe Streets: on the permit side, 1467 Monroe Drive has a new commercial 400-amp breaker box upgrade filed, suggesting a tenant with significant power needs is incoming. A new restaurant permit is under review at 1397 N Highland Ave, and a commercial renovation is in progress across three connected buildings at 778–784 N Highland. A 21-by-75-foot competition pool with an attached spa was permitted at 1585 S Ponce de Leon Ave.

O4W, L5P, and Edgewood: A new café is permitted at 321 Edgewood Ave. A commercial interior renovation at 299 N Highland Ave NE is converting an existing restaurant space into a new tenant concept. At 438 Edgewood Ave NE, demolition of an existing walkway and a new retaining wall are underway. A retroactive permit was filed at 684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave to legalize an existing addition that went up without approval. At 696 Cleburne Ter NE, a commercial tenant suite is being demised, which typically means new tenants are on the way.

Memorial Drive and the Southside: Permits for a 3-story townhome buildings at 2015 Memorial Drive total 19 units. Roof deck replacement work is active at 791 Wylie St SE, and Crim High School's gymnasium has a roof replacement in review. The I-20 concrete rehab between Hill Street and Columbia Drive continues, and SR 260 pedestrian crossing improvements with Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons are active at multiple DeKalb County intersections. Seven pothole reports came in across Estoria St, Glenwood Ave, and Hill St this week.

Midtown: Interior buildout activity is steady at 999 Peachtree St NE (new plumbing) and 1230 Peachtree St NE (vacant office suite alterations). Fire sprinkler work is continuing through floors 10 to 60 at 1072 W Peachtree St NE. SR 13 is still getting its first repave since 2012. Thirteen traffic signal repair requests were filed across the neighborhood in three days, and nine pothole reports concentrated on 8th St NE.

West Midtown and Collier Hills: Shipping containers are coming to 665 Marietta St NW with electrical service for power tools. A new 3-story duplex is permitted at 1053 Hampton St NW, and interior finish work is active across multiple filings at 981 Huff Rd NW.

Buckhead: Atlanta Watershed has a lane closure active on Northside Drive NW between 3111 and 3131 for storm drainage repairs and paving. Corso Atlanta Phase II filed a tenant improvement permit at 3200 Howell Mill Rd covering dining and retail space. A new tenant is building out the 14th floor at 3560 Lenox Rd NE, and interior construction at 3424 Peachtree Rd is moving again after a permit expiration stalled work. I-75 is getting a full LED lighting overhaul between Musket Ridge Drive and I-85, and SR 400 tunnel rehabilitation is underway at the Justin C. Martin Building. Ten traffic signal repair requests were filed, including emergency-level calls at several major intersections.

Brookhaven and Chamblee: SR-13 paving is underway from the Fulton County line to Chamblee Tucker Road, a corridor that was well past due for attention. Signal timing optimization is active along Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. A third lane is being added to the Ashford-Dunwoody Road eastbound ramp at I-285, targeting a known congestion point. A $600,000 commercial project at 2614 Apple Valley Road filed for watershed review, an early-stage signal worth watching.

Druid Hills and North Decatur: The $725,000 detached ADU electrical permit on Lullwater Road and the $900,000 electrical T-pole permit on Burnt Leaf Lane are the biggest signals of new construction activity in the area this week. A new 20-foot ground sign is permitted at 1845 Lawrenceville Hwy. The Winters Chapel water main replacement noted above applies here as well.

As always, sources from Busybody ATL’s “Week in Review” email newsletter. Hope you enjoy!

Big citywide stories

Thousands pack Piedmont Park for final World Cup match** **The celebration was on as Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup final. It’s the end of what has been a very successful stretch for Atlanta as a host city.

Fulton County commissioners voted 4-1 to block Mayor Dickens' Tax Allocation District extension. Without Fulton's cooperation, the financing strategy behind a lot of the mayor's big infrastructure promises is now in serious question.

The proposed Edgewood Avenue liquor license moratorium is dead. The moratorium had been stuck in committee since February and faced heavy pushback from business owners and residents before the committee voted to kill it outright.

DeKalb County School District owes a combined $12 million to City Schools of Decatur and Atlanta Public Schools** **following an accounting error. The dollar figure is now confirmed, but how and when DeKalb plans to repay the debt hasn't been detailed publicly. Worth watching as districts head into the new school year.

Emory Healthcare is poised to expand at Northlake Mall after a $95 million acquisition of the property. We’ve known this for awhile, but now we have a dollar figure.

A $15.8 million pedestrian bridge over I-85 is now a signed deal, connecting the Peachtree Creek Greenway to Emory's Executive Park. The 14-foot-wide bridge will give residents in Brookhaven, Druid Hills, and Chamblee a car-free crossing over the interstate. That's a big quality-of-life win for the northeast side of the city.

The City of Atlanta purchased a $7.8 million Buckhead estate to convert into a public nature preserve, expanding the city's green space inventory in one of its most tree-canopied corridors. The site will open to nearby residents and is intended to protect the local tree canopy and surrounding ecology.

A scaffolding collapse at the long-stalled Dewberry/Campanile renovation site on Peachtree Street** **has neighbors demanding action on a project that's been stripped to its concrete frame for years. The site has become a recurring frustration in the neighborhood, and the collapse is likely to accelerate pressure on the city to intervene.

Residents are calling for design changes after multiple vehicles have crashed into concrete bike lane barriers on South Boulevard in Grant Park, with some cars getting beached on the structures. The crashes have sparked a broader debate about how the neighborhood's Safe Street initiative was implemented, and whether the current design is working.

Business openings, closings, and "watch this space" items

Nike Live has permanently closed its Ponce City Market location, ending the neighborhood-focused retail concept's run there after it debuted in late 2021.

MetroFresh has permanently closed its Midtown Promenade location after 21 years, following extensive fire damage earlier this year.

Big Bad Breakfast shuttered its Collier Hills location after just nine months of operation.

Victory Sandwich Bar in Decatur is closing to flip into a new concept, with Vic Brands citing a changed local customer base as the reason for the transition.

Joystick Gamebar has officially landed in East Atlanta Village, putting to rest the rumors that had swirled around a potential Little Five Points location.

L.L. Bean is opening its first Georgia store at the redeveloping former North DeKalb Mall site.** **The 114-year-old outdoor brand is a real anchor tenant, and its arrival adds momentum to what's been a slow-moving redevelopment.

Enzo Steakhouse & Bar is expanding from Fayetteville with a new Midtown location, slated to open this winter.

Bank OZK has taken control of 1050 Brickworks, the newly built but vacant West Midtown office development previously held by Sterling Bay and Asana.

Apt 4B Caribbean restaurant is relocating** **from its current Peachtree Road spot to a larger space, though the new address hasn't been announced yet.

Muse Paintbar is planning an Inman Park location, adding to the paint-and-sip chain's 26 existing outposts.

A five-concept food-and-beverage wave is headed to Avondale Estates' downtown as the area's newly densified district prepares for a summer of debuts.

Corso Atlanta luxury senior living is expanding to Druid Hills, adding a new location to its existing metro Atlanta footprint.

UGA's Terry College of Business is opening a small business resource office at its Buckhead campus.

Other permit-watch items: A restaurant conversion permit was filed at 820 Ralph McGill Blvd NE. A Pilates studio buildout is underway at 1610 Hosea L. Williams Dr NE. A 7-unit, 3-story townhome project has been filed at 2015 Memorial Dr SE. Two operating rooms and sterile storage are being built out at 1968 Peachtree Rd NW in Buckhead. A fitness center is under construction at 3065 Peachtree Rd NE. Interior alteration permits and buildout activity at 675 W Peachtree St NE suggest a larger tenant project already in progress. A nail shop is converting a shell space at Lulah Hills Retail.

Upcoming events

The Atlanta Ice Cream Festival takes over Piedmont Park on Saturday, July 25

The Joining Hearts Pool Party and Fireworks also lands in Piedmont Park on Saturday

Dad's Garage celebrates its 31st birthday with a full week of shows, culminating in the 31st Birthday Show on Saturday.

The Original Wailers and Steel Pulse play The Eastern on Sunday, July 26.

Brick Store Pub celebrates its 29th anniversary on Saturday

Buckhead Restaurant Week runs July 27 through August 1 with prix-fixe menus across participating restaurants.

Cocktails in the Garden returns to the Atlanta Botanical Garden on Thursday evening.

Other notable events: Midtown Movie Night screens "Bend It Like Beckham" at 10th Street Park Wednesday, a nod to the World Cup atmosphere still buzzing around the city. SPAMALOT at the Fox Theatre A glow-in-the-dark pickleball tournamenthits Decatur on Friday. Joe Gransden's Big Band plays Eddie's Attic Friday night. The Brookhaven Farmer's Market goes Christmas-in-July on Saturday. Atlanta Ballet hosts a free family dance open house Saturday at its West Midtown location.

Other Government updates

Atlanta City Council's Zoning Committee approved a special use permit for a nearly 60-acre truck terminal on Jonesboro Road** **over neighborhood objections. The committee also overrode city planning staff to greenlight two digital changing billboards. The full council gets these items next.

The City Utilities Committee approved a $15.5 million upgrade for the Flint River Pump Station** **and cleared utility adjustment work along Roswell Road ahead of a state repaving project. Not glamorous, but very important if you like drinking water, functioning sewers, and avoiding infrastructure meltdowns.

Atlanta City Council's Finance/Executive Committee authorized the mayor to sign agreements needed to pursue the 2028 Democratic National Convention, contingent on Atlanta being selected as the host city. The committee held the FY2027 property tax rate and an updated firefighter pay plan for further review at the August 3 full council meeting.

DeKalb County commissioners approved a $25 million bond program** **through the Housing Authority of DeKalb County to fund affordable housing initiatives including down-payment assistance, multifamily acquisition, and transitional housing. The board also approved a $21 million multi-year contract for water and sewer repairs countywide, and denied a rezoning that would have allowed smaller, denser single-family lots in Districts 3 and 7.

DeKalb County commissioners approved design contracts totaling over $4 million for Phase VI of the South River Trail and the North Fork Peachtree Creek Trail, though the Michelle Obama Trail design extension was pushed to August 25. A proposed requirement that new data centers undergo a baseline health and environmental assessment before receiving permits was also deferred to August 25, giving the planning committee more time to weigh in.

The DeKalb County School Board approved a $15 million contract for updated K-12 social studies curriculum materials and adopted a new policy governing the use of artificial intelligence in classrooms.

The Transportation Committee had on its agenda a proposal to permanently close a stretch of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive near Grady Hospital and convert it into a pedestrian plaza, along with a $2.89 million contract to pave dirt roads in underserved neighborhoods.

Chamblee floated a data center moratorium at its July 16 work session, though no minutes are posted and no outcome is confirmed.

A rezoning proposal for properties on Ponce de Leon Avenue (774, 784, 790, and 794 Ponce de Leon Ave NE and 790 Bonaventure Ave NE) would shift the 1.75-acre assemblage to MRC-3, allowing higher-density residential with ground-floor retail under the BeltLine overlay. The Zoning Committee forwarded it to full council for a first reading, so there are more votes ahead.

A rezoning request for two large industrial tracts along Logan Circle and Chattahoochee Avenue in West Midtownis scheduled before the Community Development Committee, proposing a shift from heavy Industrial to Industrial Flex zoning that would open the door to creative offices, light manufacturing, and retail. Minutes weren't posted for this committee, so the outcome is unconfirmed.

Permits, construction, and road work

Eastside Beltline / Old Fourth Ward / Reynoldstown: A multi-story self-storage facility near the Eastside Trail in Reynoldstown is nearing completion just as the city's new temporary ban on Beltline-adjacent self-storage takes hold. A large commercial inground gunite pool (21 by 75 feet) plus a spa was permitted at 1585 S Ponce de Leon Ave NE, sized for a residential complex or private club. A restaurant conversion permit was filed at 820 Ralph McGill Blvd NE. Two permits at 675 Ponce de Leon Ave NE covering interior alterations and a fire sprinkler update suggest a larger buildout underway. Parking lot sinkhole remediation is filed at 570 Ralph McGill Blvd NE.

Memorial Drive Corridor: A 7-unit, 3-story townhome project with attached garages and balconies was filed at 2015 Memorial Dr SE. A Pilates studio conversion is underway at 1610 Hosea L. Williams Dr NE. A new ADA ramp and accessible sidewalk are planned at 1631 La France St NE. SR 154/DeKalb Ave is seeing active pedestrian improvements between Hill and Pearl streets, adding a mid-block crossing and a restricted crossing U-turn.

Midtown / VaHi: A 120.64 kW rooftop solar system is under review at 597 Cooledge Ave NE, one of the larger installations to hit the area recently. SR 13 is getting its first resurfacing since 2012, between SR 9 and North Fork Peachtree Creek. Pothole crews are working reports on 13th St NE, 9th St NE, and along West Peachtree.

Buckhead: A fitness center buildout spans the plaza level and second floor at 3065 Peachtree Rd NE. Interior demolition is underway at 3715 Northside Pkwy NW ahead of a tenant buildout. SR 9 is being resurfaced from SR 3 north to Paces Ferry Road. Sixteen pothole reports came in across the neighborhood last week. Three emergency-level traffic signal repairs were flagged along Northside Pkwy.

West Midtown / Home Park: Intersection improvements underway at the Northside Drive, 14th Street, and Hemphill Avenue cluster. A rooftop solar installation is filed at 1450 Howell Mill Rd NW. Tenant buildout and plumbing work are moving at 1385 Collier Rd NW's Market Building.

Brookhaven / Chamblee: A commercial tenant buildout is under review at 3630 Peachtree Rd NE. SR-13 is being resurfaced from the Fulton County line to Chamblee Tucker Road. A third lane is being added to the Ashford Dunwoody Road eastbound ramp at I-285 to ease recurring congestion. Signal optimization work is underway along Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.

Druid Hills / North Decatur: A $1.07 million new single-family home is under construction on Abby Lane. The Lavista Rd. eastbound left turn lane at Clairmont Rd. is being extended. A new pedestrian hybrid crosswalk beacon and school-zone flashing beacons were approved for North Decatur Road at Ridgewood Drive.

Countywide / Multi-corridor: I-20 lighting is being upgraded from Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Road, swapping HPS fixtures for LED across both DeKalb and Fulton counties. I-75 tunnel lighting at Ralph McGill Blvd and Baker Street is also getting LED upgrades. A multi-county bridge preservation project covering co-polymer overlay, steel beam painting, and joint replacement is active at seven locations across Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton. The Buford Spring Connector tunnel lighting near I-85 is being converted to LED. Kensington MARTA Station transit access improvements are underway.

Back for week 3. As usual, content sourced from Busybody ATL’s neighborhood newsletters. Hope you enjoy!

Big citywide stories

Mayor Dickens issues citywide moratorium on new self-storage development
The executive order halts new self-storage construction across Atlanta in a direct response to neighbors in fast-growing corridors who've watched vacant lots become dead-end storage facilities instead of housing or retail.

Atlanta Zoning Committee votes 7-0 to block major Buckhead housing project
The committee recommended denial of a rezoning that would have converted 11.185 acres at West Paces Ferry and West Wesley Roads from large-lot single-family to a Planned Development Housing designation. It’s a win for the Buckhead neighbors who turned out hard against the proposal and a signal that the committee is not in a mood to rubber-stamp density shifts in established neighborhoods.

Edgewood Avenue liquor license moratorium proposed after string of shootings
The Public Safety Committee is weighing a 180-day freeze on new alcohol licenses along the Edgewood Avenue nightlife corridor, with community leaders pressing for action after a pattern of violence. The moratorium was held in committee without a vote, but the pressure is building and this one isn't going away.

Brookhaven City Council approves 40% property tax increase, its first in over a decade
The hike is not as bad as it sounds, but will mean $400 extra on an $800k house in Brookhaven. Meanwhile, DeKalb County is separately weighing millage rate and fee increases for sanitation and stormwater services, with a decision deferred to July 7, meaning property owners across DeKalb don't know their full bill yet.

DeKalb County Commission rejects data center zoning standards
Commissioners voted down a county-wide text amendment that would have established zoning and environmental guardrails for data centers in industrial and office districts in a significant blow to advocates who raised alarms about noise and long-term environmental strain. The door is now wide open for more facilities, with fewer protections than neighbors wanted.

Blandtown's $75M Beltline-adjacent redevelopment clears critical financing hurdle
Alta West Midtown, a nearly 250-unit mixed-use project on a former tire recycling plant near the BeltLine, secured a Fulton County Development Authority tax break to get off the ground. The full $75M transformation is targeted for completion by 2028 and is one of the more consequential infill plays West Midtown has seen.

East Lake loses the Tour Championship as permanent host after 2027
The PGA Tour is moving to a rotating host model, ending the long-standing tradition that made East Lake Golf Club synonymous with the season finale. It's a quiet but significant closing of a chapter that felt permanent, and will have real implications for the neighborhood's identity and annual economic boost.

Grady Memorial Hospital's parking-heavy Cabbagetown redevelopment plan draws community pushback
Grady has revealed plans to redevelop a long-vacant corner lot in Cabbagetown, and neighbors and urban planners are not pleased as the design prioritizes cars in a neighborhood that has spent years building a walkable character.

Finance/Executive Committee takes up $200M Southside hospital push and FY2027 property tax rates
A resolution asking Fulton County to commit $200 million toward a healthcare expansion with Morehouse School of Medicine, targeting medically underserved Southside and Westside communities, was on the committee's agenda alongside the ordinance that will set what homeowners owe in property taxes next year. Neither has been finally decided at the full council level yet.

Business openings, closings, and "watch this space" items

Joystick Game Bar closes after 14 years; end of an era for Atlanta arcade culture
One of Atlanta's most beloved spots for cheap beer and vintage cabinets is powering down for good. Fourteen years is a remarkable run for any bar, let alone one built around quarters and nostalgia.

Guac y Margys closes both Atlanta locations, including The Interlock and SPX Alley on the Beltline
After nine years of margaritas and tacos, the neighborhood staple is done and it’s a loss for anyone who made the Eastside Beltline walk a ritual that ended here.

So. Fox. is opening in Virginia-Highland next week, and the menu is already drawing attention
A new restaurant debut in VaHi is worth watching; the AJC got an early look at the menu and it's generating real buzz before the doors have opened.

Pour Taproom has poured its last pint
Pour is closing its doors at 1180 Peachtree after five plus years. It’s a loss for the office happy hour crowd in the building and right by the building.

Rayonier, a $7B timber giant and Georgia's largest landowner, is relocating its corporate headquarters to Buckhead
A significant corporate relocation that adds another major name to Buckhead's office address list.

Two new Mexican concepts land in Midtown: Botanico Cocina takes over the old Lure space, Habaneros debuts at Spring Quarter
Botanico is reimagining one of Midtown's more prominent dining addresses as a Latin restaurant and social club; Habaneros brings an Aztec-inspired Pan-Mexican kitchen to the Spring Quarter development.

La Cueva opens at Ponce City Market as a mezcal cocktail bar with live music and Mexican botanas
Exactly the kind of place that turns a quick drink into a whole evening. Alo Yoga is also coming to PCM this fall, adding another retail anchor to an already gravitational building.

Dan's Snack Bar is moving into the former Mother's Best Fried Chicken space in Downtown Decatur
Big shoes to fill in a high-visibility location on the Square and we're curious to see what Dan's brings.

Rockefeller Group reveals pricing and fresh images for Alina Tower, Atlanta's soon-to-be tallest residential building at 1072 W. Peachtree
The numbers are finally out. If you've been trying to picture what Midtown's skyline looks like in a few years, this is your answer, and the tower is clearing final occupancy permits floor by floor right now.

Buckhead Heritage secures lease on the 115-year-old "Little White House" from Atlanta Public Schools for its new headquarters
A fitting home for a preservation organization and a meaningful signal that not every historic building in Buckhead is getting paved over.

Other permit-watch items: A mystery retail tenant is prepping on Huff Road in West Midtown (gas line roughed in for "future retail" at 1121 Huff Rd NW); electrical work at 1048–1050 N. Highland Ave NE in VaHi suggests a tenant buildout in progress; a $9.3M Phase II retail buildout (53,690 sq ft) is permitted for Lulah Hills; and two restaurant tenant build-outs are moving through permits in Chamblee (3127 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd and Chamblee Plaza on Peachtree Blvd). The Atlanta Financial Center North Tower lobby is also slated for a major remodel, and a boutique build near Georgia Tech at 740 Techwood is approaching pre-leasing.

Upcoming events

The 57th Peachtree Road Race runs July 4th from Lenox Road to Piedmont Park
America's largest 10K draws tens of thousands of runners and dominates the morning. If you're anywhere near Buckhead or Midtown on Saturday, plan your routes accordingly.

DMC performs at Lenox Square on July 3rd, ahead of the race
Free pre-race concert at the start line; a proper send-off for the holiday weekend.

Sarah McLachlan plays Chastain Park Amphitheater on July 3rd
The Better Broken Tour stops at one of Atlanta's most beloved outdoor venues the night before the race; it’s a proper holiday weekend doubleheader for Buckhead.

Chamblee Rocks 4th of July Concert headlines with Robin Thicke
Chamblee's summer concert series is pulling out all the stops with five-time Grammy nominee Robin Thicke headlining the neighborhood's Fourth of July celebration in downtown Chamblee.

Druid Hills Fourth of July Parade and Block Party, July 4th
One of the most charming neighborhood Fourth celebrations in the city that runs the same morning as the Peachtree Road Race, so the whole stretch of northeast Atlanta will be in full holiday mode.

Fourth of July in Downtown Decatur, July 4th
The Square does the holiday right: family-friendly, walkable, and reliably well-attended.

Rooftop Rodeo at Ponce City Market, July 4th
PCM's rooftop does July 4th with its signature spectacle and is one of the better spots in the city to watch fireworks from above the crowd.

Other notable events: The Great American Whiskey Throwdown runs July 3rd at the Kimpton Shane Hotel; the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library hosts Fourth of July Family Day and author Denise Kiernan on July 4th; Oakland Cemetery has daily tours and programming all week plus a We Shall Overcome historical tour July 5th; Fernbank Museum has live animal encounters and dino talks all week; Dad's Garage runs shows including a Christmas in July edition; the Candler Park Soccer Watch Party is at Candler Park July 5th; and the 9th Annual Atlanta House Heads Picnic hits Grant Park on July 4th.

Government updates

Atlanta City Council had a busy week
Atlanta's City Council held six separate sessions covering everything from bond financing to zoning to public safety. In a brief Special Called Meeting on June 24, the full Council voted unanimously 9-0 to approve $8 million in General Obligation bonds split evenly between FY2026 and FY2027, with both tranches placed directly with Huntington National Bank — a fast-tracked financing move sent immediately to the Mayor for signature. The Finance/Executive Committeetook up a sweeping agenda that included a proposed resolution asking Fulton County to commit $200 million toward healthcare expansion on the Southside and Westside, a proposal to set FY2027 property tax rates across all city levies, and an ordinance that would allow the city to add surcharges on electronic payments — all of which were on the agenda but have not yet resulted in confirmed final outcomes at the full council level. The Transportation Committee reviewed a proposal to permanently close a segment of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE near Grady Hospital to create a pedestrian plaza, considered a resolution requesting renegotiation of the "More MARTA" transit agreement, and took up a $3.6 million state grant for Peachtree Street improvements and a $2.63 million safe streets design contract — all with minutes posted confirming the committee processed these items. The Community Development/Human Services Committee considered ordinances to codify free admission at all city pools, establish an Office of Short-Term Rentals, and fund a $250,000 transit-oriented study near the Ashby MARTA Station, while the City Utilities Committee reviewed a $2 million Chastain Park stream restoration transfer, a nearly $1.9 million wetlands land acquisition, and over $36 million in emergency water and sewer repair contract renewals. The Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee approved a $3.39 million land purchase from MARTA for a new Lindbergh-area EMS/Fire Station, passed a controversial 3-2 vote granting the CFO authority to require forensic audits of alcohol-licensed businesses under APD investigation, and ratified a retroactive lease keeping the APD Zone 6 precinct on Hosea Williams Drive — while holding in committee both the proposed Edgewood Corridor alcohol moratorium and a surveillance technology transparency ordinance. At the Zoning Committee, members voted 7-0 to recommend denial of an 11-acre Buckhead planned development rezoning at West Paces Ferry, unanimously backed a citywide 180-day moratorium on new storage facility permits, and deferred a wave of duplex, mixed-use, and industrial rezoning cases back to committee for further review.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners: data center rules rejected, Airbnb excise tax approved, millage and $4M+ in trail contracts deferred
The June 23 meeting also rejected a 12-home subdivision rezoning on Kelly Lake Road and approved a $1.2M contract with Trusted Hands Senior Care and an implementation plan for a North DeKalb homeless day center. Millage rate decisions and $4M in trail design contracts — including $3.12M for South River Trail Phase VI and nearly $1M for North Fork Peachtree Creek Trail — are both deferred to July committee meetings.

Brookhaven City Council: millage rates adopted, Peachtree Creek Greenway easements approved, bar safety overhaul unanimously deferred
The June 23 session officially set the city's tax and assessment rates following two public hearings, advanced Phase II of the Peachtree Creek Greenway, and awarded a $155,250 citywide pavement assessment contract. A sweeping overhaul of public safety rules for late-night alcohol establishments, which would have introduced a data-driven, risk-based framework, was deferred unanimously. A Mid-Year Advance planning session is also exploring whether the city should take direct control over master planning the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe MARTA station transit-oriented development site.

Avondale Estates millage rate: three public hearings held, final vote June 30th
The city's tentative millage rate of 9.55 for 2026 would constitute a property tax increase and Georgia law requires three public hearings, which have now been held, with a final adoption vote scheduled June 30th alongside resolutions setting sanitation and stormwater utility fees.

City Schools of Decatur holding final millage hearing and vote June 29th
The board is scheduled to hold a final vote on the FY2027 school millage rate: the number that determines the school tax portion of Decatur property owners' bills.

Decatur's strategic plan revision is shaping up as a serious fight over land use and zoning
The 10-year plan update puts density, zoning, and what gets built where front and center, with neighborhoods like Oakhurst, Downtown, and Glenwood Estates all in the mix. Now is the time to engage.

Permits, construction, and road work

Memorial Drive / Southeast Atlanta: A coordinated 43-unit, 3-story townhome development is moving through permits at 2015 Memorial Dr SE — seven separate applications, all sharing the same land disturbance approval, representing a significant infill push for the corridor. Emergency watershed repairs at 339 Edgewood Avenue SE happened last week. A sewer lateral repair on Moreland Avenue SE is also causing lane closures.

Midtown / Peachtree Corridor: Alina Tower at 1072 W. Peachtree is clearing phased occupancy permits floor by floor (levels 40–60 permitted for gas, electrical). The Atlanta Botanical Garden has two new construction permits. SR 13 is being repaved from SR 9 to North Fork Peachtree Creek — the first resurfacing since 2012.

Buckhead: Peachtree Road is being resurfaced from SR 3 northward past Paces Ferry. SR 400 tunnel bridge rehab is underway near the Justin C. Martin Building. A two-floor office buildout (floors 21–22) is underway at 3333 Piedmont Rd NE — a tenant build-out of some scale.

VaHi / Morningside / Druid Hills: A Level 3 full gut renovation is underway at 1784 N. Decatur Rd NE. Back-to-back electrical permits at 1048–1050 N. Highland Ave NE signal a tenant buildout in progress. A new 3-story single-family home is under permit at 1208 N. Decatur Rd NE. Pothole complaints are clustering heavily around E. Morningside Drive and its intersection with Piedmont Avenue. I-85 between I-75 and north of Lenox Road is getting an LED lighting overhaul.

West Midtown / Collier Hills: First-generation office buildout underway at 1055 Howell Mill Rd NW; gas line roughed in for future retail at 1121 Huff Rd NW; interior tenant renovation at 1750 Chattahoochee Ave NW. The Northside Drive / 14th Street / Hemphill Avenue intersection cluster is getting signal and operational upgrades.

Brookhaven / Chamblee: SR-13 (Buford Highway) is being resurfaced from the Fulton County line to Chamblee Tucker Road. Signal timing upgrades are underway on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard between Peachtree Road and New Peachtree Road. Brookhaven approved funding to underground utilities along Dresden Drive between Ellijay Drive and Caldwell Road. Two restaurant tenant build-outs are moving through permits: a new restaurant at 3127 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd and an expanded Asian cuisine concept at Chamblee Plaza.

Decatur / Emory area: Emory Decatur Hospital has multiple active permits totaling roughly $9.3M across two clusters — a $1.47M conversion to MRI suites and ~$7.8M of interior reconstruction on Levels 2 and 4 adding inpatient rooms. A separate $9.3M Phase II retail buildout (53,690 sq ft) is permitted at the Lulah Hills site. Kensington MARTA Station is seeing transit access and mobility improvements (Phase I-LCI).

I-20 / Regional: LED lighting upgrades are underway along I-20 from Capitol Avenue to Flat Shoals Road (both Fulton and DeKalb counties), replacing aging high-pressure sodium fixtures. Concrete rehab is active on I-20 between Hill Street and Columbia Drive. I-75 tunnel lighting upgrades are underway at the Ralph McGill Blvd/Baker St tunnels, and LED replacement is also active along I-75 from Musket Ridge Drive to I-85.

Starting a new series here to communicate some of the bigger takeaways across Busybody ATL neighborhood digests. Hoping to do these every week so hope you enjoy!

News stories

The BeltLine now has 17 connected miles.
A new Southside Trail connection has linked the Eastside and Westside trails into roughly 17 continuous miles. Not the full 22-mile loop yet, but a major step.

Poncey-Highland is pushing for historic district status.
Neighbors are organizing to preserve the neighborhood’s character as development pressure rises around the BeltLine. This could be worth watching for VaHi, Morningside, Inman Park, O4W, and other neighborhoods trying to balance growth with preservation.

The former BellSouth tower at 1155 Peachtree may get hit with a major blight tax bill.
The city is moving toward a potential $2.1M blight tax penalty for the long-neglected Midtown tower. If you’ve wondered whether Atlanta has tools to pressure owners of high-profile vacant/decaying properties, this is a test case.

DeKalb is still wrestling with data centers and sewers.
The county extended its data center moratorium through September 30 while it works on zoning rules, environmental concerns, and infrastructure questions. Separately, DeKalb and the EPA are renegotiating a long-running sewer consent decree tied to the county’s aging, spill-prone sewer system. Extremely unsexy, extremely important.

Budgets and tax rates are everywhere this week.
Atlanta City Council is voting on the FY2027 budget and property tax rates. Brookhaven is considering its first property tax increase since 2015. Decatur has a proposed $47M budget up for public comment. Chamblee has multiple millage-rate votes coming. DeKalb schools are looking at their FY2027 budget, tax levy, and a $15M science curriculum purchase.

Quirky neighborhood-specific stories abound.
Netflix's Cape Fear, supposedly based in Savannah, actually filmed in Inman Park. Chamblee IRS employees had to work from home due to a rat infestation at the office. Cabbagetown Park is getting some big upgrades. Emory B-School got a new dean.

Business openings, closings, and “watch this space” items

Krog District is stacking tenants.
YETI opens June 18, Eggslut is expected this fall, and the district is adding to recent arrivals like Nando’s and LikeMinds.

East Atlanta Village is getting a new wine bar.
The team behind Little Bear is opening Bar Schmutzi in EAV, described as a cozy European-inspired wine bar with a curated wine list and small food menu.

Palo Santo is closing in West Midtown.
The rooftop restaurant/lounge at 955 West Marietta is closing at the end of June, with the freestanding building listed for sale. Big loss for that stretch, though maybe an interesting new chapter if someone else takes the space.

West Midtown is also getting Rome’s Kitchen Studio.
Chef Rome is opening a grab-and-go studio for chef-crafted meals, bringing his private-chef/subscription concept into a physical location.

Brookhaven’s old Kroger space finally has a grocery replacement.
Compare Foods is moving into the 42,000-square-foot former Kroger space at Skye Hill. That’s a big quality-of-life win for nearby residents.

Spruill Studios opened in old Chamblee City Hall.
Cool adaptive reuse: the former civic building is now an arts destination with studio/gallery space.

Midtown got alonetogether.
Chef Jonny Rhodes opened a restaurant and non-alcoholic bar near the Woodruff Arts Center. Easily one of the more interesting new openings this week.

Edgewood’s food district keeps taking shape.
There’s more visible progress on the Edgewood food/beverage corridor, including a new pizza anchor, and Foxtail Coffee has opened near the Edgewood MARTA station.

Buckhead got its first Atlanta AP House from Audemars Piguet.
Very Buckhead: a membership-style luxury watch boutique where getting to try on a $50K Royal Oak is part of the appeal.

A few permit-watch items:
A new restaurant/bar is permitting at 1039 Grant St SE, a Chamblee quick-service restaurant called Mr. Perro has a closed tenant-improvement permit, 265 Ponce appears to be getting gutted for a kitchen expansion, and a garage in Decatur is permitted for conversion into a juice bar/yoga/gym studio/home office setup, which is… definitely one to watch.

Upcoming events worth knowing about

Juneteenth celebrations across the city.
Major celebrations are happening at Piedmont Park, Atlanta History Center, Oakland Cemetery, Marcus Bar & Grille, The Interlock, Chattahoochee Food Works, and elsewhere. If you want to get out Friday, you have options.

World Cup watch parties are everywhere.
Colony Square, Decatur Square/WatchFest, The Interlock, Chamblee, Round Trip Brewing, and a bunch of other spots are leaning into Atlanta’s World Cup summer. This is an incredibly unique time for the city, so get out there and watch some soccer!

Little 5 Points ghost tours led by drag performers are launching.
ALT3R is hosting ghost tours through L5P on Fridays and Saturdays from June 19 through July 18. Extremely Atlanta in the best way.

Old Fourth Ward Spring Arts Festival is this weekend.
Historic Fourth Ward Park gets the arts festival Saturday, which should pair nicely with BeltLine foot traffic now that the trail milestone is getting attention.

Other notable events:
Pullman Yards That '70s Experience, Cabbagetown Concert Series, Summer Solstice Artwalk in Decatur, Cowboy Junkies at Variety Playhouse, Amy Grant at Eddie’s Attic, Blue Man Group at the Fox, ASO Americana, Les Claypool at Chastain Park, and lots of Father’s Day events.

Government updates

Atlanta City Council has a loaded agenda.
The full council is set to vote on the FY2027 budget, property tax rates, a $7.85M forest preservation land purchase, mandatory pedestrian detours when construction blocks sidewalks, and the 1155 Peachtree blight tax item.

The Atlanta Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative Trust Fund moves through City Council committees.
This would extend select Tax Allocation Districts and direct funding toward affordable housing, small business preservation, and community stabilization. Worth tracking because it’s exactly the kind of policy that can shape growth patterns for years.

Cabbagetown got a truck-traffic win.
A ban on commercial cut-through truck traffic in the historic Cabbagetown Landmark District cleared committee.

Edgewood alcohol moratorium is back on the table.
A proposed 180-day moratorium on new alcohol licenses in the Edgewood Corridor was deferred and is coming back for more discussion.

DeKalb County has several big infrastructure items moving.
In addition to the data center moratorium and sewer consent decree, county agendas include major water plant and water/sewer repair contracts, stormwater/sanitation fee discussions, roundabout support for Ponce/Clairmont, school budget votes, and traffic-calming/crosswalk items.

Fulton County has election, housing, cybersecurity, and smart water meter items coming up.
Commissioners are scheduled to consider a nearly $9M election staffing contract, affordable housing conversions/development funding, firewall upgrades, and an update on the smart water meter rollout.

Permits, construction, and road work

Eastside:
Moreland Ave at Arkwright is being rebuilt as right-in/right-out only, which will permanently change that intersection. Southside Trail segments around Bill Kennedy Way and the SR-154 connector are moving through pre-construction, including a future trail bridge over I-20.

Decatur / DeKalb:
A 148-room downtown Decatur hotel got a $700K water/sewer hookup permit. Quest Diagnostics has a $2.5M interior renovation. Lulah Hills Mall redevelopment has a $75M apartment permit for 303 multifamily units with ground-floor retail.

Midtown / VaHi:
Midtown has SR-13 resurfacing. A tenant buildout is taking shape at 1048 N Highland. The Monroe/SR-13 area has a future roundabout-style overhaul in the pipeline.

West Midtown:
Operational upgrades underway at the cluster of Northside Drive, 14th Street, and Hemphill Avenue. Star Metals landed a $113.7M refinancing deal, which is notable given the broader office market.

Brookhaven / Chamblee:
Buford Highway/SR-13 resurfacing is underway. Ashford-Dunwoody’s eastbound ramp to I-285 northbound is getting a third lane. Commercial buildouts are active at 3630 Peachtree.

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