JUNE 2020 - Atlanta INtown by Atlanta Intown

JUNE 2020 Vol. 26 No. 6 â&#x2013; www.AtlantaINtownPaper.com

INTOWN ADAPTS Nonprofits Respond P. 6

Pay It Forward P. 8

Restaurants React P. 28

Life Goes On P. 14

Back to Business P. 18

Head for the Hills P. 33

6 Mute

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Polling

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Record

Breakout Rooms

Businesses, restaurants and the arts community navigate life during COVID-19

Prot ect ion At A T ime When It Matt ers Most W H AT ’ S Y O U R P L A N B E F O R E Y O U O P E N Y O U R F R O N T D O O R ?

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1715 Lenox Road N.E. Morningside Offered at $859,000

700 Elkmont Drive N.E. Morningside Offered at $1,195,000

UNDER CONTR ACT

S T E L L A R L O C AT I O N

791 San Antonio Drive N.E. Morningside Offered at $1,525,00

1740 West Sussex Road N.E. Morningside Offered at $1,799,000

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©2020 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your property is currently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing. Engel & Völkers and its independent license partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act. *Source: FMLS

2 June 2020 |

At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

Contents

Our mission: Published monthly since 1994, Atlanta INtown provides its readers with hyperlocal news and information that helps foster a sense of community in a dynamic urban setting. Live, work and play—we cover everything that makes our city home.

June 2020

Neighborhood

6 } Nonprofits Respond 8 } News Roundup 8 } Donating Plasma 8 } Open Streets 10 } Voter Information 10 } Saluting Students 12 } TimmyDaddy 14 } Life on the BeltLine

Contributors Gianna Smith Bedford, Sally Bethea, Kathy Dean, Clare S. Richie, Asep Mawardi, Jacob Nguyen, Tim Sullivan, Matthew Terrell Submissions Article queries and calendar submissions should be emailed to collin@atlantaintownpaper.com. Published By Springs Publishing LLC Atlanta INtown • Reporter Newspapers Atlanta Senior Life 6065 Roswell Road, Suite 225 Sandy Springs, GA 30328 Phone: (404) 917-2200 Fax: (404) 917-2201

10 26 30

22 } Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve 23 } Emory Solar Panels 24 } Above the Waterline 25 } Eco Briefs

Amy Arno Director of Sales Development amyarno@reporternewspapers.net (404) 917-2200, ext. 112

Home & Real Estate

Rico Figliolini Creative Director rico@reporternewspapers.net (404) 917-2200, ext. 117

26 } Buyer’s Market 27 } Real Estate Briefs 27 } Outdoor Living

Deborah Davis Office Manager deborahdavis@reporternewspapers.net (404) 917-2200, ext. 110

News You Can Eat 28 } Restaurant’s Adapt 29 } Helping Food Workers

Advertising

For information call (404) 917-2200 ext 119.

The Studio

Sales Executives Jeff Kremer, Janet Porter Cory Anne Charles

30 } Arts Collaboration 31 } Tiny Doors ATL 31 } Pulitzer for Poetry 32 } Dad’s Garage

Circulation/ Subscriptions Each month, 30,000 copies of Atlanta INtown are mailed to homes and distributed to businesses in and around ZIP codes 30306, 30307, 30308, 30309, 30324 and 30329. For delivery information, call (404) 917-2200, ext. 110.

Head for the Hills 33 } Parks & Recreation 36 } Scenic Drives 38 } Mountain Activities

33 Connect with Atlanta INtown AtlantaINtown Paper.com

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16 } Getting Back to Business 17 } Portman’s Midtown Project 18 } Elemental Spirits Co. 19 } Business Briefs

Sustainability

Steve Levene Founder & Publisher stevelevene@reporternewspapers.net (404) 917-2200, ext. 111

© 2020 All rights reserved. Publisher reserves the right to refuse editorial or advertising for any reason. Publisher assumes no responsibility for information contained in advertising. Any opinions expressed in print or online do not necessarily represent the views of Atlanta INtown or Springs Publishing, LLC.

Business

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June 2020 | IN

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The June issue of Atlanta INtown marks our return to print after producing an onlineonly edition for the month of May. Thousands of you virtually flipped through the May issue, commented on the stories on our website and Facebook page, or shared links on Twitter. We are grateful to our loyal readers and advertisers who stuck with us while sheltering-in-place during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. And while we’re getting back to the business of producing a monthly print magazine, it’s still not business as usual in Atlanta or around the globe. We’re all still working from home to maintain social distancing and are just now starting to venture out beyond quick trips to the supermarket. On May 7, I got a haircut. On May 16, I sat inside a Waffle House and had bacon and eggs. These dates wouldn’t usually be memorable, but during these strange days any steps toward normalcy suddenly seem worthy of mention. Except they weren’t actually normal. I waited in my car until it was time for my haircut and the plexiglass partitions, masks, and gloves gave the salon a CDC laboratory feel. At Waffle House, my dining companion and I were the only customers and it gave us pause about whether we should be there ourselves. Both outings had a “forbidden” quality to them, and I look forward to the day haircuts, eating in restaurants, running to Target, or seeing a movie returns to the unremarkably mundane. As I mentioned in my May letter, I’ve been a journalist for more than 30 years and the COVID-19 outbreak is like nothing Collin Kelley I’ve ever covered or reported on. I tried not to let it consume me, collin@atlantaintown- but there were many days when I was still working past midnight. I paper.com distracted myself with movies and shows, reading, and cleaning my refrigerator at 1 a.m. Other nights, I would just get in my car and drive for an hour or two to clear my head. I found myself cruising through the empty streets of Downtown, Midtown, and often out into the burbs. I’d put on Miles Davis and just let the miles clear my head. As a poet, my instinct is to try and make sense out of the nonsensical through verse. I had been unable to write anything creative through the entire pandemic, my mind unable to coalesce around a metaphor or lyrical line. It was frustrating. But then on May 9, the poem I’m sharing below popped into my head while I was driving. I had to pull over into a parking lot to type it into my phone. Enjoy this issue of INtown and, as always, keep well.

EDITOR’S LETTER

Flamenco Sketches (Demo) ~Four-bar vamp~ Saturday pandemic drive grey and improvised over empty interstate lanes.

W I N N O N A

P A R K

755 Kirk Road

PEGGY HIBBERT # 2 Top Producer

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cell 404.444.0192 office 404.874.0300

peggy@atlantafinehomes.com atlantafinehomes.com Sotheby’s International Realty® is a registered trademark licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated.

4 June 2020 |

One of the most graceful and alluring estates in the City of Decatur, this classic Georgian Revival-style home on 1.4+/- acres enchants with an incredible renovation and addition – making it perfect for today’s lifestyle, whilst retaining its original charm. The open and airy vaulted family room flows seamlessly into the kitchen and sundrenched casual dining area. Enjoy gracious entertaining rooms throughout this flexible floor plan with an upstairs master suite, a full, finished basement, guest house, twocar garage and a covered porch overlooking the level backyard.

Miles fades in and out signal stretched across low clouds, near mist. Momentary lockdown lift this piece has no melody, just modes a gist of Spain in the linger. Drift wist, sun blown buzzing a standing wave all brass wasted on pavement. Improvise a solo outing, like this flame etches or men catches oceans alone or these chests. Let’s try it again, take six not a demo, not this pandem(ic)(onium).

4 Bedrooms, 5 Bathrooms, FMLS 6722919

Offered for $1,079,000

At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

#1 INTOWN AGENT

Jim Getzinger

$92M+

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Druid Hills

HOMES CLOSED IN 2019

995 Springdale Road NE Active | Offered for $3,295,000

838 Cumberland Road NE Just Listed | Offered for $1,795,000

596 Sherwood Road NE Just Sold | Offered for $1,695,000

1074 Rosedale Road NE Just Listed | $899,000

Morningside

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Candler Park

Morningside

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175 Peachtree Circle NE Active | Offered for $1,750,000

Morningside

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Morningside

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Ansley Park

Morningside

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253 Josephine Street NE Just Sold | Offered for $650,000

633 Yorkshire Road NE Just Sold | Offered for $1,249,000

Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.

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June 2020 | IN

The Neighborhood News & Features

New Challenge

Nonprofits stretch to respond to COVID-19 amidst uncertain future referrals have increased dramatically,” Colbenson shared. “To respond to the crisis of job loss for people living on the edge, CHRIS 180 began a food delivery program which includes resource flyers, well checks and sometimes toys, baby formula and diapers. We also distributed Chrome books, tablets and MiFi cards [WiFi hotspot] to help with schoolwork, as well as tele-counseling for those economically disadvantaged.” CHRIS 180 is concerned that social isolation, financial distress and fears are fueling a mental health and addiction epidemic alongside the pandemic, while fewer resources are available. “Currently, we reach 5,000-plus people in 1,273 households per week with food and other resources – this service is steadily growing in response to the increasing need,” Colbenson added. Lost-n-Found Youth (LNFY) continues to provide shelter and support services to Atlanta’s homeless youth ages 18 to 25 – with a focus on LGBTQ youth – adapting its emergency transitional facility for extended stay and providing meals and other essential services. “We could not afford to miss a beat,” said LNFY Director Nasheedah Muhammad. Before COVID-19, “LGBTQ youth represented over twice the overall youth rate in reports of unstable housing. Now more than ever, our organization is their lifeline.” LNFY closed its thrift store for two months and recently reopened by appointment, reduced hours and virtual shopping. The thrift store represents more than 60 percent of LFNY’s monthly revenue. They’ve paused CHRIS 180 staff members Tameka Askew and their volunteer corps and social distancing has Selima Morrow pack food bags. decreased the number of occupants they can accommodate. By Clare S. Richie Leap Year had to quickly adapt in-person college prep for their first-generation Leap Year Fellows and 2nd grade literacy tutoring to virtual learning. s COVID-19 disrupts our health, dally lives and the economy, nonprofits are “We created a YouTube channel where the Fellows read books aloud. They introduce the navigating uncertainty, changing demand for services, loss of workforce/volunteers, book, do a guided read aloud session and then give a little quiz. We have over 30 videos and loss of revenue, and/or other challenges while trying to stay true to their missions. they are widely available,” said Amber Scott, executive director of Leap Year. “We are experiencing a shared community trauma that is having a magnified But Scott worries about widening educational disparities. impact on people already struggling with mental health issues, addiction, domestic violence, “There was already a learning gap before and now its exacerbated. There are many K-12 kids loneliness, physical health issues, housing instability and poverty,” said Kathy Colbenson, experiencing a major learning loss who are going to need additional support to make sure they President and CEO of CHRIS 180. are well-prepared for the future. Leap Year wants to be able to grow to help meet this immense The Georgia Center for Nonprofits (GCN), the state association for nonprofits, quickly challenge,” Scott said. launched an online COVID-19 resource complete with webinars, tools and guides (e.g., The Atlanta Shakespeare Company also adapted in-person experience to virtual. CARES Act Guide) and recently created a cross-sector taskforce. “We shut down on March 15. We cancelled six shows and all in-person camps. All 24 full “We are trying to be a steady agency to help nonprofits respond for their own organization, time actor/managers, teaching artists and administrative folks went on unemployment,” said for their subsector and what can we learn from this,” GCN CEO Karen Beavor said. The Laura Cole, The Atlanta Shakespeare Company Director of Education and Training. “Our main taskforce includes representatives from 100 nonprofit providers, government, business and business is selling tickets to live performances. We can’t do that right now but we are doing what philanthropy sectors. we can do.” “The task force seeks to optimize our response to vulnerable populations, strengthen the In one weekend, they produced three educational tour show videos for their school clients nonprofit sector and pursue an inclusive recovery,” Beavor said. and family groups. GCN surveyed nonprofits about the impact of COVID-19 but received responses after “We’ve had over 1,600 views and I have gone into a number of digital classrooms from the submission of this story. So, Atlanta INtown reached out to nonprofits we’ve covered – Atlanta to Colorado, so far,” Cole said spanning behavioral services, housing, education and the arts – to see how they’re faring. Their summer camps for 2-8th graders and teen programs have all gone digital. “We are seeing an uptick in anxiety, domestic violence and suicidality and our counseling

6 June 2020 |

At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

“We so want to be performing for a live audience in our wonderful theater space. Some day soon that will happen again! Don’t forget us,” Cole urged. The community remembered nonprofits on #GivingTuesdayNow, coordinated by GCN. On May 5, more than $1.26 million was donated, by 7,881 donors, to 700-plus nonprofit – likely amplified by giving directly to nonprofits. “In 2019 we ran $4 million through GA Gives but the total from other platforms was $14 million,” Beavor shared. You can still make a donation to any registered nonprofit in Georgia on gagives.org or directly to the nonprofit. And the Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, a joint effort from Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and United Way of Greater Atlanta, as of early May, raised more than $25 million through collective resources. More than $17.3 million was mobilized to 320 nonprofits focused on childcare, education, emergency financial assistance, food security, health, housing and small business support. “Our latest round of decisions considered more than 650 requests from nonprofits across the region,” said Lita Pardi, Vice President at Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. Foundation donors also responded with $25 million in grants from their donor-advised funds. Support funds will be released on a rolling basis throughout the outbreak and recovery of the crisis.

Lost-n-Found clients participate in art therapy sessions.

“Years of disinvestment and systemic barriers have exposed families with low incomes and communities of color to the worst effects of the crisis,” said Katrina Mitchell, United Way of Greater Atlanta’s Chief Community Impact Officer. “It is critical for philanthropy to continue to strategically invest in vulnerable communities and solutions that ensure all children and families to thrive.” Philanthropy, while often more nimble than government, is not the sole solution to the revenue loss and rising demand for services. “Nonprofits are the human security system for the state and we have stood up over and above anything we even thought we were capable of,” Beavor said. “This system is comprised of many small agencies that have lost revenue and the concern is that they won’t be able to absorb any more impact. The scope of this problem requires that government, business and nonprofits are at the table working on solutions together.” Despite being stretched to their limits, nonprofits remain optimistic and caring. “This pandemic is exposing the best of us and the worst of us. We need to practice kindness and compassion for ourselves and each other. When we help someone else it always makes us feel better. Taking action helps us get to the other side,” Colbenson said.

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All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Opportunity Housing Provider. Each office is independently owned and operated.

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June 2020 | IN

s w e

Paying It Forward

Recovered COVID-19 patient donates plasma to Red Cross

By Clare S. Richie

Rou n d

Dr. Lisa Herring was officially appointed superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools on May 11. Currently the head of Birmingham City Schools, Herring will work in an advisory capacity before formally taking the on July 1. Classes resume on Aug. 10. MARTA joined New York, New Jersey, and San Francisco in calling on Congress to deliver federal aid for public transit authorities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. MARTA expects a five-year deficit of $380 million and said federal relief would be needed to maintain its current level of service and keep employees and customers safe. The Atlanta Police Department has cracked down on illegal street racing, which recently resulted in the arrest of 44 people, 114 citations, 29 impounded vehicles, and recovery of four firearms, including a semiautomatic rifle. The closure of Georgia State Courts to trials and many other hearings will continue through June 12 in an extension of a pandemic emergency order. Mikita K. Browning has been named Interim Commissioner of the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management. The city’s budget commission and Atlanta City Council are expected to meet June 15 at 11:30 a.m. to approve the 2021 fiscal year budget. The meeting will likely be held virtually and can be watched on the council’s Facebook page or Channel 26.

8 June 2020 |

The American Red Cross, in collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asks those who have fully recovered from COVID-19 to donate their plasma. This antibody-rich product is a potentially lifesaving treatment for critically ill COVID-19 patients. “This need is going to be continual and persistent for quite some time. There are projections that as a health care system and as a global community, we may perhaps be dealing with this virus and its effects for 18 months to two years. Since the virus in new to us, our understanding of its behavior is limited. I want to encourage everyone if they think they qualify to continue to sign up and get the word out that we are still actively looking for donors,” said Dr. Baia Lasky, American Red Cross Regional Medical Director. This effort has presented an “interesting challenge” for the nonprofit, which supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood and provides supports after disasters, because it has to wait for people to recover to collect their convalescent plasma, while more and more people are getting ill. “We have collected and shipped probably close to 1,700 units of convalescent plasma (nationally); 44 of those units have come from Georgia donors,” Dr. Lasky said in early May. Frank Papola, a recovered COVID-19 patient from DeKalb County, answered the call to donate his plasma at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Atlanta. “It meant the world to me,” Papola said. “Going into the hospital, I left my wife at the door. With my condition, I just didn’t know how it was going to turn out. Fortunately, it turned out great.” Married with two daughters and five grandchildren, Papola is a retired carpenter

by trade who worked as a homebuilder for many years. On March 17, he felt fine when he went to bed. “March 18, I woke up and had the classic signs - chills, very high fever, cough, tight chest. I knew I was very sick, so I called my health care provider and he said go to the hospital,” Papola said. Papola stayed in Piedmont Hospital for about a week.“It was a pretty scary event, but thank God I pulled through it,” Papola said. Initially hospitals were helping identify potential donors, but that proved to be a manual and non-scalable process. So, the Red Cross turned to the community. But, until recently, only a small percentage of individuals, like Papola, met FDA’s eligibility criteria, of verified COVID-19 diagnosis, as well as being symptom free for at least 28 days prior to donation (or at least 14 days with a negative COVID-19 test result). “As of April 27, the Red Cross has initiated antibody testing – so we no longer require that initial positive test. It’s really opened up the donor pool for us,” Dr. Lasky said. So those who were symptomatic or received presumptive diagnosis from their physician, can now prequalify as a convalescent plasma donor, since the Red Cross can verify on the backend through its own antibody testing. Note the Red Cross is not offering COVID-19 antibody testing for the general public nor to its routine blood, platelet or plasma donors. Once Papola became aware of the convalescent plasma program, he signed up to help.

Frank Papola

“There’s a lot of people doing a lot of good and I wanted to do something. So, how simple is it to sit in a chair and donate my plasma. It’s basically like giving blood. To know that I could possibly be helping someone survive this awful disease. I don’t think anything was more rewarding, other than having my kids and grandkids,” Papola said. At the end of May, Papola donated his convalescent plasma for a second time. He urges others to follow his lead. “Donate and not just plasma, donate blood. There’s a real need. Donations are down, from what I was told. They make it very easy. It takes just about an hour of your time. There was no after effective. Just go and do it,” Papola said. Learn more at RedCrossBlood.org/ plasma4covid.

City approves resolution on closing streets pedestrians and cyclists. Councilmember Amir Farokhi, who introduced the bill along with Councilmembers Natalyn Archibong and Jennifer Ide, said the bill is an important public safety measure during the ongoing pandemic. “Traffic is down, walking and biking Atlanta Streets Alive are up, and folks need more space to move around safely,” By Collin Kelley Farokhi said. “Opening up select streets The Atlanta City Council unanimously for pedestrians and cyclists during the approved a resolution May 18 requesting pandemic makes smarter use of our public that the Commissioner of the Atlanta space and allows for social distancing. Department of Transportation (ADOT) This resolution urges our Department of close select streets and/or traffic lanes Transportation to act to meet the moment to vehicular traffic and open them to for public safety and enjoyment of the city.”

The bill gives Neighborhood Planning Units (NPUs) the opportunity to weigh in on street closures in their jurisdiction. It also asks that ADOT Commissioner Josh Rowan look for “long-term opportunities to repurpose streets and lanes” beyond the immediate crisis. “The pandemic presents an opportunity to rethink how we allocate street space and what we want our city experience to be. This opportunity has been embraced by cities near and far, large and small, and, if we are serious about evolving into a city where it’s safer to walk and bike, we should be acting with more urgency and creativity right now,” Farokhi said. “I think we all want a city that’s safe for all of us, especially right now.” The resolution coincides with Atlanta Streets Alive marking its 10th anniversary in May. Created by the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, Atlanta Streets Alive regularly hosts events closing the city’s main streets to vehicles and opening them to pedestrians and cyclists. At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

No. 1 Intown Brokerage TOTAL HOME SALES & TOTAL SALES VOLUME B R O O K WO O D 216 Semel Drive, No. 356 Offered for $314,900 Ally May 404.788.7943

B U CKH E A D 1820 Peachtree Street, No. 810 Offered for $750,000 Ally May 404.788.7943

BUC K H E A D 2575 Peachtree Road, No. 9H Offered for $545,000 Donny Guercio 404.216.1655

BUCKHEAD 2645 Howell Mill Road Offered for $4,990,000 Sam Bayne 404.375.8628

B U CKH E A D 3107 Peachtree Road, No. 905 Offered for $1,699,000 Kevin Grieco 404.822.4156

BUC K H E A D 452 Ivy Park Lane Offered for $925,000 Emily Tate 404.547.1797

CA PI TO L VI E W 569 Erin Avenue Offered for $300,000 Lisa Bennett 678.531.2996

CH A M B LE E 3345 Turngate Court Offered for $515,000 Jenny Stallings 404.394.0934 Scott Stallings 404.343.4565

C H OS EWO O D PA RK 1360 Gault Street Offered for $339,900 Chase Mizell 770.289.2780

DOW N TOW N 400 W Peachtree Street, No. 2713 Offered for $359,000 Aly Tiller 314.651.8444

D RUID HILLS 1200 Ponce de Leon Avenue, No. A18 Offered for $845,900 Allen Snow 404.931.1176

D RUID HILLS 1200 Ponce de Leon Avenue, No. A4 Offered for $789,900 Allen Snow 404.931.1176

E AST ATL A N TA 839 Flat Shoals Avenue, No. 102 Offered for $440,000 Allen Snow 404.931.1176

G A I N ESV I LLE 3961 Sloan Mill Road Offered for $1,890,000 Blaine Palmer 229.400.3674 Wilmot Irvin 704.776.8313

G A RDEN H ILLS 2503 Acorn Avenue Offered for $589,000 Jenny Stallings 404.394.0934 Scott Stallings 404.343.4565

IN TOW N 2258 Lavista Square Offered for $435,000 Helen Kacur 404.408.1853

M IDTOWN 361 17th Street, No. 1106 Offered for $240,000 Rebecca Feldstein 404.433.2120

M IDTOWN 565 Peachtree Street, No. 1001 Offered for $295,000 Helen Kacur 404.408.1853

M I DTOWN 861 Vedado Way Offered for $1,295,000 Chase Mizell 770.289.2780

M I N E RA L B LU F F 194 Katahdin Drive Offered for $799,000 Annie Boland 404.449.1179

MO REL A N D 0 Hines Road Offered for $1,750,000 Clay Henderson 770.652.1890 Haden Henderson 678.787.9226

O LD FO URT H WA RD 687 Angier Avenue, No. 6 Offered for $2,545,000 Allen Snow 404.931.1176

OR M E WOOD PAR K 1065 United Avenue, No. 205 Offered for $277,400 Allen Snow 404.931.1176

OR M E WOOD PAR K 1065 United Avenue, No. 103 Offered for $234,900 Allen Snow 404.931.1176

R EY N O L DSTOWN 1145 Kirkwood Avenue, No. 12 Offered for $569,900 Allen Snow 404.931.1176

SA N DY S P RI N GS 714 Bass Way Offered for $1,650,000 Angela Cashion 404.423.5245

S EREN BE 10564 Serenbe Lane Offered for $680,000 Sandra Storrar 404.310.3558 Evan McKinney 770.527.0128

S EREN BE 10625 Serenbe Lane, No. 202 Offered for $415,000 Evan McKinney 770.527.0128 Sandra Storrar 404.310.3558

WOODSTOCK 4186 N Arnold Mill Road Offered for $2,950,000 Clay Henderson 770.652.1890 Haden Henderson 678.787.9226

CHAR LESTON, SC 72 Murray Boulevard Offered for $3,750,000 Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty

ATLANTAFINEHOMES.COM | SOTHEBYSREALT Y.COM

Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty Logo are service marks licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC and used with permission. Atlanta Fine Homes, LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. Any services or products provided by independently owned and operated franchisees are not provided by, affiliated with or related to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC nor any of its affiliated companies. Source: TrendGraphix, Top 10 Firms, May 1, 2019 - April 30, 2020. Zip codes 30306, 30307, 30308, 30309, 30324. All Property Types; All Price Points.

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June 2020 | IN

Graduates

CONGRATULATIONS TO ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL CLASS OF 2020!

While the pandemic meant the cancellation of proms, spring break, and graduation ceremonies for public and private schools, we wanted to take a moment to salute all grads and recognize the Valedictorian and Salutatorians of each class. Be sure to visit AtlantaINtownPaper.com or ReporterNewspapers.net for a full list once all the schools make their announcements. Atlanta Public Schools B.E.ST. Academy: Jordan Jones (V) and Rashad Whitehead (S) Carver Early College: Kacie Geter (V) and Wahhad Allah (S) S.T.E.A.M. Academy at Carver: Cy’Riah Pearson (V) Daijha Sankey (S) Douglass High School: Edward Porter III (V) and Makilah Clay (S) Grady High School: Kavi Jakes (V) and Clarice Hill (S) Jackson High School: Ethan Heyns (V) and Ari Renai (S) Coretta Scott King YWLA: Lauren Hester (V) and Lauren Jones (S) Mays High School: Jazmari Moreno-Gutierrez (V) and Alexis Grady (S) North Atlanta High School: Emily Song (V) and Soleil Golden South Atlanta High School: Shaniya Longino (V) and Jacauri Jones (S) Therrell High School: Ta’Destiny (V) and Efe Ajueyitsi (S) Washington High School: Mahlon West (V) and Miriam Olajide (S) Atlanta Classical Academy: Charlotte Taylor (V) and Lucy Eagleson (S) Drew High School: Solomon Adams (V) and Gary Sheppard (S) KIPP Atlanta: Kadija Marshall (V) and Jordan Campbell (S) School for the Deaf: Menelik Tavares (V) Marist School Lucas Gonzalez (V) and Charlie Callahan (S)

Riverwood Int’l Charter School Hayes Miller (V) and Chandler McCleskey (S)

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Nick Reddy (V) and Matthew Raeside (S)

St. Pius X Nicole Gresham (V) and Daniel Buckley (S)

The Lovett School Sarah Packman (V) and Lily Siegel (S) Pace Academy Aidan Gannon (V) and Sophie Lettes (S)

The Weber School Caroline Schneider (V) Isaac Goldman (S) The Westminster Schools Anup Bottu and Lauren Kennedy (V) and Albert Liang and Laura Sams (S)

40 polling places changed for June 9 primary vote

Lillian Schapiro, MD, FACOG

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10 June 2020 |

Approximately 40 Election Day polling places will change for voters in Fulton County for the June 9 Presidential Preference Primary, General Primary, and Special Election. A full list of precinct changes is available at fultoncountyga.gov/ services/voting-and-elections. Fulton County is encouraging all voters to cast their ballots through absentee ballot by mail due to the ongoing COVID-19 out break and social distancing rules. Some polling locations changed due to date conflicts after the Election Day changes. Other sites, particularly senior centers and assisted living facilities expressed concerns about members of the public visiting those locations due to coronavirus concerns. Voters who choose to vote in person during early voting or Election Day voting will see some differences as Fulton County makes efforts to protect voters and poll workers from COVID-19. Out of consideration for fellow voters and poll workers, voters are asked to wear a face covering. Those in line will also be asked to stand at least 6 feet apart in accordance with social distancing recommendations. The number of voters inside the poll at a given time will also be limited. Early voting will take place weekdays at five locations beginning Monday, May 18, through Friday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Polls will be closed on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. Those locations may be found at fultoncountyga.gov. — Collin Kelley At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

R E A L E S TAT E . R E A L P E O P L E . HERE FOR YOU WHEN YOU NEED US THE MOST

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Skyland Brookhaven Residence #73 4 Bed | 3 Bath | 1 Half Bath Offered at $514,482

426 Carter Ave SE 4 Bed | 2 Bath | 1 Half Bath Offered at $605,000

40 West 12th Residence #1002 2 Bed | 2 Bath | 1 Half Bath Offered at $1,173,500

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Listing Agent: Susie Proffitt 404.915.9367

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Avondale East #26 4 Bed | 3 Bath | 1 Half Bath Offered at $562,439

1065 Midtown Residence #3603 2 Bed | 2 Bath | 1 Half Bath Offered at $1,399,000

The Atlantic Residence #4308 2 Bed | 2 Bath | 1 Half Bath Offered at $728,800

Listing Agent: Sam Morgan 404.556.6110

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District Lofts Residence #10207 2 Bed | 1 Bath | 1 Half Bath Offered at $459,900

155 Newcastle Court 7 Bed | 6 Bath | 1 Half Bath Offered at $1,599,000

Folia Old Milton #2 3 Bed | 3 Bath | 1 Half Bath Offered at $538,900

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Listing Agent: Chad Davis 404.317.1896

Listing Agent: Robinson Group 313.995.6990

Listing Agent: Chad Davis 404.317.1896

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MIDTOWN

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Ansley North #C12 2 Bed | 1 Bath Offered at $96,000

One Museum Place #3H 3 Bed | 3 Bath | 1 Half Bath Offered at $2,795,000

Harper on Piedmont #1028 2 Bed | 2 Bath Offered at $495,900

White Provisions Residence #PH910 3 Bed | 3 Bath Offered at $1,100,000

Listing Agent: Leah Christian 313.995.6990

Listing Agent: Ashley Battleson 404.281.5828

Listing Agent: Erik Dowdy 678.361.1207

Listing Agent: Harold Monu 404.503.5176

SOUTH BUCKHEAD

MORNINGSIDE

1745 Peachtree Street NW Atlanta, Georgia 30309

1411 North Highland Avenue NE Atlanta, Georgia 30306

www.evatlanta.com ©2020 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your property is currently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing. Engel & Völkers and its independent license partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

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town 11

June 2020 | IN

Notes from a Pandemic As the owner of a “non-essential” small business, it can be hard not to feel anxious, unsettled, bored and well, nonessential. It’s said I’m a hero just for staying home although I can’t imagine Marvel Comics drawing up a guy in sweatpants and Birkenstocks and calling him Quarantine Man. Each day I hunker down in my assigned corner of the house and By Tim Sullivan brainstorm ways to get through this, both financially and Tim Sullivan grew up mentally. But the occasional pandemic humor can give me a in a large family in the lift. Like when Margo asked her grandma if she was around for Northeast and now lives the Spanish Flu in 1918 and then followed up with “are you with his small family sure??” in Oakhurst. He can be reached at tim@ A lot is being asked of both the Wi-Fi and the wife at sullivanfinerugs.com. home so if they occasionally crash, I try to be understanding. The Wi-Fi is straining to keep all the Google Classroom apps, Zoom conferences and Tik-Tok videos humming along while the wife strains to work a full slate, help with schoolwork and make dinners. We’ve been experimenting with grocery delivery. Ordered a clove of garlic and got a pound so if the virus doesn’t get me the heartburn might. I do help where I can, cleaning mostly. I’m unquestionably the best broom handler in the family. But I’m not going to lie, the household mojo can go haywire when your 4th grader is learning about the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci sequence, at home, on a Chromebook, with spotty Wi-Fi and an English Major dad. Admirably, Kristen has been keeping up with her online workouts each morning. Elliott has even joined her for some of them. I almost feel bad but I may have to start charging them for basement gym memberships. These bills aren’t going to pay themselves, ya know? To clear my head and get some exercise of my own I’ve been taking long, hard-thinking walks. Whenever I see someone coming towards me, I veer enough to leave a gracious buffer between us because these days everyone is both a victim and a suspect. Since we’re all in this together I smile and offer a small acknowledgement as if to say it’s not you, it’s me. Unless, of course, it’s you. Lockdowns call for movies so one night I was lobbying for the family to watch “Groundhog Day” with Bill Murray. Margo shot it down after I described it, thankfully. Why I wanted to watch a movie about a man who is losing his mind because every day is EXACTLY THE SAME is beyond me. Pandemics have a way of messing up your psyche. Heck, I cringe a little just watching “Treehouse Masters” because Pete keeps hugging everyone. Elliott and I have passed countless hours playing basketball in the driveway. Otherwise he’s watching a Youtuber goofball named Flight who offers commentary on the NBA and NBA2k video game. His catchphrases include “Check out Curry, man. So Inspirational.” And his shtick is he will be doing the same moves “by June.” Elliott finds these straight-faced proclamations hysterical because Flight is comically bad at basketball. I’ve been shown so many Flight videos that I feel like he is sheltering in place with us. At least we don’t have to feed him, I guess? Marks on our kitchen wall show that Elliott has grown a full inch since the quarantine began so his goal is to dunk on the 9ft hoop setting by June, naturally. Margo and I were on the front end of the sidewalk chalk art revolution and she has become a prolific painter. She has taken me under her wing as an apprentice of sorts. I get to sand down objects, lay out tarps, tape edges, hang canvasses and she almost always saves all the cleaning up for me. At night we work on jigsaw puzzles or giggle watching “Friends” reruns. It is far from the truly heroic efforts of many but perhaps in some ways, I am still essential after all.

TIMMY DADDY

Let us help you find your forever home. M 404.314.4212 O 404.352.2010 harvingreene@dorseyalston.com

M 404.863.4213 O 404.352.2010 stephaniemarinac@dorseyalston.com

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Stephanie Marinac

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Harvin Greene

1170 Oakdale Road

5BR | 3BA | $1,200,000

Distinctive Architecture abounding with charm and offering a Pebble Tech pool.

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Classic Druid Hills home complete with mature English Gardens.

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794 Flat Shoals Avenue

546 Ridgecrest Road

Adorable updated bungalow in East Atlanta Village.

Tudor Revival in historic Druid Hills. Elegant restoration and designer finishes.

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850 Oakdale Road

1741 Meadowdale Avenue

1915 Neel Reid masterpiece in Druid Hills restored and renovated throughout.

Chic Morningside Bungalow on rare .6 acre lot.

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309 10th Street

406 Spring House Cove

Amazing Victorian overlooking Piedmont Park chock full of historic details.

Updated home with designer finishes on quiet cul-de-sac in Durand Mill.

4BR | 3BA | 2HB | $1,595,000

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100 West Paces Ferry Road | Atlanta, Georgia 30305 | dorseyalston.com Information believed accurate but not warranted. Equal Housing Opportunity.

12 June 2020 |

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COMPASSIONATE CARE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER Northside Medical Midtown is now open, bringing powerful expertise to the heart of Atlanta. Over 20 practices are based out of our new state-of-the-art facility. To better serve you, we’re offering virtual or in-person visits depending on your needs. Schedule an appointment today.

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GYN Surgical Specialists 404-303-3157 • gynsurgicalspecialists.com

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The Hand & Upper Extremity Center of Georgia 404-255-0226 • handcenterga.com

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Arthritis & Total Joint Specialists 770-292-6500 • arthritisandtotaljoint.com

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Surgical Specialists of Atlanta 404-847-0664 • surgicalspecialistsofatlanta.com

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NORTHSIDE MEDICAL MIDTOWN • 1110 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30309 (On-site parking available)

At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

town 13

June 2020 | IN

Life on the BeltLine

The Atlanta BeltLine trails never closed during the pandemic, but social distancing rules were introduced back in April to give everyone a wider berth. There were a number of days when the Eastside Trail was overcrowded, like when the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds did their flyover salute to medical workers on May 2, but the BeltLine has provided exercise space, a transportation route, and an opportunity to just clear your head during all the madness.

Photos by Asep Mawardi

14 June 2020 |

At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

ACTIVE 157 17TH STREET Ansley Park

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75 MONTGOMERY FERRY ROAD Ansley Park 64 THE PRADO Ansley Park 18 PEACHTREE CIRCLE #2 Ansley Park

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UNDER CONTRACT NEW LISTING 75 14th Street #4120 ◆ Above the Four Seasons

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COMING SOON NEW LISTING 1270 Beech Valley Road ◆ Morningside

751 SHERWOOD ROAD Morningside

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1821 Meadowdale Avenue ◆ Morningside

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@ErinYabroudyAndAssociates ErinYabroudy.com

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ERIN YABROUDY D: 404.504.7955 O: 404.233.4142 Erin.Yabroudy@HarryNorman.com

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KEVIN MCGLYNN D: 404.285.5674 O: 404.233.4142 Kevin.McGlynn@HarryNorman.com

BUCKHEAD OFFICE-532 EAST PACES FERRY ROAD, ATLANTA, GA 30305, 404.233.4142. HARRYNORMAN.COM The above information is believed to be accurate but not warranted. Offer subject to errors, changes, omissions, prior sales and withdrawals without notice. Equal Housing Opportunity. At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

town 15

June 2020 | IN

Business Retail � Projects � Profiles

Back to Business Intown businesses count losses, cautiously reopen as pandemic continues

Plaza Theatre

M2[Mode Marche]

By Collin Kelley

ov. Brian Kemp’s controversial decision to allow businesses to start reopening on April 24 was met with cheers and jeers from those who were either encouraging a jumpstart for the Georgia economy or fearful of a surge in cases of COVID-19. More than a month later, many businesses have reopened, while others are waiting for a further drop in coronavirus cases. No matter which decision owners have made, the majority are still seeing losses thanks to uncertainty from the public, social distancing measures, and operating costs. Bonnie Kallenberg, owner of the four Finders Keepers consignment boutiques, reopened her shops on May 19, but did so hesitantly. “There was just no data out there to make a decision on when we should reopen,” she said. “We just had to make a week-by-week assessment and try to decide if people were ready to get out and shop. It’s been frightening.” Kallenberg said Finders Keepers Furnishings in Decatur had shown the most resilience. She had allowed customers to come in two at a time to shop before the official reopening day. “I think the furniture store will rally first, but the clothing stores will be slower. I don’t think people are ready to shop for clothes.” Despite the uncertainty, Kallenberg said there were some silver linings: she finally opened an online store and catalogue at fkconsign.com, which is updated daily with new arrivals. And speaking of new arrivals, she said people had more time to clean out their closets while sheltering-in-place, so the Finders Keepers boutiques had “some awesome pieces coming in.” “I think summer is going to be shaky with kids out of school and people still

16 June 2020 |

working from,” Kallenberg said. “I think come fall, if kids go back to school and people start going back to work normally, we’ll be okay. We’re just going to hang on through the summer.” Men’s and women’s clothing boutique M2[Mode Marche] at Ansley Mall was closed for six weeks and owner Levi Sandelin said business came to a virtual standstill except for a few online orders (shopmodemarche.com). “It was a zero revenue period for us,” Sandelin said, but he was able to keep his employees on the payroll. Sandelin reopened M2 in early May and said revenue had “trickled in” since. “People just aren’t getting out and shopping like they did before. They are holding on to their money because the future is uncertain when it comes to employment and the economy.” Sandelin said he was hoping things would get back to something approaching normal by the end of the year but was bracing for a longer period. He also owns Stable & Company, a sales agency for a number of boutique brands of footwear and accessories. “I think we will survive, but it’s going to be tough,” Sandelin said frankly. “Anyone who says they have it in the bag and will definitely survive are in denial.” Bad Axe Throwing (badaxethrowing. com), the recreational entertainment venue where customers, literally, throw axes at targets while enjoying food and beverages, has been a popular destination on the Westside since it opened in 2017. However, customers weren’t ready to come back when it opened at the end of April. The venue made national headlines when company president and CEO Mario Zelaya candidly said reopening was a “disaster” with only two customers the entire weekend. Since that nightmarish scenario, Zelya

Bonnie Kallenberg, Owner of Finders Keepers Bad Axe Throwing

said Bad Axe, which operates numerous locations in the U.S. and abroad, had made “substantial changes” to its business model and marketing message to show customers it was safe to return. Some of those changes included eliminating walk-in customers and requiring reservations, along with trumpeting its social distancing and safety precautions. Zelya said business was ticking up slowly but surely every weekend as more people looking for entertainment. The arts community has taken the brunt of the pandemic closures with cinemas and performance venues still closed at press time in late May. Historic Plaza Theatre (plazaatlanta.com) and Dad’s Garage Theatre Company (dadsgarage.com) teamed up for weekend drive-in movies in the parking lot at both of the venues in Poncey-Highland and Old Fourth Ward respectively. Plaza Theatre owner Chris Escobar also created an online streaming service where patrons could watch indie and foreign films at home. “The Plaza has been a huge supporter of Dad’s over the years, so we wanted to

share the love and offer up our empty parking lot for their movie projectors,” Dad’s Garage communications director Matthew Terrell. “While the theatre remains closed, The Plaza plans on showing some really exciting movies like Clue and Jurassic Park that folks can watch from the comfort and safety of their vehicles. Dad’s Garage believe arts and culture remains vital to our community, especially during challenging times like these. We hope folks will find joy and comfort in the classic drive-in experience.” Similarly, Donna Lefont – ex-wife-andstill-friend of former cinema empresario George Lefont – has created a streaming film platform for the Lefont Film Society at FoodFilmMusic.com. She’s been using her connections in the movie industry to curate a selection of indie, foreign, and documentary films at the site. “My goal is to curate a slate of films like George did when he was operating Garden Hills Cinema or Silver Screen,” she said. She plans to keep the platform going – splitting rental costs for the films with the distributors – and include guest film curators and have chefs cooking a meal inspired by their favorite movies. At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

Portman details plans for Midtown project includes historic chapel

By INtown Staff The Midtown Development Review Committee got a virtual look at its May 12 meeting of Portman Holdings’ plans for a three-tower, mixed-use development that will make the historic H.M. Patterson & Son’s Spring Hill Chapel its focal point. Located at 1020 Spring Street, the development will include a hotel, residential, and office towers along with retail space. The development team is led by Portman Holdings, with HKS providing the master plan for the 4.1 acre site atop one of the highest points in Midtown. The historic chapel and garden are the focal point of the master plan, and would be surrounded by the three towers – the first of which could break ground as early as the first or second quarter of 2021. The 36-story residential tower would have 375 units with ground floor retail at the southeast corner of the site. A year or so later, a 34-story, 700,000 square foot podium office tower along the western side of the site would be developed in combination with a 350-key, 24-story hotel with ground floor retail at the north edge of the site.

Vehicular access is proposed from one existing curbcut along Spring Street and five new curbcuts: two on Spring , one on 10th Street and two along Williams Street. Parking is provided in two separate decks at the base of the residential and office towers. Both would be fully screened and together they will accommodate 1,650 parking spaces and internal loading areas. The presentation was well-received by the DRC, but the committee identified several issues in need of additional study and further consideration including streetscape configuration; the number of curb-cuts along Spring Street; the setback along the north property line; a pedestrian connection through the site; and façade details. The size and density of the project will require a Developments of Regional Impact (DRI) review, so the DRC anticipates an updated follow-up presentation in the coming months. What will be inside the chapel structure hasn’t been decided, but Portman has experience with incorporating old structures into its futuristic designs. Portman preserved the exterior of the circa-1926 Crum & Forster office building at its nearby CODA development at Technology Square for use as a restaurant space.

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905 JUNIPER ST. NE STE. 110 town 17

June 2020 | IN

That’s the Spirit! Poncey-Highland’s Elemental Spirits Co. opened just weeks before COVID-19 outbreak

Cory Atkinson

By Collin Kelley

lemental Spirits Co., located at the prominent corner of N. Highland and North avenues, in Poncey-Highland, opened just two weeks before coronavirus closed the city. Lucky for owner Cory Atkinson, liquor stores were deemed “essential” businesses and allowed to stay open, which meant there was an opportunity to connect with the neighborhood going into lockdown mode for the foreseeable future. “It’s been very interesting,” Atkinson said ruefully. “We had some good momentum going those first couple of weeks, then things just got crazy.” Atkinson said his first priority

18 June 2020 |

was keeping both his employees and customers safe, so he instituted social distancing at the store before many others by allowing only a handful of customers in at a time to pick up the orders they’d made via email or Instagram message. Thanks to social media and foot traffic in Poncey-Highland, Elemental Spirits is continuing to see steady growth. Atkinson said the next challenge would be readjusting once normalcy returns, and what the “new normal” will look like for small businesses. Atkinson, who had a successful career in e-commerce, dreamed of opening Elemental Spirts for more than a year. During his daily walks with wife Malory, they would pass the

vacant storefront that was once part of Manuel’s Tavern and questioned why it had stood empty for so long. “I tried to get a meeting with Selig [the owners of the building], but they wouldn’t take my calls,” Atkinson said. “My property broker looked at a number of spaces, but the Manuel’s Tavern space was still in the back of my mind. I challenged my brokers to get a foot in the door with Selig. They did and here we are.” The 2,000 square foot shop is most definitely not your average package or liquor store, most of which Atkinson said he finds depressing. “I personally hated the liquor store experience, but I had been to great ones in New York, San Francisco, Paris, and Tokyo and saw

the possibilities of opening a boutique bottle shop,” he said. “I wanted to create a different shopping experience entirely – more curated like a high-end wine shop with browsable wide aisles, light and bright. When quarantine ends, we want customers to come in and explore, talk to the staff, and discover new things.” Elemental offers small-batch craft spirits, natural and low-intervention wines, local craft beer, vintage barware, and more. Atkinson said he’s been in conversation with Manuel’s Tavern and other local restaurants about holding tastings and educational events. He eventually wants to offer “tasting tours” to vineyards and distilleries both here and abroad. In the meantime, Atkinson said he’s looking forward to hosting a delayed grand opening for Elemental Sprits and to have customers back in the shop browsing and talking with the staff. “We’re getting great feedback and have plenty of repeat business now, with customers wanting us to curate a six pack of wine, recommend a great tequila, and suggest wine pairings,” Atkinson said. “We just can’t wait to get our doors open and have those customers in the shop.” More information about Elemental Sprits can be found at elementalspirits. co or on Instagram @elementalspirits. co. At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

BUSINESS BRIEFS ►Microsoft has announced plans to open a new office and retail space at Atlantic Station dedicated to cloud computing and artificial intelligence. The new facility will be more than 500,000 square feet inside at the under construction Atlantic Yards office building. The $75 million development is expected to create 1,500 jobs. Rubenstein Partners is moving forward with its redevelopment strategy for Lindbergh City Center, the 47-acre mixed-use development surrounding the Lindbergh Center MARTA station in Buckhead. Since acquiring the property in September, Rubenstein and investment firm Monarch Alternative Capital LP have enlisted Cushman & Wakefield, Revel, ASD|SKY and Gensler to assist with the redevelopment vision of the nearly 20-year-old property. Plans involve redesigning the building exteriors to create varied heights and layers; reconfiguring the retail footprint; recruiting a tenant mix of local retailers, art galleries and restaurants; and attracting more office tenants. Open spaces throughout the property will get new furniture, lighting and event programming. Rubenstein also recently hired new property operations vendors, including a private 24-hour security team.

program, launched in the spring. The goal of the initiative is to solicit financial support from individuals and organizations to sponsor low–income students and their families with highspeed internet service and computers.

AYA Medical Spa, a medically-focused spa specializing in skincare treatments and products, will join the retail mix at Colony Square in Midtown this summer. The new spa is the concept’s fifth location in Atlanta and will feature services such as cool sculpting, dermal infusion and injectables, among other products and services. Visit ayaskincare.com for more information. Atlanta Public Schools received a $1.3 donation from financial market company Intercontinental Exchange for its Get Our Kids Connected campaign to help students learning from home. The campaign is a partnership between APS and the Comcast Internet Essentials

107,000 square feet of space, and Interior Architect’s move into the building taking over 7,000 square feet of space. ElectroBike, which has locations in Brookhaven and along the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail at 151 Sampson St., was deemed an essential business and has seen a big uptick in business during the coronavirus outbreak as customers look for ways to stay active. Nearly all electric bicycles feature a rechargeable, Lithium-ion battery, which powers a quiet electric motor. E-bikes can be operated as traditional bicycles, but with the flip of a switch, the rider can turn on the pedal assist feature or operate a throttle for an effortless ride. For more information, visit electrobikega.com.

Hines has that announced Facebook will lease an entire floor – 35,900 square feet – at T3 West Midtown, bringing the development to 65 percent leased. The social media company is expanding its West Midtown footprint, at a time when Atlanta’s technology industry is seeing increased activity in the submarket. The seven-story, heavy-timber T3 office building is the first of its kind in the market featuring more than 230,000 square feet of space, including groundlevel shared social workspace, fitness center, large outdoor terraces on each floor, a rooftop terrace and an adjacent pocket park. The announcement comes on the heels of Macy’s Technology’s expansion into the building bringing its e-commerce division to the project, occupying over

The Allen Morris Company has announced that Social Entertainment Ventures has signed a 10,000 square foot lease at Star Metals Offices at the under-construction Star Metals Atlanta development on the Westside. The specific concept has not been disclosed but is scheduled to open in Summer of 2021. Brands under the Social Entertainment Venture umbrella include: Bounce, AceBounce, Wonderball, Flight Club, and Hijingo.

FOR SALE

85 Beverly Road

34 Park Lane

now offered for: $1,949,000

offered for: $1,749,000 FOR SALE

FOR SALE

Jason Cook REALTOR®

c: 404.431.1384 o: 404.480.HOME JASONCOOK@ANSLEYATLANTA.COM

1272 Arkwright Place

1080 Peachtree Street, Unit #1202

now offered for: $699,000

offered for: $699,000

404.480.HOME 952 PEACHTREE STREET, SUITE 100 ATLANTA, GA 30309 ANSLEYATLANTA.COM

Christopher Burell, Principal Broker. Information believed accurate but not warranted. Equal Housing Opportunity. If you have an existing relationship with a Broker, this is not intended as a solicitation.

At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

town 19

June 2020 | IN

Recently Sold

1018 OXFORD ROAD SOLD FOR $1,450,000

1161 BRIARCLIFF PLACE SOLD FOR $1,795,000

403 N. HIGHLAND AVENUE SOLD FOR $1,347,000

936 KINGS COURT SOLD FOR $1,285,000

1237 REEDER CIRCLE SOLD FOR $1,159,000

1698 JOHNSON ROAD SOLD FOR $1,034,325

1270 MONROE DRIVE SOLD FOR $565,000

675 AMSTERDAM AVENUE SOLD FOR $506,500

161 RIDGELAND WAY SOLD FOR $1,199,000

1119 MONROE DRIVE SOLD FOR $942,000

940 CLIFTON ROAD* SOLD FOR $1,180,000

927 KINGS COURT* SOLD FOR $1,399,000

JARED SAPP R E A L ESTAT E G ROU P

99 TRANSACTIONS OVER $71M SOLD IN 2019

AGENT MORNINGSIDE 2018 & 2019

AGENT VIRGINIA-HIGHLAND 2018 & 2019

JARED SAPP JEN METZGER & STEPHANIE SELTZER c. 404.668.7233 • o. 404.237.5000 • jared@jaredsapp.com jaredsapp.com • atlantafinehomes.com • sir.com

Atlanta Fine Homes, LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. *Represented buyer. Source: TrendGraphix, Top Producer, January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019, Zip Codes 30306, 30308 and 30324. All Property Types; All Price Points.

20 June 2020 |

At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

Active

1150 VIRGINIA AVENUE OFFERED FOR $1,595,000

1783 NOBLE DRIVE OFFERED FOR $1,895,000

1173 VILLA DRIVE OFFERED FOR $1,295,000

486 SYDNEY STREET OFFERED FOR $899,900

1551 MARKAN DRIVE OFFERED FOR $1,837,500

1590 N. MORNINGSIDE DRIVE OFFERED FOR $998,000

36 POLO DRIVE OFFERED FOR $799,000

1433 WESSYNGTON ROAD OFFERED FOR $2,120,000

8957 OLD SOUTHWICK PASS OFFERED FOR $3,500,000

29 AVERY DRIVE OFFERED FOR $999,000

919 E. ROCK SPRINGS ROAD OFFERED FOR $649,000

Under Contract

1429 WESSYNGTON ROAD OFFERED FOR $1,849,000

1901 WINDEMERE DRIVE OFFERED FOR $579,000

Coming Soon

2959 ANDREWS DRIVE OFFERED FOR $3,350,000

At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

1020 N. VIRGINIA AVENUE OFFERED FOR $505,000

New opportunities are just around the corner. Whether you are looking to buy or sell, allow a trusted REALTOR® to guide you through this unprecedented, ever-changing market.

927 E. ROCK SPRINGS ROAD PRICE UPON REQUEST

“I am here for you, whenever you are ready.” Jared Sapp

town 21

June 2020 | IN

Sustainability Recycling • Resources • Lifestyle

During these uncertain times, HammerSmith is here for you and your family. We provide safe, essential services, architectural designs and home renovations. Start planning today for how to live better in a changed world.

22 June 2020 |

City acquires 216-acre greenspace Photo by Stacy Funderburke

By INtown Staff

216-acre forest known as Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve has been saved by the City of Atlanta after it was threatened with industrial development. The acquisition of the property – which encompasses one of the largest old growth forests in Atlanta – was approved by the Atlanta City Council in April. This will be one of the largest greenspace acquisitions in the city’s history and provides critical protection for the South River Watershed. The nature preserve is located near the intersection of Moreland Avenue and I-285, an area with historically heavy industrial usage with little access to recreational greenspace. The Lake Charlotte property has 98 percent canopy cover encompassing predominantly native tree species, according to a report prepared by Trees Atlanta in 2019. The greenspace also includes a portion of an archaeologically significant ridge known for its Native American soapstone quarries and workshops, dating back to 3000 B.C. Despite its name, the Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve was not previously on a path toward conservation. Spearheaded by The Conservation Fund, City of Atlanta Department of City Planning and City of Atlanta Department of Parks & Recreation, this effort will conserve approximately 60,000 trees in one of the highest quality forests remaining in the city. “Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve will be the first greenspace acquisition funded through the city’s tree ordinance, which was modified several years ago to allow for both the planting of new trees and the protection of intact, mature forests to mitigate tree loss to new development in the city,” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in a statement. “Thank you to The Conservation Fund and the Arthur M. Blank Foundation for their unwavering commitment and partnership in helping to preserve natural resources that are important to our city.” “We’ve been working for almost two years to prioritize purchasing land that will significantly increase our tree canopy protection efforts as part of the Atlanta Canopy Alliance. This property is the number one priority on that list,” said Stacy Funderburke, regional counsel and conservation acquisition associate for The Conservation Fund. “This is the first step to not only expand the city’s tree canopy protection but also provide additional outdoor recreational access for the Atlanta community.” The Conservation Fund has been the City of Atlanta’s Department of Parks & Recreation’s primary acquisition partner for new park and greenspace expansion since 2003 and has also supported Atlanta Beltline, Inc. on acquisition priorities since 2015. With the support of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation’s $2 million revolving fund dedicated to acquiring greenspaces across Atlanta, The Conservation Fund has completed nearly 50 greenspace projects, acquiring over 400 acres valued at a total of $32.1 million. The Lake Charlotte acquisition, at approximately $4.5 million, is the Fund’s single largest purchase to conserve greenspace in the City of Atlanta to date. Revolving fund support from both the Blank Foundation and the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation were critical in its success. This also represents a significant commitment by the City of Atlanta in the One Million Trees Initiative, launched by Trees Atlanta in partnership with nine other Atlanta non-profits. This single acquisition will add over 60,000 trees towards the goal of saving one million trees in the Atlanta metro area. When the acquisition is completed in early summer, the City of Atlanta Parks Department will work on a plan for security, public access and stewardship of this unique forest. It will also work with the community and other stakeholders to plan for future greenspace amenities like nature trails. Groups like The Nature Conservancy and Park Pride will work to engage the surrounding communities in this development process to ensure an equitable outcome for the preserve’s usage. Once completed, the City of Atlanta’s Department of Parks & Recreation will manage and maintain the nature preserve as a city park.

At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

Emory to install 15k solar panels

Darlene Gillespy 404.932.3006 404.668.6621

660 Glen Iris Lofts | $450,000

CUSTOM -AVAILABLE

1237 Reeder Circle | $1,149,000

Virginia-Highland

CUSTOM BUILD-PENDING

POOL CONTRACT UNDER

516 Candler Park Drive | $1,200,000

Candler Park

CUSTOM -AVAILABLE

873 Los Angeles Avenue | $1,890,000

578 Ridgecrest Road | $1,150,000 CUSTOM -AVAILABLE

SOLD (BUYER)

Thank You to First Responders and Essential Workers!

Druid Hills

Kirkwood Lee Gillespy 404.932.3003 404.668.6621

Old Fourth Ward

160 Rockyford Road | $625,000 NEW LISTING

AVONDALE ESTATES • DECATUR

140 4th Street | $984,900

1271 Avalon Place | $1,149,000 POOL COMPLETE RENOVATION

Finders Keepers Consignments | fkconsign.com

Midtown

Mandi Robertson 404.644.4457 404.668.6621

COMING SOON

Four stores with on-trend and in-demand fashions and accessories for you and your home.

805 Ponce de Leon Terrace | $1,800,000

Pinewood Forest

Michael Gaddy 404.917.7725 404.668.6621

Morningside

1745 Coventry Road | $950,000

for home

SOLD

1010 Peachtree Road | $645,000

Morningside

IN-LAW+CARRIAGE HOUSE

Virginia-Highland

Druid Hills

— Collin Kelley

for him

Morningside

Emory University will install over 15,000 solar panels across 16 buildings on its Druid Hills campus, which will generate approximately 10 percent of Emory’s peak energy requirements and reduce Emory’s greenhouse gas emissions by about 4,300 metric tons. The University has awarded Cherry Street Energy with a 20-year agreement to install 5.5. megawatts (MW) of solar generation across campus. “Various Emory rooftops and parking decks will soon be home to an array of solar photovoltaic panels, converting our campus into a significant site for clean energy supporting Emory’s carbon commitment,” said Robin Morey, vice president of Campus Services and chief planning officer at Emory University. “This transformational project upholds Emory’s commitment to addressing climate change and building a resilient and sustainable future.” Cherry Street will install more than 15,000 solar photovoltaic panels on building rooftops and parking structures across Emory as part of a Solar Energy Procurement Agreement (SEPA), an arrangement made legal in Georgia in 2015 that allows a private investor to install, own, and maintain solar panels with Emory buying the power at rates lower than charged by the utility. Under SEPA, there are no upfront costs to Emory. The investment supports Emory’s newly revised greenhouse gas emissions goals, which now mirror the latest science articulated by the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that requires a 45 percent reduction by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. Additionally, through innovative financing methods, there is no capital commitments as a result of leveraging Emory’s future energy spend. For more information on Emory’s sustainability efforts, visit sustainability.emory.edu.

for her

SOLD COMING SOON

742 Courtenay Court | $2,500,000

At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

town 23

June 2020 | IN

Finding solace in nature It’s been a year since I began to regularly walk the Cabin Creek trail through the woods to the Chattahoochee River: an experience that has never failed to provide me with peace, inspiration and new discoveries through the seasons. The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area was closed in March due to the coronavirus, but has recently reopened. I missed seeing spring unfold in the ravine of the talking creek, under the greening forest canopy, and beside the constantly flowing river. I’m looking forward to going back there soon. By Sally Bethea Memories of past Sally Bethea is the walks, augmented retired executive director by my journal of Chattahoochee and photographs, Riverkeeper. She help my mind’s continues her advocacy eye recall many of for the environment and the sights, sounds won the Georgia Press and smells from Association Award for these life-affirming opinion writing for her rambles. I am also monthly column comforted by the in INtown. certainty and the rhythm of nature: the knowledge that spring will come again to Cabin Creek (and again and again) – and that I will be able to return to the ravine and the river “to lose my mind and find my soul,” as America’s most famous conservationist John Muir once said. A few selections from my journal may help your mind’s eye recall similar experiences in nature.

ABOVE THE WATER LINE

May 29, 2019: It is dusk, when I start down the Cabin Creek trail on this day in late May. The walk through the woods to the river is different this time: quiet, but for the

24 June 2020 |

squirrels racing up and down trees. I walk quickly in the darkening forest tunnel. The Chattahoochee is very low, drifting slowly downstream, around dozens of exposed rocks; the river’s geology – its bones – are on full display. The early evening light on the water is glorious, triggering all my senses. I walk into the river, jumping across the rocks that jut up from the water at angles like frozen waves: an example of foliation, the repetitive layering of metamorphic rock, I learn later. With the work-day over, many boaters float past me; I perch on my sitting rock and watch the flowing tableau. October 23, 2019: A hiker shouts: “Look!” We turn our attention to the Chattahoochee, where a river otter cavorts in the fast-moving water at the bottom of Devil’s Racecourse Shoals. He dives into the water and comes up a short distance downstream with what appears to be a fish in his mouth. Underwater again, and then he emerges back upstream – splashing and flipping his long body, while propelling himself with his powerful tail. The joyful performance repeats itself over and over again to our great pleasure – and clearly his. I realize, in a moment of startling clarity, that this river – the life-sustaining flow of water that I’ve long thought of as being “my” river – belongs, in truth, to this otter, his kin and all the wildlife who depend on it. A memorable passage from The Edge of the Sea by Rachel Carson comes to mind. Observing a small ghost crab on a night beach, she wrote: “Suddenly I was filled with the odd sensation that for the first time I knew the creature in its own world – that I understood, as never before, the essence of its being. In that moment time was suspended; the world to which I belonged did not exist and I might have been an onlooker from outer space.” March 15, 2020: Spring is beginning to show itself along the Cabin Creek trail with glimpses of hepatica, purple toadshade trillium, and halberd-leaved yellow violets. It’s been ten months since I began my walks on this trail to the river, yet I’m still making new discoveries. The previous week, my eyes finally focused on a fallen beech tree with young trees emerging from its prone trunk. I had passed this family grouping dozens of times, yet never noticed it. Three sprouts that had grown from latent buds in the trunk of the fallen tree grow a few feet apart, ramrod-

straight, reaching for the sun. Sustained to surprise, when he hoots from the top of a by their mother’s decaying body in their tree near my home in the city. In this period early years, they now have their own roots of waiting, I find that I am more attentive, that reach around her trunk in an embrace allowing myself the time to explore: leaf before entering the rich organic material in veins, tree bark, light and shadows. In “Wild the bottom of the creek’s ravine. A friend Geese” (printed below), poet Mary Oliver accompanies me today, to take a look at my eloquently describes the powerful bonds finding; fortunately, he always carries a tape between all living things. measure, among other tools, and we determine the circumference You do not have to be good. of the fallen mother tree and the You do not have to walk on your knees largest of the three tree sprouts. for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. Based on later research on these You only have to let the soft animal of your body slow-growing trees, I calculate that love what it loves. the mother beech began growing Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. sometime in the 1880s, during Meanwhile the world goes on. the decade when my grandparents Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain were born, and that she fell in the are moving across the landscapes, late 1950s, just a few years after over the prairies and the deep trees, my family moved to Georgia; the the mountains and the rivers. largest sprout is now more than 60 Meanwhile, the geese, high in the clean blue air, years old. are heading home again. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, These connections to nature, the world offers itself to your imagination, even in the city, are fascinating and calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting – they are comforting; they make us over and over announcing your place feel secure. Life is affirmed for me in the family of things. by the barred owl that never fails At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

ECO BRIEFS

OY MYRICK associates

696 CUMBERLAND ROAD Offered for $899,000

1448 N MORNINGSIDE DRIVE Offered for $1,699,000

▲Ground was broken May 8 for the Confluence Bridge, a pedestrian span over Buckhead’s Peachtree Creek intended to be a link to major trail systems. The 175-foot-long, $2.8 million bridge will run along the west side of I-85 behind the Lakeshore Crossing apartments off Piedmont Road. It will connect a trail created by the South Fork Conservancy — the group building the bridge — with PATH400’s route along Adina Drive. Ultimately, the bridge is intended to connect those trails with the Atlanta BeltLine and an extension of the Peachtree Creek Greenway, the first disconnected mile of which recently opened in Brookhaven. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall, according to the Conservancy.

927 AMSTERDAM AVENUE Offered for $1,529,000

JOY MYRICK + MICHELLE WILLIAMS jm. 404.408.2331 | mw. 770.595.7662 | o. 404.874.0300 joymyrick@atlantafinehomes.com michellewilliams@atlantafinehomes.com

atlantafinehomes.com | sir.com

Atlanta Fine Homes, LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated.

MEDLOCK

▲Trees Atlanta has introduced the Stumpery, a new whimsical garden space within the Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum in Reynoldstown. Located on the Eastside Trail between Kirkwood Avenue and Wylie Street, the Stumpery is a unique collection of repurposed logs and tree roots from construction sites around Atlanta. As explained in a blog post by Rachel Bergman, one of Trees Atlanta staff dedicated to its Arboretum program, “Stumperies provide a living space for nontraditional plants, such as mosses with their vibrant color and soft textures that thrive in shady stumperies. Stumperies are curated works of art. Smooth swooping roots contrast with soft mosses, craggy stumps hide shade in their cracks while frilly fern leaves poke out to shimmer in the light.” Stumperies also provide habitat for an extensive diversity of wildlife and mushrooms. Over the next few months, Trees Atlanta will continue to bring new life to the Stumpery with the addition of over 80 species of woodland plants and mushrooms. The City of Atlanta has issued a long-delayed draft of a new Tree Protection Ordinance. The draft is the first step in reviving a rewrite process that abruptly stalled last fall amid complaints from residents and Atlanta City Council members about various problems, including a lack of details in the presentations. Significant concerns among tree advocates have centered on clearcutting of lots, allowances for optional removal of healthy trees, and insufficient enforcement. Developers also have expressed concerns on burdensome or unclear standards. The draft appears to attempt to balance out those interests. A key provision is requiring a permit for removing healthy, non-hazardous trees on private property if they are pines 12 or more inches in diameter at breast height, or all other species 6 inches DBH or greater. Permits may be given for certain types of construction and landscaping, among other reasons. The draft also suggests possible permit exemptions for such projects as affordable housing, mass transit and “green” buildings. The draft proposes that appeals can be filed by any resident or business-owner within 500 feet or within the same Neighborhood Planning Unit. To read the ordinance draft, visit atlantaga. gov/government/departments/city-planning/urban-ecology-framework At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

$32.95 Service Package (Reg $101.95)

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Call for an appointment! Monday-Friday 8-6 • Saturday 8-3 404.377.2285 1489 Scott Boulevard MedlockGulf.com town 25

June 2020 | IN

Home & Real Estate

Trends � Development � City Living

Buyer’s Market

New townhomes, condos, & single-family homes available with low interest rates Southerland

seven88 West

Row on Wylie

Elle at Oakhurst

By Collin Kelley

espite the coronavirus pandemic, new townhomes, condos, and single-family homes are in search of buyers looking to take advantage of historically low interest rates. Two Hedgewood Homes (hedgewoodhomes.com) neighborhoods – Southerland and Summerhill – have also seen an increase in sales. Home sizes range from two- and three-story layouts and come with an on-site professional gardener to maintain each home’s garden. With prices starting in the $400,000s, the Southerland community in Lake Claire is also close to Candler Park, Edgewood, Inman Park, and Decatur. The Summerhill development, with homes beginning in the $300,000s, is part of the redevelopment of the historic Summerhill neighborhood, with an extension of the Georgia State University campus, new homes, retails, restaurants, offices and more. The Brightstar Team | COMPASS has three communities on the market right now – Elle at Oakhurst, The Row on Wylie, and Vernon in Ormewood Park – and are working to make viewing and buying the home as easy and safe as possible. You can take a virtual tour with an agent or get a private walk-thru depending on the community. Currently under construction, the townhomes and single-family homes at Elle at Oakhurst (ElleAtOakhurst.com) in Decatur range in price from the $700,000s to $1 million. Several of the townhomes offer live/work options with retail on the first floor. Homes feature front porches

26 June 2020 |

and oversized screened-in outdoor living spaces. Spacious plans feature five bedrooms, four baths and two-car garages with kitchens adjoining to the living room with fireplace and owner’s suites with sitting rooms that open to screened porches. Nestled between Reynoldstown and Edgewood at 1194 Wylie Street, The Row on Wylie (TheRowOnWylie.com) features five townhomes offering1,689 square feet with three bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and one-car garages. Notable appointments include open-concept living areas, kitchens with 42-inch painted cabinets, quartz countertops throughout and stainless-steel Whirlpool kitchen appliances, rooftop terraces, rear balconies, hardwood floors, and dual sinks in the owner’s suite bath. There are also rooftop decks and common area greenspace. The townhomes are priced from the $400,000s. Priced from the low $600,000s, Vernon (OwnVernon.com) is located in Ormewood Park and offers 20 homes just steps from the Atlanta BeltLine, Glenwood Park and the Memorial Drive Corridor. Homes are arranged in a horseshoe layout facing a centrally located community pocket park. The homes range in size from 1,724 to 2,433 square feet with three-tofour bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. Kolter Urban has broken ground and started construction on Graydon Buckhead (thegraydon.com), a 22-story condo tower with 47 units. Offering views of Buckhead, Midtown, and Downtown, the project will offer two- and threebedroom homes, ranging from just over 2,100 to 3,600 square feet, in addition to one 5,850 square-foot four-bedroom, five-

Vernon Ormewood

and-a-half-bath penthouse. Pricing starts at $1.6 million. Seven88 West Midtown (788WestMidtown.com), the tallest highrise development in West Midtown at 22 stories, has 279 residences with resortstyle, luxurious amenities and curated interiors. Each unit – with studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom options – has sweeping skyline views with floor-toceiling windows priced from the mid$300,000s to $1 million-plus. Compass Development Marketing Group and Dezhu US have announced the completion of J5 (OwnJ5.com), a luxury

Graydon Buckhead

condominium community at the corner of Juniper and 5th Street in Midtown. The six-story, 150-home complex offers large terraces, community spaces, pool courtyard with an outdoor kitchen, club room, garden courtyard, rooftop lounge, 24-hour security, one-story private gated parking and two boardrooms fully equipped with AV equipment to provide meeting space for homeowners who work from home. Home prices begin in the low $600s with a variety of two bedroom homes.

J5 Midtown

At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS The Allen Morris Company has named CF Real Estate Services as the management company of Star Metals Residences, as pre-leasing begins at the residential component of the $344 million Star Metals mixed-use development in West Midtown. The initial phase of Star Metals Residences’ luxury apartment homes is expected to welcome its first residents this summer. When completed, the project will have 409 luxury apartments. Featuring studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, rents start at $1,300 per month. Amenities include a rooftop bar and lounge, game room, fire pits, outdoor dog run and grooming area, and a fitness center opening onto the pool terrace. There will also be restaurant and retail space on the first floor. For pre-leasing information, visit starmetalsresidences.com. Engel & Völkers Atlanta has announced the addition of The Robinson Group under the leadership of Lisa Robinson to the firm’s luxury brokerage division. The top producing group of 10 advisors specialize in luxury residential listing sales in Atlanta’s top neighborhoods and will continue its focus under the Engel & Völkers Atlanta brand.

▲Atlanta real estate agent to the stars, Brandi Hunter-Lewis, has joined Compass. With more than $27 million in sales in 2019, she was the top-ranked luxury agent at Keller Williams in Atlanta. Hunter-Lewis is the go-to Realtor for NFL and NBA athletes and Atlanta’s musicians and reality TV stars, including Kandi Burruss, Cardi B, and Fetty Wap. The Atlanta Botanical Garden has rescheduled its annual Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour to Sept. 12-13. The event, usually a Mother’s Day weekend staple, will feature tours of private gardens around metro Atlanta. Get tickets at atlantabg.org.

Outdoor Living

▲Pellerin Real Estate has released renderings for The Marbut & The Minor, a mixed-use development on Flat Shoals Avenue in East Atlanta Village. The two-building project will include a new 25,000-square-foot building with street level retail space with 20 apartments above and a redevelopment 12,600 structure that once housed the Marbut & Minor Mercantile Store.

Greene Raoul and his family. It was one of the first to be built in what was then the new neighborhood of Druid Hills. The English-style Tudor home on two acres has only had a few owners over its 100-plus years. The home also boasts seven fireplaces with original surrounds, limestone lintels in the solarium, mahogany pocket doors leading to a private suite of upstairs rooms, slate roof, copper gutters and much more. Outside, the rear of the home includes a private courtyard, guest house, fire pit, and an English-style herb and flower garden. Landscape architect Ed Castro designed the grounds in keeping with the home’s history. For more information, visit kellumsmith.evrealestate.com.

►The storied Druid Hills home of suffragette and Emory University’s first female graduate, Eléonore Raoul, is on the market for $2.7 million. The home at 870 Lullwater Road was built in 1914 for railroad magnate William

Stylish designs to help you feel less cooped up Like the rest of Atlanta, the team at Balance Design was at home and working remotely during the coronavirus shelter-in-place order. The designers decided to challenge each other to create an outdoor space that would be both stylish and budget-friendly and make you feel less cooped up. Senior Designer Shelby Anderson had a budget of $1,500, while Junior Designer Melody Richardson had $5,000 to play with. Both came in under budget. As we venture more outside, take inspiration from these fun summer design ideas. ◄Shelby’s Total: $1,390 Creating a serene outdoor space can completely transform your home life and take you on a beautiful get-away – in your very own backyard. By utilizing online vendors, we have pulled together a great budget-friendly space that can be easily implemented. Combining a sleek teak sofa with textural woven chairs, and layering with colorful accents and a smart rug, really pulls everything together. The icing on the cake is the colorful sailcloth (great for shading from the sun), whimsical accent pillows, and a pitcher of margaritas. A beautiful outdoor space can be attainable at any budget.

Melody’s Total: $4,475► When utilizing a larger budget, we wanted to ensure there was plenty of seating that could be lounged on poolside, or just enjoyed on a summer day. We paired a woven sofa chaise with a swing to give every member of the family their choice in seating The swing is actually a double, perfect for cuddling up next to a loved one, or curling up with a good book. The pineapple wind chimes add a bit of whimsy that sound with the breeze and colorful pops from the rug, pillows, and tables bring a fun boho vibe that pairs beautifully with the subtle ombre coffee table. Finally, the striped umbrella keeps everyone cool, calm, and protected from the sun. Find out more about the Candler Park-based Balance Design at balancedesignatlanta.com. At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

REALTOR®

R E C E N T AC T I V I T Y 482 HAMILTON STREET

875 GLEN ARDEN WAY

SOLD

FOR SALE | INCREDIBLE LOCATION

3 bedrooms | 2.5 bathrooms OFFERED FOR $764,900

5 bedrooms | 5.5 bathrooms OFFERED FOR $1,850,000

CARMEN POPE

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June 2020 | IN

News You Can Eat Restaurants � Reviews � Events

Learning to Adapt

Restaurants navigate the new normal of operating during a pandemic By Collin Kelley

hile the state has loosened restrictions and many dining rooms have reopened, Intown restaurants are still navigating the decidedly abnormal “new normal” as the COVID-19 outbreak continues. Experts believe that the “stay at home” mandate and fear of catching the virus has forever changed dining at restaurants. The ease of delivery, takeout and curbside pickup has become ingrained over the last few months, and many diners may only occasional return to actually eat in the dining rooms of their favorite restaurants. Agave managing partner Tim Pinkham said the Cabbagetown restaurant, famed for its Southwestern fare, didn’t even offer delivery before the pandemic. “We had to change our business model,” Pinkham said. “We thought our food didn’t travel well for delivery, but we quickly secured partnerships with DoorDash and Grubhub and our customer base made the transition.” Agave has built a loyal fanbase over its 20 years and kept in contact with regulars through Facebook and Instagram, who were happy to pick up their cayenne fried chicken and margarita kits curbside or delivered straight to their door. To keep its staff employed and keep up revenue flow, Agave also opened a weekend “fresh market” in its parking lot where customers can order online, drive up, and get fresh meats and vegetables. Pinkham said he was anticipating reopening the dining room in June but isn’t in a rush. “Opening too soon would be irresponsible,” he said, noting that social distancing guidelines means that Agave’s usual 45 tables will drop to just 18. “Dining out habits are going to change, and I think people will be enjoying food from their favorite restaurants at home more often, so we have to adapt for that,” Pinkham said. Joseph Hsiao, who co-owns breakfast/ brunch mainstay Flying Biscuit in Candler Park and Midtown, said both locations shifted immediately to takeout, curbside and delivery. “We already had partnerships with UberEats, Grubhub, DoorDash and Postmates, and we saw a surge in delivery orders.” Hsiao had to layoff 80 percent of his staff but brought them all back in midMay as it geared up to reopen its dining rooms. He said diners would likely be surprised when they return not only to Flying Biscuit but any restaurant due to

28 June 2020 |

Clockwise from top: Hobnob Neighborhood Tavern, Flying Biscuit, Cafe Posh and Tim Pinkham and the Agave team.

social distancing rules. “It’s going to be a different experience with the spacing of tables. We won’t be packing them in,” Hsiao said. “I think we’re going to continue to see more takeout and delivery for now, and those who do come out will be more cautious.” In Buckhead, Café Posh owner Simona Edery echoed Hsiao’s thoughts on how customers are likely to react to changes restaurants must make. She said ambience is a main draw to Café Posh and it is decidedly different for now. “I think people will be shocked to see some of the restrictions,” Edery said. “My main concern is keeping the food consistent and making our regular customers feel happy and safe.” Edery said she believed many of her customers would continue to opt for takeout, delivery or curbside, which helped the Middle Eastern/Mediterranean fusion spot keep its staff during the weeks of shelter-inplace. Sean Yeremyan, who owns Lazy Llama in Midtown and Hobnob Neighborhood Tavern in Brookhaven and Dunwoody, said all restaurants are operating at a loss now. “Anyone who tells you they are making money isn’t being truthful,” he said. Like others, Yeremyan switched over to takeout and delivery, but he said that’s not a sustainable business model for a dine-in restaurant. However, he believes takeout and delivery will continue to grow in popularity and all restaurants will have to adapt. Yeremyan, who plans to open additional Hobnob locations this year at Atlantic Station and in Alpharetta, said he’s taking extra social distancing steps in his dining rooms by letting customers pay from their cell phones or using at-table credit card readers. At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

Feeding Those in Need Nonprofits helps provide assistance to food service professionals

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Frontline Foods Atlanta This new nonprofit, which is paying local restaurants to make and deliver meals to healthcare workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic, recently announced that the cast of Georgia-filmed Netflix series “Ozark” sponsored lunch for frontline workers at Grady Hospital, Emory Johns Creek and Greater Atlanta Women’s Healthcare at Emory Midtown. Their donated funds went directly to Sweet Auburn BBQ, Corporate Caterers and Supreme Burger. The cast of CBS series “All Rise” donated for lunch from Sweet Auburn BBQ and dinner from Salaryman for the healthcare workers at Emory Hospital Midtown. More donations from individuals and organizations are needed, so visit frontlinefoods.org/atlanta to donate now.

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ATLFAMILYMEAL▲ A nonprofit of comprised of Atlanta area chefs, restaurant owners, hospitality workers and business/non-profit leaders, the organization is rallying to help the city’s hospitality workers survive while eateries are closed or have reduced staff during the coronavirus outbreak. Spearheaded by Electric Hospitality CEO & Founder Michael Lennox, chefs and hospitality groups participating in the effort include Gina and Linton Hopkins, Golden Eagle, Muchacho, Ladybird, King of Pops and Fox Bros., among others. Donations are being accepted online through atlfamilymeal.org, and proceeds will go towards helping feed and support hospitality workers.

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June 2020 | IN

The Studio Arts & Culture

Collaborative Effort Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, & Atlanta Opera make hospital gowns for Grady By Collin Kelley Three of Atlanta’s most high profile performance companies have joined forces to produce hospital gowns for Grady Health System as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Eighteen full-time artists and 27 part-time and volunteer staff who work in the costume shops of Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, and The Atlanta Opera are working from home to sew and deliver approximately 500 gowns per week while their respective performances are suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak. The gowns will help relieve the shortages in hospital supplies affecting hospitals nationwide. Since it’s uncertain when live performances will be allowed to resume, the joint initiative is scheduled through June, and the organizations are pursuing additional funding to continue throughout the summer. While making gowns is a new project, all three organizations have been actively producing personal protective equipment (PPE) since the pandemic began to spread in mid-March. The Atlanta Opera and Atlanta Ballet’s costume shop artists began by producing medical mask covers for Grady Health System, while Alliance Theatre’s costume and production artists worked to produce protective mask covers for Emory Healthcare. “This is a time of great need for the medical community and the community at large,” The Atlanta Opera’s artistic director Tomer Zvulan said. “The question that we

Stacks of gowns in the Atlanta Ballet’s studio

ask ourselves is no longer ‘How can we save our productions?’ but ‘How can we help save lives?’” In April, the Georgia Power Foundation presented a $25,000 donation to the Alliance Theatre’s mask-making effort. The company’s costume shop, props and production staff are putting their skills to work and creating fabric masks for medical personnel at Emory Healthcare’s five metro Atlanta facilities. To date, the Alliance has delivered over 3,000 masks/400 gowns; the Atlanta Ballet has delivered over 2,256 masks/600 gowns/250 scrub caps; and The Atlanta Opera has delivered over 1,700 masks/505 gowns. All three organizations will continue to provide mask covers as well as the gowns. Fabric face masks are also available for sale to the public on the Alliance Theatre’s website.

Making gowns at the Alliance Theatre

Making gowns at the Atlanta Ballet

Masks made at the Alliance Theatre

Sewing gowns in the Atlanta Ballet workroom

30 June 2020 |

Tiny Doors ATL opens studio at Atlantic Station Tiny Doors ATL, the arts group that creates the tiny doorway installations placed around the city, has opened its first public art studio at Atlantic Station. Located at 1380 Atlantic Drive NW, Suite 14100, the 1,541 square foot studio is the first of its kind for the organization and will allow the public a behind-the-scenes look into the popular art project. Principal Artist and Founding Director, Karen Anderson Singer, will focus on providing a free, informative and immersive experience for studio visitors of all ages. The Tiny Doors ATL studio will offer a look into the creation of the installations with monthly open-studios, as well as an overview of the art project’s history. Retired doors are on display and Tiny Doors ATL merchandise is available for purchase. Singer is planning to bring unique programming to the studio, including an artist talk series and participation in Atlantic Station’s public events. “Since the beginning of Tiny Doors ATL, the goal of each location has been to bring the community together in an authentic way. I wanted my studio location to do the same,” said Singer. “Atlantic Station is a thriving neighborhood in the heart of Atlanta. The property is natural a draw for people, and I’m excited to expand on the partnership here to create cool and interesting installations for our visitors.” Since launching the art project in 2014, Singer has created more than 21 tiny door installations in Atlanta.

Emory professor wins Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

Karen Anderson Singer in the new Tiny Doors’ studio

Georgia Institute of Technology Brain Research Study SEE YOUR BRAIN AT WORK! We are conducting a memory and stress study to examine spatial navigation techniques used during a computerized virtual navigation game. Jericho Brown

Jericho Brown, Emory’s Winship Distinguished Research Professor in Creative Writing, has won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his latest collection, “The Tradition.” In selecting Brown’s book for the honor, the Pulitzer board called it “a collection of masterful lyrics that combine delicacy with historical urgency in their loving evocation of bodies vulnerable to hostility and violence.” “I have known about the Pulitzer Prize and understood its prestige since I was in elementary school and Rita Dove won it,” Brown says. “And I’m so glad I understood it as one of the possibilities for a writer even when I was a kid. Understanding it as a possibility doesn’t mean I ever expected to win it, and getting the news that I won is the very best thing to happen to me in 2020 by far,” he adds. “I didn’t expect to win it because when I write my poems I mean to be as subversive and radical as possible.” Since being published in April 2019, “The Tradition” has received glowing reviews lauding Brown’s “compelling and forceful” brilliance for raising “imperative questions” that capture the intimate stakes in broader worries about safety, terror, freedom and love. Brown invented a new poetic form called the “duplex” to challenge the existing rules of poetry while his words challenged the contradictory myths and culture of the nation. The Pulitzer is the latest honor for Brown, who previously has been named the recipient of a Whiting Writers Award, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He was a finalist for the 2019 National Book Award for Poetry. At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

This is a two-day study and eligible participants will perform some of the navigation tasks while receiving magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans. *Non-MRI option available. We are looking for men and women volunteers who are: • 65 – 80 years of age • In good physical health COVID-19 Notice: We ARE currently taking calls for future participant scheduling. CALL NOW! You will be compensated for your participation:

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June 2020 | IN

‘Much-Needed Laughter’

A conversation with Dad’s Garage Theatre’s new artistic director Jon Carr and perspectives through laughter. It just so happens that improv and scripted work is the way we do that. So, when the pandemic took away our improv shows, it did not change our mission. We wanted to get online because we believe in our mission and want to continue to use laughter to impact our community. We took a “Yes And” approach to the problem and built something good out of a bad situation

By Matthew Terrell Editor’s Note: Dad’s Garage Theatre Company’s communications director and former INtown intern Matthew Terrell talked to the improv group’s new artistic director, Jon Carr, about his vision for the future and how Dad’s has adjusted during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. You are brand new to the role of Artistic Director of Dad’s Garage, but you’ve been involved with the theatre for a long time. Tell us a bit about what your goals for the organization were when you stepped into your new job earlier this year. I’ve been a part of Dad’s Garage for 15-plus years and I love this theatre. As I stepped into this role it was important to me that I not just bring new ideas but preserve what made me fall in love with Dad’s in the first place. So, it was not about coming in and changing everything but “Yes And-ing” the work that Kevin Gillese, former Artistic Director, had already done. Dad’s has always been an “artist first” theatre because we give people opportunities to work on and produce projects that they would never get to pursue at any other theatre. Because of this, there are tons of artists that got their start or really developed their craft at Dads. One of my big goals has been to take what we’ve already been doing over the past 25 years and become intentional about it. For example, Dads has always produced the majority of our plays in house giving a number of playwrights (including myself ) a chance to have their work produced for the first time. Coming into the new job, one of the first things I did was create a structured development process for new work. Now our artists not only get a chance to have their work produced, but they also learn a process of creating new work that will allow them to continue to produce shows

Jon Carr at any other theatre in the country. My goal is to give opportunities and use those opportunities to grow artists and eventually become a theatre that sends amazing artists into the world. In March, things changed very quickly for all of us—including Dad’s Garage. Your theatre responded by quickly launching an online entertainment platform at Twitch.tv/dadsgarageatl … how did you pull that off so quickly? Why was it important for you to move to online entertainment? Our theatre is truly a family. Our performers, crews, and staff literally see each other every week, because if they are not cast in a play then they are still doing improv shows. When we shut down, this was the first time we were not able to work together in years. Fortunately, our marketing director Chelsea Steverson had experience working with Twitch and was able to set us up very quickly. We all were looking to do something as a family, so when this opportunity came up our folks jumped on it. We were able to have the channel up and running in no time. It was important to move online because scripted plays and improv is what we do, but it is not who we are. Our mission is to transform people, communities,

Art Beats Atlanta portal launches for virtual events Art Beats Atlanta, a co-op of Atlanta-based arts and culture organizations, has launched ArtBeatsATL.com, a free online portal to find and engage with virtual events and digital content created by arts organizations throughout the greaterAtlanta area. The website showcases weekly virtual events, information, and digital content for theatre and spoken word, dance and movement, music, visual arts, film and classes. Atlanta INtown is a proud media partner in this new venture. Even though the immediate intention is to provide a space to share online arts programming during the COVID-19 pandemic, the long-term goal is to continue to build Art Beats Atlanta into a platform where Atlanta’s arts organizations can promote their work through June 2021, and to ultimately become a permanent resource for the greater Atlanta-area. The goal is also to inspire people to learn more about the arts community, and how they can become more engaged. So far, more than 50 organizations have begun listing virtual events. To become a member organization and submit events or content, visit ArtBeatsATL.com. There is currently no membership fee to join. Be sure to check on the organization on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) @artbeatsatl.

32 June 2020 |

Your improvisers are leading a bunch of shows on the Twitch channel. Can you tell us about some of them, and what we can expect to see when we tune in? Also, does it cost money? All our shows are free! It was important for us to remove as many barriers as possible for people to get our content. We make it easy for people to donate to the theatre and our artists but it is not required in order to enjoy our shows. Our improvisers have put some really fun and creative shows together. Jayme Alilaw is an improviser at Dads but also an amazing Opera singer. So, she has a show where she sings funny operatic songs and incorporates singing lessons as well. There is Peyton Fromage - Available for Booking! Improviser Karen Cassady does a hilarious character named Peyton Fromage, think Carrot Top meets SNL’s Pat. She does ridiculous comedy routines in hopes of someone booking her for their birthday party. Improviser Whitteny Milsap has tons of animals in her home. So, every week she takes us on a tour, introduces some of her awesome critters and does commentary of their own ridiculous behavior. What about kids programming? Do you have kids programming on your Twitch channel, and what does it look like? We are scheduling kids programming Monday-Friday from noon-1 p.m. on our Twitch channel. One the first pieces of feedback we got from our Twitch shows was that people wanted content for their kids. We have a couple of shows designed just for the little ones. Uncle Grandpa’s Hoo-Dilly Storytime show is a classic Dads show we’ve done live for many years. It’s improvised stories and puppets. Class Is In Session is led by Kirsten King and takes our teen improvisers and gives them a chance to show what they’ve been learning in our youth programs and summer camps. RoJoLo’s Storytime is a series of silly stunts and funny stories. You’ve been broadcasting recordings of popular shows from your archives. Can you tell us a bit about that, and what we can expect coming up? How have viewers responded to this? Every Friday and Saturday at 8pm we stream recordings of classic Dad’s Garage plays. This time slot is when we normally would have big shows happening at our theatre, so we wanted to keep that our “primetime slot.” The unique thing about Dad’s is that we write and produce our own plays, so we have a catalog of amazing shows from the past 25 years. We stream them on Twitch which has a

chat component, so it has been amazing to watch the shows and see audience members talk about their personal experiences with the show and how it has impacted them. It creates a cool performance and conversation experience. What have been the biggest challenges of going virtual for Dad’s Garage? What have been your biggest successes? The biggest challenge has been learning something new so fast. Because we transitioned so quickly, many of our crew and performers had to learn on the fly about Twitch and how it works. It’s created a lot of challenges but because we have an institutional improv mindset everyone has been willing to be flexible and dealt with any challenge we’ve faced. Our biggest success has been maintaining a connection with our audience. We had our last live show on a Friday and our first streaming show that following Monday. The flexibility of our performers and the commitment to our mission allowed us to not miss a beat and bring some muchneeded laughter to Atlanta. How are you supporting your performers who may be unemployed at this time? What all is Dad’s Garage doing to help local artists? As I’ve said before, we are a family and it is important to us that we continue to support our artists through this time. We do that in a number of ways. Our artists are still able to make money through running Twitch shows and our (now online) improv classes. We started an emergency fund for our performers so we can get money to our artists that need it the most. Lara Smith, our Managing Director, has been working extremely hard to make sure we are taking advantage of all the new government grants and loan programs in order to keep money coming to our people. We also have an incredible board and supporters that have worked with us to keep everyone up to date on the funds and programs our artists can take advantage of. Tell us about “Jon Pets the Dog” … what’s that about? I recently moved in with my girlfriend who has a dog, and I’m pretty new to being a dog dad. When I did my first video introducing our Twitch channel with my dog I missed the fact that he was getting antsy and really wanted someone to pet him. I was surprised when a large portion of the feedback about our new digital offering was about how badly people wanted me to just pet my dog. So, we leaned into it. We have a donation goal of 10k that we are pretty close to reaching. If we finally get there, I will finally pet my dog on camera (I do pet my dog in normal life). When life returns to normal—whatever normal will look like—what is the first thing you are going to do? An improv show followed by a drink with friends at the Little Five Points Yacht Club. At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

SPECIAL SECTION

Parks and Recreation

After weeks of sheltering-in-place, crowds head to Georgia State Parks By Collin Kelley Even at the height of the pandemic, Georgia State Parks remained open to offer a change of scenery, a place to stretch your legs, and a brief respite from the onslaught of virus-related news. With the shelter-in-place order lifted, some parks are experiencing large crowds on certain days and admission may be limited to ensure social distancing and protect the health and safety of the public and park employees. But don’t let that stop you from going, especially if you want to get some mountain air, take in the view, or go on a hike. Before you head north, be sure to check gastateparks.org for the latest updates on what is open. As the state continues to loosen restrictions, more park amenities will become available to the public once again.

The river is home to more Native American fish weirs than are found on all other Georgia rivers combined and historic sites, including the Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site, dot its banks from Dawsonville to Rome. The river passes through three state wildlife management areas (Dawson Forest, McGraw Ford and Allatoona) the Chattahoochee National Forest and numerous local parks. For more information, visit etowahwatertrail.org. Cloudland Canyon ► Located on the western edge of Lookout Mountain, Cloudland Canyon is one of the largest and most scenic parks in the state. Home to thousandfoot deep canyons, sandstone cliffs, wild caves, waterfalls, cascading creeks, dense woodland and abundant wildlife, the park offers ample outdoor recreation opportunities. Hiking and mountain biking trails Continued on page 34

A new life awaits in Asheville Amicalola Falls ▲ At 729 feet, Amicalola Falls is the tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeast. Visitors have choices on how to best view the tumbling waters, ranging from an accessible pathway to a challenging trail with staircases. An 8.5-mile trail leads from the park to Springer Mountain, the southern end of the famous 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail. The park’s picturesque lodge is open for stays and is taking health and safety precautions amid the COVID-19 outbreak. For more information, visit gastateparks.org/AmicalolaFalls. Etowah River Water Trail With the exception of the upper reaches of the river (Hightower and Etowah Falls sections), Etowa is rated as a Class I river with occasional small shoals and rapids, which makes it suitable for novice paddlers. Scenery along the river ranges from wild (Headwaters, Dawson Forest and other sections) as it winds through national forests and state wildlife management areas to rural and even urban. At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

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Continued from page 33 abound. The most popular hiking paths include the short Overlook Trail, strenuous Waterfalls Trail and moderate West Rim Loop Trail. Mountain biking is available at the newly developed Five Points Recreation Area and along the Cloudland Connector Trail. Guests seeking an overnight experience can choose from fully-equipped cottages, quirky yurts or several different types of camping and backpacking options. Reservations are required. Visit gastateparks.org/CloudlandCanyon. Hardman Farm ► Georgia’s newest state park, which opened in 2015, is the 173-acre Hardman Farm located in historic Sautee Nacoochee, just south of Helen. The farm is best known for a favorite landmark: The gazebo-topped Nacoochee Mound, a burial site probably used long before the Cherokee inhabited the area, which sits in the middle of verdant cow pasture. At press time, the house was still closed for tours, but the trails through the park are open. For updated information about the farm, visit gastateparks.org/ HardmanFarm.

Black Rock Mountain Georgia’s highest state park encompasses some of the most outstanding scenery in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Roadside overlooks provide spectacular 80-mile vistas, and four hiking trails lead visitors past wildflowers, streams, small waterfalls and lush forests.

Glen

The park’s small lake is popular with anglers and circled by an easy walking trail. The park has reported some busy days, so staff may limit the number of visitors to the overlooks, trails and lake area. Visit gastateparks.org/BlackRockMountain for updates.

Tallulah Gorge ▲ Visitors can hike rim trails to several overlooks but permits to access the gorge floor and for climbing were suspended at press time. A suspension bridge sways 80 feet above the rocky bottom, providing spectacular views of the river and waterfalls. Tightrope walkers have twice crossed the gorge, and visitors can still see towers used by Karl Wallenda. Officials have reported heavy visitation and the park often closes after reaching capacity due to social distancing. For more, visit gastateparks.org/TallulahGorge.

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36 June 2020 |

Take a mountain daytrip and see the sights safely from inside your car By Gianna Smith Bedford and Collin Kelley If you’re hankering to get out of town, but also mindful of the COVID-19 outbreak, these scenic drives through North Georgia, Pine Mountain, and North Carolina make for the perfect social distancing daytrip.

Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway

North Georgia

Traveling through White, Towns and Union counties, the nearly 41-mile RussellBrasstown Scenic Byway looks onto gorgeous vistas surrounded by the Chattahoochee National Forest. Wind through the mountain gaps and valleys of the Southern Appalachians, stopping for Instagram moments along the way. One of the best is atop Brasstown Bald, the highest natural point in the state and an ideal spot to watch the leaves turn brilliant colors in the fall. On a clear day, you can see Atlanta from the peak of Brasstown Bald, even though it’s more than 100 miles away. If you feel like some exercise, tackle the nearly two-mile round-trip hike to Dukes Creek Falls or a portion of the famed Appalachian Trail at the Hogpen Gap trailhead before hopping back in the car to continue your scenic drive. Spanning from Cohutta to Ellijay, the 56-mile Cohutta-Chattahoochee Scenic Byway travels through the Chattahoochee National Forest, plus a number of charming towns. At Prater’s Mill in Dalton, observe a working 19th-century gristmill and cotton gin and pick up goodies at the general store. Don’t miss the many Civil War sites in and around town. After leaving Dalton, drive east to Chatsworth, where you can break Cullasaja Falls for lunch and see the Chief Vann Continued on page 38 At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m

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Continued from page 36 House Historic Site, a restored mansion built in 1804. This town is also home to Fort Mountain State Park, a great place to stretch your legs on a trail (there are more than 3,700 acres of them).

North Carolina

If you want to go a little further, head into North Carolina for to see the Cullasaja River Gorge, which offers a spectacular scenic drive along the Waterfall Byway between the towns of Franklin and Highlands. The fast-moving Cullasaja River tumbles down three major waterfalls alongside the 61-mile road that winds through the Nantahala National Forest. Visitors can drive their vehicles beneath the 120-foot Bridal Veil Falls and walk behind the roaring water at Dry Falls. The tallest falls are the Cullasaja Falls, which drop 250 feet. Cullasaja means “honey locust place” in the Cherokee language. The gorge is part of the trail followed by Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto in 1540. The gorge and its waterfalls can be accessed along U.S. Highway 64/State Road 28 between Highlands and Franklin, which is part of the Waterfall Byway. The road is winding and narrow.

Pine Mountain

Scenic mountain views aren’t limited to North Georgia or North Carolina. A couple of hours south of Atlanta, the Pine Mountain Highway-Scenic Heights Road ( State Route 190) runs from Manchester to Callaway Gardens through F.D. Roosevelt State Park. There are numerous parking overlooks with gorgeous views overlooking the valley below and hiking trails. Stop at Dowdell’s Knob to see the view that President Franklin D. Roosevelt loved so much that he had a brick oven and picnic area installed so he could dine there when he was at the nearby Little White House in Warm Springs. For more information on these scenic drives, visit ExploreGeorgia.org, blueridgeheritage.com, or gastateparks.org/FDRoosevelt.

Mountain Activities

▲The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC has reopened its park spaces, including the gardens and grounds with more than 20 miles of walking, hiking, and biking trails. Be sure to visit biltmore.com for details and admission information. The Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests in North Carolina are open, but at press time, most campgrounds remained closed. The forests are open for hiking, mountain biking, fishing and for scenic drives. Visit fs.usda.gov/nfsnc for updates. If you want to go glamping (that’s a mashup of glamourous and camping), then you’re in luck because Under Canvas is welcoming guests who want to add a touch of luxury to their outdoor getaway in the Great Smoky Mountains. Located near Gatlinburg, this ecofriendly site offers luxury canvas tents, daily housekeeping, on-site dining and more. Visit undercanvas.com for details. Coral Hospitality, which operates lodges for Georgia’s State Parks, has reopened Brasstown Valley Resort and Lodge in Young Harris, Unicoi State Park Lodge and Amicalola Falls Lodge, along with the restaurants. Social distancing will be in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Visit coralhospitality.com for details and reservations.

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