Midtown Beacon by Jamestown

In This Issue:

A S U M M E R D AY I N M I D T O W N

La Tagliatella P I E DM ON T PA R K tsplost overview SOUTHERN FODDWAYS ALLIANCE— and more! Volume 4, Issue 2

Summer, 2012

This issue is all about summer fun in Midtown. Lindalisa Severo, Midtown enthusiast and project manager for Brandshake Creative, took to the streets to tell us about her favorite Midtown summer things to do. See her story pages 7-9.

Introducing La Tagliatella Jamestown welcomes new modern-Italian restaurant La Tagliatella to the Shops at Metropolis.

idtown will soon enjoy a new world-class Italian eatery. In May 2012, Jamestown announced that they'd leased the corner space of Shops at Metropolis to modern-Italian restaurant La Tagliatella. “Jamestown is focused on attracting a distinguished blend of dining concepts and retailers in order to cultivate a unique and progressive atmosphere, particularly at the street level,” said Kristen Morris, senior leasing manager for Jamestown. “La Tagliatella will certainly enhance the experience at Shops at Metropolis by opening its U.S. flagship location here.” La Tagliatella first opened in Madrid, Spain, in 2001 and has grown to more than 110 restaurants throughout Spain and France. Upscale, modern-Italian cuisine will be served in a relaxed, yet distinctive atmosphere, which will house an authentic brick oven pizza kitchen and a wine and coffee bar in over 5,200 square feet on the corner of Peachtree and 8th Streets in Midtown. The restaurant plans to utilize the prominence of this pin corner space by transcending the customer experience not only from the interior, but to the exterior of the space as well. “We feel Shops at Metropolis is the perfect location for La Tagliatella’s flagship store,” stated Mike Muldoon, president, U.S. Division of AmRest LLC, owner of La Tagliatella. “It is centrally located in Midtown, within a walkable community that thrives on diverse restaurant concepts.” La Tagliatella will bring distinctive Italian dining to Atlanta in early 2013.

Pop-Up Pocket Park Jamestown and Midtown Alliance have teamed up to install a beautiful new pocket park at the corner of 18th and West Peachtree.

op-up pocket park: try saying that three times fast! It may be a tongue twister, but Midtown's newest greenspace is straight-up adorable. Made possible by an extraordinary collaboration among Midtown Alliance, Jamestown and John Marshall Law School, this temporary pop-up park occupies a quarter-acre at the corner of 18th & West Peachtree. The dilapidated and abandoned structures that once occupied this corner are now gone. What remains is a beautiful old-growth Magnolia tree that shades a lovely little city park full of droughttolerant native plants, clean slate-chipped walkways and bright umbrellaed tabletops where John Marshall Law students can take a break between classes or enjoy a bit of sunshine while they study. The park is open daily from 6am to 11pm, and maintenance is provided by Midtown Alliance. Direct questions about the park to 404.817.0500. 3

Are You Voting This July? More than ever, your vote matters this July 31st as Atlanta decides the fate of TSPLOST.

n July 31, voters will decide on a 10-year, one-penny regional sales tax that can help untie our snarled traffic mess and get our region moving. $7.2 billion will be raised if it passes, and every penny of it must be spent on transportation projects inside our 10-county metro region. Research shows that Atlanta commuters spend $924 a year in wasted fuel and lost time, ranking us in the worst 20% nationally. By comparison, the additional penny tax will cost the average consumer an estimated $112 annually; in return, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll fix our worst highway interchanges, provide more transportation options and choices, create more jobs for the region and get home faster. A yes vote on July 31 will help to untie our traffic knot and make our region more competitive again. Investments in regional transportation will help create and support 200,000 mid to high-paying jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and will free up our clogged roadways so that we can be more productive at work and spend more time at home. Investing in our region will bring jobs, prosperity and an improved quality of life for decades to come. Visit untieatlanta.com to learn more about how we can untie metro Atlantaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traffic knot. 4

Riverview Landing Coming soonâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a showcase of sustainable riverfront living in Mableton, Georgia.

ue west and just a short drive from Midtown lies an idyllic riverfront paradise called Riverview Landing. Jamestown Properties is in the process of transforming an 86-acre site along the Chattahoochee River from industrial to recreational use. City dwellers aren't waiting until construction is complete to enjoy this urban paradise, however. Last fall, Jamestown hosted a festival on the site. Then, they kicked off this spring's weekly green market with a "Dog Days" event on May 12, which was attended by 3,000 guests and 1,000 dogs! Humans enjoyed food vendors and family activities, while canines romped through a 5-acre dog pasture. Riverview Landing offers direct access to the Chattahoochee River. Visitors are encouraged to bring their kayaks and canoes and enjoy the river. The property will always retain the pet-friendly, community-centered spirit it has been building in the recent months since shedding the remainder of its industrial past. For more information, to learn about dog park access and to stay in the loop about river meet-ups, visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/RiverviewLanding. Learn more about Riverview Landing at riverview-landing.com.

Summer Arts Midtown's art scene is always hopping, and this season is no different. Here are just a few things going on at Midtown's galleries and theaters this summer.

High Museum In 1938, Alabama's Talladega College commissioned acclaimed African American artist Hale Woodruff to paint six largescale murals portraying the Amistad mutiny and its aftermath. These are being presented nationally for the first time, and you'll find them on display at the High through September 2, 2012. Center for Puppetry Arts If you've never seen the Center for Puppetry Arts' adult puppet shows, now's the time to check one out. The New Directions series for adults and teens participates in the national puppet slam with 18+ shows at 8pm on August 3 and 4. For more info, visit puppet.org, or to learn more about puppet slam, visit puppetslam.com. Park Tavern Every Sunday night at 7:30pm, 99X and Park Tavern present Unplugged in the Park. Sponsored by Miller Lite and Bacardi, Unplugged gets music fans up close and personal with some of the best songwriters in the region. Check Park Tavern's facebook page for the complete lineup. facebook.com/ParkTavern. 6

Midtown Meets Lindalisa Lindalisa Severo, project manager for Brandshake Creative, has been a huge fan of Midtown since she moved to Atlanta in 1995. We asked her to tell us how she spends a typical summer day in Midtown.

hen I moved to Atlanta for graduate school, I immediately gravitated to Midtown. The skyscrapers remind me of my home in New York. Also, Midtown is one of the few neighborhoods in the city where you can walk to wherever you want to go. On a typical summer day, I usually wake up with vague plans that involve spending the day in the park. Back in New York, when I said I was going to "the park," I obviously meant Central Park. In Atlanta, when I tell my friends I'm heading to the park, it's just as obvious that I'm talking about Piedmont Park. First though, I need some caffeine. Now, my absolute favorite coffee shop in the world is Blue Bottle, which hasn't made it to Atlanta yet, so, when I'm in Midtown, I enjoy my morning Americano at Caribou Coffee on Piedmont. Flying Biscuit CafĂŠ is right across the street in case I want to grab some breakfast, and from there, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an easy walk to the park. Once I make it Piedmont Park, I soak up the sun, hang out in the dog park, swim and visit the Green Market. Check out my photodocumentary of Piedmont Park and my other favorite Midtown hangouts on pages 8 and 9. 7

Coffee at Caribou! Nectar of the

ere are some photos of things I love to see and do in Midtown. I'd love to see your Midtown photos. Post your favorites on our Facebook page: facebook.com/999PeachtreeStreet.

Piedmont Park: Green Market &

The Aquatic Center at Piedmont Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;only $4 per day for adults, or $165 fo

Frozen custard at Rita's on Monroe Dr. 8

Checking out the Eastside

Eastside Trail Lindalisa eagerly awaits the completion of the BeltLine Eastside Trail later this year.

e Gods...

& Dog Park

was with some friends the other night, and we were talking about how sketchy Freedom Park used to be. Then the PATH Foundation and the Freedom Park Conservancy came through with landscaping and paved trails, and now thousands of us use Freedom Park every day. Let the trumpets sound because the same type of makeover is currently underway along the Eastside Trail section of the BeltLine. Spanning 2.25 miles from 10th Street at Monroe to Irwin Street at Dekalb Avenue, the Eastside Trail will connect Freedom Park with Old Fourth Ward Park and Piedmont Park, giving intowners unprecedented pedestrian and bicyle access through the heart of Inman Park, Old Fourth Ward, Poncey Highlands and Midtown. Learn more at beltline.org/trails/eastside-trail/.

or a season pass!

Trail near 10th St. 9

Southern Foodways Alliance Man-about-town George Krauth dishes on the fashions, flavors, designs and décor he discovers as he travels the globe tracking trends in his capacity as Creative Manager for Jamestown.

ne of the fantastic things about my job is that I frequently get to see my food heroes firsthand. I've worked with Chef Anne Quatrano, readying the annual James Beard Foundation Sunday Supper event in NYC. I've run into Chef Hugh Acheson of Empire State South in the most random places on his book tour. And I've gotten to sit front row under moonlit skies and listen to John Edge, director of the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA), spread the gospel of Southern food culture. SFA is a member-supported group that documents and maps culinary standard bearers in the South, primarily through oral history interviews. From producing a quarterly print newsletter to publishing interactive maps for finding the best BBQ, boudin, tamales and gumbo, SFA collects and preserves the stories of Southern food so that these culinary treasures are available to everyone. I first met my great friend Angie Mosier, an accomplished food stylist, writer and photographer, at an SFA event in Nashville. We’ve since roadtripped to other SFA events. Most recently, we watched whole hogs moving down Park Ave on forklifts in preparation for the Big Apple Block Party, where the SFA runs a “peep show” of film shorts throughout the weekend. I now relish working with SFA to bring documentaries such as Cud and The Rise of Southern Cheese to Jamestown developments through events like the Potlikker Film Festival. For more information about SFA, including details on how to become involved, visit their website at southernfoodways.org.

photo by Rafterman Photography

Music Midtown Save the date for Atlanta's biggest and best annual music festival, which returns to the meadow at Piedmont Park this September.

usic Midtown returned last year after a six-year hiatus with a lineup that featured some of the biggest bands in the nation, including Coldplay, The Black Keys, Cage the Elephant, Young the Giant and many others. This year, the festival is back with a passion. The 2012 lineup includes legends like Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts as well as newer bands Florence & The Machine and the Avett Brothers. Rappers T.I. and Ludacris will perform along with mashup wizard Gegg Michael Gillis (stage name Girl Talk) and singersongwriters Van Hunt and L.P. (Laura Pergolizzi.) View the full schedule and find out how to purchase tickets at musicmidtown.com.

Young the Giant, 2011. Photo by CatMax Photography 11

Notes and updates from Midtown Alliance | midtownal

lliance.org | midtownatl.com

SHARE THE VISION

10TH STREET TRANSFORMATION Construction is underway on 10th St. between Williams and Piedmont. This streetscape improvement project includes new sidewalks, decorative street lights, street trees, improved handicap access, and bike facilities in the heart of the Midtown district. Currently, construction is taking place on the north side of 10th between Spring and W. Peachtree and will subsequently continue eastward between W. Peachtree and Peachtree. The project is scheduled to be completed in winter 2012, and specific improvements will include new sidewalks, street furniture, decorative lighting and street trees on 10th, a dedicated westbound five-foot bike lane, two landscaped medians on 10th at W. Peachtree and Williams as well as a mid-block crossing between W. Peachtree and Peachtree with a rapid flashing beacon signaling that vehicles should yield to pedestrians.

PROJECTS LAUNCHED TO CONSERVE WATER & REDUCE WASTE In support of the Greenprint Midtown sustainability action plan, Midtown Alliance recently launched two exciting initiatives to further protect our environment and keep Midtown looking clean and green. 1. Fifty sidewalk recycling containers are now being installed at key locations throughout Midtownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core district. Each dark green container is located next to an existing trash can and is clearly marked for recycling paper, glass, aluminum and plastic. The City of Atlanta, a key partner in this initiative, will collect the recyclables weekly for processing into raw materials for new products. 2. A 3,000 gallon rainwater cistern is now installed next to our maintenance building near Peachtree and 10th Streets, capturing rainwater from the roof. The harvested water will help irrigate street trees and plantings throughout the district. Collecting and reusing rainwater lessens the effects of storm water runoff, reduces the demand for potable water and is more cost effective. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeking bold new design ideas for our rainwater cistern to draw attention to the project. On the bottom left are two examples of what other communities have done. What would you like to see? Send your designs to: shelby@midtownalliance.org. 13