16 minute read
Atlanta Insider’s Guide
THE INSIDE SCOOP ON YOUR NEW HOMETOWN By Rachael Mason
No doubt about it, Atlanta can be an intimidating place. There’s so much to take in that it’s easy to feel like an outsider. To help you start feeling like a true local, we’ve broken down what makes our city special: its essential dining experiences, sites that add a little history to your new home and the five things every true Atlantan has to do. Follow these helpful suggestions and you’ll be feeling like an insider in no time.
DANCE IN THE OLYMPIC RINGS
Located in the heart of downtown, Centennial Olympic Park is a lasting legacy of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. At its heart is the Fountain of Rings, where the water dances in a synchronized ballet with music, sound and light effects, four times a day, 365 days per year. In warmer months, the fountain is one of the most unique and fun ways for kids—and grownups—to cool off from the summer heat. gwcca.org/centennial-olympic-park
Stone Mountain Park
WALK UP STONE MOUNTAIN
Standing at the top of Stone Mountain offers an unparalleled view of not just the Atlanta skyline but the entire surrounding area. If you can’t handle hiking the incline, you can ride to the top in a cable car, but keep in mind that you won’t get “I climbed Stone Mountain” bragging rights. stonemountainpark.com
CATCH A BRAVES GAME AT TRUIST PARK
There’s nothing quite like an Atlanta Braves home game, especially now that the Braves are in their new home at Truist Park. The fun starts long before first pitch with a stroll through The Battery Atlanta, a lifestyle destination surrounding the park filled with dining, shopping and special activities galore. Inside the park, you’ll feel right on top of the action, as the park boasts some the best sightlines in the major leagues. atlantabraves.com
LEARN SOME SOUTHERN HISTORY
The metro Atlanta area is rich with history. Learn more about one of the city’s most famous residents at the Martin Luther King. Jr. Center (thekingcenter.org). At the Atlanta History Center, check out exhibits illuminating the Civil War and the city’s fascinating post-antebellum story and tour some of Atlanta’s grandest historic homes. atlantahistorycenter.com
EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS
Take a stroll along the BeltLine, a 22-mile paved trail constructed from reclaimed railroad corridors that links 45 neighborhoods, numerous parks and additional trails. Be sure to stop for lunch on the patio at one of the many eateries along the way (beltline.org). Admire the stunning flower gardens at the Atlanta Botanical Garden (atlantabg.org), and spend an afternoon walking, biking, picnicking or just people-watching at the city’s favorite greenspace, Piedmont Park. piedmontpark.org
ENJOY A FROSTED ORANGE AT THE VARSITY
The Varsity is Atlanta’s iconic fast food joint, in operation since 1928. The flagship location on North Avenue is billed as the world’s largest drive-in restaurant, sitting on more than two acres and able to accommodate more than 800 customers at a time. In addition, servers and savvy customers speak their own special lingo. Try the Frosted Orange, a frozen treat that tastes like a Creamsicle, only better. thevarsity.com
DINE AT BACCHANALIA >>
This upscale establishment is the city’s premiere fine-dining restaurant. Each night, chefs/owners Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison create a different seasonal menu. The four-course meal, which costs $110 per person, includes two small appetizers, an entrée, a cheese course and dessert. starprovisions.com/bacchanalia
PHOTOS: (Top Left) Kevin C. Rose/AtlantaPhotos.com; (Bottom Left) The Reynolds Group; (Bottom Right) Kevin C. Rose/AtlantaPhotos.com
The Vortex
GRAB A BURGER AT THE VORTEX
This attitude-heavy restaurant and bar (patrons must be 18 or older) serves up some of the best burgers in town, including the Classic Bypass, a half-pound sirloin patty topped with a fried egg, three slices of American cheese and four slices of bacon, served with mayo on the side. Two locations. thevortexatl.com
Bacchanalia SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE AT STAPLEHOUSE MARKET
Located in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, this eatery has garnered several rave reviews and awards since opening in 2016, and its tasting menu changes regularly. But Staplehouse started as an underground supper club founded by Ryan and Jen Hidinger. Ryan died of cancer in 2014, but his legacy lives on with the restaurant and The Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit started to aid metro Atlanta restaurant industry employees who face unexpected hardships. All after-tax profits from Staplehouse benefit The Giving Kitchen. Its name changed to Staplehouse Market in 2020, when the restaurant started offering a pick-up food and drink service. staplehouse.com
EXPLORE BUFORD HIGHWAY
You don’t have to travel around the world to enjoy a wealth of international cuisine. Buford Highway offers a diverse cornucopia of authentic ethnic fare, from Korean barbecue and Vietnamese noodle bowls to Chinese kabobs, Cajun crawfish and Mexican menudo with handmade tortillas.
THE BIG CHICKEN
This giant bird, which adorns a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in neighboring Marietta, won’t teach you anything new about Atlanta, but it’s one of those things you have to see to believe, and is more than worth the drive to the suburbs. marietta.com/attractions/the-big-chicken u
The Big Chicken
CNN CENTER
Distinguished by a giant outdoor CNN logo, the cable empire’s world headquarters offers behind-the-scenes tours of several of its newsrooms. The space also includes a number of shops and restaurants and is connected to the Omni Hotel and State Farm Arena, home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. center.cnn.com
EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. preached non-violence at this historic church, which has been operating since 1866. Today, you can still visit the church on Auburn Avenue and take part in its services. ebenezeratl.org
THE GOLD DOME
The Georgia State Capitol shines brightly in the Atlanta skyline due to the gold paneling on its dome. The Capitol also houses a museum where flags, artwork and other historic artifacts are displayed. atlanta.net/partner/georgia-state-capitol/48/
MARGARET MITCHELL HOUSE
At this historic landmark, you can see the apartment where author Margaret Mitchell wrote “Gone with the Wind.” The space has been preserved with period furnishings and original architectural features. The remainder of the building and an addition next door serve as a museum dedicated to Mitchell’s work. atlantahistorycenter.com
Neighborhood Associations By Susan Flowers
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT HOAs AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
When it comes to neighborhoods, Atlanta offers everything from older, tree-lined communities to new subdivisions with the latest perks. And those areas offer just as much variety in neighborhood and homeowners’ associations. Whether you’re looking for an area with strict standards for appearance with an eye toward property values, or a place with fewer rules but more personality, metro Atlanta has the right neighborhood for you.
IS AN HOA RIGHT FOR YOU?
A homeowner’s association (HOA) is a legal entity that is typically responsible for upholding rules governing the appearance of properties. An HOA will often have the right to enforce those rules by issuing fines and even placing liens on properties of noncompliant owners.
“The big advantage is that there’s a standard that’s set for everyone,” says Realtor Josh Jarvis of Jarvis Team Realty. “They also do some other things, like maintain the amenities.” Because of the HOA, these neighborhoods are often able to offer pools, sidewalks, clubhouses or tennis courts.
Experts say an HOA is crucial to your home’s value in the long run because of all the services it provides.
“If things are uniformly maintained [by an HOA], you don’t have the issue of one or two sore thumbs” lowering the value of every home in the neighborhood, says Paul Queen, former director of marketing for Sentry Management, which handles HOAs for over 300,000 homes, condominiums and townhomes across the country.
Of course, one person’s sore thumb can be another’s needed enhancement. An HOA’s interpretation of standards can differ from yours. “They can also restrict things that you want to do to the home,” Jarvis says. “For example, you may want to put an outbuilding on your property. You may not be able to, or it might cost more than it would otherwise, because you can’t just go get an aluminum building.”
Another potential drawback is the impact of HOA dues on your purchasing power. While a well-maintained neighborhood can prevent your home’s value from depreciating, what you pay toward an HOA will be considered by banks when you apply for a loan, because your dues affect your debt-to-income ratio.
“If you pay $600 a year, that’s $50 a month,” says Jarvis. “A lot of people don’t think about that.” This can play an especially large role in the purchase of a townhome or condo, or in the purchase of a home priced near the limit of what you can afford.
But HOAs have other benefits, including architectural controls (residents must get approval for changes to their homes’ exteriors),
increased community engagement (events and activities that unite residents) and an extra layer of support (partnering with municipalities to ensure compliance with zoning codes), according to Associated Asset Management’s website.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
If you’re looking for a home in a neighborhood with an HOA, a little due diligence can pay off in the long run.
Ask to see financial reports for any HOA you’re seriously considering. Without adequate funding, amenities can’t be maintained and improvements can’t be made. It’s reasonable to expect that your neighborhood’s pool and other features will be just as attractive in 10 years as they are today.
It’s also a good idea to ask to see the minutes of the past few HOA meetings. These documents can inform you of ongoing problems that can factor into your decision to buy. “What they’re talking about in the minutes gives you a good snapshot of what the issues are in a neighborhood,” says Queen.
Although HOA documents are nobody’s idea of a page-turner, it’s still important to give them
a thorough read. If an HOA’s standards differ significantly from yours, it’s better to know before you purchase.
Drive through the neighborhood to be sure that it’s properly maintained. Amenities or homes in poor condition can tell you that an HOA isn’t doing its job.
And if you’re considering a gated community, be aware that everything inside those gates is the responsibility of the neighborhood’s homeowners. If a road inside a gated community needs paving, the association, not the county, is responsible for the cost. “In a gated community, the only things they don’t own are the mailboxes,” says Jarvis.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS
If you’re looking for a looser structure than that offered by many homeowners’ associations, a neighborhood association might be the ticket. Found more often in areas close to Atlanta’s downtown than in the suburbs, neighborhood associations frequently act as advocates for a community, working with elected officials on improvements and taking actions to enhance the area’s quality of life.
A neighborhood association is typically less concerned with enforcing standards for appearance, and more concerned with issues that affect the community, says Nancy Dorsner of the Lake Claire Neighbors.
“Really it’s just having an organization that can represent the neighborhood when things come up like school redistricting,” she says. “It’s a whole lot easier for the association to get face time with elected representatives. Every person in the neighborhood can’t get a meeting with our city council person. We can speak with one voice on neighborhood issues, like recommending that a traffic light should be changed.”
Although the name suggests that it’s an HOA, the 1,200-member Dunwoody Homeowners Association is actually closer to a neighborhood association in function. The Dunwoody HOA covers the entire city of Dunwoody, a DeKalb County suburb with a population of about 46,000. With events including Food Truck Thursdays, a Fourth of July parade and live concerts, “We very much add to the quality of life in our city,” says longtime member Stacey Harris. The group also hosts candidates’ forums for city council and mayoral elections.
The Lake Claire Neighbors group seldom, if ever, tackles issues relating to the appearance of individual homes. “Even though we may have an issue of growing grass too long, we prefer the more flexible and free approach to how our neighborhood evolves,” says Dorsner. “Our neighborhood is laid back. We like the fact that it’s quirky and interesting. We don’t have to have all matching mailboxes.”
Remember that HOAs and neighborhood associations are different entities that serve different functions, and be aware of what each offers and what you want when you’re investigating a particular community. Good luck!
IMPORTANT FACTS
• An HOA is a group of property owners with the authority to enforce rules concerning such issues as yard work, uniformity of appearance and safety. • A neighborhood association is a group of neighbors and business owners concerned with such issues as quality of life. • If you move into a community with an HOA, membership is generally mandatory. • Most condominium communities are HOAs. • Some HOAs have restrictions about parties, noise, etc. • HOAs usually own and maintain community property, such as roads, swimming pools, etc.
Old Town Lilburn Is Growing
A HISTORIC DOWNTOWN LOOKS TO THE FUTURE
The city of Lilburn is one of the metro area’s hidden gems. Its small-town feel and convenience to Atlanta (downtown is 22 miles away) make it one of the area’s most desirable destinations for new families. And this Gwinnett County community is currently growing, developing its historic downtown, creating new housing and commercial spaces for families and young professionals.
Much of this work is focused on the Old Town downtown district, the beating heart of Lilburn, known for its walkable mix of restaurants, shops and attractions like Lilburn City Park and the Camp Creek Greenway.
The Main Street Townes at Lilburn, a new mixed-use development, offers a number of modern, built-to-rent townhomes facing Old Town’s vibrant Main Street, with more homes currently under construction. The development is also slated to include 15,000 square feet of retail space.
Another project in the works, a commercial development at 112 Main Street, aims to transform the corner of Main Street and Railroad Avenue across from 1910 Public House, with three new buildings joining the Cofer Electrical building. The first of those new buildings is slated to feature more than 6,000 square feet, with two restaurant anchors and an outdoor dining deck.
Developers and city leaders envision the popular Hope Springs Distillery moving into this space from its current home around the corner on Railroad Avenue. Plans call for that Railroad Avenue space to house 275 luxury apartments looking out on the Camp Creek Greenway Trail.
The city is also hard at work on infrastructure projects including raised crosswalks across Main Street and some new sidewalk areas, designed to make this booming neighborhood even more pedestrian-friendly to accommodate the influx of new arrivals drawn by the area’s lush greenspace and comfortable, intimate atmosphere. For more information on Lilburn, visit cityoflilburn.com.
Ponce City Market Central Food Hall
neighborhood SPOTLIGHT
Old Fourth Ward
By Jackson Reeves
Located on the east side of Atlanta, the Old Fourth Ward boasts Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthplace, a central hub for the BeltLine, along with a thriving nightlife and foodie scene. Situated just west of Inman Park, the area is at the crux of Atlanta’s booming downtown neighborhood revival. It was part of the historic Fourth Ward political area until the 1950s, when Atlanta changed to a district system.
Ebenezer Baptist Church 525 Park Housing
For young professionals, the Old Fourth Ward’s hip environs offer plenty of appeal— and the neighborhood’s residential choices can rival those found in more established enclaves, such as Buckhead. 525 Park (info@525park.com), which opened in 2020 and includes 97 one- and two-bedroom condos, is so popular that all the units have sold out but some are available for rent. Located near the BeltLine’s Eastside Trail, the Mariposa Loft Apartments (678-742-5190) offer luxury one- and two-bedroom units. ParkHaus (470-839-6010), a new four-story townhouse development, is only a mile from Ponce City Market.
Arts and Entertainment
Looking for a place to catch some of the best local musical talent? Look no further than Venkman’s (venkmans.com), a restaurant/bar co-owned by Nick Niespodziani and Peter Olsen of the band Yacht Rock Revue, which occasionally performs there along with countless other musicians. If you’re seeking a more upscale, wine-centric dinner-and-a-show experience, check out City Winery Atlanta (citywinery.com/atlanta), which brings in top national acts for concerts and other events.
Ponce City Market Tower Terrace
THE INSIDE TRACK:
Mostly developed in the years following the Civil War, the neighborhood is one of the oldest in Atlanta. Boulevard, the central roadway of the Old Fourth Ward, has evolved repeatedly throughout its history— more than 100 years. Then call it a night at Sister Louisa’s Church
of the Living Room and Ping Pong Empo-
rium (sisterlouisaschurch.com). It’s exactly the sort of hip dive bar that it sounds like.
Culinary Treats
Ponce City Market (404-900-7900) features such offerings as sushi and sashimi at Miso Ko, deep-fried chicken at Hop’s Chicken and tacos at Minero. On the other end of the neighborhood, Krog Street Market (thekrogdistrict.com) includes such restaurants as Makimono and Superica. For tasty dessert options, check out Jake’s Ice Cream at Irwin Street Market (678-705-7945).
Local Treasures
Nestled just south of the Civil Rights leader’s birthplace, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site (404-331-5190) features an exhibit on the movement and the man, titled “Courage to Lead,” along with special exhibits in the D.R.E.A.M Gallery. Across the street, you can visit where King delivered his first sermon at the pulpit, Ebenezer Baptist Church (404-688-7300). Right off the BeltLine, Historic Fourth Ward Park (404-5466757) includes a skate park and hosts the neighborhood’s annual arts festival. N
