As we step into 2025, I’m reflecting on an incredible year in real estate. Despite the shifts in the 2024 market, Intown neighborhoods like Morningside continued to thrive. With demand at an all-time high and inventory remaining low, we witnessed record-breaking resale numbers. I’ve always said, “The nicer and more turnkey a home is, the better it sells,” and this past year proved that to be true.
If you’re considering a move—whether relocating, selling, or simply exploring what your home might be worth—I’d love to help you achieve maximum results. Together, we can create a strategic plan to position your home for success.
As a Morningside resident for more than two decades and over 20 years of experience in the Intown Atlanta and luxury markets, I bring deep expertise and a proven track record. The best sales start with thoughtful planning. Let’s connect and put together the perfect plan for your home in 2025!
Here’s to a year filled with joy, new beginnings, and all things real estate. Cheers! -Ken
Editorial
Collin Kelley
Executive Editor
Beth McKibben
Editor-in-Chief
Sr. Editor Food & Dining
Cathy Cobbs
Managing Editor, Reporter Newspapers
Sammie Purcell
Associate Editor
Staff Writers
Dyana Bagby, Katie Burkholder, Bob Pepalis, Logan C. Ritchie Contributors
Each month, 27,000 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, delivery@roughdraftatlanta.com
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As Atlanta Intown begins its 31st year there are some housekeeping changes to note as we start the new year.
EDITOR'S NOTE
After more than two years as editor of the Reporter Newspapers, I am thrilled to announce that veteran journalist Cathy Cobbs is now taking on that role. Cathy brings a wealth of knowledge and news savvy to the Reporter territories so the newspapers will be in very good hands. I will still collaborate with Cathy on the Buckhead Reporter since it crosses boundaries with Intown.
As executive editor, I will be focused on bringing you the news of Intown while starting my new role as the editor of Georgia Voice.
My colleague Dyana Bagby will be editing a brand-new LGBTQ-focused newsletter called Crosswalk which you can subscribe to by scanning the QR code below. This new newsletter will hit your inboxes every Wednesday. Dyana has a long history covering the LGBTQ community and is a former editor at both Georgia Voice and its forerunner, Southern Voice.
Speaking of newsletters, our awardwinning list of titles will continue to grow in 2025 as we begin weekly curated newsletters for Sandy Springs and Brookhaven. If you live in Tucker or Dunwoody, Cathy already has you covered with her newsletters offering a fun and informative look at the news and goings-on.
Along with Cathy taking over editorial duties at the Reporter, my colleague Beth McKibben is expanding her duties beyond food editor to become our editor-in-chief, managing operations, training, social media strategies, and more for our expanding editorial team.
It’s an exciting time to be part of the Rough Draft team as we continue to grow and solidify our place as one of metro Atlanta’s trusted news outlets. Our readership continues to thrive and our presence online and social media, especially Instagram (that’s @ roughdraftatl if you’re not already following us), has become the digital front door to coverage you won’t find anywhere else. We continue to strengthen our partnerships with partner outlets – including Capitol Beat, Georgia Recorder, GPB, Healthbeat, and the AJC – to make RoughDraftAtlanta.com your one-stop destination for a look at the day’s news.
With the addition of Georgia Voice, we’ll also be accessing LGBTQ coverage from partners around the country –including the award-winning Washington Blade – that resonates with readers here in Georgia.
As I said in last month’s letter, the next four years are going to be challenging and full of uncertainties for many of our readers. Beyond the concerns of the LGBTQ community, there are real questions about healthcare, education, the economy, and immigration that will touch our readers at the hyperlocal level. We’ll be bringing you those stories and coverage daily on our website and in the pages of our publications.
As we begin 2025, I encourage you to share our work with your friends and family, let folks know about our newsletters, and help us continue to build a locally owned news organization where you can always find factual information about your communities.
The January issue you’re reading now features our annual 20 Under 20 honorees – students from across the metro who have given back to their communities in extraordinary ways. We had more than 100 nominations, a record in the 16 years we’ve been presenting 20 Under 20. You can learn more about their accomplishments starting on page 15.
Also in this issue, you’ll find our firstever Best New Restaurants list (Page 32). Beth spent a large part of 2024 dining at local eateries to choose these honorees, so you’ll definitely want to add these to your menu of new places to try in 2025. Meanwhile, our contributor Kathy Dean spoke with local realtors to get their predictions for Intown’s real estate market over the next 12 months (Page 35).
I think the January issue encapsulates so much of what makes Atlanta such a dynamic place to live, work, and play. Whether you’re a longtime reader or just picking up your first issue, thank you for taking a moment out of your day to read Intown.
Collin Kelley
Parents of ‘Cop City’ protester killed by state troopers file lawsuit
By Dyana Bagby
The parents of Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, who was killed while protesting the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center nearly two years ago, are suing three officers they believe conducted the raid that caused the activist’s death.
Paez Teran, who identified as nonbinary and used they/them pronouns, was fatally shot by Georgia State Patrol troopers on Jan. 18, 2023, when multiple police agencies led by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation carried out an armed raid against people camping in Intrenchment Creek Park.
Those camping at the public park, located within the South River Forest in DeKalb County, are known as forest defenders and were there to peacefully protest construction of the nearby training center, commonly called “Cop City.”
The lawsuit aims to find out what happened leading up to the shooting that resulted in the 26-year-old activist’s body being “riddled” with bullets, said attorney Brian Spears of Spears & Filipovits, a metro Atlanta civil rights law firm representing Paez Teran’s parents, Joel Paez and Belkis Teran.
“Why was this organized the way in which it was done, and why was Manuel confronted by officers primed with guns drawn to prevent Manuel from camping in a public park?” Spears asked at a Dec. 17 press conference in Decatur.
“The story of Manuel’s death is still being written,” Spears said. “The objective of this lawsuit is to learn the truth about who planned the raid and to hold them responsible.”
Law enforcement authorities said Paez Teran — also known as Tortuguita, which is Spanish for “little turtle" — shot at troopers first and they returned fire in self-defense.
The GBI and state troopers do not wear body cameras, so there is no footage of the shooting. The GBI investigated the fatal shooting despite the fact that it was the lead agency in the raid. No criminal charges were brought against the troopers who shot Paez Teran.
Attorney Jeff Filipovits said at the press conference the raid followed months of police agencies “demonizing” Cop City protesters as “terrorists” and was “retaliation for engaging in political speech that was disfavored by law enforcement.”
“The facts are, Manuel was camped in
a public park that was open to the public, that had not been closed, that was not subject to any closure order,” he said.
“And law enforcement went into that public space that had been used for months as a meeting ground, as a community ground, as a central place for the political opposition to Cop City, and they went in with an order to arrest anyone inside that park,” he said.
“This was a public forest, not the site of the construction,” said Filipovits. “They went in there and they cleared it out. No warning — you’re under arrest. So that, to us, is unacceptable.”
Eshé Collins wins Atlanta City Council seat in runoff
By Dyana Bagby
Eshé Collins won the Dec. 3 runoff to fill a citywide seat on the Atlanta City Council that’s been vacant for almost a year.
Results from DeKalb and Fulton counties show Collins easily defeated Nicole “Nikki” Evans Jones in the runoff for the Post 3 At-Large seat.
Collins, a member of the Atlanta Board of Education, garnered about 8,800 votes, or 60%, with Evans receiving nearly 5,900 votes for 40%.
In the Nov. 5 special election, with five candidates in the race, Evans received 40% of the vote and Collins got 25%, forcing the runoff because no one received the 50%+1 needed to win.
The Post 3 At-Large seat has been open since March when Keisha Sean Waites stepped down to run an unsuccessful campaign for Fulton County clerk.
Collins will fill the rest of Waites’ term that expires Dec. 31, 2025. All Atlanta City Council seats are up for election on Nov. 4, 2025. Collins will have to run
again next year if she wants to remain on the council.
She will also have to step down from the Atlanta Public Schools board to take the seat on the city council.
Collins has served three terms as the District 6 representative on the Atlanta school board, winning her first term in 2013. She was re-elected in 2017 and 2021. Her term expires the end of next year.
The Atlanta Board of Education will hold an election on Nov. 4, 2025, for Districts 2, 4, 6, and Seat 8 At-Large.
Collins has said the Atlanta Board of Education would have to appoint someone to fill the remainder of her term because she is leaving the seat with less than a year before the election.
She explained that in 2022, when she chaired the school board, Jason Esteves
The defendants are GBI Special Agent Ryan Long and Georgia State Patrol Troopers Mark Lamb and Bryland Myers.
The complaint alleges that Long planned the raid, targeting Paez Teran and fellow protestors because of their opposition to Cop City, in violation of their First Amendment rights.
Long also knew the protesters were camping on public land in DeKalb County’s Intrenchment Creek Park and were not trespassing, yet instructed officers under his command to arrest everyone in the park for criminal trespass, according to the lawsuit.
Troopers Lamb and Myers falsely arrested Paez Teran based on that order and used excessive force by shooting pepper balls into their tent, violating Manuel’s Fourth Amendment rights, according to the lawsuit.
“Why did this happen to my child?” Belkis Terán said at the press conference. “I deserve answers. I deserve a proper investigation.”
The Atlanta Public Safety Training Center opened in December.
resigned from the school board after being elected to the Georgia state Senate. The board appointed Jessica Johnson to fill out the year remaining in his term.
The Atlanta Board of Education’s charter says the school board must appoint someone to fill Collins’ seat because her leaving the post is occurring less than a year before the Nov. 4, 2025, election.
“If the [board] vacancy occurs one year or less prior to the date of the general election at which a successor will be elected to a new full term of office, the remaining members of the Board shall, by majority vote, select a qualified person to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term,” the charter says.
DeKalb County Runoff Results
In the runoff election for DeKalb County District 3, Nicole Massiah won with 5,491 votes, or nearly 76%. Andrew W. Bell received 1,736 votes, for 24% of the total.
LeDona Bolton won the District 7 runoff with 9,628 votes, or 70.3%, while Jacqueline Adams trailed 4,065 votes, or nearly 30%.
Manuel Perez Teran (File)
Eshé Collins (File)
News RoundUp
Steve Mensch, the president and general manager of studio operations at Tyler Perry Studios, died in a single-seater plane crash in Florida on Dec. 6. Mensch had served in the role since 2016, managing Perry’s 300-acre studio in southwest Atlanta.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Sat., Dec. 14 that he will nominate former Buckhead cityhood leader Bill White as his ambassador to Belgium. White raised millions for Trump’s campaign while actively pushing for the Georgia Legislature to put a referendum on the ballot to split Buckhead into its own municipality in 2022 and 2023.
The Atlanta City Council approved spending $1.7 million for more security at the controversial public safety training center site dubbed “Cop City” by its opponents. Atlanta Police Department officials say the funding is needed due to “the continued threats of violence” and vandalism at the site in south DeKalb.
Pair of restoration projects launch at Grant Park
By Collin Kelley
The Grant Park Conservancy (GPC) recently broke ground on two major restoration projects located on the southern side of Atlanta’s oldest public park.
The first initiative underway is the $230,000 revival of the historic Abana Courtyard, which once served as “a popular destination for relaxation and socializing throughout the early 20th century,” but closed following the drainage of Lake Abana in the 1960s, according to GPC.
Among the aims of the project include replacing aging asphalt with eco-friendly
permeable pavers, addressing longstanding drainage issues, expanding green spaces, as well as installing an iron rail on top of the brick wall that surrounds the courtyard.
Once complete, the courtyard will reopen to the public for the first time in more than 50 years.
The other initiative taking place at Grant Park is the Southeast Quadrant project, which is occurring at the intersection of Atlanta and Boulevard Avenues.
As part of its ongoing mission of enhancing Grant Park, GPC said that the Southeast Quadrant project will look to “create a welcoming plaza” through various enhancements made to the area.
Happy New Year!
The Atlanta Opera has received a $27.5 million gift from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and will name its future permanent home the Molly Blank Center for Opera. The center will be constructed on Woodward Way in Buckhead incorporating the historic Bobby Jones Clubhouse.
Some of these efforts include upgrading pathways, expanding greenspaces, installing native plants and improving drainage; along with pedestrian safety initiatives, such as widening sidewalks and increasing separation from vehicular traffic.
Additionally, the project will see the construction of an educational plaza at the base of Fort Walker, which will feature informational signage displaying the long history of Grant Park.
“We’re thrilled to restore these iconic sites, which not only tell the story of Grant Park but are also a part of Atlanta’s history,” said Michelle Blackmon, executive director of the Grant Park Conservancy. “Our heartfelt thanks go to the generous supporters and donors that make it possible for us to reclaim these spaces for future generations.”
At the current moment, there is no estimated timetable of completion for both Grant Park projects.
As work progresses, GPC said that it is calling on the community for support to help fund these major projects.
Financial contributions can be made at www.gpconservancy.org/donate.
Photos courtesy Grant Park Conservancy.
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Proposal to allow data centers in Atlanta’s West End shelved by city council
By Dyana Bagby
A proposal that would have allowed data centers be built in Adair Park and Historic West End neighborhoods was dropped at the Atlanta City Council’s Dec. 2 meeting following community pushback and the mayor’s opposition.
Councilmember Antonio Lewis had introduced the legislation to permit a data center near the West End MARTA station. The legislation would have amended the council’s vote in September to ban construction of data centers within a halfmile of the Atlanta Beltline and MARTA stations.
Lewis said at a Nov. 25 zoning committee meeting his proposal was to ensure there were no difficult restrictions to possible development and redevelopment of properties in the area. But in the face of community pushback and Mayor Andre Dickens’ request that the council oppose the proposed ordinance, Lewis announced ahead of the vote he would be dropping it.
Residents in the area came out strongly against the idea. Neighborhood Planning Unit V, which includes those living in Adair Park, Capitol Gateway, Mechanicsville, Peoplestown, Pittsburgh and Summerhill, voted against recommending approval of the legislation.
NPU T and residents from neighborhoods including Ashview Heights, Atlanta University Center, West End and Westview voted against the proposal. The city’s zoning review board also voted against recommending approval as did the city’s planning staff.
Before the Dec. 2 council meeting, Dickens sent a letter to members urging them to not support the legislation. He
said the construction of a data center in the area could “hamper if not stall” the redevelopments of Mall West End, Murphy’s Crossing and other potential new major developments.
A recent report from commercial real estate services firm CBRE states data centers under construction in metro Atlanta increased by 76% during the first half of 2024 as demand from artificial intelligence and cloud providers continues to grow, Dickens noted in his letter.
Data centers put enormous strains on a city’s water and power grid, the mayor said, and also require large sites while generating few jobs and community benefits.
“While important, data centers can also make it more difficult to develop affordable housing, grocery, greenspace, and retail, which are all more suitable projects for the urban core of our city which is why I supported the recent ban on data centers in certain areas recently approved by council,” the mayor said in his letter.
“The council was right then, and it would be beneficial for the communities we serve if you all stick with that judgement now. Moreover, the centers are being pushed into underserved, traditionally African-American areas that have been starved of equitable development and amenities. This is unacceptable. The increased interest in data centers and the attractiveness of valuable real estate means that I must be on the record with my concerns,” Dickens said.
Georgia Power said it projects that over the next decade the state will be leading the nation in data centers which could triple the state’s energy consumption.
The QTS Data Center in Northwest Atlanta is located near the Atlanta Beltline. (Via Google Maps)
NextGen Bus Network
Atlanta’s jail diversion program rooted in LGBTQ+ activism
By Dyana Bagby
Since its inception in 2017, the Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative (PAD) has garnered national attention for its innovative approach to crisis response in Atlanta.
Instead of relying on police to arrest individuals facing mental health crises, causing disturbances due to substance abuse, or homelessness, PAD provides an alternative model — one that focuses on community-based care and support.
When PAD’s long-standing contract with the city expired this year, Mayor Andre Dickens requested the new contract be awarded based on a competitive bid process. PAD was the only agency that submitted a proposal this spring. In July, the city awarded PAD the $5 million contract for a two-year extension with options for more renewals.
their communities and that their vision could include all people who are deeply marginalized and criminalized,” Macias said.
The “banishment ordinance” eventually died. But the vision remained.
In 2015, community leaders, legal system partners and elected officials traveled to Seattle to learn about Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD). That year, the Atlanta City Council and Fulton County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to establish the PAD Design Team.
In 2016, the team launched an 18-month process to design the local pilot of a diversion and care navigation strategy, based on the LEAD model. The next year, in 2017, PAD began accepting diversion in four Atlanta Police Department beats.
Faster Increased frequency and improved efficiency
Better Greater accessibility and flexibility
The organization planned how it would use the money to hire more staff, expand its services and broaden community engagement with the recent opening of the Center for Diversion and Services. The money didn’t come, though.
Dickens and his team stalled legislation to authorize the contract.
The administration opened a special, closed-door procurement process for the same contract. PAD was not invited to participate. Dozens of community members and criminal justice reform advocates pleaded with council members to fund PAD’s work.
When no agency responded to the closed-door request for proposal, the council pushed back against the mayor and approved the contract extension at its Nov. 18 meeting.
“For us, this is so much bigger than any one contract. It’s really about what our vision for how Atlanta can serve people,” said PAD Executive Director Moki Macías. “There’s so much more weight to it because of that.”
The model the nonprofit uses to assist some of the city’s most vulnerable residents traces its roots to queer and transgender activists of color.
In 2013, when the city council was set to pass a “banishment ordinance” targeting trans sex workers in Midtown, local groups including Racial Justice Action Center, Women on the Rise, LaGender, and Trans(forming), came together to form Solutions Not Punishment Collaboration (SnapCo).
They rallied a broad coalition of Atlantans to demand criminal justice reform and propose more effective approaches to public safety, said Macías, who identifies as a queer femme.
“It is relevant that PAD evolved from a vision by Black, Brown, queer and transgender people seeking safety in
In 2020, the LEAD Bureau selected PAD to serve as one of seven sites nationally as a model site for Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion and the Atlanta City Council unanimously approved a substantial funding increase to expand PAD citywide.
The same year, PAD led a design process for the expansion into Community Response Services with ATL311. The group studied more than three years of 911 call data, co-hosted three virtual listening sessions with 15 other organizations, surveyed city of Atlanta residents and convened six stakeholder working groups.
And in 2021, PAD partnered with Atlanta’s non-emergency 311 city services line to begin its community response services for quality of life concerns related to mental health, substance use, or extreme poverty.
Since launching the citywide mobile response teams in 2021, PAD has responded to 6,275 calls which diverted people from law enforcement contact or arrest.
“It’s not just about us providing these services day-to-day. It’s also about the fact that we really built this model with the people who are served by it,” Macías said.
As of December, PAD received over 1,300 calls through ATL311; diverted more than 250 people from being booked in jail; and provided 752 people with case management, including housing, transportation, food, and healthcare assistance.
The new contract is slated to go into effect Jan. 1. Macías said PAD’s focus will be about raising public awareness that people can call 311 — and not 911 — to ask for assistance when they see someone in crisis.
“We work for the city of Atlanta, we serve the people of Atlanta, and we work in partnership with the city of Atlanta’s 311 line. We were designed to do this work,” she said.
Portman completes Ten Twenty Spring office tower
By Collin Kelley
Portman has completed Ten Twenty Spring, a 530,000-square-foot, Class-A office tower and key component of the mixed-use Spring Quarter development in Midtown.
According to a press release, Ten Twenty Spring features modern, 32,000-square-foot-plus floor plates and 10-foot panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows – a first-of-its-kind for Atlanta.
The tower is outfitted with 15,000 square feet of private terraces and 20,000 square feet of amenities, including an amenity floor with a tenant lounge, indoor/outdoor bar, skyline views and 10,000 square feet of green space. Sozou, a new Japanese modern concept from Chef Fuyuhiko Ito, will open at the ground floor of Ten Twenty Spring in Summer 2025. In addition to the main dining space, the team will debut Omakase by Ito on the office tower’s 8th-floor rooftop.
particularly for new-to-market deals with large-block requirements, we know that prospects will see the competitive advantages of officing in Spring Quarter’s modern and energetic mixed-use environment.”
At the heart of Spring Quarter is the historic H.M. Patterson Home and Gardens, which is open to the community and office tenants. Portman is creating a day-to-night dining experience in all 24,000 square feet of the reimagined building and has thoughtfully added paseos and patios throughout Spring
“Portman has a decades-long legacy of developing world-class hotels, and this same caliber of design, hospitality and amenities is felt in every corner of Ten Twenty Spring,” said Travis Garland, Managing Director for Portman, in the release. “There is no other office building in the market that offers a more integrated, activated and amenitized office experience in a mixed-use setting, and there won’t be for several years. As demand returns,
Quarter to connect the modern skyscrapers to the Patterson’s gardens and street-level retail.
Sora, Spring Quarter’s 370-unit luxury residential tower opened in Fall 2023 and is 94% leased. The ground floor of Sora includes retail space that is already home to Pepper Boxing. Habaneros, a contemporary Mexican restaurant, will open at Sora in Spring 2025.
To learn more about the project, visit springquarter.com.
Ten Twenty Spring Street (Images courtesy Portman)
SUSTAINABILITY
‘Bad actor’ law needed to safeguard people and nature
For nearly a week last fall, a massive plume of chlorine-contaminated smoke poured into metro Atlanta skies from a manufacturing facility in Conyers. Seventeen thousand people were evacuated. The entire population of Rockdale County—nearly 100,000 people—was ordered to shelter in place, and an interstate highway was shut down. Twentyfive miles away in the city of Atlanta, my daughter-in-law smelled the chlorine in the air and wondered if it was safe to take my five-week-old grandson outside.
A fire had ignited early on a Sunday morning in late September at a pool and spa chemical company near Interstate 20: the major east-west connector between Atlanta and Augusta. Toxic acid stored at the BioLab facility (trichloroisocyanuric or trichlor) had come into contact with water from a (likely faulty) sprinkler system. The volatile reaction resulted in billowing clouds of thick, black smoke that posed a threat to visibility and public health, including respiratory problems, skin irritations, and long-term conditions such as lung and heart disease.
ABOVE THE WATER LINE
The fire was contained fairly quickly, but reignited midday and was then brought back under control later in the afternoon. As the wind shifted over subsequent days, the chemical plume “banked down” and moved throughout Rockdale County and into eastern portions of the city of Atlanta. Mayor Andre Dickens advised city residents to take precautions and reduce outdoor activities.
A review of BioLab’s track record of environmental and safety violations is alarming, but there’s a larger story to be told. Local, state, and federal agencies too often fail to hold businesses accountable for their actions, allowing them to dodge reasonable requirements to safeguard the general public, property, and the environment.
Definition of ‘bad actor’
The disaster that closed areas in metro Atlanta last fall marks at least the fourth significant incident at the Conyers BioLab plant over two decades—in addition to multiple working condition violations, fines, and federal investigations in Georgia and Louisiana. Despite these repeated failures, the company has faced minimal
consequences, revealing systemic issues with government oversight of facilities handling dangerous materials.
In 2004, an explosion at BioLab produced a thick gray plume of toxic smoke that shut down Interstate 20 and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes. In 2010, a fire at the facility caused a chlorine cloud that led to the closing of nearby roads. Five years later, six county firefighters were injured while fighting a BioLab fire that erupted in chemical pallets stored outside. In 2020, yet another chemical fire broke out in a warehouse; nine firefighters were hospitalized for chemical inhalation. Last February, the state notified the company that it was violating federal hazardous waste disposal laws. And, then, there was the fire and chemical reaction that began this past September.
Demands from local residents, state leaders, and environmental groups to shut down the BioLab facility permanently came within days of the recent incident,
as they have after each of the previous disasters. They are also requesting information about the poor incident response among agencies and the county’s decision to shutter its local emergency planning committee five years ago. Under pressure, Rockdale’s commissioners have filed a federal lawsuit. The Georgia Conservation Voters Education Fund launched the Shut Down BioLab Coalition (shutdownbiolab.com) to hold the company accountable.
Corporate capture?
With such an abysmal record, why has BioLab’s business license not been revoked by the Rockdale County Commission? In operation for more than fifty years, the company is one of the county’s biggest employers and has enjoyed a close relationship with local leaders, according to news reports. A few years ago, BioLab received a 10-year property tax break for a new facility, among other incentives. Why has the Georgia Environmental
Protection Division (EPD) not revoked BioLab’s permits? Environmental attorneys say the EPD director has the authority to take whatever measures necessary to protect public health, including permit revocation. Why hasn’t this happened? Some observers point to the Georgia code, which says EPD “shall” issue permits to applicants and note this language presents an impediment to stronger state action; others believe it offers a convenient excuse for regulators to allow bad actor corporations to continue operating. As governors love to remind us: Georgia is the “top state” for doing business in the country.
Why has the U.S. EPA not heeded the repeated recommendations of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board over two decades and put the disinfectant trichlor on the federal list of reactive chemicals that require additional risk-management plans? Have all these government agencies been “captured” by the very companies they are charged with regulating?
The Georgia Legislature
Last winter, the Georgia Legislature considered a bill proposed by Rep. Rick Townsend (R-Brunswick), which would have allowed EPD to investigate the environmental and other records of permit applicants for previous poor behavior; the information could be extremely useful in guiding the agency’s decisions on permit issuance, conditions, reissuance, or revocation. Many other states have enacted similar bad actor laws, including Florida. HB 1169 would have simply amended Georgia law to say EPD “may” issue permits, rather than “shall.”
At a natural resources subcommittee meeting held on February 15, 2024, lobbyists for the chemical and pulp and paper industries invoked their usual complaints: unintended consequences for their corporate clients, force majeure (violations caused by “acts of God”), problems with allowing regulatory discretion, uncertainty about the proclivities of future EPD leaders, different environmental standards in other states, and weather. The bill died.
The 2025 session of the Georgia Legislature begins on January 13. It is possible that Rep. Townsend or others will again introduce bad actor legislation—that they will work to safeguard the people of Georgia and their homes, instead of corporate profits. In this season of hope, I am cautiously, but not overly, optimistic.
Sally Bethea
The BioLab fire in Conyers occurred Sept. 29. (Photo provided by Rockdale County)
FOCUS ON EDUCATION
Rough Draft presents our 16th annual 20 Under 20 honorees for 2025. As in past years, we are in awe of these students’ abilities to juggle their education while giving back to the community in such meaningful ways. We were also in awe of the record number of nominations this year – more than 100 from across the metro. From creating nonprofits and fundraising to flying airplanes into disaster zones and creating online platforms to bring people together, this year’s honorees have gone above and beyond to bring positivity and leadership to the community. While narrowing down this year’s honorees and runners-up was the toughest ever, we think these students will inspire and motivate you to give back to your communities.
– Collin Kelley
AKaris Stewart, 16, and Margaret Tsianti, 17 Midtown High School
s a junior, Karis co-founded the Midtown High chapter of Impact Teen Drivers, which seeks to end distracted driving by encouraging ways for drivers and passengers to stay focused on the road. She actively trained and recruited students to volunteer to create posters and flyers and make health class presentations about ways kids could positively impact driving habits. As a founding member of the organization, Margaret leads the group as outreach coordinator and contest organizer to help expand the club’s activities to other schools in the area in hopes of growing chapters of the clubs among a broader group of students.“Giving back to my community means using my abilities to uplift the community any way that I can,” Karis said. Margaret echoed those sentiments, stating, “Interacting with others gives me a sense of connectedness and belonging to the community, which makes me happier and helps me grow as an individual."
The twins moved to Atlanta from New York City during the pandemic and immediately began looking for a way to help their new community. Disturbed by the number of homeless people and food insecurity they witnessed in the city, the brother and sister launched The Atl Seva Project. In Punjabi, the word seva means “selfless service,” and the nonprofit immediately launched a series of sandwich drives to help local organizations address food insecurity. The organization has also branched into teaching students financial literacy and career mentorship. “The most gratifying part of giving back has been the engagement with the community,” the duo said. “Every single interaction has been uplifting and continually reinforces our desire to do our part in making a positive difference in our community.”
Veer & Saachi Singh, 16
The Westminster Schools
For the past three years, Miguel has been a volunteer with the John R. Lewis Legacy Institute, supporting initiatives like Camp Promise for young men, voter registration drives, and fundraisers for pancreatic cancer research. As captain of the lacrosse team, a member of the award-winning mock trial team, and a National Beta Club scholar, Miguel balances his school involvement with a passion for community impact. He plans to host a lacrosse clinic for inner-city middle school students. Recently, he broadened his global perspective through a German Exchange Program focused on Human Rights and social justice. “Giving back means embodying the principles of leaders like John Lewis—acting with courage, responsibility, and a commitment to creating a community—while fulfilling the moral duty to uplift others with dignity and respect, creating meaningful connections and lasting impact,” Miguel said.
Miguel Abrams, 16
Maynard H. Jackson High School
Ashley’s enthusiasm for biomedical engineering and lacrosse inspired her to establish a nonprofit dedicated to designing and developing “Hulk Hands,” protective gear for lacrosse goalies. These innovative shields are specifically crafted to protect goalies' gloves and prevent injuries. By 3D-printing these shields, Ashley provides an extra layer of safety. She has successfully distributed dozens of Hulk Hands to high schools across Georgia and is now expanding her outreach beyond the state and at the college level via hulkhandslax.com. “Giving back to the community has been an incredibly inspiring journey, as it has allowed me to use my passions and skills to make a real difference in people’s lives,” Ashley said. “Whether through school, lacrosse, or volunteering, the experience of giving back has contributed to my personal growth and helped me understand the true power of philanthropy in making a meaningful impact."
Abby Newton is a co-founder with Mary Caroline, Celia Gilliland and Riley Newton of the Atlanta Diabetes Charity, an organization dedicated to providing essential medical supplies to uninsured diabetics who face an average annual cost of $3,000 for their care. Recognizing this critical need, Abby and her team created a website to collect donations of unused supplies, which they deliver to clinics. Since its inception when the group was in 9th grade, the charity has donated approximately $500,000 worth of supplies. Abby is focused on expanding the charity’s reach, increasing donations, building partnerships with additional clinics, and transitioning the organization into a nonprofit. "I feel so grateful for this opportunity to alleviate the burden of pricey diabetic supplies for so many in Atlanta,” she said. “I hope that through ADC’s presence on social media, and an easily accessible website, others can start similar charities in other communities to assist diabetics."
IAlex Royal, 16 Riverwood International Charter School
One School Two Welcoming Campuses
n his sophomore year, Alex founded HealthPride (healthpride.org), a queer-focused nonprofit aimed at distributing free online and physical educational materials to high schools across the South that focus on mental health resources/hotlines and health education. Alex has worked with county directors and principals from all around Georgia and surrounding states to establish connections with 50+ schools, curate over 5,000 educational materials for distribution, and create sponsorships and collaborations with various organizations. In the summer prior to his junior year, Alex co-founded Metro Atlanta Students For Alternative Medicine (MASFAM. org), a nonprofit initiative that advocates for the rescheduling of cannabis and psychedelics. "Giving back to the community has opened my eyes on how to create opportunities for individuals facing adversity and produce meaningful change for the broader public,” Alex said.
Sandy Springs Campus Day and Boarding School
Buckhead Campus Day School
Developing Courageous Leaders
Ashley Nelson, 17 Chamblee High School
Abby Newton, 17 The Lovett School
After her diagnosis with Type 1 Diabetes in 2014, Amanda and her family established Marist’s One Walk for T1D, filling a void when the Atlanta Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) One Walk was canceled due to COVID. Amanda has led the walk for five years, growing it to one of the largest in the country. She actively participates in lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill, pressing for increased T1D research funding, works as a counselor at Camp Kudzu for diabetic kids, and interned with JDRF in 2022. She has also been a keynote speaker for the HOPE Gala, inspiring an audience of over 600. "From the moment I was diagnosed exactly ten years ago, I made it my mission to embrace this challenge, build a community of people like me, and encourage recently diagnosed kids to be brave,” Amanda said. “I am grateful for my friends, family, church, and school for supporting me throughout all the highs and lows of diabetes."
Shravya co-led a fundraising team for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LSS) Student Visionaries of the Year campaign, raising over $50,000 and earning the Hero Award. She now serves on the LLS Student Leadership Committee, mentoring her legacy team, guiding new student leaders and helping them continue Woodward’s legacy of service. She is entering her second year of fundraising with LLS. In addition to her work with LLS, Shravya serves on the Service Leadership Board at Woodward Academy and volunteers at the Jesse Draper Boys and Girls Club. She also co-founded a project that creates gift bags and writes letters for children with cancer. “Giving back to the community brings me immense joy and pleasure, it will always be a part of me,” Shravya said.
s a volunteer leader with Pebble Tossers, a youth development nonprofit, Will has served more than 480 hours, preparing over 1,700 sandwiches for The Sandwich Project, and making over 1,000 meal and hygiene kits for the families of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He has also donated more than 200 feminine hygiene packs for women and girls who are experiencing homelessness in metro Atlanta. His service mindset has reached beyond Georgia, having spent the last two summers helping some of the poorest, most remote villages in Northern Thailand and the Los Santos rainforest. As the current President of the Young Men’s Service League, Will has delivered over 5,000 meals for Open Hand Atlanta and served as a buddy for the Christopher League helping children with disabilities engage in the sport of baseball. "Giving back to the community has enabled me to develop valuable leadership skills and build a stronger connection with those in need,” Will said. “I remain enthusiastic about discovering new and impactful opportunities to make a noticeable difference in the world around me.”
Amanda Houston, 17 Marist School
Shravya Nandigam, 16 Woodward Academy
Will Vinci, 17 Holy Innocents' Episcopal School
For the first time ever, Rough Draft is recognizing a team of students who are working together to give back to their community. The CIPS Family Connection is made up of a coalition of high school seniors from across metro Atlanta. What began as after-school tutoring sessions in chess and soccer for elementary-aged students quickly grew into a mission with a broader reach. The team has since helped a homeless family find shelter, supported a teen aging out of foster care with job training, and contributed to individuals and families in crisis with food and clothing drives. The teens have also partnered with nonprofit Remerge/Giving Grace to accept and distribute donations. The team includes: H. Alex Darley, 17, Atlanta International School; Olivia Massar, 17, North Atlanta High School; Owen Radics, 18, Marist School; Viviana Cruz-Garcia, 17, Norcross High School; Naomi Hackett, 18, Atlanta International School; Zander Palenik, 17, Atlanta International School; and Owen Nolte, 18, Marist School.
CIPS Family Connections Team
Mackenzie wrote and published a 15-page research paper in the Curieux Academic Journal titled “Why We Need a Shift in the Social and Medical Model of Our Approach to Autism.”
A staunch proponent for the radical acceptance of autistic individuals, she recently presented her paper at the Symposium of Rising Scholars and will meet with executive leadership team members in January at the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center. She has also served dinners in shelters and participated in both Agape Way (feeding breakfast on the streets of Atlanta) and C.H.O.I.C.E.S. (The Center Helping Obesity In Children End Successfully). During the pandemic, she and her brother created Sibling Sous Chefs, LLC a nonprofit teaching children to cook. “As I continue this autism acceptance movement, I thoroughly believe that if each person changes their own perspective on neurodivergence, a shift towards inclusion and understanding of all people is possible,” Mackenzie said.
“An education of doing and creating.” Eva Edwards Lovett
At Lovett, students from kindergarten through 12th grade find joy and purpose by immersing themselves in intellectually rigorous, hands-on learning environments By design, students are offered experiences that deepen their cognitive, emotional, and social skills while inspiring an enduring enthusiasm for learning
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Join us between now and February 12 for a tour or shadow visit. Applications for the 2025-26 school year are due February 1
Mackenzie Jerrold, 17 Capstone Academy
For the past seven years, Kate has been involved with the nonprofit Swim Across America (SSA), which raises money for cancer research. She began as a school team participant in 6th grade and has participated every year since. She’s also served as an Angel Swimmer during SAA events, making sure that the less able swimmers stay afloat. Kate has been the team captain for her school for the past two years, and she is also a member of the SAA Atlanta Junior Advisory Board. In addition to recruiting peers to swim in the annual event, she has also raised money at school bake sales and organized Kona Ice fundraisers. She also paints commissioned pet portraits and donates 100% of the proceeds to SAA. On her own, Kate has raised over $8,000 for SAA, and this year, she led the Pace team to the highest fundraising total in school history. “The funds raised through the Atlanta chapter of Swim Across America benefit cancer research at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta,” Kate said. “I am so grateful that I have been able to use my love for swimming along with my artistic ability to directly impact my local community.”
Levi started flight training at the age of 12 and now holds a private pilot license. He puts that training to work by flying humanitarian missions, including most recently to North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. He and his co-pilot transported 250 pounds of relief supplies to hard-hit areas in the state. They have also volunteered to transport dogs to a shelter in Florida. The Weber senior is also a musician and entrepreneur, founding his own entertainment company providing DJ and MC services for social and corporate events and volunteering every year to DJ for the Save a Child’s Heart Foundation fundraising event. “To me, giving back to the community means contributing in ways that align with my passions, like flying and DJing,” Levi said. “ I hope to inspire others to find their own unique ways to give back while doing what they love.”
Elias observed that his piano playing sparked joy, comfort, and memories in his family members afflicted by Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia, including his recently diagnosed grandmother. That gave him the idea to start the nonprofit NOTEWORTHE Music to bring student musicians to perform for senior living communities and to raise funds to bring a music enrichment program to Emory Brain Health Center. He raised more than $10,000 to start music programming at Emory, and is on track to hit his $25K goal. The funds will go to programming design and for seniors to spend time with licensed music therapists. “I knew how much music meant to me, but I never imagined the kind of impact NOTEWORTHE Music could have on my community,” Elias said. “From inspiring students and bringing joy to seniors to bringing music therapy to Emory, it's been incredible to see music light up lives, especially for families affected by cognitive decline.”
Elias Kremer, 18
The Galloway School
Kate Cunningham, 18 Pace Academy
Levi Gordon, 17
The Weber School
Gabe launched the first Southeast chapter of PingPongParkinson, a nonprofit organization that uses the game to keep those suffering with Parkinson’s Disease active and engaged. His second cousin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at a young age and benefited from joining the organization. After many months of research, Zoom calls, outreach to neurology organizations, patient advocacy groups, and coaches, Gabe and a classmate launched PingPongParkinson in Atlanta. Since the spring of 2023, the group has met weekly on Sundays with professional coaches to develop and hone balance and motor skills. They have brought in additional volunteers and are helping to grow the footprint of the larger organization, which now boasts 100+ branches across six continents. And for Gabe, it's opened his eyes to new areas of interest, combining a love of the game with the ability to help others. "What started out as a way to help people through ping pong has become so much more. It has been rewarding to watch PingPongParkinson Atlanta transform into a community."
Gabe Elkinson, 17
The Paideia School
Maya spent part of the summer at Brown University in the Deciphering the Human Genome program, volunteering at the Shepherd Center, and founding her own jewelry business that donates 50% of its profits to ovarian cancer research. As President-Elect of the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) Girlfriends Association, she raises funds and organizes events to support patients and their families. Maya is a key member of the prestigious Innovation Diploma program at Mount Vernon, and had dedicated many hours to the Agape Youth and Family Center, where she mentors underserved children."Giving back to others is deeply ingrained in me and utilizing my passions to make meaningful contributions to my community is a driving force in my life,” she said. “I have learned that every act of service, no matter how big or small, has the potential to make a difference in someone’s life."
SSydni Hope, 16
Greater Atlanta Christian School
ydni is the two-term Teen Community Service & Foundation Chair for the Dunwoody Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, a national nonprofit organization that stimulates the growth and development of children. She is also an active participant in the Leaders of Tomorrow program with the National Black MBA Association. Sydni is also the founder and creator of Sports x Sparkle (IG: @sosportsxsparkle), an online community for individuals passionate about sports, sports medicine, and sports leadership. The platform promotes a positive mindset through adversity, celebrating the spirit of perseverance whether on or off the field. Her goal is to ultimately create a space where fans and athletes connect, uplift each other, and find strength through shared experiences and the pursuit of excellence. “I have always enjoyed giving back to the community, and I am reminded of the honor and privilege it has been for me to serve others and make an impact around the world,” she said.
The Mount Vernon School
100% of faculty and staff are committed Christians, partnering with families to nurture
Our Midtown location offers high schoolers weekly field trips that connect learning with real-world experiences.
32 average score on the ACT and 100% of our graduates are college-bound.
100% of our students launch their business as part of our Foundations entrepreneurship program.
Maya Chopra, 17
Both Maisie and Kaixuan have worked tirelessly for the AIS’s Against Human Trafficking organization to raise awareness, mobilize other students, and coordinate events. Maisie took part in CNN’s My Freedom Day to share anti-trafficking strategies with students in Zimbabwe, Brazil, and Italy. Kaixuan organized and led a film festival, which educated students on the realities of human trafficking, her leadership was essential in managing outreach to the Atlanta film community, coordinating professionals as judges, and handling communications and promotions to engage the school and local community. “Volunteering shows me that young people can make a significant impact,” Maisie said. “The connections I made through AIS Against Human Trafficking have helped me grow as a person.” Kaixuan said creating meaningful change was her driving force. “I hope to combat human trafficking by raising awareness about this issue that has plagued Atlanta and the lives of many around the world,” Kaixuan said.
Maisie Bruner, 18, and Kaixuan Guo, 17
Atlanta International School
Nathaniel is proud of his contributions to Blessing Bags of Warmth, a nonprofit supporting the homeless in Metro Atlanta, where he volunteers regularly. At school, he’s also actively involved in the Service Club and the International Club, where he took on a key role in organizing Hispanic Heritage Month. Helping his classmates celebrate their culture was especially meaningful for him, as he felt he was building a more inclusive and proud school community. "Giving back to the community gives me the greatest gift of all: knowing that I could make a difference in the lives of others,” he said.
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Nathaniel Jackson, 15 Academe of the Oaks
In response to Fentanyl-related overdoses and deaths at her school, Mady raised more than $11,000 to equip every classroom and public area at Dunwoody High with Narcan kits. She has expanded her fundraising drive to include education for students and training for teachers. She has also expanded her reach to offer guidance to other schools in the area to start similar fundraising efforts. “It felt so great going to classrooms and handing them [supplies of Narcan] out directly to teachers,” Mady said. “This isn’t just a Dunwoody High School problem, it’s a worldwide epidemic.”
Mady Cohen, 17
Dunwoody High School
Mary Sellers Conley, 16
The Westminster Schools
Mary created The Best Little Bookmobile, a nonprofit that brings donated books to neighborhoods where children lack access to reading materials.
Miriam Darb, 15
Midtown High School
Miriam organized a school-wide walkout and phone banking events to encourage people to vote for candidates who would support gun control in the wake of the Walton High School shooting.
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EN FRANKLIN ACADEMY
Katherine (Kate) Lim, 17
Chamblee High School
Kate recently received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for completing more than 100 service hours in a 12-month period. She is also active with Bagel Rescue's Teen Advisory Board and Pebble Tossers.
Mary Shamon Ayala, 17
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School
Mary was a participant at Caminar Latino, a non-profit in Georgia that helps Hispanic families going through domestic violence, and now volunteers bi-weekly with young children in the same situation.
Fiona Callahan, 16
Wesleyan School
Fiona led the Shoe Project fundraiser and has served on mission trips to the Dominican Republic twice which involved building a playground, mentoring children, and leading Vacation Bible School in Spanish.
Davis Kramer, 16
Saint Francis High School
Davis and his family created the nonprofit Special Operations Care Fund, which addresses critical gaps in healthcare, mental health, and family support for veterans. He also donates unique artwork from his business, Tiny Soldiers Flags, and has raised $200,000 to the nonprofit.
Sydney Moss, 17
Chamblee High School
Sydney holds an annual “Concert for a Cause,” which has raised more than $58,000 for biliary atresia (BA) research through the Sydney Moss Fund. Due to her fundraising efforts, the Transplant Education room at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s new Arthur M. Blank Hospital is named in her honor.
Gabe Alterman, 17
The Mount Vernon School
Gabe recently organized “Play Your Heart Out,” which brought together basketball teams from across the region for a fundraiser benefitting Save A Child’s Heart. The event raised an $55,000 for the charity.
Arabella Isaacs, 17
Atlanta International School
Arabella created teenhealthawareness.org in 2022 while working as a medical clinic volunteer. She also raises funds and awareness surrounding metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
Keren Clay, 16
Lakeside High School
A two-time survivor, Keren is active in numerous charities raising money for cancer research and is participating in the Swim Across America fundraiser, among other endeavors.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Atlanta stage actor Chris Kayser dead at 75
By Collin Kelley
Veteran Atlanta stage actor Chris Kayser died Dec. 3 at age 75, according to an announcement from the Alliance Theatre.
While no cause of death was reported, Arts ATL noted that the Atlanta native had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022.
Kayser was a regular on the Alliance stages for four decades, including roles in “A Christmas Carol” for 22 years, 16 times as Ebenezer Scrooge.
In addition to his work at the Alliance, Kayser was a company member of the seminal Academy Theater for nine years and a resident artist with Georgia Shakespeare for 25 years, according to a blog post from the Alliance.
Other notable roles included “Angels in America,” “Glengarry Glen Ross,”
“Grapes of Wrath” and “August, Osage County” at the Alliance, as well as lauded performances “Much Ado About Nothing” at Georgia Shakespeare and “King Lear” at Shakespeare Tavern.
Kayser also helped found Théâtre Du Rêve, the city’s French language theater. With Théâtre Du Rêve, he was able to tour theater in France six times.
Among his honors, Kayser was cited with the Lexus Leader in the Arts award by the City of Atlanta and named Best Actor by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Creative Loafing, and the Suzi Awards.
The Atlanta theatre community took to social media to share their grief and memories of Kayser, including playwright and director
Topher Payne, who called the loss “seismic.”
“His presence, his talent, his generosity, his work ethic,” Payne said in a Facebook post. “He was an essential support beam in the architecture of Atlanta theatre. His contributions simply cannot be overstated.”
Freddie Ashley, artistic director at Actor’s Express, also posted on Facebook, calling Kayser’s death “devastating.”
“His artistry was as impeccable as his kindness was enormous,” Ashley wrote. “Our collaborations were among my happiest, and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to make some beautiful theatre together following years of having simply been his fan. His death is a huge loss to the many who loved him onstage and off. Rest well.”
Art and tech intersect for artist Jolena Yao in ‘Moana 2’
By Sammie Purcell
When Jolena Yao first got to Georgia Tech, she thought her future would be in the technical side of animation. Now, she’s working in the space where art and tech intersect.
Yao, a Milledgeville native, worked as a Look Development Artist on “Moana 2,” the follow up to one of Disney’s most popular animated films of the last decade. For Yao, it was a dream come true – she loved the first film, and getting the opportunity to help bring the second one to life felt incredibly special.
As a Look Development Artist, Yao helped bring the world of “Moana 2” to life, translating 2D art into a threedimensional, computer graphics world. Rough Draft Atlanta recently spoke with Yao about her journey to animation and her work on the film.
What was your relationship to animation when you were younger? Did you always know you wanted to work in animation?
I know this might sound kind of cliché, but everyone grows up watching Disney movies. You watch VHS tapes on repeat – it’s really just that love for animation from an early age. But I didn’t really think I could go into it until later on in my life. Like, wow – people do that as a career. I thought that was really cool, once I found out. Wow, that’s a job I can do!
I know for me, I always had “Beauty and the Beast” on repeat. Did you have one that you made your parents play
over and over again? Ironically, it’s also “Beauty and the Beast.” I love that movie so much. It’s so good. What do you think drew you to that one in particular?
I think it’s because Belle is so smart, and she just is so true to herself. She loves to read, and I also loved to read as a kid. I see so much of myself in Belle.
Speaking of smart, I feel like your educational trajectory is not the usual one you see in this particular industry. I talk to so many people in animation who went to SCAD, or went a particular
way. You went to Georgia Tech and Texas A&M – could you talk a bit about what you studied there and how that has helped you in your career?
So, as you mentioned, I went to Georgia Tech, and I studied computer science. Originally, I thought I might have been more interested in going into the technical side of animation. Just because growing up, I wasn’t really the kid that was always drawing in a sketchbook. I was like, maybe the artistic side isn’t for me, so maybe I’ll just go into the more technical side. Then upon going through Tech and studying computer science, I was like,
maybe this isn’t really what I enjoy doing in the animation world. So after that, I decided to go to grad school to pursue my master’s degree at Texas A&M. They do a mixture of technical and artistic. I could kind of get in with my tech background, but then still also learn the artistic side. That’s where I learned my love of Look Development.
When you say the technical side of animation, what exactly do you mean? More like the software engineering side – like making software, fixing things, creating tools for animation to use. Was there one moment where you knew you should move toward the creative side? What was the wakeup call?
I was in a computer animation class at Tech. They were like, if you’re here because you love the way animation looks, this isn’t the class for you [laughs]. This is math, and physics and coding. I was like, oh, but I love the way it looks in the movie! Maybe this isn’t for me.
Switching gears to “Moana,” what was your relationship to the first movie?
Oh my gosh. I loved the first movie so much! It actually came out when I was in college, so I remember going to see it in the theaters, and I cried so much! It was particularly impactful for me, because I feel like it’s the first time in the modern era that you see a heroine of color in a CG movie. I was like, wow this is amazing! I would have loved to have something like this as a kid. It made me cry, especially knowing that kids growing up now get
Chris Kayser (Courtesy Alliance Theatre)
Jolena Yao (Courtesy Georgia Tech)
to perhaps see themselves represented on the screen, or maybe get to learn a little bit more about a different culture – build a little bit more empathy and connection that way.
How did you come to work on the second movie?
After I graduated from A&M, I was hired at Disney to come to the Vancouver location. The first project that we were doing was “Moana [2],” so it just happened to line up. It was kind of a dream come true, to be like – wow, I loved the first movie so much, and now I’m working on the second one.
You worked in Look Development on this project. As far as I understand, you help to build out the world and characters by creating the color, the textures, the materials, etc. But I would love it if you could talk about what you did specifically for this film, and talk about what Look Development is in
your own words. Specifically, I work in environments for Look Development. That means, like you said, I bring the color, the material properties – perhaps like procedural instancing, like grass or plants and stuff – I
really just bring it to life. I’m translating the 2D art that we get and bringing it into CG, and realizing it in the computer graphics world.
When you work on a sequel like this, what is the relationship that you have
as an artist with the first movie, as far as staying true to the style and visual expectation that movie built, but also bringing a little bit of yourself to it?
I think we were really lucky, because we had a lot of the creative leadership that was on the first movie. Like our production designer, Ian Gooding – he’s amazing – he was on the first movie. So he really helped us stay true to the stylization and the world of “Moana.”
Without getting into spoiler territory, do you have a favorite aspect of this movie that you helped bring to life? It is just really cool to be able to bring something to life, because in Look Development, it’s like you’re adding the history of an environment, or something. Did this person touch this? How is this thing used and how can I portray that in the way it looks? I think that’s really cool to add that element to the look.
A scene from “Moana 2.” (Photo courtesy of Disney)
The Best New Atlanta Restaurants of 2024
By Beth McKibben
Welcome to Rough Draft’s inaugural edition of Best New Restaurants!
I spent the last year dining at new restaurants across Metro Atlanta. After multiple visits to more than a dozen serious contenders, four restaurants and a pop-up, captured my attention again and again. Restaurants in contention opened between Oct. 1, 2023, and Oct. 1, 2024. Like our coverage areas for Rough Draft, restaurants under consideration included
those in the cities of Atlanta, Brookhaven, Tucker, Sandy Springs, and Dunwoody, along with restaurants in greater Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, and southern Cobb and southern Gwinnett counties.
Nearly four years after the pandemic began, 2024 proved a turning point for Atlanta restaurants. While established places finally settled into a recalibrated groove this year, new restaurants shed light on the emerging trends, service models, chefs, and cuisines Atlanta can look forward to in the future.
Our dining scene is thriving, with the 2024 award winners bringing something special to the table, including FrenchCaribbean dishes, Honduran street food, Scottish and Southern-inspired cuisine, Viet-Cajun barbecue, and Polish fare with a seasonal twist.
Introducing Atlanta’s Best New Restaurants of 2024!
Bread & Butterfly
New ownership/new dinner launched October 2023
290 Elizabeth Street, Inman Park bread-and-butterfly. com
You might be forgiven for sleeping on dinner at Bread & Butterfly last year from Chef Billy Allin. The August 2023 transaction was so low key, that the change of ownership went mostly unnoticed for weeks. Brown and Blanchard retained the restaurant’s name and much of Allin’s French-leaning breakfast and brunch menu. But Brown launched a new dinner service three months later, expanding on the French-Caribbean dishes served at his pop-
in Inman Park, Bread & Butterfly is new in all but name under Brown and Blanchard, and dinner here shouldn’t be missed.
La Glorieta Honduran Restaurant Opened December 2023
Owned and operated by brothers Nelson and Edgardo Flores and their
Dinner at Bread & Butterfly continues Brown’s mission to spotlight the culinary depth and breadth of the African diaspora, including food traditions of enslaved Black people and nations in Africa and the Caribbean colonized by the French. Brown was born into a proud Trinidadian family, driving him to dig deeper into the roots of
Start with feathery soft plantain buns accompanied by Georgia cane syrup butter or a seasonal salad of local greens and ancient West African grains like fonio dressed with shallot vinaigrette. Brown’s take on djon-djon comprises rice, peas, and local and Haitian mushrooms tossed in herbaceous epis (sauce similar to sofrito.)
Scallop étouffée comes served in a savory roux garnished with delicate Carolina Gold rice crisps, green onions, and parsley. Entrees like Poulet Colombo pull in flavors and ingredients from the eastern Caribbean, including brown mustard and coconut.
Wines range from buttery chardonnays to bold syrahs, while cocktails and nonalcoholic mixed drinks feature ingredients like sorrel syrup, plantaininfused rum, and fresh local herbs.
Despite being open for nearly a decade
Roasted lamb loin and fire-roasted carrots
families, La Glorieta brought Tucker a taste of Honduras when it opened on Lawrenceville Highway last December. What the small, counter-service spot lacks in square footage, La Glorieta more than makes up for on the menu.
Colonialism and ancient trade routes by land and sea infused the country’s Mesoamerican cuisine with flavors, ingredients, and dishes from Spain, the Caribbean, and Africa. While La Glorieta serves a few crossover dishes from neighboring Central American countries, Honduran specialties lie at the heart of the restaurant’s tight menu.
Djon djon: a Haitian dish made at Bread & Butterfly in Inman Park with Carolina Gold rice, local and Haitian mushrooms, and French beans. (Courtesy of Bread & Butterfly)
For many Hondurans, the main meal of the day is breakfast, and La Glorieta keeps it traditional with desayuno catracho (Honduran breakfast) comprised of eggs, beans, fried plantains, queso fresco, avocado, and tortillas. Baleadas – a popular Honduran street food often eaten on the go in the morning – come layered with refried beans, queso, and crema bundled in a lightly fried tortilla with the option to add scrambled eggs, avocado, chicken, or steak. During lunch, pollo chuco con pechuga sees fried green plantains crowned with shredded cabbage, tomatoes, pink sauce, pickled vegetables, chismol (pico de gallo), and fried chicken.
You can easily miss La Glorieta traveling down Lawrenceville Highway. Now that you know where to look, put this little gem on regular rotation when visiting Tucker.
a wood-roasted Vidalia onion sauce, while peach-braised pork belly accompanies wood-grilled scallops. Delicate filets of North Georgia rainbow trout in a brown butter jus with a fried peanut crumb or Scottish red stag served as a duo of grilled loin and a meaty bon bon round out heavier courses. Dessert might include Gillespie’s riff on his grandmother’s banoffee pie or a decadent trifle of cake, seasonal fruit, and hand-made custard. Wine lovers would be wise to order the pairings with their tasting, guided by Michelin award-winning sommelier Ashleigh McFadden. With the bar led by longtime Atlanta bartender Eric Simpkins, cocktails range from light and refreshing twists on the G&T and Gimlet to a black tea and malted milk-washed bourbon Old Fashioned.
Opened May 2024
1123 Zonolite Road, Woodland Hills nadairatl.com
Gunshow chef Kevin Gillespie pays tribute to his Scottish and Southern roots at Nàdair. Here, Gillespie returns to leading a kitchen and the cooking he became known for years ago at Woodfire Grill.
Nàdair offers a choice of a threecourse or an ambitious six-course tasting menu; both include an amuse bouche and interludes of palate cleansers between dishes. Tastings start with lighter courses of Scottish cheese dumplings served with
Tabasco mash. Layered with vanilla wafers and Biscoff cookies, Gene’s banana pudding is based on a recipe from co-owner Matt Christensen’s grandmother.
Christensen, one of the owners of Kimball House, isn’t the only member of the award-winning Decatur restaurant partnered in Gene’s — or contributing to the menu. Veteran Atlanta barman Miles Macquarrie created the cocktails, including a savory martini using Atlanta-produced Murrell’s Row Gin Gin, a rye Manhattan with apricot brandy, and a Bushwacker, Hurricane, and margarita served frozen from a slushie machine.
It’s hard not to get excited when you walk into Gene’s — or absorb Cottrell’s energy when he talks about his food and new restaurant. It all manifests into a damn good time in East Lake.
Beksa Lala
Launched November 2023
Burle’s Bar, 505 North Angier Avenue, Old Fourth Ward instagram.com/beksa_atl
Cooking has been a part of Basia Piechoczek’s life since childhood. She cooked alongside her Polish grandmother growing up, later finding work at restaurants in Jacksonville, Florida. But operating a pop-up restaurant wasn’t part of the plan when Piechoczek moved to Atlanta in 2020.
Last December, a longtime restaurant colleague reached out to Piechoczek, asking her to cook Polish dishes for a pop-up
Christmas event at Burle’s Bar in the Old Fourth Ward. Taking inspiration from foods served during wigilia (Polish Christmas Eve vigil meal) Piechoczek’s menu featured traditional dishes like pierogi and her grandmother’s tangy barszcz (beetroot soup) with wild mushroom-filled uszka (dumplings).
The success of the 2023 Christmas event led to Piechoczek launching Beksa Lala – a Polish food pop-up bearing her childhood nickname (crybaby) blending traditional dishes with modern takes on the Central European country’s cuisine.
In residence most Fridays and Saturdays at Burle’s Bar on the Eastside Beltline, Piechoczek posts up beside the patio, serving a delightfully playful menu of Polish favorites. Her pierogi come stuffed with creamy whipped potatoes and smoky farmer’s cheese. Smoked quail, Rycki Edam cheese, local mushrooms, and garlicky Polish pickles top toasted zapiekanapka (open-faced sandwich), while pickles and pork rinds garnish smoked deviled eggs. Expect seasonal dishes, too, including salads of local greens, edible flowers, and micro herbs and bigos (hunter’s stew) brimming with pork and beef kielbasa, mushrooms, and cabbage.
Piechoczek isn’t afraid to lean into her flavors, play with ingredients, and push boundaries to celebrate the foods of her Polish roots, making this pop-up one to visit and Piechoczek one to watch.
The restaurant’s name comes from the Scots Gaelic phrase “dòigh nàdair,” or “the way of nature.” And while Gillespie showcases the best of what’s in season on the menu, the phrase also nods to how natural and in his element Gillespie is at Nàdair.
Gene’s
Opened July 2024
2371 Hosea L Williams Drive, East Lake genesgenesgenes.com
What began as a popular pop-up hosted at Kimball House, Bogg’s Social and Supply, and Poor Hendrix transformed into Gene’s the restaurant boasting lines out the door. Branded and named for owner Avery Cottrell’s pudgy orange and white cat, Gene’s combines barbecue cooked on a hot pink smoker with dishes inspired by the seafood shacks of Cottrell’s upbringing in southeast Louisiana. The vibe, music, and decor of flea market finds and collectibles at Gene’s melds the dive-bar energy of the Flora-Bama with the comfortable familiarity of your favorite roadside barbecue joint. But don’t let Cottrell’s animated, yet down-to-earth personality fool you into thinking he doesn’t take his food seriously. Cottrell flexes with flavors in the sides, sandwiches, and smoked meat trays at Gene’s. Order a meat-and-three meal loaded with chili-brined chicken skewers, pulled sticky ribs caramelized in fish sauce, and tender brisket with sides of Vietnamesestyle smashed cucumbers, beef tallow refried beans studded with brisket scraps, or Serrano pepper coleslaw. Potato salad comes dressed in green goddess sauce, and waffle fries are dusted with dehydrated
Nàdair
Gene’s in East Lake combines Viet-Cajun barbecue with dishes inspired by the seafood shacks in southeast Louisiana. (Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee)
from Nàdair. (Photo by Angie Mosier)
Howell Mill breakfast and brunch institution West Egg Cafe closes Taiwanese
By Beth McKibben
West Egg Cafe, the popular breakfast and brunch restaurant in Westside Provisions District on Howell Mill Road, closed Dec. 29 after nearly 21 years in business.
Ben and Jen Johnson announced the closure in an email to regulars and longtime supporters of West Egg Cafe on Dec. 5, citing the end of the lease and year-over-year decline in dine-in business following the pandemic as reasons for the decision to close.
“Since the pandemic, we have seen a decline in in-person dining as people no longer work regular hours in actual offices and meet virtually rather than in person,” the message read. “We have seen an evergrowing percentage of our business move to online and third-party delivery services. Sales are down; costs are up.”
The Johnsons own West Egg Cafe with Shelley Sweet. The couple and Sweet, along with Chef Todd Ginsberg, also own The General Muir and TGM Bread, Wood’s Chapel BBQ, Fred’s Meat & Bread, and Yalla under the Rye Restaurants
umbrella.
West Egg Cafe originally opened in the space now occupied by Lululemon at Westside Provisions District, relocating to its present location six years later in 2010. The restaurant became a sought-after breakfast spot on Atlanta’s west side, serving as a third place for weekday morning business meetings and the wheeling and dealing within Atlanta’s freelance and entrepreneurial communities. Members of nearby fire and police stations would gather at the long back table in the dining room for breakfast and brunch between calls.
The Johnsons said West Egg Cafe never fully recovered from the changes in service or the new dining habits of customers the global health crisis brought about for the restaurant industry.
“Before the pandemic, we had no online ordering. You had to call it in and pick it up, and if we were really busy, we just didn’t answer the phone,” Jen Johnson said. “The rise of online ordering and third-party delivery and more people taking meetings on Zoom led to a decline in in-person dining, but that’s just one factor in the decision to close.”
However, the couple said there’s a chance West Egg Cafe could reopen in another location in the city, but in a smaller space. They’ve been talking with their current landlord and looking at other spaces for the last year. This includes rethinking if and how West Egg Cafe could operate in the current environment of remote work and with third-party delivery services taking up much more real estate on the dining landscape.
“We created a little community there, between customers and our staff,” Jen Johnson said. “Many of our employees have been with us for over a decade at West Egg – this being their first job as a teenager or after graduating from college — and where they fell in love with the restaurant industry.”
By Beth McKibben
Lucky Star, the Taiwanese cafe and cocktail bar from Chef Jason Liang and John Chen, opened Dec. 6 at the Star Metals complex on Howell Mill Road.
Liang and Chen, who also own Michelin-starred restaurant Brush in Buckhead and Momonoki and Momo Cafe in Midtown, bring a two-in-one concept to Star Metals, with the cafe offering coffee, pastries, and Taiwanese dishes until 4 p.m., then transitioning to a cocktail bar serving food at 5 p.m.
For Liang, Lucky Star is a return to the food of his childhood in Taiwan.
“I grew up in Taiwan. It’s where my
family’s from. We considered doing a Taiwanese and Japanese menu, but we decided it was time to do something all about my home country,” Liang said. “There’s really no place to get Taiwanese food in the city, and I wanted Lucky Star to be that place.”
The menu features an iconic Taiwanese soup ladened with chewy rice noodles and cuts of slow-cooked beef shank simmered in a rich and savory beef broth.
Breakfast to happy hour
Nighttime vibes and cocktails
A 5 p.m. happy hour kicks off evening vibes at Lucky Star, activating the bar into full service with a more robust cocktail menu of mostly stirred drinks.
Led by Kirk Gibson and Nik Soukavong, the cocktail list mixes classics such as the Vieux Carre and Chrysanthemum with original drinks like the clarified bourbon cocktail Sabai, made with purple amazake (fermented sweet potato-based Japanese drink), pandan, and lemon. The carbonated B-Side features tequila, wormwood, and bitter melon garnished with a house-made fruit roll-up.
Soukavong, who previously worked behind the bar at Stereo in Inman Park, said he and Gibson approach creating cocktails differently, which brings more depth to Lucky Star’s drinks menu. While Soukavong draws inspiration from family ties in Laos and Southeast Asia for his cocktails, Gibson enjoys playing with foraged ingredients and esoteric flavors.
Currently the senior research and operations analyst at Giving Kitchen, Gibson tended bar at The Pinewood in Decatur, at Cardinal in Grant Park, and hosted cocktail pop-ups at Brush and during Chef Jarrett Stieber’s Eat Me Speak Me days in Candler Park before he opened Little Bear.
“The way I thought about the cocktails for Lucky Star was to take a single ingredient and work around it,” Gibson said. “For example, the How You Like Them cocktail has an apple focus using apple brandy and apple liqueur, but instead of using lemon juice for acidity, I blended Granny Smith and Fuji apples for tart sweetness.”
For the Dominic, an ode to friend and frequent cocktail collaborator Dominic Maschler, who died suddenly earlier this year, Gibson uses candy cap mushrooms to bring out top notes of warm spices and maple syrup in the scotch-based drink.
MONDAY - THURSDAY: 8AM - 4PM
Like Momo Cafe, Lucky Star opens at 8 a.m. for coffee, matcha, and pastries made by ChingYao Wang, who first met Liang during an internship in the kitchen at the Regent Taipei Hotel. The two are now married.
In addition to pastries like croissants filled with red bean mochi, egg custard tarts, and mocha cinnamon rolls, breakfast at Lucky Star also includes a croissant sandwich with poached eggs, gruyere cheese, avocado, and seasonal greens spiced with everything seasoning and a truffle omelet sandwich served on a house-made milk bun.
It’s been a busy two years for Liang and Chen, who relocated Brush from Decatur to Buckhead Village in 2023 and added intimate omakase restaurant O by Brush to the lineup in 2024. Both were big risks, Liang said, especially closing the popular sushi bar and Japanese restaurant in Decatur and moving the entire operation to Buckhead. The risks paid off, with Brush receiving a star from Michelin this fall.
“I’m a risk taker and I knew it was time to end in Decatur, but I knew we needed to keep leading the omakase trend and to keep pushing myself,” said Liang. “It was a bold decision, but it worked out well for us, even before we got the [Michelin] star in October.”
MONDAY - THURSDAY: 8AM - 4PM
SUNDAY: 8AM - 5PM
At 11 a.m., the menu shifts to heartier Taiwanese fare, including Liang’s beef noodle soup, a duck fat scallion pancake, snacks of soft-boiled tea eggs, and Three Cup Chicken. A Taiwanese sausage sandwich features a small rice sausage wrapped in a larger pork sausage dressed with cucumbers, mustard greens, and garlic soy sauce.
In addition to a trio of nonalcoholic mixed drinks, look for beer and wine in the afternoons, along with a handful of carbonated cocktails or those pushed with nitrogen on draft, like the Yuzu Old Fashioned and a highball made with Japanese whisky.
Liang and Chen will continue taking risks this year, venturing outside the Perimeter to open Japanese and temaki omakase restaurant Cuddlefish at Dunwoody’s High Street development. The longtime business partners replaced Brush in Decatur with Cuddlefish, later choosing to shutter the restaurant and relocate it to Dunwoody and the emerging High Street development.
Lucky Star, 1055 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. Located beside Hayakawa. Open daily at 8 a.m. Bar opens at 5 p.m. Lucky Star closes at 9 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, at 11 p.m. on Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and at midnight on Saturday.
Eggs Benedict at West Egg Cafe.
(Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee)
Gan mian or dry noodles.
(Photo by ChingYao Wang)
REAL ESTATE
Intown real estate expected to remain strong in 2025
By Kathy Dean
Intown’s real estate market has stayed active through the challenges of higher interest rates and an election year. Overall, things are positive, and the numbers look good.
In its data for October 2024, the First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) reports that residential sales in Metro Atlanta reached 4,272, an increase of 4.1% over October 2023. The average sales price was $516,000, up 0.7% from the previous year. New listings reached 7,541; an increase of 14.1% from October 2023 and 2.9% from September 2024.
According to Carolyn Calloway, Realtor, Harry Norman Realtors, the Intown real estate market saw more sellers bringing their homes on the market last year, which led to a rise in choices for buyers.
“Inventory certainly rebounded in 2024,” she said. “New construction condominiums are sought after by buyers, such as The Dillon Buckhead, which saw record-breaking pre-sales.”
The single-family residential market saw a significant increase in available homes for sale in 2024, with the number of new listings coming to market being 19% ahead of where it was in 2023, resulting in 75% more homes being available for sale than in 2023.
“With more inventory, we saw the months of supply increase from two months to four months, which means the market trended to a more balanced market,” Calloway explained. “The median sales price also increased on a year over year basis and was $860,000 in November.”
The condo and townhome market saw
a shift from being a seller’s market to one favoring buyers with seven months of supply in October and December. But Calloway noted that median sales prices held firm at an average of $365,000.
There were no surprises regarding where buyers were looking. “Traditional neighborhoods in Buckhead like Garden Hills, Peachtree Hills and Peachtree Heights by The Duck Pond remain popular,” Calloway said. “Ansley Park, Midtown, Virginia Highland, Morningside and Old Fourth Ward are still considered hot areas.”
She added that buyers are always in search of homes or condominiums on The Beltline, sought after for its convenient lifestyle with great places to live, work and play. Additionally, Calloway is optimistic for the overall market in Sandy Springs in 2025. “Because of the proximity to Midtown and Downtown Atlanta, Sandy Springs will continue to remain an attractive place for people to live, especially those who work in those areas.”
She noted that one especially hot market is homes that need updating or are in original condition. “The prices are attractive to renovators or buyers looking to put in the work themselves for instant equity,” Calloway said.
Chrissie Kallio
Chrissie Kallio, Associate Broker, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty,
said that while Intown continued to be a sought-after real estate market, 2024 was a continuation of an adjustment year for both buyers and sellers.
“Owner occupant resales have been few and far between, as homeowners continue to consider their pain points —location, size, functionality — in conjunction with their low interest rates,” she said.
Kallio reported that interest rates have been winning over pain, “…but I think
we will see a shift in that as we head into Spring 2025. The reality is the rates are where they are — they may shift down, they may shift up — but revisiting the 3s and 4s is incredibly unlikely and I think we will see people’s needs for different housing outweigh their desire to keep their interest rate.”
The election brought the market to a standstill for at least a month, she said. That’s typical for an election year, but postelection, she has seen a definite uptick in showings.
Beltline adjacent neighborhoods continue to be sought after Intown: “Reynoldstown has had such a surge and has varied housing stock — singlefamily attached duplexes, modern design, Craftsman bungalows, you can really find almost any type of house there,” she said.
“The historic neighborhoods of Grant Park, Inman Park and Cabbagetown are desirable for amenities, schools and accessibility,” Kallio continued. “Chosewood Park has been booming this year, with its proximity to the Southside Beltline trail and infill from townhome builders.”
She predicted that the Westside will continue to grow as well.
“Avondale Estates is also booming with the development in the Downtown area. Smart development increases desirability and when you have breweries, shopping, local restaurants opening in neighborhoods
Carolyn Calloway
A home recently for sale on Kennesaw Avenue in Old Fourth Ward. (Courtesy Carolyn Calloway)
the housing growth surges alongside. Keep an eye on Downtown and the Gulch area — there are cranes and creativity everywhere.”
Ian Oliver
Overall, the market intown, including condo, townhome and single-family homes, is a bit static, said Ian Oliver, Real Estate Advisor, Engel & Volkers. Since interest rates have only marginally improved, condo inventory especially continues to sit for too long.
“However, this is favorable for buyers,” Oliver pointed out. “Yes, days on market remained high in 2024, especially for condos and townhomes. There are a lot of condo options on the market, and this creates a great environment for buyers to take advantage of units sitting too long. There are many highly motivated sellers out there.”
Oliver encouraged potential buyers to take advantage of the current situation. “You marry the home; you don’t marry the interest rate. There will be plenty of opportunities to refinance when rates come down, as expected in 2025.”
He explained that since home values will continue to increase, especially single-family homes, rather than wait to buy until rates improve, homebuyers can save thousands of dollars by purchasing now.
“There are numerous opportunities to successfully buy or sell in the Intown market,” Oliver explained. “You just need an experienced, committed and effective agent to win in this market.
Molly Carter Gaines
“2024 has been a whirlwind year for the Intown Atlanta real estate market, marked by the dual challenges of interest rate uncertainty and the underlying tension of an election year,” said Molly Carter Gaines, Real Estate Agent, Ansley Real Estate / Christie’s International Real Estate.
“This combination created a rollercoaster effect for both consumers and agents, as many prospective buyers and sellers chose to pause their plans, awaiting more favorable conditions. Yet, amidst this unpredictability, many pressed forward.”
Personally, Carter Gaines had a very busy year, largely driven by clients relocating or outgrowing their homes.
She noted that inventory shortage remains a major challenge Intown, and it’s something agents continue to navigate. “Buyers today are much more discerning, given the higher stakes of larger payments, so some properties are taking longer to sell. That said, when an Intown property is priced right and marketed well, it still moves quickly,” Carter Gaines said.
Druid Hills, Virginia Highland and Morningside remained some of the most sought-after markets in 2024. “I’ve also seen impressive demand in Lake Claire, Candler Park, Oakhurst and Kirkwood—each offering its own unique appeal.”
She fully expects these trends to carry into 2025, as these neighborhoods continue to attract buyers.
“For buyers feeling frustrated, impatient and discouraged by waiting for interest rates to drop and inventory to pick up, take heart!” Carter Gaines said.
“Many would-be sellers share your frustration, and I, like many agents, am optimistic that 2025 will bring some relief with both inventory and interest rates.”
A Midtown condo that was recently on the market. (Courtesy Ian Oliver)
Intown Atlanta’s Biggest Sale of 2024
Invest Atlanta approves financing for 218 affordable housing units
By Collin Kelley
Mayor Andre Dickens announced the Invest Atlanta Board of Directors at its November 2024 meeting approved financing to create or preserve 218 affordable housing units.
The board’s actions are part of an ongoing commitment to address the acute need for affordable housing in the city of Atlanta and create more inclusive communities that cater to all residents, according to a press release.
“Affordable housing is not a one-sizefits-all all solution, so we need to ensure our investments meet people where they are—whether that is single residents, families or seniors,” said Dickens, who serves as Invest Atlanta Board Chair. “I am incredibly proud of the strides the Invest Atlanta Board and team continue to make, including today’s actions that will provide more single-family and multifamily options for more Atlantans.”
Developments receiving final approval for financing by the board include:
Martin House
A $20 million tax-exempt bond will support National Church Residences’ acquisition and rehabilitation of 152 senior housing units at 60 percent of the area median income (AMI) in the Adamsville neighborhood. Originally constructed in 2005, Martin House is a senior-living property with repair needs, including all common areas and resident units. The investment will help preserve affordable housing at Martin House for another 30 years.
Homes for the Future
A $1.47 million investment of Housing Opportunity Bond financing will help acquire 40 single-family scattered site rental units across the southwest neighborhoods of Atlanta. Twenty-one of those units will be made affordable at 80
percent AMI or below. The future goal of the project, with partner Grounded Solutions Network, is to convert these units into affordable homeownership.
Atlanta Single Family Homes
Affordable Preservation Project
A $2 million investment of Housing Opportunity Bond financing will help the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership (ANDP) accelerate the acquisition and rehabilitation of 40 singlefamily residential rental houses across scattered sites within the city. Homes will serve as affordable rentals for up to 10 years ranging from 30 to 80 percent AMI with a goal of converting many of the units into affordable homeownership.
471 English Avenue
A $260,000 Westside Tax Allocation District (TAD) grant will aid in the redevelopment of a multifamily building in the English Avenue neighborhood. The
project will convert an existing quadraplex into six units of housing, including five restricted at rents not to exceed 50 percent AMI.
“Safe, affordable housing is a primary determiner of economic mobility and quality of life for many Atlanta residents,” said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO of Invest Atlanta. “Children who have stable, affordable housing are 52 percent more likely to graduate from high school compared to those who experience housing instability or live in unaffordable housing. The investments we are making today can have a very meaningful impact on families in communities across the city.” Invest Atlanta has closed on financing to support the creation or preservation of 4,581 affordable housing units since the start of 2022. This amounts to a $1.5 billion total capital investment for housing in the city of Atlanta in support of Dickens’ goal of creating or preserving 20,000 affordable housing units by 2030.
Atlanta-based Ansley Real Estate part of $444 million acquisition
By Dyana Bagby
New York-based real estate brokerage company Compass Inc. announced this week it has negotiated a $444 million deal to acquire Christie’s International Real Estate.
The deal, slated to close early next year, would include Ansley Real Estate Christie’s International, one of Atlanta’s top luxury brokerages.
Bonneau Ansley founded Ansley Real Estate in 2015. He has grown the brokerage into one of the top sellers of luxury homes in Atlanta and in Georgia as well as the country. He declined to comment on the Compass acquisition.
The story was first reported in the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Recently, Ansley represented the Bunnen family in the sale of a 30-acre piece of property in Buckhead formerly owned by noted photographer and philanthropist Lucinda Bunnen. The property will be preserved as a park for the city of Atlanta.
Compass, a residential real estate brokerage founded in 2012, is a technology-driven real estate company specializing in providing tools and services for real estate agents to streamline the process of buying, selling and renting.
It has around 29,000 agents on its platform, who are typically independent contractors, according to its website.
In 2023, Compass had a 4.5% share of the total U.S. real estate market by transactions, according to the company.
The acquisition by Compass includes @properties, a Chicago-based real estate brokerage and technology firm that acquired Ansley Real Estate in 2019.
@properties went global in 2021 with the acquisition of Christie’s International Real Estate in 2021. Ansley Real Estate joined the Christie’s International Real Estate network in 2022.
Compass said in a Dec. 2 news release the acquisition of Christie’s International Real Estate and @properties is a move
“to accelerate domestic and international growth opportunities.”
“This partnership will allow us to empower strong independent brokerages and broker-owner entrepreneurs around the world who are affiliates under Christie’s International Real Estate,” said Robert Reffkin, Compass founder and CEO in the news release.
Christie’s International Real Estate has global reach with a network of more than 100 independently owned domestic and international affiliates across 50 countries and territories.
@properties is the 8th largest residential brokerage in the United States by sales volume, with operations in Greater Chicago, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Metro Atlanta, through the Ansley Real Estate Brand, according to the news release.
“Compass shares our commitment to enhance the real estate industry through technology, marketing and exceptional service and to embrace the local, independent broker through the Christie’s International Real Estate and @properties brands,” said Thad Wong, @properties coCEO in the release.
“Our companies share the same passion for empowering entrepreneurial agents. Together, we will be able to provide unparalleled resources and support to help everyone succeed and deliver exceptional client experiences,” he said.
Martin House will get $20 million for upgrades to its 152 units. (Courtesy National Church Residences)
Bonneau Ansley (File)
471 English Avenue will be redeveloped into six units of affordable housing. (Via Google Maps)
