Atlanta Intown - May 2022

Dyana Bagby

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Sammie Purcell

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Sally Bethea, Kathy Dean, Erica Glasener, Camille Russell Love, Kelly McCoy, Isadora Pennington, Sarah Pierre, Katie Rice, Clare Richie, Tim Sullivan

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Collin Kelley has been editor of Atlanta

If you read my April column, you’ll recall that I sold my car. After moving to Midtown, my vehicle had been parked more than driven and I was still paying off the loan, insurance, maintenance, gas, etc. It felt like I was wasting money.

So, when a friend was in a car accident and needed a new set of wheels, I offered mine. I was excited about the prospect of saving hundreds of dollars each month, but there was also trepidation about being “car-less” in Atlanta.

As of this writing, I’ve been without my Corolla for two months. I haven’t missed it – except one Sunday when I needed to get to Decatur for lunch.

I was planning to take MARTA from Midtown to the Decatur station and then stroll over to Fellini’s. It was a sunny, warm Sunday and a slice on the patio with friends – who were also walking or MARTA-ing – sounded like a good time.

I’ll admit that I’m not a regular MARTA user. I take it to the airport or down to State Farm Arena/Mercedes-Benz Stadium for concerts and games to avoid traffic and parking fees. That rare usage left a gap in my brain for just how long it would take to get from point A to point B. In a serious pre-senior moment, I might have also forgotten I needed to change trains at Five Points, adding more time to my trip.

Once I added actual time on the train, plus walking I knew I was going to be at least a half-hour late to meet my friends. And, of course, I started thinking about this while I was in the shower when I should have already been walking to the Midtown Station. My only other option was Lyft.

While I was frantically toweling off and drying my hair, I was on the app to see if a ride was close and how much it was going to cost. $20 seemed steep, but it was my

fault, so I decided to go for it. But I didn’t order the Lyft right away because I relaxed a little and wasn’t worried about being late.

By the time I ordered the Lyft, the cost of the ride had jumped to $30! This was going to be an expensive lunch. I suppose the one consolation prize was that I got to the restaurant before any of my friends and claimed a good spot on the patio. Little victories, folks.

I took MARTA for my return trip and door-to-door was about 45 minutes. Adding extra time for longer journeys is something I’ll have to get used to if I decide to live vehicle free.

On a similar note, I also checked out Flexcar, the new service you join for

a one-time fee of $199 that allows you to rent a car for $80 to $120 per week, which includes insurance, maintenance, and roadside assistance. The entire process is done online, and you just pick up the keys and the car at a designated lot. It’s apparently very popular because there are rarely any cars available, so surely more vehicles will be added to the fleet.

What this whole experiment in city living has taught me in a few months is that we need more extensive public transit options. MARTA needs to expand its rail lines and explore more areas that would benefit from bus rapid transit lines (be sure to check out our story on page 10 about the much-discussed Clifton Corridor line to connect Lindbergh to the Emory campus). Rail on the Atlanta BeltLine needs to happen sooner rather than later.

We also need more affordable rideshare or vehicle sharing or borrowing systems for those who need reliable transportation to get to work, medical appointments, and buy groceries.

A great city deserves even greater transit.

Courtesy MARTA

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Nationwide search begins to find new Atlanta police chief

Back to the Polls

$750 million for infrastructure, Buckhead City on Republican ballot

also resurrected the “Pothole Posse” to quickly fill major holes scarring Atlanta’s streets.

A popular program started by former Mayor Shirley Franklin in the early 2000s, the new goal is for crews in the city’s Department of Transportation to fill 30 potholes per day.

Another item of note that will appear on some primary ballots is a question about Buckhead cityhood.

By Collin Kelley

A nationwide search is on the find a permanent replacement for Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant, who announced he will retire in June.

“Chief Bryant has answered our city’s call time and again, and I join all of Atlanta’s residents in owing him a debt of gratitude for his steady leadership,” said Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement. “I am thankful that the Chief agreed to stay on for my first 100 days as Mayor, and I have grown to rely on the Chief’s counsel during our daily meetings. We will miss the Chief’s leadership as he enjoys his well-earned retirement.”

This will be Bryant’s second retirement from the force. He was recalled to duty as interim chief in 2020 in the wake of Erika Shields’ resignation following the shooting of Rayshard Brooks by one of her officers.

Bryant originally joined the Atlanta Police Department as an officer in 1988. He was serving as interim chief of the Atlanta City Detention Center when he was asked to return after Shields’ departure. He was confirmed as chief by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms last May.

“I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to serve the city that I love and call home,” Bryant said. “As Mayor Dickens plans his leadership strategies for this great city, I believe it is essential that he and the City of Atlanta have a Chief of Police who is willing to serve throughout his term. I have so many great memories of my career. I could not be more thankful to be ending my career – again – with the City of Atlanta Police Department.”

The Atlanta City Council issued the following statement after the retirement announcement: “Over the course of his decorated career, Chief Bryant showed true dedication to the department and took on tough challenges facing our city. His leadership played a consequential and positive role in shaping the community, and he showed a passion and commitment toward keeping us safe. We are deeply grateful for his service to Atlanta.”

By Dyana Bagby and Amy Wenk

Mayor Andre Dickens is working hard to generate buzz and support for a $350 million transportation special local option sales tax (TSPLOST) and a $400 million infrastructure bond.

The referendums will be on the May 24 primary election ballot.

“TSPLOST 2.0,” as dubbed by Dickens, calls for extending the 4/10 of a penny sales tax approved in 2016. Dickens said that all of the money raised over the next five years would go toward repairing sidewalks, bridges, and roads.

If approved, the money from the infrastructure bond would fund public safety facilities, recreation centers, parks, and bicycle and transit lanes.

“With a $3 billion transportation need over the next 20 years, passing TSLPOST 2.0 would set the foundation to get us there,” Dickens said during his State of the City address in April.

The infrastructure bond will yield more than $400 million for capital projects, including three new or renovated fire stations; a public safety training facility; a Center for Diversion Services; and other public safety equipment and buildings, Dickens said.

Additional funding will go toward parks and playground improvements, bicycle and

transit lanes, and safety lighting for roads, sidewalks, pathways, and trails, Dickens said.

“Taken together, that’s $750 million toward improvements across this city. That’s what I call super-charging city services,” he said. “But to make this happen, we need everyone’s support.”

In related infrastructure news, Dickens

The Buckhead City Committee, the group rallying for Buckhead to break off from Atlanta, said the question will read as follows: “Crime has dramatically increased throughout the country including in our capital city of Atlanta. Should the citizens of residential areas like the Buckhead community of Atlanta be allowed to vote to create their own city governments and police departments?”

The question will only appear for Georgia voters requesting Republican primary ballots. The results could give Buckhead City advocates a talking point to try to get action in next year’s Georgia General Assembly.

The effort to get a referendum on the November 2022 ballot, which would have let Buckhead residents vote on whether to form a new city, was blocked by Republican leaders at this year’s legislative session.

Chief Rodney Bryant

Mayor Andre Dickens joined the Pothole Posse in Ormewood Park last month. (Courtesy City of Atlanta)

A map of the proposed Buckhead City.

645 COURTENAY DRIVE SOLD FOR $

785 PIEDMONT AVENUE, UNIT A SOLD FOR $818,000

75 14TH STREET, NO. 3510 SOLD FOR $1,395,000 1050 ORMEWOOD AVENUE SOLD FOR $800,000

900 PENN AVENUE SOLD FOR $1,720,000

2188 NILES PLACE SOLD FOR $1,230,000

1891 WINDEMERE DRIVE SOLD FOR $1,500,000

1116 BERKSHIRE ROAD* SOLD FOR $2,425,000 934 BERKSHIRE ROAD** SOLD FOR

345 GLEN IRIS DRIVE, NO. 23* SOLD

75 14TH STREET, NO. 4060** SOLD FOR $1,395,000

965 SPRINGDALE ROAD SOLD FOR $2,995,000

News RoundUp

The Atlanta City Council voted to extend the deadline to June 1 for property owners who offer short-term and vacation rentals on Airbnb, VRBO, and other platforms to get a required permit.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation in April allowing Georgians to carry concealed firearms without a permit.

The Atlanta City Council authorized the $27 million purchase of the former Chattahoochee Brick Company property off Bolton Road to be transformed into a public park and memorial for the workers killed there.

Atlanta Streets Alive may return in 2023 with a monthly Sunday closure of Peachtree Street from 14th to Mitchell streets if approved by the city.

New ‘nightlife division’ to address high-crime venues

By Dyana Bagby

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is implementing a new “nightlife division” in his office to tackle ways to reduce infractions at bars and clubs with a history of crime.

The announcement of the new division was made on April 4 during the mayor’s first State of the City to business and civic leaders.

“Nightlife is a significant part of who we are as a city,” Dickens said. “But bad operators and bad patrons will be kept in line.”

The division will be tasked with hosting quarterly training for businesses on how to deescalate violent altercations, security training, and first aid and emergency response.

Dickens continued to expand on his public safety initiatives, including adding 250 new Atlanta Police Department officers by the end of 2022.

“Recruitment efforts are yielding more applications, and for the first time ever, APD partnered with Lenox Square mall to host a recruitment event there,” Dickens said.

A string of shootings at Buckhead’s Lenox Square in 2020 led mall operators to add metal detectors and gun-sniffing dogs.

Rising crime rates in Buckhead have spawned a movement for the wealthy north Atlanta enclave to break off from the city.

In his first days of office, a new APD

precinct in Buckhead Village, “located in the heart of Zone 2,” was opened, Dickens said.

The office is still under construction but is nearing completion. Dickens said a dozen officers would staff the new precinct by this summer.

The Tre stle

wednesday 4pm - 8pm March -november

Mayor Andre Dickens at his State of the City address. (Courtesy City of Atlanta)

Repeat Offender Tracking Unit will put ‘scarlet letter’ on serial criminals

‘Off-wire’ trains, bus-rapid transit considered for Clifton Corridor

By Collin Kelley

MARTA is exploring using a type of “off-wire” train or bus rapid transit (BRT) for the long-proposed transit connection from Lindbergh station to the Emory University/CDC campuses.

Light rail along the corridor, which would also connect to the Avondale Station, was first conceived more than 60 years ago but only started gaining renewed traction in 2012. While light rail is still on the table, it appears MARTA is looking for a less expensive alternative.

MARTA officials told the Atlanta City Council Transportation Committee in April that it is exploring so-called “off-wire” technology – essentially a batteryoperated train without an overhead wire – making the Clifton Corridor line more compatible with the CSX freight line it would run alongside.

Transit officials said they are also considering a BRT line for the Clifton Corridor, similar to the one soon to connect Downtown with Summerhill, and proposed for the Campbellton Road Corridor.

Interim MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood said the initial study for BRT on the Clifton Corridor showed an “improvement for cost, time, and flexible operational efficiency.”

By Collin Kelley

The City of Atlanta and Fulton County have created a Repeat Offender Tracking Unit.

The unit will include members of the Atlanta Police Department, Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, and Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.

Based on Mitchell Street in Downtown, the unit will share information between law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges to keep repeat offenders behind bars.

“We are now specifically tracking repeat offenders from the time of arrest,” said Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis. “We are literally giving them a scarlet letter, so the prosecutors and investigators who touch these files know that this is a case where we need to pay more attention and make sure justice is actually served.”

Mayor Andre Dickens said that 30% of arrests made by APD each week are repeat offenders who have already been convicted of at least three felonies.

The mayor also noted that 1,000 people are committing an estimated 40% of the city’s crime, and the new unit is “designed to get these serial, repeat offenders off the city’s streets.”

Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant called the repeat offender situation a “significant problem” said that during the month of March, officers charged 75 people who had more than 1,800 combined arrests.

Administrative staff for the unit is being funded by the Atlanta Police Foundation, while Central Atlanta Progress, Midtown Alliance, and Buckhead Coalition are picking up the tab for the office lease, furniture, and technology.

Greenwood said MARTA was working on an “aggressive schedule” to narrow down the most efficient mode by the end of the year.

Plans unveiled for North Decatur cityhood initiative

By Collin Kelley

Proponents of a new city in North DeKalb County aren’t giving up. From the ashes of previous cityhood efforts – Vista Grove, LaVista Hills, Lakeside City, and Briarcliff – comes a new plan: the City of North Decatur.

The City of North Decatur won’t be happening this year since the legislative session wrapped up in April. Still, it’s already got the backing of Democratic state Sen. Sally Harrell, who is preparing a proposal for the new city, according to a report at Decaturish.

The group behind Vista Grove sent out an email on Tuesday stating it had contacted legislators who represent the area “about a different plan for a city, encompassing much of our previous area, and adding others.”

The email said the Vista Grove Initiative would no longer exist, making way for the North Decatur City Initiative.

As proposed, the City of North Decatur would extend from Embry Hills in the north to Atlanta, Decatur, and Avondale Estates in the south. It is bounded by I-85 on the west and I-285 on the east (excluding the portions within the cities of Brookhaven, Tucker, and Clarkston) and includes a population of approximately 82,000 people.

Upon creation, the City of North Decatur would be responsible for planning and zoning, roads and drainage, and parks and recreation. The new city would partner with DeKalb County on public safety and other services, including the DeKalb County Police Department.

There’s a new North Decatur City Initiative website at northdecaturcityinitiative.org.

Fulton DA Fani Willis announces the creation of the Repeat Offenders Tracking Unit (Courtesy City of Atlanta)

No more cargo shorts – ever!

I don’t love having my picture taken. Aging with grace and humility requires some effort but it also calls for taking the win when it presents itself.

One category where I feel I’ve made great strides from a decade ago has been the elimination of cargo shorts from my wardrobe. We have so many adorable pictures of our kids from that time frame, but if I happen to be in the shot too, the cuteness comes with a side of cargo clown knickers. I’m contemplating a broad-scale photoshop project.

May I Be Excused?

Granted, my primary job at that stage of parenthood was Holder of Stuff. If we walked to the park, we might bring a snack and sippy cup, a ball, a doll, sunscreen, a few Band-Aids, and – looky here – giant pockets! Function trumped form at every turn. Fashion was a concern for the childless bachelors. I’d even snicker at them: Oh, that guy with his well-tailored pants thinks he’s so sharp.

Nowadays, my appearance is best reflected in the running commentary my kids generously offer me. I don’t know if it helps any since my natural inclination is to respond by leaning in further to whatever flaw they identify. It could be something like ‘Your socks are ugly,’ which indicates that I should dig through my drawer for even uglier socks. Or ‘You wear the same thing every day,’ which will prompt me to order two more pairs of the exact same jeans.

It’s not just my attire though. They have plenty of constructive criticism about my physical attributes, too. Elliott offers up little nuggets like “you should lift weights more often” or “you should grow a beard.” It’s serendipitous because for years my sole focus was keeping two small humans alive and perhaps understandably, I was somewhat oblivious to my appearance. But now, thanks to those same humans, I know exactly what my shortcomings are.

Margo took to the whiteboard to draw a family portrait. Which is sweet and perhaps even preferable to having my picture taken, but I had a few questions. Like, why is my torso so long? Why the dopey smile? Why do my eyes look like they are sliding off the side of my face? Because, according to Margo, “that is exactly what you look like, Dad.” Anyway, now I know this, too, which is great because self-awareness is everything, right?

Kristen needs to use ‘Kristin’ on legal documents due to a birth certificate screw-up. It’s annoying and can cause some confusion on the rare occasions it matters. Being all about truth, the whiteboard family portrait apparently also warrants legal names only. However, Kristen is not that short. Margo tends to exaggerate their height differential ever since she shot past her. And I’d swear Kristen has a hipper hairstyle, but here it reads like she went to Supercuts and requested the Boy’s Regular. Likewise, her khakis(?) appear to be the Boy’s Regular cut. With a devious child’s expression, this ‘Kristin’ is an enigma.

Margo did capture the essence of Elliott. Except he’s the same height as me now and the stick figure arms aren’t fair since he’s getting a little muscly from those weights he keeps telling me about. Of course, Margo drew herself quite chic and her hair is on point. The thickness, the curls and the length are all astounding. Admittedly, the drawing is pretty accurate in that regard. Her thorough maintenance routine keeps the curls at maximum glory. If I had that kind of time…well, who am I kidding?

message to young parents is when it comes to your appearance, ignorance is indeed bliss. Go on with your utility wear and your ketchup-stained shirts. Do it while you can because not only is a reckoning coming, but it’s coming from inside your own house. Also, I don’t wear cargo shorts anymore and if I’ve conveyed nothing else, I just really needed that point to be crystal clear.

Tim Sullivan

Tim Sullivan is an award winning columnist who writes about family life and thinks everything is at least a little funny. tim@sullivanfinerugs. com.

Preparing Tech Leaders

City of Refuge’s T2 Academy transforms lives through IT programs

By Clare S. Richie

On May 25, students from the first cybersecurity cohort at the City of Refuge’s Tech Transformation Academy (T2 Academy) will graduate and enter Atlanta’s information technology workforce.

“From our amazing job recruiter to our teachers, life coaches, and case managers, this program has been the best thing that has ever happened to me,” said student Joel Kigwila, who entered the program with no IT experience. “After graduating, I will start my Delta career as an IT Associate Security Analyst.”

Housed in a donated warehouse on the Westside, City of Refuge has served more than 25,000 people over 25 years with holistic programming focused on health and wellness, housing, vocational training, and youth development. Its campus includes a Workforce Innovation Hub that prepares unemployed/underemployed participants for meaningful work in manufacturing, automotive technology, banking, culinary, and IT.

City of Refuge launched its T2 Academy, a coding and cyber security job training and placement program, in February 2021 thanks to a $5.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

“We want to attract more people to apply and are looking for more business

partners because we are running this program through 2025,” said Jeannie Ross, Manager of the Workforce Innovation Hub and T2 Academy lead.

In partnership with Atlanta-based DigitalCrafts and the Carolina Cyber Center of Montreat College, T2 Academy seeks to recruit and train 280 unemployed/ underemployed individuals in metro Atlanta with a focus on people of color, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, military spouses, transitioning service members, ex-offenders, and others

with employment barriers.

“The grant is phenomenal. It covers tuition, equipment, fees for certificates, lunch, and soft skills training like resumes, cover letters, business emails,” said Recruiter John McQueen. “We are focused on giving the student every opportunity to be successful – they just have to put in the hard work.”

The program offers a four-month coding bootcamp and a nine-month cyber security professional bootcamp that meets daily during the week. Last December, the

first coding students graduated and shortly thereafter began junior software engineer positions, apprenticeships or internships with salaries ranging from $60,000 to $80,000 annually.

Applications are now being accepted for upcoming classes: a 6.5-month parttime coding class starting June 17, a cyber cohort in August, and a full-time coding cohort in February 2023.

“We’re looking for students 100% committed to finding a job in IT,” McQueen said. “There are 450,000 open jobs right now [nationwide] without enough people to fill those jobs.”

The biggest challenge is mindset, according to Troy Wilson, coding instructor and former MailChimp software engineer.

“It was a bit intimidating because I was used to working jobs that required a lot of physical labor and never thought I was qualified to be a coder,” shared coding graduate Morrese Green. “I spent seven years working jobs that paid $10 or $15 an hour. I knew I could do more.” He now works as an associate cloud system developer.

“My rules are positive self-talk; take things one step at a time; be comfortable with slow progress; don’t subscribe to the culture of comparison,” Wilson said.

He tells his students that he was fifthto-last in his high school class and didn’t finish college – to model what’s possible. Coding is just a new way to translate their

T2 Academy’s coding class at their graduation in December 2021. (Photos Courtesy City of Refuge)

A student leader helps a coding student.

A T2 Tech Meet-Up last November.

thoughts for the computer.

“The advice I would give [future students] is ask for help!” Green emphasized. “The people and resources City of Refuge has are phenomenal and it is imperative that you take advantage of them.”

Those resources include a variety of oncampus support services.

“We have CityKids, which is child care from 6 weeks old. We have youth programs for after school. We have medical services with Mercy Care. We provide MARTA cards.” Ross said.

Corporate speakers, mentors, and volunteers also provide students with guidance, a professional network, and sometimes a position.

“What we are trying to do is build a corporate community of support,” said Life Skills Trainer and Placement coach, Ron Cofield, who recently retired from PwC. “We started inviting chief information officers, chief technology

officers, chief information security officers, to come speak to our class, and usually after they’ve visited, they kind of join the team. I have high expectations for more companies to join us.”

Cofield also facilitates one-on-one mentorships, pairing students mostly with IT professionals.

“I listened and provided resources and experiential wisdom to help him achieve his goal,” mentor Austin Edmonson, a System Engineer at The Home Depot, shared about his mentee. “In addition, I had him focus on his LinkedIn wording, profile picture, and connections. The highlight was the phone call saying, ‘I got my first job offer, thank you so much.’”

These connections help the T2 Academy students after graduation, as well.

“Before this program, my LinkedIn consisted of three people. Now, my network consists of CEOs, CISOs, managers, investors, and many inspiring individuals. I can reach out anytime

because most have become mentors and friends,” Kigwila shared.

You can find T2 Academy graduates, working at companies such as Cox Enterprises, Delta Airlines, EY, Genuine Parts, Intercontinental Exchange, and more.

“So far, I am extremely happy and excited to be working. The entire process of school, interviewing, and then landing a role in the field is something I have still not gotten over. It will really give you the roadmap to success,” said coding graduate Jeremy Steward, who now works for Revel Systems.

Learn more at cityofrefugeatl.org, Facebook and Instagram. Apply online or attend the T2 Academy open house at City of Refuge every Monday at 1 p.m. Interested employers or mentors can contact Ron Cofield at rcofield@cityofrefugeatl.org.

Cyber Security student Joel Kigwila accepted an offer from Delta Airlines.

Life science hub, apartments break ground next to Tech

364,740-square-foot Class A lab/office tower, and a 14-story, 280-unit residential building, including shared parking and ground-floor retail space.

Portal Innovations, a life sciences venture capital firm, will occupy an entire floor at Science Square Labs, offering fully equipped lab space, seed financing, and management expertise for start-ups.

Designed by Perkins + Will, the 13-story tower will also feature a fitness center, conference space, an indoor/outdoor lounge with a catering kitchen, and a large deck with skyline views.

Designed by Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio, the residential building will have a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with an affordable housing component and ground-floor retail.

“With the ground-up development of Science Square, we will have the ability to provide the infrastructure needed to capture the increasing demand for lab space generated from the growth of research and commercialization within the life science industry,” said Kelly Fox, Executive Vice President of Administration and Finance at Georgia Tech. “This catalytic development will solidify Atlanta’s position as one of the top emerging life sciences markets nationally, bringing new jobs, economic benefits, and much-needed housing and amenities to Georgia Tech’s neighboring communities.”

Science Square Labs is slated to deliver during the first quarter of 2024.

By Collin Kelley

Ground has been broken for the first phase of a mixed-use life science hub and apartment complex adjacent to the Georgia Tech campus in West Midtown.

According to developer Trammell Crow Company (TCC), the project will include the only ground-up commercial lab space under construction in the metro area. The development will be in the newly re-christened Science Square at Northside Drive and North Avenue.

TCC, its residential subsidiary High Street Residential, and Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures, a cooperative organization of the Georgia Institute of Technology, are partners in the project.

The first phase of the development will include Science Square Labs, a 13-story,

Midtown Exchange project would feature apartment, office towers

By Collin Kelley

Developers Selig and RJTR have proposed a new mixed-use project called Midtown Exchange on a parcel of land bounded by 12th Street, 13th Street, and Peachtree Walk.

The Midtown Development Review Committee (DRC) got its first look at the proposal, which would feature two towers organized around an internal courtyard – at its April meeting.

Plans show a 37-story residential building with 465 units and street-level retail at the corner of 13th Street and Peachtree Walk and a 26-story office tower located along 12th St.

The project would be served by a shared 10-story parking deck with 1,608 spaces at the northeast corner of the site.

Midtown Exchange would also be adjacent to the Midtown Art Walk, a public promenade and shared street concept that will provide an enhanced pedestrian experience incorporating creative arts, sustainable landscaping, and unique lighting from the Fed Plaza at 10th Street to the Woodruff Arts Center at 15th Street.

The DRC had a long list of recommendations for the developer including reconfiguring and reducing the size of the parking deck, creating more access points to the courtyard, moving the residential building east to provide a greater setback along Peachtree Walk, and more.

The DRC is expected to take up the project again at its May 10 meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the 5th-floor conference room at 999 Peachtree.

Back to the office?

Novelis plans to lure workers with “hoteling” concept at new Buckhead tower

By Dyana Bagby

Construction of a 13-story office tower that is part of a major makeover of Buckhead’s upscale Phipps Plaza mall is nearing completion. Its first tenant is set to move in this fall with a fresh take on office design it hopes will lure workers back after two years of remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Novelis, a global aluminum maker and recycling company, will occupy the top three floors of the One Phipps Plaza building, totaling 90,000 square feet. The 500 local employees who will work there, including the C-suite, will not have assigned desks or offices. Instead,

the company is going with a “hoteling” concept — where everyone reserves a desk or conference room when they need them.

“No one will have any permanent space, including myself,” said President and CEO Steve Fisher during an April 13 topping out ceremony by Simon Property Group, owner of Phipps Plaza mall.

“We want to create an environment where people can really spend time creating, collaborating and connecting when they are in the office,” he said.

One Phipps Plaza is part of a larger redevelopment at Phipps Plaza. The former Belk department store was demolished to make way for the mixed-use project, which

will also include a Nobu hotel, a Life Time athletic club and a new food hall called Citizens. All are expected to be completed this fall.

Novelis is the only tenant with a lease right now. Simon Property Group officials said it is negotiations with other tenants and has other prospects

“The office building, Nobu hotel, Life Time — these are all features that did not exist at Phipps Plaza, and right now they are very important to the consumer, the employee, to the guests, the traveler,” said Patrick Peterman, senior vice president of development and asset intensification with Simon. “We’re able to meet all those

demands with this project.”

The project broke ground in 2018 and has been slowed by the pandemic. Its mix of uses will help add to the “vitality” of Buckhead as an urban district, said Jim Durrett, executive director of the Buckhead Community Improvement District, who attended the topping-out ceremony.

“It’s exciting to see more infill development in the core of Buckhead helping to bring more people to the core, which will allow us to do even more to increase the walkability of the district and to connect more people with opportunities for jobs, shopping for dining and living,” he said.

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Storefronts for local, Blackowned businesses coming to Atlanta BeltLine

BUSINESS BRIEFS

►CBRE has announced the sale of the city’s tallest building, the 55-story Bank of America Plaza in Midtown, to Boca Raton-based CP Group. The building, most recently owned by San Francisco-based Shorenstein, recently underwent more than $20 million in improvements including the addition of a 1.2-acre park fronting Peachtree Street.

Sales execution platform Outreach is opening its regional headquarters at Allen Morris Company’s Star Metals Offices in Atlanta. Outreach is the latest office tenant addition and will occupy 33,000 sq. ft. on the 10th floor. Additional info at allenmorris.com.

By Dyana Bagby

Atlanta BeltLine Inc. and The Village Market are teaming up to provide space along the popular multi-use trail for local, Black-owned businesses.

The “BeltLine MarketPlace” is expected to launch along the Eastside and Westside Trails this summer. According to an ABI news release, plans are to include “artistic shipping containers” for up to six businesses that could sell retail, soft goods, food-based or artscentered ventures. The program is made possible with help from a $750,000 grant from The Kendeda Fund.

“With new funding, ABI is developing and advancing commercial affordability strategies aimed at stabilizing, preserving, and creating affordable spaces so that Blackowned, legacy, small, and local businesses can grow and flourish around the 22-mile loop,” said Clyde Higgs, president and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., in a news release.

“Providing access to the well-traveled BeltLine corridor is one avenue to connect businesses with new economic opportunities,” he said.

The pilot program aims to give entrepreneurs direct access to the BeltLine’s roughly 2 million annual visitors. The commercial spaces are being implemented by Atelier 7, a Black-owned architectural design firm. According to the news release, the firm specializes in shipping containers, modular systems, and pre-fab building systems for bespoke mixed-use, residential, and adaptive reuse projects.

The Village Market connects Black-owned businesses to community partners, like ABI, as a way to tackle racial wealth gap issues. According to the Prosperity Now report, Atlanta’s Black businesses are valued at $58,085 compared to Latinx businesses at $457,877 and white businesses at $658,264.

Also, 92% of Blackowned companies reported experiencing financial challenges since COVID-19, and only 43% received all PPP funding requested, compared to 79% of white-owned firms, according to the Federal Reserve Bank.

“This collaboration ensures economic mobility, accessibility, and a progressive way forward as the BeltLine begins to nurture relationships with local, independently owned, Blackowned businesses that have been displaced due to the surge in commercial rents,” said Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon, founder and CEO of The Village Market, in the release.

“It’s imperative that local, Black-owned businesses can stay in the communities where they have always been – sharing in economic prosperity,” Hallmon said.

►YOYOSO, a fashion and athleisure department store, is set to open this fall at Atlantic Station. Located at 260 18th Street, the 8,244-squarefoot space will include both men and women’s apparel at affordable prices from over 600 suppliers across the globe. YOYOSO, which stands for “Yes, Optimal, Young, Only, Sweet and Optimistic,” has more than 1,000 locations across 36 countries. The upcoming Atlanta store will be its fourth location in the US. Find out more at yoyosobrand.com.

◄The Beach Town neighborhood of Las Catalinas in Guanacaste, Costa Rica has been awarded the prestigious Charter Award from the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU). The award was given to Beach Town’s design team, including developer and Las Catalinas Founder Charles Brewer, Intown resident and founder of Mindspring; Architect and Planner Bill Tunnell, Midtown resident and founding principal of Atlanta-based TSW; Architect and University of Notre Dame Professor Douglas Duany; Senior Town Architect Sara Bega; and the project’s in-house design staff. The award was presented at the organization’s 30th annual gathering, held in Oklahoma City, Okla. in March. More at lascatalinascr.com.

Tower 15 at Piedmont Center has received The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY) Award, which recognizes quality in commercial buildings and rewards excellence in building management, from the Building Owners and Managers Association of Georgia (BOMA Georgia). Details at piedmontcenteratl.com.

In April, Merge Home opened in a custom-built, three-story building in the Westside Design District. The latest furniture and interior design destination from industry leader Marty Mason, Merge Home combines elements of Mason’s Savvy Snoot and Collected Home stores with Marty Mason Design Group, and offers interior design services by Merge ID designers, Marty Mason Collected furniture and much more. Find out more at MergeHome.com.

One of the nation’s largest banks will open an innovative new workspace in Atlanta and create hundreds of tech jobs in the region. With the opening of its new office, located at Ponce City Market, Capital One will hire hundreds of engineer positions focused on cloud, data, machine learning and cybersecurity. The bank will also seek product managers to work on unique, challenging technology problems. Learn more at capitalonecareers.com.

The Creative Circus school to close in 2023

By Dyana Bagby

Atlanta’s renowned The Creative Circus advertising portfolio school is no longer enrolling new students and will close its doors permanently in late 2023. The news comes after years of declining enrollment compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two-year, for-profit school made the announcement April 5 on social media it would be closing, citing a “myriad of factors.” They include a steady decline in student enrollment over the past four years, a growing trend at many universities and career schools. The school’s costly tuition — more than $45,000 — plus an evolving media landscape and content creation likely played a role as well in the enrollment slump.

In 2020, the pandemic forced The Creative Circus, located in the Lindridge-Martin Manor neighborhood, to conduct a year of virtual learning in areas such as graphic design, copywriting, brand strategy, and art direction. That led to a loss of more students expecting the hands-on training the 27-year-old school is known for.

“It hit us pretty hard,” said Executive Director David Haan.

“Over the course of three, four years, our enrollment has gone pretty consistently down until it reached the point where … it tends to hurt the overall educational experience,” he said. “So we made the call that we were at a point where we didn’t think that we could do justice to what the students were expecting.”

About five years ago, the Creative Circus enrolled more than 200 students from across the country and globe interested in brand strategy, art direction, graphic design, copywriting. They used their skills to create portfolios and many went on to land jobs at some of the top ad agencies in New York, Chicago, California and Atlanta. About 2,000 students have graduated from the school since it opened in 1995.

Then about four years ago, enrollment dropped to about 150 and last year, numbers dipped to fewer than 100.

“It’s just not sustainable anymore,” Haan said.

The school is considered “iconic” by Adweek, a publication for the marketing and advertising communities, which reported on its closing last week.

Several Creative Circus graduates went on to make or assist in making memorable Super Bowl commercials, some of the most-watched advertising in the world. The school even has a highlight reel of these commercials.

Miami Ad School, another well-known portfolio school with an Atlanta campus, is taking in students who enrolled at the Creative Circus before its closure was announced. The Creative Circus will officially close after its current crop of students graduate in September 2023 and the school helps them find jobs, Haan said.

“In the musical ‘Camelot,’ King Arthur says, ‘I want people to remember once there was a shining place that was called Camelot,” Haan said.

“We had our time [at the Creative Circus], it was a great time, and now events have brought us to other directions,” he said.

“For 27 years, this was one of the most significant places in the world for training creative talent. While a lot of people in Atlanta didn’t know much about us, people in marketing, advertising, and communications all over the world knew about us.

“So we helped put Atlanta on the map in its own way,” Haan said.

Courtesy The Creative Circus

The next generation of green leaders

By Amy Wenk

Atlanta Intown is proud to recognize a group of young professionals who are working on critical environmental issues, from cleaning up water to improving community greenspaces. While some on this list have local ties, we decided to broaden our scope and highlight people making an impact across metro Atlanta.

Rachel Maher, 36 Director of communications and policy, Park Pride

Rachel Maher has spent nine years at Park Pride, a nonprofit that helps communities improve their parks.

She was just named director of communications and policy, in part due to her efforts with the Greenspace Advisory Council, which will help guide Atlanta’s policy on parks and greenspace.

It’s an effort that began back in 2017, Maher said. Park Pride brought together 13 nonprofits aimed at making greenspace a critical issue to the mayoral campaign.

The group came back together for the 2021 mayoral election, putting together a list of collective priorities for the candidates.

About a month after Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens took office, he announced those 13 nonprofits would form a “green cabinet,” becoming his trusted advisors on parks, greenspace and recreation. The groups include the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, Trees Atlanta, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance and EcoAction, among others.

Michael Halicki, executive director of Park Pride, called Maher the glue that held the group together, crediting her for coordinating with the 13 nonprofits and keeping the effort going.

Maher said she’s excited for what they can accomplish. They are already meeting on Activate ATL, the city’s 10-year master plan for parks and recreation.

“I am very hopeful,” Maher said. “There hasn’t been a time in my last nine years at Park Pride where this many nonprofits have come together for a shared purpose.”

Maher is a native of Buffalo, New York, and grew up on Lake Erie. “Being in nature was always front and center,” she said.

Maher double majored in communications and biology at the University of Richmond.

After college, she spent time in Morocco as an environmental and community development volunteer with the Peace Corps.

Outside of work, Maher is an avid gardener, and her home garden in Edgewood is certified as a wildlife sanctuary through Georgia Audubon.

She’s currently in a graduate program at Georgia State University, studying urban planning and economic development.

Brionté McCorkle, 29

Executive director, Georgia Conservation Voters

Brionté McCorkle is on a mission to tackle both environmental and social justice issues.

Early in her career, she was really struck by the lack of diversity in the field.

“Some of the strongest and most passionate people who care the most about the environment are people of color, who are largely excluded,” said McCorkle, who studied public policy at Georgia State University. “That narrows our thinking. It stunts the solutions that we’re coming up with and promoting, because we don’t have all that perspective.”

McCorkle currently serves as executive director of the Georgia Conservation Voters, where she is working to elect pro-environment candidates and hold elected officials accountable. The organization also educates voters and lobbies for environmental and social justice issues. One of her proudest accomplishments is raising awareness about the Public Service Commission and clean energy issues across the state.

Among her efforts, McCorkle is a plaintiff in a lawsuit that challenges how Georgia elects its utility regulators, claiming the Public Service Commission’s statewide at-large districts dilute the voting power of Black residents. It’s set for a hearing in federal court in June.

“We spent a lot of time working on that voting rights lawsuit to try to secure more representation on the Public Service Commission, which we hope will lead to more clean energy,” she said.

McCorkle’s impressive resume includes past roles with the Atlanta Regional Commission and Southface Institute. She also previously served as assistant director for the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter, where she led its involvement in the successful effort to expand MARTA to Clayton County. McCorkle said she learned a valuable lesson from that experience – how to best approach communities about environmental issues.

“When you connect it with their immediate concerns, which are usually economic in nature, they will be more receptive to the environmental message,” she said.

She also ran for Atlanta City Council District 11 in 2017, almost making it to the runoff by a difference of 166 votes.

“I was just overwhelmed by the amount of support,” she said, noting she’s open to running for office in the future. “It really taught me that every relationship matters.”

De-shedding regularly, not only removes loose hair before it ends up all over your home, but also keeps your dog healthier and more comfortable!

April Lipscomb, 38 Senior attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center

Matt Josey, 28

Park planner, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Matt Josey came to appreciate the natural world as a kid in Boy Scouts, especially time he spent at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, backpacking in the Rocky Mountains.

“It really left me with this passion to leverage my professional career … to protect these special places so that future generations can enjoy them,” said Josey, an Eagle Scout.

of the NPS in 2016, along with helping manage a fund source called the Centennial Challenge, which leveraged funding from Congress and matching donations from partner organizations to fund priority infrastructure projects, such as the rehabilitation of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth home.

Now, he is a park planner with the Sandy Springs-based Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA), which is a National Park Unit that spans 48 river miles along the Chattahoochee. It includes 15 land units, such as the Palisades.

Josey is actively involved in the CRNRA’s very first trails management plan, which will provide direction for improving trail conditions within the park’s more than 5,200 acres. A final draft plan is being released for public comment in early April.

“This is pretty huge for us, and we’re going to look at how we can improve our existing trail systems, increase our trail mileage, and improve the visitor experience on park trails,” Josey said.

As a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), April Lipscomb gives a voice to organizations and citizens affected by pollution and mismanagement of environmental resources.

“My practice area focuses on clean water and environmental justice,” said Lipscomb, a DeKalb County resident who earned her law degree from the University of Denver. “I work closely with other environmental groups and community groups that want to protect our water resources or clean up polluted waterways.”

For example, she has represented Riverkeeper organizations in lawsuits against industrial and municipal wastewater dischargers to enforce the Clean Water Act, and she has helped negotiate settlements to reduce the amount of pollution in wastewater going into rivers and streams.

For her work with river groups across the state, in 2018, the Georgia River Network awarded Lipscomb as its River Conservationist of the Year. That honor also recognized Lipscomb’s role in securing Georgia’s first bill governing fracking, which better protects local communities and drinking water.

She’s currently representing the Citizens for a Healthy and Safe Environment, a citizen activist group concerned about a Metro Green Recycling plant built directly next to Black neighborhoods in the city of Stonecrest.

The citizen activist group and the city sued Metro Green and the director of the state Environmental Protection Division, claiming the company improperly got authorization for the solid waste handling and recycling plant, which could expose people to pollution as well as excessive noise, dust, and heavy dump truck traffic.

Last September, a DeKalb County judge granted Lipscomb’s request to enjoin Metro Green’s operation while the case is pending.

“We intervened to protect that community and to make sure that their voices were heard,” Lipscomb said. “The neighbors had no idea this facility had been approved to crush concrete and handle solid waste in their backyards, and we’re doing everything we can to reverse this environmental injustice.”

He landed an internship with the National Park Service (NPS) his last semester at Georgia Tech, where he’s worked permanently since 2015. In that time, he has honed his skills in strategic planning and building community partnerships. Some standout moments include working on the 100th anniversary

Gina Webber, 28

Deputy director, Sierra Club Georgia Chapter

Before coming to the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter, Gina Webber spent several years fundraising for local and state Democratic campaigns.

They served as deputy finance director for Cathy Woolard during her 2017 Atlanta mayoral campaign.

Webber then worked as finance director for Lindy Miller when she ran unsuccessfully for Georgia Public Service Commission in 2018. That experience opened their eyes to environmental justice issues. The Public Service Commission regulates the state’s utility companies.

“I heard so many stories on the campaign trail about people who have been affected by bad energy policy, by toxic coal ash, by high energy bills,” said Webber, a native of Dunwoody who earned a political science degree from Georgia College. “It really made me

Gabbie Atsepoyi, 27

Community activist

Gabbie Atsepoyi is passionate about improving her community. The resident of Belvedere Park is working to create park space in her neighborhood, a part of DeKalb County severely lacking in access to greenspace. She felt inspired while walking her young daughter around the neighborhood during the start of the pandemic.

“We couldn’t walk to a park,” said Atsepoyi, a second-generation Nigerian American who grew up in Denver – two places that greatly shaped her appreciation for nature.

So, Atsepoyi decided to act, seeing the potential for a community schoolyard at Columbia Elementary School.

“I just started sending emails,” said Atsepoyi, who earned a degree in environmental studies from Spelman College. “There’s a lot of opportunity at Columbia to do a lot of things right. Give kids a place to explore, to give kids a place to learn, to get them outside

He also serves as the park representative for the Chattahoochee RiverLands working group, a regional vision to build a 125-mile multimodal trail running from Buford Dam to Chattahoochee Bend State Park. While it is not a NPS project, it would involve greenway construction on NPS land and requires coordination with the CRNRA.

Outside of work, Josey is proud to have served on the master plan advisory committee for Westside Park, Atlanta’s largest park.

realize how much of an economic issue it is and a people issue.”

In that role, Webber helped raise voter awareness around the Public Service Commission, which is always last on the statewide ballot.

“Seeing over the past five years, the general public understand more what the Public Service Commission is and the decisions they make … I feel like I’ve had a small part and I feel extremely proud of that,” they said.

Now, as deputy director of the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter, Webber is charged with fundraising, grant writing, political strategy, and programming.

One key issue the Sierra Club is working on is protecting the Okefenokee Swamp from mining.

Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals is seeking permits from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to mine titanium dioxide at a site near the swamp.

At this year’s Georgia General Assembly, the Sierra Club advocated for a bill that would have protected the Okefenokee from mining, but it didn’t pass. Now, the Sierra Club is waiting for the EPD to open up public comment on the mining permits.

“We are really, really working hard to try and protect Okefenokee Swamp from this mining proposal,” Webber said. “Once they open up that public comment period about the permits, we are going to media storm, education storm, advocacy storm all over Georgia and try and get as many comments opposing it as we can.”

to teach them science in a way that is engaging and fun.”

Through her persistence, Atsepoyi was able to get support from the principal and school district. She secured grants from Park Pride and the Children and Nature Network to get a park designed and fund outreach for the “Greening Columbia” project.

Now, the park project is waiting for funding.

Michael Halicki, executive director of Park Pride, praised Atsepoyi’s grassroots efforts, saying she’s “saving the world in her free time.”

But that’s not all. Last year, Atsepoyi started a farmers market near Columbia Drive called Sun Market. It was her family’s way of bringing more fresh food options to their community, as well as an effort to support and help connect Black farmers to market opportunities. Atsepoyi was able to secure a grant through Georgia Organics to start the market.

Sun Market will return May 14 and runs the second and fourth Saturdays through September 10. The market offers 50% off produce purchased through EBT.

Atsepoyi hopes to further its impact. “I want to expand Sun Market to not just be in south DeKalb, but also in other communities,” she said. “It’s bigger than me. It’s bigger than all of us. My goal for Sun Market is for it to be like a corner store with produce that is intentional about partnering with Black farmers and supporting all local Georgia farmers.”

(Photo by Suzanne Girdner)

Missed opportunity for conservation lands in Georgia

Above the Water Line

Sally Bethea

many of the places where we recreate today—more than 100 years after he acted boldly, often in the face of significant opposition. Because of his leadership and that of his conservation colleagues, we can enjoy 23 national parks and monuments including the Grand Canyon, 150 national forests, and 51 bird reserves. Many species have not only survived extinction but thrived because T.R. made the conservation of wildlife habitats a priority.

of generational impact—of safeguarding America’s natural heritage to sustain people and wildlife now and in the future.

Poor Record

Stewardship Coalition, composed of the Conservation Fund, Georgia Conservancy, Georgia Wildlife Federation, Nature Conservancy, Park Pride, and Trust for Public Land.

I have long admired Theodore Roosevelt and his distant cousin Franklin for their heroic efforts to improve the lives of all Americans, but it is their astounding conservation legacy that has been on my mind this spring.

Theodore’s crusade to save wildlife, ecosystems and scenic beauty for future generations is described in fascinating detail in The Wilderness Warrior by historian Douglas Brinkley—an excellent (and lengthy) book that I just finished reading. Propelled by a love of nature from childhood and a deep concern that the nation’s natural resources were being destroyed by unrestrained timbering, mining, and development, Theodore saved 234 million acres of land during his presidency in the first decade of the 20th century.

Working with scientists, T.R. protected

Brinkley has written a similar book about T.R.’s cousin called Rightful Heritage—Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America. Franklin’s conservation legacy is also monumental—from founding the Civilian Conservation Corps to building state parks and scenic roads and protecting places like the Great Smokies, Everglades, and Mammoth Cave. I recently visited F.D. Roosevelt State Park in Georgia and sat beside F.D.R.’s (also seated) statue on Dowdell’s Knob with its grand view of the valley below Pine Mountain: a place where Franklin is said to have greatly enjoyed the scenery and solitude whenever he visited his nearby Little White House. When my sons were young, we often stayed in the park’s log cabins and walked its trails.

Many of our family’s best memories have been made outdoors on public lands in Georgia and around the country—accessible thanks to the foresight, investment, and, at times, sacrifice of people who came before us. They understood the importance

Georgia is amazingly rich in diverse ecosystems that support a wide variety of plants and animals from the coast to the mountains; we rank sixth among the states in overall species diversity. Strategies to protect landscapes and habitats with conservation funds and technical assistance are detailed in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), created by more than 100 conservation partners.

Yet, our state’s record for investing public dollars to protect natural assets is poor, especially as compared to other Southeastern states. As recently as four years ago, the state of Florida budgeted five times more per resident for conservation purposes than Georgia. Rather than relying on the annual budgetary whims of elected officials who come and go, a dedicated source of funding to acquire conservation lands has been a priority for environmental and recreation groups for decades.

In 2018, the state legislature finally passed the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act (GOSA), which establishes a dedicated trust fund for conservation lands; it was overwhelmingly approved in a subsequent public referendum. The historic, bipartisan success was led by the Georgia Outdoor

GOSA stipulates that trust fund dollars are to supplement—not supplant—the existing funding of outdoor recreation capital projects. With projected annual revenues of $20 million per year from the newly dedicated portion of existing state sales tax on outdoor sporting goods, conservationists and legislators looked forward to tackling the land conservation priorities outlined in the SWAP. They understood that some of the “Conserve Georgia” grants could also be used to steward existing state properties and local recreation areas of regional significance.

Bait and Switch?

As implemented by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, GOSA has not tracked well with its original intent presented to legislators and the public. While the trust fund—now approximately $28 million per year in revenue—has supported some excellent acquisitions, such as Ceylon Wildlife Management Area, the vast majority of the funds have been used for local, and some state, capital projects: visitor centers, park design, boat ramps, trails, and stormwater management.

These capital projects are laudable, but they represent routine activities that could easily be funded by local and/or state bonds. Some observers call this outcome a “bait and switch,” noting that state managers appear to have a bias against expanding state ownership of conservation lands. That bias and the need to resolve unanticipated issues with the application process may be reasons why few grant requests have been made, to date, for landscape-scale acquisitions. Deron Davis, director of The Nature Conservancy in Georgia, calls this situation a “missed opportunity.”

In the decade before the passage of GOSA, the state spent an average of $8.4 million per year on land conservation, according to environmental advocates. Since voters overwhelmingly endorsed the purchase of additional lands, an average of only $5.2 million has been spent for this purpose. Did voters statewide endorse using these funds to build a park in a wealthy suburb? That is exactly what happened when the city of Johns Creek in north Atlanta received a Georgia Conserves grant in the amount of $3 million to build a new local park.

“One-third of the way through GOSA’s ten-year authorization, it is incumbent upon us to fulfill the commitments made to legislators and the people of Georgia,” says Mike Worley, president of Georgia Wildlife Federation. My guess is that Theodore and Franklin would wholeheartedly agree.

Sally Bethea is the retired executive director of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and an environmental and sustainability advocate.

Ceylon Wildlife Management Area, Camden County. (Courtesy The Nature Conservancy)

ECO BRIEFS

▼Tickets are available for Atlanta Bicycle Coalition’s annual Blinkie Awards on May 19, 6 p.m., at the Trolley Barn, 963 Edgewood Ave. in Inman Park. It’s the first in-person event since early 2020 for this non-profit dedicated to reclaiming Atlanta’s streets as safe places to ride, walk and roll. The 2022 Blinkie Awards will celebrate some of Atlanta’s most dedicated sustainable transportation advocates – and will see the release of the organization’s new name and brand. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. Get tickets and find out more at atlantabike.org.

The PATH Foundation, a local non-profit that plans and builds multi-use trails across Georgia, has opened the West Wieuca PATH. The .6-mile-long trail segment marks the completion of the final trail segment in the 5-mile-long Chastain Park trail network that connects residents with PATH’s 300+ miles of trails in the surrounding communities. PATH collaborated with the City of Atlanta and partnered with the Chastain Park Conservancy to actualize the ambitious trail network. For more info, visit pathfoundation.org.

The community is invited to purchase plants in support of the DeKalb Master Gardener Project Site at their Spring Plant Sale on Mothers’ Day Weekend, May 7-8, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, 980 Briarcliff Road. Guests also will have the opportunity to explore the formal gardens and hike the woodland trail. Reach out to CallanwoldeMasterGardeners@gmail.com with questions and comments.

CHaRM collects 1 million pounds of recyclables in four months

Live Thrive’s Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) celebrated its Million Pound Pledge to Earth on Earth Day.

The challenge kicked off in January with the goal of collecting 1 million pounds of materials to be reused/recycled/reengineered in time for the annual celebration of Earth Day. By April 15 the center had exceeded its goal by more than 300,000 pounds.

To collect the equivalent of 500 tons in just less than four months, CHaRM recruited help from the Atlanta business community. The center challenged businesses of any size and their employees to participate by bringing their recycling to CHaRM, where materials were weighed and logged to determine the total pounds collected from the challenge. The Corporate Challenge alone collected 117,380 pounds of materials.

This year’s Corporate Challenge partners included Alston & Bird, Chick-fil-A, Inc., Community & Council Realty Group, Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines, EY, HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport, Highland Mortgage, Interface, Monarch Private Capital, Novelis, Printpack, The Home Depot Foundation, UPS and Waste Management.

The next generation of green leaders

Continued from page 19

Laura Buckmaster, 29 Social media manager, Trout Unlimited

Laura Buckmaster believes people need to get outdoors to feel inspired to protect the environment.

“I’m super passionate about making big environmental issues fun and approachable for people,” said Buckmaster, an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys canoeing and fly fishing. “If you don’t have a connection to some of these places, it’s hard to stand up when they are threatened.”

Buckmaster spent a lot of time on the Chattahoochee River as a kid.

“My parents put me in a canoe when I was six months old,” she said with a laugh. “It’s so funny, before I was even born, they had one little life jacket from REI hanging in the closet.”

Buckmaster studied environmental issues and psychology at the University of Oregon, learning how to rally people around advocacy issues.

After college, she worked as the stewardship trips and outreach director with the Georgia Conservancy, where she would take 2,000 people annually on nature trips around the state.

Another career highlight was working as a trail restoration fellow on Georgia’s Cumberland Island, leading a volunteer program to restore 50 miles of trail on the barrier island.

“We made the first GIS map of the island,” she said. “We wanted to break down those barriers of accessibility … We just wanted to get people out exploring.”

Now, Buckmaster is the first-ever social media manager for Trout Unlimited, a national nonprofit dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. Her job is telling great stories to engage people and support the organization’s work.

“This is my absolute dream career,” she said.

Buckmaster also recently joined the board of the Southeastern Trust for Parks & Land, an organization that works to preserve land for conservation, research, education and recreation.

“Their mission really resonated with me to protect these places, but to protect them for recreation access as well, because recreation is such an important component of cultivating stewardship and advocacy,” she said.

Jennifer Duenas, 24 Clean water associate, Environment Georgia

At Environment Georgia, Jennifer Duenas is advocating for safe drinking water at schools across Georgia.

“Lead is still an issue in the United States today,” said Duenas, who was born in Dunwoody and raised in Lawrenceville. “It leaches into our drinking water through lead pipes and corroded faucets. Lead is a neurotoxin that affects the development of a young child’s brain … It is very, very bad for our children’s brains and their success in school.”

She added that about 20% of lead exposure comes from drinking water. Most schools have at least some lead in their pipes, plumbing or fixtures, according to Environment Georgia, which creates a risk of contamination. So, Duenas is working to educate school systems across Georgia on the dangers of lead and the state and federal funding available for testing, removing lead pipes and installing filtered hydration stations.

“We have been advocating for all of these resources, because the solution is right in our hands,” Duenas said. “We are trying to get the word out about how dangerous lead is. It’s a crisis and our children matter.”

Duenas said she had an early love for nature, inspired by summer trips to Asientos, a small town in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes, where her family is from.

An AP environmental science class in high school really piqued her interest, leading her to study geosciences at Georgia State University.

During college, she interned for the Georgia State Office of Sustainability. She was also on the executive board for the student environmental team, which secured funding to start an urban garden at Center Parc Stadium.

Duenas said her long-term career ambitions include continuing to advocate for clean water and educating Hispanics on environmental issues.

“I’m really proud of being a Hispanic, young woman rising up within this community,” Duenas said. “I feel proud that I can be a part of really trying to uplift different voices within the environmental movement.”

Major expansion of Ponce City Market to include three new buildings

By Collin Kelley

Three new buildings at Ponce City Market in Old Fourth Ward will add 700,000 square feet of apartments, offices, and retail space.

If you’ve been on the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail or traveling along North Avenue, you might have noticed the crane rising over PCM’s existing parking deck structure. That’s Signal House – a 21-story, 163-unit apartment building for active adults 55+ with 3,300 square feet of retail on BeltLine.

Signal House will have a health and wellness focus with a “digitally integrated and socially supportive living experience for a non-digitally native demographic,” according to a press release from developer Jamestown. The apartments will range from one- to three-bedrooms and balconies overlooking the BeltLine.

Construction fencing is already up at the corner of Ponce de Leon Avenue, and Glen Iris Drive to begin work on two additional buildings: an office building called 619 Ponce and a “hospitality living building.”

619 Ponce will be a four-story loft

office building with 90,000 square feet of office space and 23,000 square feet of ground-level retail space. The building will be constructed with environmentally friendly cross-laminated timber.

The 21-story, flexiblestay, “hospitality living building” will include 405 units with flexible leasing options – from nightly to one year and everything

in between. The building will offer fully furnished units and 12,000 square feet of retail space.

“The line between Airbnb and hotels, short-term and long-term rentals, is blurring,” said Michael Phillips, President of Jamestown. “The majority of people under 30 default to Airbnb and short-term stay rentals rather than hotels. People want the flexibility of short-term rentals with the service of a hotel. This concept caters to the global nomad and brings those two elements together inside the hyperamenitized community that is Ponce City Market.”

A courtyard common area between 619 Ponce and the hospitality living building will connect the historic Ponce building, the new spaces on Glen Iris, and the Beltline. Features will include onsite bike and scooter parking, additional bike lanes, designated rideshare drop-off sites, electric bike and car share programs, and electric car charging stations.

Signal House is projected to open by the end of 2023. 619 Ponce and the hospitality living building are expected to open in 2024.

A rendering of the hospitality living building (foreground) and 619 Ponce at the corner of Ponce de Leon Avenue and Glen Iris Drive. (Courtesy Jamestown)

A detail of the exterior of 619 Ponce.

A rendering of the interior of 619 Ponce.

A rendering of Signal House.

Virginia Highland Porchfest set to rock the neighborhood

By Judie Levy

On Saturday, May 14, Virginia Highland Porchfest will rock the neighborhood in a celebration of music and community.

This all-day event will kick-start with a Rock n Run, in which community members will run a mile dressed as their favorite musicians and bands. Then, local musicians and bands will take the stage on porches throughout Virginia Highland. Porchfest goers can also enjoy a variety of local food trucks and vendors.

The second-annual Virginia Highland Porchfest is presented by White Claw Seltzer, 14 Hands Wine, Tequila Herradura, and Stella Artois. It is organized by the Virginia Highland District Association (VHDA), and additional local business and resident sponsors make this event possible. Porchfest is one of VHDA’s major fundraising events to support its mission to enhance the safety and success of the Virginia Highland business corridor while bringing together residents and community members.

When VHDA was a new organization in the fall of 2020, Christina Carrick, the Director of Community Outreach, said

she wanted to host a Porchfest. “There’s something personal about welcoming neighbors to come together to listen to some great music on your porch. It’s camaraderie. It’s pure. It’s grassroots. It’s what took place in neighborhoods organically many years ago. I wanted that in my neighborhood,” said Carrick.

Taking inspiration from the Oakhurst Porchfest, Carrick revved up the VHDA team, and they started planning the

event in October 2020. Unsure of the outlook for COVID-19 in May of 2021, they continued planning knowing that it would be an outdoor event. According to Carrick, “All I was hoping for was a few porches and bands that would be available to play, and maybe it would draw a good little crowd of people that enjoyed some free music. What we got was over 40 porches, 50+ bands, incredible food trucks, top-notch vendors, and over

20,000 fest-goers. Mind-blowing.”

This year, Porchfest is turning up the volume, with 70 bands playing on over 55 porches throughout the neighborhood. With this expansion, VHDA has extended the event by one hour, has obtained permits to close Barnett Avenue for food trucks and vendors, and has introduced a VIP area to the event. There will also be a Kids Corner with fun activities. Although “there are new additions and accompanying nerves to this year’s VaHi Porchfest,” Carrick emphasized, “an overall giddiness and excitement” for this year’s event.

Residents and visitors can plan for Porchfest by visiting VHDA’s website (virginiahighlanddistrict.com), where they can sign up for the Rock and Run, purchase VIP tickets, scout the merchandise pre-sale, and sign up to volunteer.

As Carrick stated, “We know this community. We know and feel their support and readiness. The excitement is palpable. People have been ready since last year’s ended. We’re ready!”

Judie Levy is director of communications for the Virginia Highland District community organization, which organizes Porchfest. Visit virginiahighlanddistrict.com.

On the cover and pictured here is the band Rare Birds performing at last year’s inaugural Virginia Highland Porchfest.

The Bands

Get jamming with any of the 70 local bands and musicians featured at this year’s Porchfest! There will be a variety of genres and family-friendly music, playing on 55 different porches throughout the neighborhood. Bands will play throughout the day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Use the schedule and map to plan your musical adventure. The bands and schedule are subject to change; VHDA will update the schedule on the website and social media (@virginiahighlanddistrict) if changes occur.

Even More Music

A number of local businesses will also be hosting bands throughout the day and

after Porchfest. Check out Atkin’s Park Tavern, Farm Burger, Moe’s and Joe’s Tavern, Neighbor’s Pub, Murphy’s Restaurant, and Bar.Bacoa for more music paired with food and drink. VHDA encourages Porchfest participants to patronize local businesses, as part of the goal of the event is to keep businesses thriving.

Kids’ Corner

Our littlest neighbors can check out the Kids Corner, their headquarters for a day of fun in the sun. Children can bounce to the beat in the bounce houses. Get into

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the music fest spirit with a face painting or unique balloon creations from the balloon artist. Kids can also enjoy games like cornhole, giant Jenga, and Connect 4. Day passes to the Kids Corner are $20, or visitors can pay $5 per activity, and activities run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Getting Around

VHDA encourages festivalgoers to walk, bike, and rideshare as much as possible, as parking will be limited. Set your destination to Inman Middle School, YWCA, or CVS off North Highland Ave for drop-off in areas with less Porchfest traffic. The event will include a first-aid booth, hand sanitizer stations, and public restrooms.

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Hit the ground running (or walking) with the family-friendly Rock n Run! Turn up the beat along the 1.09-mile fun-run route. Shout out your favorite band by dressing like the lead singer, or go as the full band for a fun, group costume.

Following the run, prizes will be awarded for the following categories: Best Dressed Individual, Best Dressed Kid (under 12), Best Dressed Group, and Best All-Around.

Registration is $30 and includes a Rock n Run water bottle while supplies last. Children under 12 run for free. Light refreshments will be provided by San Francisco Coffee.

Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. at the corner of Barnett and Virginia Circle, and the run begins at 9 a.m. Get your workout in and meet your neighbors before rocking out and digging in on local fare from the selection of food trucks.

There will be a wide variety of merchandise options to rock at this year’s Virginia Highland Porchfest. The main merchandise booth will have t-shirts, koozies, bags, hats, and more. All merchandise supports VHDA’s fundraising efforts for beautification, safety, and events in Virginia Highland.

The online pre-order of merchandise runs through May 1. Presale orders over $50 receive raffle tickets, and the more you spend, the more tickets you receive. Pre-orders can be picked up at the festival. Day-of purchases can also be made at the main merchandise booth located at Barnett Avenue and Virginia Circle.

Visit porchfest.bigcartel.com to pre-order merch.

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Food Trucks

Half the fun of any festival is having delicious food to go with it. This year’s Porchfest will feature a variety of local food vendors, with a mix of both sweet and savory options. Scout the food truck that is perfect for your taste. Food trucks will be stationed along Barnett Avenue.

(Savory)

■ 6 Pack Subs Vietnamese

■ Azucar Cuban Truck

■ Dogs on Wheels

■ Flavor on the Fork Chicken and Waffles

■ Hot Dog Pete’s

■ Lobster Dogs

■ No Bun Intended!

■ Soul Truckin Good

■ The Pickle Truck

■ The Patty Wagon

(Sweet)

■ The Cereal Lab

■ Frozen Sweet Shop

■ GOAP - Greatest of All Pops

■ Hero Doughnuts and Bunns

■ King of Pops

■ Queen Churro And More!

Artisanal Vendors

Porchfest will include local artisanal vendors with small goods to peruse inbetween music sets. You can find an array of jewelry, art, accessories, an assortment of snacks. Vendors will be located on Barnett Avenue, near the food trucks.

■ The Taryn Project

■ Cadence & Co Crafts

■ Dena Rose Vintage

■ DRVM Handmade

■ Emily Yellow

■ Everythang Dope

■ Groovy Grit

■ High Vibe Sentiments

■ Horticult LLC

■ Kiwi Beauty

■ Knight Prints

■ Madison O’Brien Art

■ Mind Body Clay LLC

■ Peach State Drinks

■ Pink Scorpio Handmade

■ Poppy’s Rustic Woodworks

■ Rudabecca Designs

■ Shannon Stallard Designs

■ Shop Kamawe

■ Southern Local Nuts

■ Suzy Makes Shit

■ The Golden Girl Co.

■ Twenty Something Jewelry

■ Vintage Eyewear And more!

VIP Blues & Booze Experience

Following the Rock and Run, the Porchfest VIP Blues & Booze experience will kick off at John C Howell Park. Meet your neighbors and enjoy lunch catered by DBA Barbecue, including an open beer and wine bar from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All VIPs will have access to air-conditioned restrooms throughout the day, live blues music, and the VIP-only cash bar. Tickets are $100 and include exclusive access to our VIP tent so you can relax in the shade while the band line-up and spring sun bring the heat! For kids under 12, tickets are $30 and include lunch, along with a day pass to the Kids Corner ($20 value). Get tickets at givebutter.com/ BLUESANDBOOZE.

Contributors

Writers/Copy/Editors

Judie Levy

Katie Voelpel

April James

Your Next Home Could Be In… Downtown

By Collin Kelley

Where is it? Where all the lights are bright. The core of the city is roughly bounded by the Downtown Connector on the east, I-20 to the south, Northside Drive on the west, and North Avenue to the north.

What’s the history? Like just about every other town in Georgia, Atlanta was born from the expanding railroad industry. The city, originally known as Terminus, was founded in 1837 at the end of the Western & Atlantic rail line with a milepost driven into the ground not far from today’s Five Points. It would be known as Thrasherville and Marthasville for a few years before being incorporated as Atlanta in 1847. It was famously burned during the Civil War but would become the state capital in 1868.

What’s going on there these days?

Plenty! Not only is Underground Atlanta working on its third act

the Rialto Center for the Arts offer top-flight music, theatre, and entertainment. You’re also in tourist central Downtown with the Georgia Aquarium, Center for Civil and Human Rights, CocaCola Museum, College Football Hall of Fame, and Skyview Ferris Wheel. We’d also recommend checking out the activities and events in Woodruff Park and Centennial Olympic Park. A lingering complaint is that grocery shopping is inconvenient, but one of the new projects is likely to remedy that soon.

What about homes? Like everywhere else, housing stock is low, but at press time there were quite a few condos on the market ranging from the low $100,000s to more than $2 million. The median price for a condo Downtown was hovering in the mid-$250,000 range.

as an arts, shopping, and nightlife destination, the transformative, $5 billion Centennial Yards project across from Mercedes-Benz Stadium is set to inject new housing, offices, and retail, while South Dwntn is rehabilitating the historic “hotel row” buildings along Mitchell Street to do the same.

What about amenities there now?

Restaurants of every taste abound (we recommend dining al fresco along tree-lined Broad Street from a plethora of eateries), while State Farm Arena, Theatrical Outfit, The Tabernacle, and

Broad Street

A condo at The Metropolitan building.

A condo for sale on Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard in Downtown.

Centennial Yards

Use plants that will attract pollinators to your garden

The Environmental Gardener

The terms “pollinator” and “pollinatorfriendly gardens” are popular today, and with good reason. But what do they mean and how do they translate to actions that home gardeners can take?

According to pollinator.org, pollinators, “including bees, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, beetles and other small mammals that pollinate plants, are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat.”

While this is impressive, it is not a recent finding. In 1996, in their book The Forgotten Pollinators, co- authors Stephen Buchmann and Gary Paul Nabhan estimated that “animal pollinators are needed for the reproduction of 90% of flowering plants and one-third of human

food crops.

Pollinators especially bees (there are over 4,000 species of native bees in the United States) have been affected by habitat loss, disease, and pesticide use. As home gardeners, we can create a haven for pollinators by eliminating the use of chemicals in our gardens and creating habitats that will attract pollinators and support wildlife. This in turn leads to a healthy ecosystem.

If you are a gardener, it’s likely you’ve seen pollination in process if you’ve observed insects visiting flowers to drink nectar or feed on pollen. Nectar, a food source, is mostly a solution of sugars, but also has traces of proteins, salts, acids, and essential oils.

When a bee moves from flower to flower in search of nectar, it carries pollen grains from the anther (the male part of a flower) to the stigma (the female part of the flower). This is the start of the process that results in the production of seeds and fruits and the next generation of plants. Pollination also happens through selfpollination, as well as by wind and water.

Insects and animal pollinators are drawn to certain plants more than others. For this reason, your plant choices in your own garden can make a difference. Here are some ways you can attract and support pollinators.

1. Plant and encourage native flowering plants.

2. Plant both host and nectar plants. A host plant provides a place for butterflies and moths to lay eggs and then the plant becomes a source of food for the caterpillars before they become butterflies. Certain butterflies require a particular species of host plant.

3. Remove invasive plants which crowd out natives.

4. Plant groups of a single flower species in the same area. This reduces the energy required for foraging.

5. Plant a diversity of species (at least

5-10 different species, to attract a greater number of pollinators.

6. Choose plants for every season and make sure something is always blooming.

7. Provide pollinator nesting sites. Leave areas with dead logs, leaves and water if possible. This will provide habitat and shelter for certain species including ground nesting bees and other insects.

By planting a garden for pollinators, you can make a positive impact on your community, provide habitat for insects and wildlife and have a beautiful garden that offers blooms for every season.

Perennials that attract pollinators

Here are some plants you can use to attract pollinators to your garden. The pollinators that are attracted to each type of plant are listed and if the plant is also a host plant, that is indicated.

Eastern Bluestar (Amsonia tabermontana) provides blue flowers in April and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. It also is a host.

Eastern Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata var. pulchra) blooms with pink flowers from July to September and attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, beetles, wasps, flies and is a host plant.

Hairy Sunflower (Helianthus resinosus) grows lemon yellow flowers from June to September and attracts bees and butterflies.

American Alumroot (Heuchera americana) produces white flowers from April to June and attracts hummingbirds and sweat bees.

Piedmont Smooth Phlox (Phox glaberrima) yields pink flowers from April to June, attracts butterflies, moths, hummingbirds and is a host.

Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta), a biennial that reseeds freely, grows yelloworange flowers from September to frost and attracts butterflies and birds.

Sweet Goldenrod (Solidago odora) produces yellow flowers from July to October and attracts butterflies, bees, beetles. It is also a host.

Shrubs and Trees

Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) produces red flowers from March to April, and attracts hummingbirds and bees.

▲Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) provides orange flowers from May to August (and may rebloom in the fall). It attracts butterflies and honeybees and is a host plant.

Blue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis) sprouts blue flowers in April and May. It attracts butterflies and bees and is a host.

Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) produces yellow flowers in March, April and May and attracts bees and flies.

Lobed Coreopsis (Coreopsis auriculata) produces golden yellow flowers in April, May and June and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.

Threadleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillate) provides yellow flowers from May to July and attracts butterflies, syrphid flies and honeybees.

Oak-leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), produces white flowers from May to July and attracts flies and wasps.

Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) produces white flowers in April and May and attracts butterflies and bees. It also is a host.

American Holly (Ilex americana) produces tiny white flowers in April, May and June. It attracts bees.

Piedmont Azalea (Rhododendron canescens) --there are lots of varieties of native azaleas to try -- grows pink flowers in April and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. It also is a host.

Rabbit eye blueberries (Vaccinium ashei) grows white to light pink flowers and attracts bumblebees.

Erica Glasener is the Community Involvement and Events Manager for the Piedmont Park Conservancy. She also serves on the advisory board for Trees Atlanta.

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

the street from the southern terminus of MARTA’s planned Summerhill Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project which will connect the Southeast BeltLine to heavy rail stations and bus routes in South Downtown Atlanta, both areas experiencing significant investment and redevelopment. The partnership aims to target and develop mixed-use projects near MARTA’s rail stations and the Atlanta Streetcar line.

▼Shirley Gary, owner and CEO of Engel & Völkers Buckhead Atlanta and Engel & Völkers Atlanta North Fulton has been named number one for units sold and number four for gross commission income. This includes all of the Engel & Völkers brokerages in the U.S., Canada, Mexico,

and the Caribbean. It also marks the eighth year in a row that Gary has been recognized for outstanding sales.

►Will Grogan has joined Scotland Wright Associates as the firm’s newest partner. In collaboration with Scott O’Halloran, an SWA partner since 2017, Grogan has formally established the firm’s industrial real estate practice, building on more than $140 million in industrial deals closed by the firm in 2021.

The Midtown Garden Stroll is set for May 15 from noon to 5 p.m. The free self-guided tour will allow visitors to view some of Midtown’s most beautiful private garden spaces. For more details, visit midtownatlanta.org/gardenstroll.

and cans have been collected and recycled from the Georgia Dome, former home of the Atlanta Falcons, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium (MBS), allowing the construction of the program’s third home, the second home built from recycled goods from MBS.

▲A groundbreaking was recently held at 1090 Hank Aaron Drive in Atlanta to mark the beginning of the development of Skyline Apartments, a 250-unit affordable housing community, and the first investment made as part of a $100 million partnership between MARTA and Goldman Sachs. Skyline is across

Harry Norman, Realtors has announced a new partnership with the High Museum of Art as an exhibition series sponsor to assist in bringing national and international shows to the museum. One such exhibition kicked off the sponsorship – The Obama

▼Alliance Residential Company announced Broadstone Upper Westside, located at 2167 Bolton Drive NW in the heart of the Upper Westside neighborhood, is now open for its first residents. The community includes 314 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartment units in a sevenstory building. Set on 12 acres just off

Portraits which debuted at the High in January. Through the ongoing partnership, Harry Norman, Realtor will not only receive partner recognition, but the firm is also able to get involved by sponsoring additional activities such as the High Museum’s Wine Auction.

AMB Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE) and official recycling partner, Novelis, announced their third home build with Habitat for Humanity in Atlanta’s Westside community. Funds for the build have been accrued through the partnership’s Recycle for Good program. For every three million bottles and cans collected and recycled, one home is built on the Westside. To date, more than nine million aluminum bottles

Marietta Boulevard, Broadstone Upper Westside is steps from local breweries and restaurants, and down the street from the Publix-anchored Morris Mill Center and The Works.

The site of the former Edwards Fine Food pie factory on LaFrance Street in Edgewood is being transformed into a development with a mix of 700 apartments, condos, and townhomes. Toll Brothers and Hanover have partnered to redevelop the 13-acre site, which will also include retail, greenspace, a dog park, and bike lanes.

Patio Vibes

Grab a bite and a cocktail and enjoy the view al fresco

By Isadora Pennington

Spring is here and that means patio season is in full swing at Atlanta’s restaurants! We’re fortunate to have a plethora of amazing options for grabbing a drink and a bite and just relaxing on a beautiful patio.

In my younger years, patio hangs were almost exclusively reserved for post-hangover brunches. But now, as a wife and mother, I’m much more likely to snag a quick happy hour cocktail, grab lunch with my kid, share a romantic evening with my husband, or get some quality time with my friends on a warm afternoon before the hustle and bustle of toddler bedtime.

So, for this feature, I wanted to highlight some of my personal favorite patios around the city. Each one of these spots offers tasty food, delectable cocktails, and great vibes. Enjoy!

NEW RESTAURANT RADAR

Restaurateur Aaron Mattison from the team at Bar Vegan has opened a new pop-up bar called Excuse

My French inside Citizen Supply at Ponce City Market. Serving classic French cocktails plus wine and beer, the bar will soon add a variety of light bites to pair.

Fares Kargar, the owner of Inman Park restaurant Delbar, will open a new eatery called Bibi in Ponce City Market’s food hall this summer. The Persian menu will include grab-and-go bowls with kabobs over rice, dips, salads, freshly baked pastries, and sandwiches.

Tin Lizzy’s Cantina

415 Memorial Drive | tinlizzyscantina.com

Good tunes, an excellent menu, and one of the most unique vantage points in the city entice customers to flock to this Grant Park rooftop patio. Overlooking Oakland Cemetery, guests here can enjoy the Victorian beauty of the historic site and perhaps share a ghostly story or two at the same time. I recommend the TL Nachos ($14), a heaping platter of crunchy, salty chips smothered with jack cheese and creamy queso blanco, then topped with pico de gallo, jalapeños, cilantro, sour cream, all paired with a side of salsa roja. You can add protein, and might I humbly suggest doing so. The fried chicken was such a delectable addition. The Sunset & Vinyl margarite ($11) – blanco tequila, mezcal, Poire liqueur, fresh cucumber, lime juice, and of course, jalapeño – was perfect to wash down the nachos.

Brassica, a brasserie-style French/ American Southern restaurant, is now open at Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead. http://www. brassicaatlanta.com/

Westside Motor Lounge is set to open at Echo Street West in June. The indoor-outdoor venue will offer a spacious courtyard, live music stage, food and beverage, beer garden, a cocktail lounge with a listening room, shuffleboard courts, fire pits, and private cabanas.

Twain’s Brewpub & Billiards

211 E. Trinity Place | twains.net

Twain’s is one of the most relaxed and family-friendly options on my list. Its location is both convenient to Decatur Square and significantly less difficult to navigate. A small, attached parking lot, extensive two-tier patio buffered by dense vegetation, and sunshades all make this an easy spot to pop in for a bite. Add to that the gaming opportunities inside – think shuffleboard, billiards, and darts – there is something fun for everyone here. The menu is also approachable and tasty, and their cocktails are quite delicious. I recommend grabbing a pretzel ($8.50), which is made in-house daily. Pair it with the rich, warm beer queso and tangy beer mustard, and you’ve got yourself a winner. Dang It, Bobby! ($12) – a line from “King of the Hill” – features Four Peel Gin, Ilegal Mezcal, grapefruit, lime, agave, and soda.

Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall

684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave. | ladybirdatl. com

Clermont Rooftop

789 Ponce De Leon Ave.| hotelclermont.com

You really can’t go wrong with the Rooftop bar at the Clermont Hotel. Featuring some of the best skyline views in the city, the aesthetics here are on point, and you can enjoy kicking back with friends while snapping that perfect sunset selfie to post on your Instagram. While the bar doesn’t have a full-fledged kitchen, they do have food cart offerings on the weekends. I loved the Cabarian Chili Hummus ($8), a light and easy appetizer featuring vegetable crudites, grilled bread, and succulent grilled squash for dipping. I also indulged in Clermont Daiquiri ($13), a fresh and tangy treat made with rum, lime juice, and hibiscus.

◄Saint-Germain French Bakery & Café is now open at Buckhead Village offering the same beloved items as the original Ponce City Market location, like classic French pastries, morning croissants, chouquettes, macarons, artisan organic chocolates and more, plus a savory all day café menu, espresso bar and wine, rosé, and champagne offerings.

Situated adjacent to the BeltLine Eastside Trail, Ladybird boasts one of the largest and most delightful patio vibes in the city. A plethora of tables are shaded by cheerful yellow umbrellas, while casual seating can be found around the outer edge of the patio, with high tops perfect for people-watching and cozy lounge seating enclaves for intimate gatherings. The aesthetics here are on point, don’t miss the outside bar operating out of a converted airstream trailer. The BBQ Fries ($15) are topped with melty cheddar cheese, crispy pulled pork, and spicy jalapeño, drizzled with ranch. Be still my heart! For your cocktail, try the Life of Leisure ($12) featuring Ranco Alegre Blanco tequila, Fiero, Mahina Coconut, pineapple juice, lime, Japanese chili, and lime bitters combined to give this fruity drink a kick.

Chido & Padres

128 East Andrews Dr.| chidoandpadres.com

Chido & Padre’s is an absolute gem. Hands down, this is my favorite Buckhead restaurant. The contemporary Mexican restaurant offers a colorful atmosphere and a menu full of vibrant drinks and dishes. One of my favorites is South Georgia Esquites ($10), a bowl of sweet roasted corn topped with heirloom tomato pico and house crema is sweet, savory, and fresh. Pair it with a La Cuerva ($11), a light and summery cocktail is made with grapefruit, pamplemousse, Blue Nectar blanco tequila, and topped with Topo Chico for a little fizz.

Rosé all day!

Women + Wine

rosé. It became a symbol of luxury and leisure.

In other countries, rosé also has a rich tradition. In Spain, there are mentions of rosado dating back to the 1800s in Rioja and Navarro, when producers used Garnacha and Tempranillo to make bright, complex claret.

The story of Italian rosato has an American connection when troops stationed in the liberated south during WWII wanted wines like those they tried in Provence. General Charles Poletti approached the Leone de Castris family to make a wine named Five Roses which they bottled in mismatched beer bottles and sold to the troops.

shades of pink.

Another procedure for rosé production is a method called saignée or “to bleed.” This style involves putting the juice into a vat with skins and seeds. After a short time (again, hours to days), a portion of that juice is removed or bled off and the rest goes on to make red wine. The bled-off juice is then fermented and made into rosé. Wines like Tavel from France are made in this style.

As wine lovers embrace the spring and head out to picnic, rosé wines are likely on the list of must-buys. But this form of vino is not a trend or a seasonal treat in our minds – every season is rosé season! This month, we will break down what rosé wine is, dispel some myths, and show you how to incorporate rosé into your wine rotation.

A little history

VinoTeca opened in 2015 when rosé was rapidly gaining mainstream popularity and although it’s pretty pink hue had been on the wine geek radar, we were thrilled to be able to help bring it to our guests.

American palates were a little behind, as rosé wine dates to the Greeks when lightcolored, less harsh wines were the favorite. As the Phoenicians and Romans moved through Southern France, specifically in Marseille, they began to export their unique Mediterranean styles as a benchmark.

This holds true today as Provence is still a hub for rosé and Marseille remains the largest city in this area beholden to these winemaking traditions. In the 19th century, French tourists began to flock to this area to sit at a cafe looking over the Mediterranean Sea and sip

The modern American palate was mostly influenced by the Portuguese through a wine popularized in the 1970s called Mateus – a semi-sweet, pink wine that sold nearly 20 million cases in 1974. This began our love affair with blush wine. Sutter Home White Zinfandel winemaker Bob Trinchero allowed for ripe red grapes to only lightly ferment thus producing the more saccharine style that became popular throughout the 1980s and early 90s. After the millennium, smart somms and savvy wine drinkers began to push Old World wines and the rosé industry began to boom. Now it seems, every producer makes some form of pink wine.

What is rosé?

But what exactly is rosé? A common misnomer is that white wine is simply blended with red wine, but this is frowned upon in winemaking. Rosé is created through traditional winemaking but with minimal skin contact with red grapes.

When wine is made, grapes are pressed and the juice that is extracted is most often clear. To generate any hue to the wines, the skins of the grapes are macerated on their juices. The longer this maceration, the darker the wine and vice versa. Rosé can be created from any red grape but instead of long exposure to skin, the juice has only hours to a few days of contact thus producing many

Rosé has been incorporated into the world’s wine culture and should be used for more than just a summer sipper. As discussed, rosé is simply red wine with light skin contact. The incorrect belief that most pink wines are more like the White Zins our grandmas drank is still widely held.

The shade of the wine has also become controversial: darker color somehow leads to sweetness, but this is entirely untrue. Simply put, more skin contact means more color not sugar content, which comes from how much sugar the grape holds or better put, how ripe it is. Most rosé is dry. Darker rosé really means more tannin, more complexity, and more body.

The spectrum of colors that are produced depends a lot on the grape used. Tempranillo tends to produce a brighter, deeper pink with

Katie’s Wine Pick 2021 Ameztoi ‘Rubentis’ from Txakolina, Spain

The Basque country of Spain sits overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and is known for it’s fresh, almost salty wines. Ameztoi was the first winery to produce pink wine from the grape Hondorrabi Beltza and Hondrrabi Zuri. This limited wine is light and almost effervescent with notes of strawberry and citrus with a hint of mint. Pairs perfectly with fresh shrimp and crab.

notes of strawberries and melon and hints of spice. While Grenache and Syrah (typical Provence grapes) have a paler hue with flavors of grapefruit, watermelon, and herbs. The different shades of pink are endless. When shopping for rosé, as with any wine, what you are doing with the wine is at the forefront of the decisions. For relaxing in the park or sitting poolside, consider one of the traditional dry Provence styles, not just something from the region but perhaps a Côtes-du-Rhône or even something from Slovenia. For dinner, this style also pairs well with seafood, Mediterranean fare or goat cheese. Rosé of Pinot Noir from Oregon can pair well with a roasted chicken, but truly shines at Thanksgiving. Dark rosé like the ones from Tavel, France holds up to a bone-in pork chop or duck confit, something heartier with a little fat.

The only negative to this celebrated wine style is that it is often limited. Rosé wines are released in the spring and are often sold out by mid-summer. They often represent the smallest part of production in a winery and these wines tend to have limited aging potential (with a few exceptions.) When you find your favorites, take advantage of case discounts to stock up, as every season is rosé season.

Sarah’s Wine Pick 2020 Thibaud Boudignon Rosé de Loire, France

This Cabernet Franc dominant rosé expresses itself much differently than a classic Provencal rosé. Bright, mineral-driven with notes of red fruit, citrus, and white pepper. Enjoy this wine as an aperitif or bring this to a seafood boil and impress all your friends! Boudignon Rosé de Loire is EXTREMELY limited due to very little being produced, so be sure to snag a bottle in the early summer when it arrives in boutique retail wine shops.

Katie Rice & Sarah Pierre

Rice owns VinoTeca in Inman Park and Pierre owns 3 Parks Wine Shop in Glenwood Park..

Light It Up!

Chantelle Rytter leads the return of the BeltLine Lantern Parade

By Isadora Pennington

After a long pandemic hiatus, the beloved Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade returns earlier than usual and on a new route. This year’s parade steps off May 21 on the Westside Trail, but you can expect the same music, laughter, cheering, and a sea of fantastical glowing creatures and puppets.

The 12th annual Lantern Parade will, as usual, be led by its creator and parade expert, Chantelle Rytter. With a deep love for the art form that ties back to her affection for New Orleans, she has made it her mission to bring the joy of parading to

Atlanta.

In college, Rytter was devoted to the theater. She directed, she wrote, and she acted. After graduation, she found herself at a bit of a loss, unsure of what her next steps would be. On a whim, she moved to New Orleans and quickly fell in love with the culture and traditions there.

“My first Mardi Gras there just spun my head around,” said Rytter. “It engages the whole town and shifts the vibe. It changes social boundaries.”

One of the magical elements of parade culture is the way it enables connection between strangers. “We have a common calling to delight one another,” she said.

The interactions between performers and bystanders might be short, but they are powerful. Just a moment of recognition, an exchange of beads, or a smile passed from one to another, can be enough to make an indelible impression on a person. Anyone can join the processional which makes these parades a unique outlet for community engagement.

“It’s soul fun; the kind of fun that touches your soul,” said Rytter. “Collective joy, we need it.”

Since its inaugural run in 2010, the BeltLine Lantern Parade has grown in strides. From an initial crowd of 400 to nearly 70,000 in 2019, it’s clear that the

infusion of parade culture into this city has met a need. And it’s safe to say, the city has returned the love.

After getting married and moving to Atlanta in the late 1990s, she quickly found a sense of community in the city and developed some incredible friendships. In a nod to Mardi Gras and New Orleans, she founded the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons in 1999. The group began parading in the Little Five Points Halloween Parade and organized a gnome march in 2018 in an effort to break the Guinness Book of World Record largest gathering of people dressed as garden gnomes. The Krewe is also a regular participant in the Inman Park

Chantelle Rytter leads the Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade. (Courtesy Steve Eberhardt)

Photos by Isadora Pennington

The success of the BeltLine Lantern Parade put Rytter in demand to create similar events in other areas, including the Take It to The River Lantern Parade in Sandy Springs, Parliament of Owls Lantern Parade in Midtown, and the Hilton Head Island Lantern Parade, among others.

Sitting in her Adair Park home that she shares with husband Steve Eberhardt (the photographer responsible for many of the most iconic shots of the parades), Rytter has handcrafted hippos, skeletons, owls, as well as a giant replica of her beloved late cat. She finds fulfillment in the hands-on nature of her craft. New challenges like how to make lanterns float on water, how to make them articulate, and how to make these creations wearable and mobile are

all significant challenges that she faces with curiosity, playfulness, determination, and talent.

“Seeing the people you share a city with as playful volumes of light does the body good,” Rytter said. “The idea that you personally can contribute to the culture of your city. I love that.”

For more details about the BeltLine Lantern Parade, visit art.beltline.org.

CHRISTIAN SIRIANO

Photo

Colorful lanterns light the night during the parade. (Courtesy Steve Eberhardt)

Festival Fever

Atlanta DocuFest and ShortsFest

Several filmmaking festivals are scheduled at RoleCall Theatre at Ponce City Market. International documentaries are featured May 27-29; docufest.com. ShortsFest, June 25-26, showcases independent short films; atlantashortsfest.com.

Atlanta Caribbean Carnival

Caribbean culture is featured with music and a parade at Atlanta’s Central Park on May 28. atlantacarnival.org.

Atlanta R&B Wine, Food & Music Festival

On May 28, 3-8 p.m., live bands will play R&B/Neo Soul while participants, ages 21+ only, enjoy fine wine, food and fresh air at The Center in Decatur. Search at eventbrite. com.

Atlanta Jazz Festival

Piedmont Park will ring out with music during this celebration of jazz on May 28-30. The artist line-up includes Herbie Hancock, Masego, The Baylor Project, Julie Dexter, and George Benson. atljazzfest.com.

By Kathy Dean

With pandemic restrictions loosening, many of Atlanta’s favorite events are slated to return this year. We’ve rounded up a variety of the festivals happening this month and in early June that you can add to your calendar.

Furry Weekend Atlanta

Costumes are optional at the annual furry convention, May 5-8 at Atlanta Marriott Marquis. furryweekend.com.

Decatur Arts Festival

An Art Walk and Artists Market, as well as music, food, and special performances, are planned for Downtown Decatur on May 6-8. decaturartsfestival.com.

Atlanta Derby Festival

Derby-themed fun with music, bourbon cocktails, wine, and beer is set for May 7, 1-8 p.m. at Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark. atlantaderbyfestival.com.

Celébréz en Rosé

Pink or white attire is required for this themed wine and music festival at Historic Fourth Ward Park on May 7. celebrezenrose.com.

Sweet Auburn Springfest

Two days of music, food, comedy and more, May 7-8, will celebrate the history, heritage, and achievements of Atlanta’s African Americans. sweetauburn.com.

Peach Party Atlanta

A series of LGBTQ+ music events will be held May 12-15 at various Atlanta locations. peachpartyatlanta.com.

Virginia-Highland Porchfest

Music will be performed on porches

throughout VaHi on May 14. There’ll even be a rock and roll themed 5K run. virginiahighlanddistrict.com. (See our special section starting on page 25)

Kirkwood Spring Fling

There’s something for everyone—5K race, kids’ area, food, artist market, Tour of Homes and Wing Fling—at the Spring Fling on May 14, 12-8 p.m. at Bessie Branham Park. historickirkwood.org.

Chastain Park Spring Arts and Craft Festival

Fine works from 175 artists and artisans are featured, as well as food and music, on May 14-15 along Park Drive. chastainparkartsfestival.com.

Atlanta Cycling Festival

Eight days of cycling fun, May 15-22, include bike rides, parties and special events throughout the city. atlantacyclingfestival. com.

Atlanta Fringe Festival

Audiences are invited to connect with adventurous artists May 16-22 at locations in Little Five Points and Candler Park. atlantafringe.org.

Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade

Admission is free for this magical nighttime parade on May 21 along the BeltLine. art.beltline.org. (See page 46 for more)

Atlanta Field Day

Register by May 15 to take part in the annual adults’ field sport event— with obstacle courses, tug-of-war and relay races—at Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark on May 21. atlfieldday.com.

MomoCon

The all-ages anime, gaming, cosplay event is at the Georgia World Congress Center May 26-29. momocon.com.

Candler Park Music Festival

Grace Potter, CBDB, the Disco Biscuits, Cha Wa and other musicians will take the stage June 3-4. Food trucks, artists and local vendors also will be on hand. candlerparkmusicfestival.com.

Virginia-Highland Summerfest

On June 11, Va-Hi celebrates their historic neighborhood with music, art, 5K run and at John Howell Park. vahisummerfest.org.

Atlanta Summer Beer Festival

Historic Fourth Ward Parks hosts a festival on June 12, 4-8 p.m., for ages 21 and over to experience local and national beers while listening to live music. atlantasummerbeerfestival.com.

Juneteenth Atlanta Parade & Music Festival

On June 17-19, the celebration of African American Emancipation at Atlanta’s Centennial Park will include a parade, performances, arts, and music. juneteenthatl.com.

Herbie Hancock will perform at the Atlanta Jazz Festival.

Kirkwood Spring Fling

MomoCon

A guide to spring arts, music, and food events around Atlanta

In the Mix: Husband and wife DJs Sofa King Evil & Lillie Smalls

By Collin Kelley

DJ Sofa King Evil and DJ Lillie Smalls met cute in an AOL chatroom in the late ’90s and discovered they had a mutual love of music. But it would take them more than a decade to meet in real life for their first date. Since then, they’ve gotten married and become DJs. Together, they host “Meet the Evils” every month at MJQ Concourse in Virginia-Highland. Let’s meet them and be sure to listen to their special In the Mix playlist – Outkast, Gucci Mane, Omeretta the Great, Prince, and Rage Against the Machine! – created just for Intown on our Spotify channel by scanning the QR code.

How did you two meet and what’s it like being a husband-and-wife DJ duo?

DJ Lillie Smalls: We met as teenagers in a “Bored ATLiens” chat room on AOL in 1999. We had so much in common, we loved talking about music and telling each other jokes. Over the years, we kept in touch through Asian Avenue, Friendster, Xanga, MySpace, and Facebook. We didn’t actually meet up until 2011 when we went on our first date. Our first date lasted a whole day: we ate lunch at Figo on Edgewood, watched a movie at Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema, and then walked around Piedmont Park quoting our favorite DMX lyrics.

DJ Sofa King Evil: Being a husband-wife

duo has been interesting. It definitely has its benefits, we share music, club intel, and gear. We cover each other’s gigs and we also pass gigs to each other. What I like about our dynamic as a team is we feed off each other’s energy, but we also keep each other in check. If I’m messing up, she’s going to check me, I know it’s not personal

and it goes both ways. To balance things out we try to do very normal stuff together, like going to Target or the grocery store or Olive Garden.

Your monthly duo spot – Meet the Evils – at MJQ has become a monthly must for the club scene in Atlanta. How did that come about and how do you keep it fresh?

DJ Lillie Smalls: We started DJing together at clubs as something cute for Valentine’s Day. When MJQ opened back up after the pandemic, they asked us both to play that first Saturday. We needed to brand the night and we went with Meet the Evils, taking DJ Sofa King Evil’s last name. We also took it to another level

announcer, and instructor. How did you get your start and what keeps you motivated?

I got my start DJing in high school. One of my school friends was a DJ and we just hung out, helped him carry gear to gigs and pass out flyers in the parking lot. After high school, I attended Clayton State where I helped build their Internet Radio Station. This led me to a gig as a public address announcer for the University’s basketball teams. I never thought I would ever be an instructor, but when Scratch Academy opened up in Atlanta, they reached out to me to join the team. I couldn’t pass up the chance to learn from the DJs I idolized and grew up listening to on the radio, and to also have the privilege to teach the next generation of DJs with them. Passion for music keeps me motivated. I love what I do and who I do it for – that is what keeps me going.

DJ Lillie Smalls, you’ve got a graduate degree in management and finance. What do those skills bring to your business and your work as a DJ?

I think what made me a great business analyst also helped me be successful with our DJ business. As a business analyst, I would take a lot of time to understand the requirements and the process before scoping out a project – DJing is no different. Before every gig, I like to understand what the audience would want to hear and if there are any events to build towards. I also think I read a DJ crowd in the same way I would read a room in the office, knowing when to and how to present issues in a meeting. I DJ by sensing what the crowd wants to hear and understanding their energy before introducing songs into a space.

When you’re not spinning, where do you both like to hang out to listen to music?

t a n d l i v e a u c t i o n , d i n n e r , l i v e e n t e r t a i n m e n t a n d a n e v e n l i v e l i e r d a n c e f l o o r

A t l a n t a H a w k ' s c e n t e r # 1 7 , O n y e k a O k o n g w u , i s t h e 2 0 2 2

M o u r n i n g G l o r y G a l a H o n o r e e A l l p r o c e e d s f r o m t h e M o u r n i n g G l o r y G a l a d i r e c t l y s u p p o r t s K a t e ' s C l u b ' s p r o g r a m s K a t e ' s C l u b i s a n A t l a n t a - a r e a n o n p r o f i t w h o s e m i s s i o n i s t o e m p o w e r c h i l d r e n a n d t e e n s f a c i n g l i f e a f t e r t h e d e a t h o f p a r e n t , s i b l i n g , o r c a r e g i v e r

S C A N F O R M O R E I N F O

by reenacting our favorite movie and TV posters. To keep the night fresh, we play off of crowd reaction, so no Saturday night is ever the same. Keeping up with trends is a full-time job. While we try to stay on top of new music, we also try to think about what is considered a classic or nostalgia for new generations. We like to use classic songs or familiar songs to frame or introduce new music.

DJ Sofa King Evil, you’ve been in the business for many years as a DJ,

DJ Sofa King Evil: We were homebodies before the pandemic, we’re even more homebodies now! While Twitch, Zoom, and other live streaming platforms make it more convenient to check out what other DJs are playing around the world, we always try to find time to support our friends locally. If they’re throwing a party somewhere or throwing down in the kitchen, we will pull up. You can’t really get away from music in the city. We are lucky to be in a city where the music is great everywhere you go –from Philips Arena to the hair salon, real ATLiens know what sounds good. Gotta love Atlanta.

Be sure to follow #MeetTheEvils on social and check out their website at www.tedmc. co.

DJ Lillie Smalls and DJ Sofa King Evil

Playing back the joys of tape

From the Crates

Kelly McCoy

Kelly

McCoy

is a veteran Atlanta broadcaster who writes about the days popular music only came on vinyl records, which often were stored in crates.

Tape.

Not duct tape, electric tape, measuring tape, packing tape or any of the 790-or-so other types of tape. Recording tape. Lives were impacted by this wonderful invention … creation … label it as you wish. I was searching for old audio to assist a group of my friends who are on their adventure with a new group, Friends of Georgia Radio. That search gave me the idea for the subject of this article: audio tape.

In the 1890s, Alexander Graham Bell and some friends came up with the way to record audio on wax cylinders. Later, taperecording pioneers and engineers changed the world by capturing audio with a more durable and efficient technology than wax that could crack, or even melt.

JUSTLISTED!

Then, more-enhanced- factory-installed players appeared. Musical styling was definitely happening. While preparing this article, I learned National 8-Track Day was April 11 and that William Powell Lear was the guy who developed this technology. Yes, the same Lear as in the designer of jets! Who knew?

Then, the amazing cassette came into our world. These invented by some Dutch Dudes in the early sixties.

Remember your first cassette recorder with a plug-in microphone and a suction cup to record phone calls? We could record everything from family members singing “Happy Birthday” to grandma, to our own voice speaking – which immediately had everyone thinking, “Do I really sound like this?”

The recording tape of our youth came on reels, 8-tracks, and cassettes. Tape quickly became our “no static at all” friend. I wouldn’t even attempt to get into the technical side and history of how sound gets on tape. We used reel-to-reel recorders in radio stations for many tasks. Our commercials, shows, newscasts, anything audio was captured on a reel with a grease

pencil, razor blade and splicing tape nearby to correct any errors.

Reel-to-reel people were the audiophiles of the time. The serious admirer of music had elaborate reel-to-reel machines powered by amazing amplifiers, and music was heard through high-end and often high-dollar speakers. These walls of sound equipment stayed home and were seriously protected and maintained.

While listening to recordings from a great old jazz masterpiece to anything with a multitude of players and singers mixed together (sometimes with full orchestras), I stop and realize the greatness of these recordings made with limited editing capabilities. When one player or singer screwed up…back to note one. Everyone had to start over. Too bad those errors and outtakes weren’t preserved. Can you imagine the historical gems we didn’t have the opportunity to hear?

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Before smaller and portable ways to transport music, we had players at home. But when 8-track machines became a part of our automotive audio world, we were in music heaven. It was beyond cool and exciting to have an 8-track player in your ride and almost mind-blowing to hear an album in the car with no crackle or clicks we’d heard on well-played vinyl.

In the beginning, we had aftermarket players added to the bottom of a car’s dashboard. The add-on speakers were another cool accessory. Even then, a tune would sometime skip if you bounced over a huge mound or encountered a pothole. Then there was the ongoing problem of the player changing to the next “track” in the middle of a song. What a struggle.

Then music became available on this more modern way to transport our tunes and our personal recorded memories with even better and more compact devices to play them. Factory in-car systems took us to the next levels of up-close-and-personal sound. The Sony Walkman changed everything again. Boom boxes came along with sometime ear-piercing decibels that could fill a room, or a large outdoor space.

In those days you could stop at an intersection with roadside clutter that included cigarette butts and unidentified objects mixed in with a long piece of skinny brown tape dangling in the breeze. This told me that someone’s music prize had bitten the dust.

Now we complain about slow internet, a poor signal, and weird wi-fi — just like our children and grandchildren.

Happy bandwidth to you!

Live life as a SCAD student this summer!

SCAD Summer Programs

Pop-up radio station is live from the BeltLine

CAMPS FOR AGES 7 - 18

By Collin Kelley

A/V Radio – an independent, off-the-grid radio station, is broadcasting live from the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail.

Managed and curated by Ree de la Vega and produced by Dash.Studio, the station is scheduled to broadcast globally through June 30 as part of this year’s Art on the Beltline. The pop-up station is located under the Freedom Parkway bridge near the skatepark.

Shows will air via audio and livestream Friday through Sunday and re-stream the rest of the week. Audiences can listen to and watch video on the avradio.live website, by downloading the free avradio.live app, or in person via speakers on the Beltline.

The station is hosted by Atlanta’s top professional DJs and national and international guests. Featured music genres include Latin, House, Disco, 80s New Wave, Goth, Afrobeat, Jersey Club, Techno, Funk, Underground Club, and Vogue Ballroom.

“We’re seeking to leverage a global network to give voice to emerging artists through A/V Radio,” de la Vega said. “And we’re committed to creating an inclusive space for communities and individuals to connect. The amplification of diverse voices is the definition of empowerment and understanding.”

A shipping container – custom designed and fabricated by Arc Design– is the home of A/V Radio. Converted to a portable DJ booth with state-of-the-art sound and streaming equipment by engineer Michael Boot, in-person visitors can’t miss the station’s lit-up “electric plum” exterior.

Courtney Hammond, Creative Director at Dash.Studio says, “With A/V, Ree’s vision for independent radio fills an obvious niche in ATL, opting the public to engage with Atlanta’s legendary musical talent. The tech at A/V also provides an international reach (with the app) to access diverse genres, skirting all physical and conceptual boundaries.”

A/V Radio is sponsored by the Atlanta Beltline, Dashboard, and Dash.Studio.

Helping today's young designers become the changemakers of the future

with

museumofdesign.org/camps

Atlanta’s Night of Ideas set for May 14

Inside the Arts

Camille Russell Love

Camille Russell Love Love has been executive director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (@atlantaoca) for more than two decades.

Barely five months into the year, and humanity seems precariously perched on the precipice of uncertainty. The COVID-19 pandemic, while better understood and more under control, continues to loom large. In the United States and abroad, intolerance and oppression persist. And the Russian war against Ukraine threatens global stability. If ever there were a need for active listening and radical understanding, now is the time.

On May 14, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs will partner with the French Embassy’s new cultural institution, Villa Albertine, to sponsor the first in-person edition of Night of Ideas.

Fulton County Arts and Culture and the Science Gallery at Emory University will participate in the event hosted at the Woodruff Arts Center. The six-hour cultural and intellectual marathon is a forum in which individuals come together from various backgrounds, interests, and skill sets to rethink the relationships

people have both with the world and each other.

Night of Ideas was initiated by the French Embassy in 2015 as the Night of Philosophy and Ideas/Night of Ideas. It evolved over time as a partnership with the Brooklyn Public Library. Billed as a philosophical marathon, Night of Ideas is an all-night event (6 p.m. to midnight) that includes performances, screenings, readings, music, and philosophical debate that bring together a wide range of thinkers, social scientists, novelists, activists, philosophers, and artists from France, the United States and beyond.

In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, 120 sites hosted the live-streamed event from seven U.S. cities (Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Norfolk, and San Francisco). Guest speakers, including 2019 Nobel Prize-winning economist Esther Duflo, journalist and sex columnist Maïa Mazaurette, and Armenian-Syrian installation artist Hratch Arbach, addressed in philosophical ways many of the pressing issues of the day. The event garnered widespread media attention and boasted an attendance of over 20,000.

More important than ever, Night of Ideas will consider contemporary notions of community and how we can strengthen social cohesion while acknowledging our struggles, celebrating activism, and empowering individuals. The event will showcase a wide range of creative and collaborative practices that question how we act, build, and create in the face of unprecedented societal, economic, political, and environmental challenges.

This year’s Night of Ideas theme is “Where Are We Going?”

The Atlanta event will celebrate our resilience as human beings and explore local and global pathways to end the current state of crisis and reinvent our shared values. Participants include Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens; Amelia Schaffner (Director, Emory University Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation); video game studio Accidental Queens; Elizabeth Strickler (Director, Media Entrepreneurship & Innovation Programs, GSU); artist Floyd Hall; culture curator Bem Joiner; professors Dr. Cheryl Finley (Spelman College and Atlanta University Center), Dr. Joycelyn Wilson (Georgia Tech), Dr. Maurice Hobson (Georgia State University), Dr. Anne Lafont (Villa Albertine & Williams College), and Ryan Gravel (Georgia Tech); Fulton County Public Art Manager Alex Frankcombe; award-winning journalist and Closer

Look host Rose Scott; and entrepreneurs Wanona Satcher, Brian Tolleson, and Donray Von. DJ Salah will provide tunes throughout the event.

In the United States, major funding for Night of Ideas is provided by Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York. To see the program schedule and register, visit nightofideas.org/atlanta.

Writer and filmmaker Celine Tricart developed Constellation, an XR journey through the Impressionist collections at the National Gallery of Art that will takes visitors on a real and virtual tour. (Courtesy Villa Albertine)

Andrade Ngoc Nguyen Ralph Freeman