Beth McKibben Senior
Sammie Purcell
Dyana Bagby
Logan C. Ritchie
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COLLIN KELLEY
We are dedicated to our Reporter print publications, but we are also cognizant that a monthly newspaper barely scratches the surface of the news happening in our communities.
That’s why I constantly tell readers to bookmark our website at RoughDraftAtlanta.com, follow us on social media @RoughDraftAtl, and subscribe to our Monday-Saturday morning newsletter by scanning the QR code below.
In August, we broke the news that The Galloway School demolished the historic Gresham Building without any notice as part of its campus modernization. The clip of the demolition went viral on Instagram and at this writing has nearly 1 million views and almost 1,000 comments. It’s moments like that you simply cannot
RoughDraftAtlanta.com to make it easy to read on your phone, tablet, or computer screen.
We’ve partnered with the Associated Press this fall to bring you coverage of the crucial presidential election in November since Georgia is a swing state once again. You’ll also find stories from our local partners, such as Capitol Beat, Georgia Recorder, and GPB News to help round out our coverage.
I love being out and about and catching a glimpse of someone with a copy of the Reporter in their hands. That’s why part of my job as editor is to curate what goes in each month’s issue and to partner with other organizations to share special events coming to our communities.
For September, we partnered with the Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta to present a special section on the organization’s upcoming 27th Annual Impact Awards, which you can read starting on page S1. We also have a special Focus on Education section this month as students settle into the first half of the academic year. You can check out those features starting on page 28.
As always, thanks for reading – no matter which medium you use!
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E T T E R S T R O N G E R AND
O G E T H E R
By Bob Pepalis
Sandy Springs residents told city officials and consultants they liked the greenspace proposed for its North Springs MARTA Corridor project but were divided on tradeoffs and expenses for the project.
The city held a workshop and public information meeting on Aug. 22 about project concepts. Approximately 60 people dropped in at city hall to share their feedback during the session.
Michelle McIntosh Ross, the city’s planning and zoning manager, said the project corridor is a 1.75-mile stretch of Peachtree Dunwoody Road from Abernathy Road to Spalding Drive and the North Springs MARTA Station.
Sandy Springs resident Doug Morgan said bringing together the transit with the neighborhood and improving walkability is a huge benefit for the city. He liked that the hilly topography would force some green space if buildings were constructed on the undeveloped 13 acres of MARTA station property.
Adam Hicks said he was worried about
tree loss, while other residents thought 12-foot side paths were too expensive and wouldn’t be used.
Many residents at the Flats at North Springs don’t know the location of a pedestrian bridge that connects their multifamily development to the transit station, said Sarah McColley, a senior urban designer at Perkins and Will.
Motorists also drive past the station on Peachtree Dunwoody Road without realizing its there, McColley said.
McIntosh Ross and city consultants said making lanes and configuration more uniform on that section of Peachtree Dunwoody was another project goal, as was identifying a preferred route to extend the PATH 400 trial north to the station area.
More information about the study can be found at sandyspringsga.gov/ NorthSpringsStudy.
Sandy Springs received funding and support for this project from the Atlanta Regional Commission through its Livable Centers Initiative program. MARTA and the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts are partners in the study.
By Bob Pepalis
Ground was broken Aug. 27 for a new North Springs High School campus, which is set to open in 2027.
Students will continue to attend classes in the existing high school during the construction of the new buildings. Once the new high school is constructed, the existing building will be demolished, Fulton County
School Chief Operating Officer Noel Maloof said during the groundbreaking ceremony.
New athletic facilities will be constructed during the 2027-2028 school year.
Maloof said the construction of a new high school campus was made possible by community support and the commitment of the school district. Funding has come from a one-cent education sales tax voters reauthorized through the next five years.
By Dyana Bagby
When the Galloway School in Buckhead’s Chastain Park neighborhood demolished its Gresham Building on Aug. 8 to make room for a new, bigger facility, local residents and historic preservationists were stunned.
Neighborhood planning units and the city’s Zoning Review Board — advisory panels to the Atlanta City Council — voted in July and August to recommend the denial of Galloway’s request to be rezoned as a special public interest district.
Their votes were partly made because
they wanted to save the 113-year-old Gresham Building listed on the National Register of Historic Places to ensure the historic character of Chastain Park is maintained.
“It was shocking,” said Bruce Johnson, a Galloway alum who lives near Chastain Park, of seeing the Gresham Building collapse. “We thought we had more time.”
Galloway did not violate any rules by demolishing the Gresham Building before receiving final zoning approval, according to the Department of City Planning.
“The demolition of the building was
not contingent on the rezoning, or did the rezoning prevent the demolition,” a spokesperson said.
Being listed on the National Register of Historic Places does not protect a building from demolition. The Gresham Building was not a city landmark or included in a historic district, so no hearing or administrative action was required to demolish the building, according to the city.
In a written statement, Galloway defended its decision to raze the Gresham Building, citing safety concerns. A spokesperson said “iconic elements” of the building will be preserved and incorporated into the next phase of the project.
On Aug. 26, the city council’s zoning committee voted 4-1 to approve Galloway’s rezoning as a special public interest district.
Voting in favor were council members Jason Dozier, Marci Collier Overstreet, Amir Farokhi, and Liliana Bakhtiari. Howard Shook voted no. Zoning committee chair Matt Westmoreland abstained. Mary Norwood, who represents Chastain Park and the Galloway School, was absent.
The full city council is expected to take up the legislation at its Sept. 3 meeting. Some residents are hoping the city council votes it down.
“Galloway leaders have already forever erased a historic icon that defined Chastain Park’s historic character, and the redevelopment they propose would drive a nail in Gresham Hall’s coffin, forever depriving visitors of a beloved public park of any semblance of its memory,” said Gloria Cheatham, senior vice president of the Tuxedo Park Civic Association, in a letter to council members.
By Logan C. Ritchie
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Arthur M. Blank Hospital is set to open in September when critical care patients will be transported from Egleston Hospital and Scottish Rite to the new hospital on North Druid Hills Road in Brookhaven.
“We have planned that day minute by minute to make sure all staff know exactly what’s expected of them and what their role is to ensuring we transfer and transport every patient safely,” said Chief Nursing Officer Linda Cole.
The Egleston Hospital emergency department will close its doors at 7 a.m. on Sept. 29 as Arthur M. Blank emergency department opens simultaneously.
The cities of Atlanta, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Sandy Springs, and their police departments along with DeKalb County Police, Emory University Police, and Georgia State Troopers will ensure the safety of 340 patients being moved to Arthur M. Blank Hospital that day. Fiftysix ambulances will be there to help.
“We have backup plans upon backup plans. We even have, for the most critical things, a backup plan for the backup plan,” said Cole. “We are ready.”
Inside the five million square foot facility, the environment is bright, simple,
and calm with family-friendly murals, play spaces, and gardens. There are 446 beds in the 19-floor hospital. Outside, North Druid Hills Road and Interstate 85 are bustling with traffic.
The new campus features an emergency department, a special care unit for treating highly infectious diseases, the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Marcus Center for Pediatric Advanced Cellular Therapy, Center for Advanced Pediatrics, an administrative support center, and more.
Working with families, clinical teams, and professionals, the hospital offers some comforts and conveniences of home like laundry facilities, kitchens, classrooms, and rentable bedrooms for caregivers to get rest without leaving the campus.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Arthur M. Blank Hospital is the only Level 1 pediatric trauma hospital in the state of Georgia.
“Arthur M. Blank Hospital is more than a new facility providing essential capacity to serve all the kids who need us,” said CEO Donna Hyland. “It is also a giant leap forward for Georgia’s kids, and it’s an open door for progress and discovery that will help transform pediatric care nationally.”
By Cathy Cobbs
A former luxury home on Chamblee Dunwoody Road that had fallen into disrepair, causing years of speculation about its reclusive owner, may soon have new life after it was purchased by an investment company.
The story of its former owner has as many twists and turns as the home itself.
The once-beautiful 5,500-square foot home – which today has its windows, doors, and garage entrance boarded up –even now is valued on tax records at more than $850,000. Networks Properties & Investments bought it for $20,000 in 2022, and after paying more than $75,000 in back taxes and penalties, is rehabbing it for resale.
A representative from Networks
Development Authority Meeting
Food
Properties said the company filed a suit for a “quiet title action,” which is a special legal proceeding to determine ownership of real property.
A quiet title action occurs when a party with a claim of ownership to land can file an action to quiet title, which serves as a sort of lawsuit against anyone who has a claim to the land.
The representative from Network Properties, Richard Steele, said the quiet claim was accepted and in January “we were granted a clear and clean title.”
Located near the busy corner of Vermack and Chamblee Dunwoody Roads near the historic Donaldson-Cheek farmhouse, the property’s decline was the source of speculation by neighbors and government officials starting around 2017.
DeKalb County tax records indicate that Tara Faye Lecky, under the operating name Picky Pickens LLC, stopped paying property taxes that year. At some point, there was a fire in the home, causing it to be condemned, but reportedly Lecky continued to live in the garage of the unrepaired house without power or electricity.
At a Dunwoody Homeowners Association meeting in 2021, city officials discussed their challenges with trying to
bring the house up to code and outlined plans to obtain a court order to minimally maintain the exterior of the property, which had grass three feet high and bushes and trees even higher.
Dunwoody officials said they spent about $4,000 maintaining the property before it was purchased by Network Properties, which has reimbursed the city.
The downward spiral of its owner has garnered sympathy in the community, despite its frustration with the very public disintegration of the home.
According to DeKalb County Jail records, Lecky was arrested in 2015 and charged with one count of theft of service. She was subsequently arrested for probation violation and failure-to-appear charges several times in the fall of 2020.
An open records request to the Dunwoody Police Department yielded no information on the nature of the charges, nor any disposition.
In addition, several news stations reported in November 2018 that Lecky, who is also known as Tara Faye Johnson, had been missing for more than four months after jumping out of a car at the intersection of North Peachtree Road and Cotillion Drive and running into a wooded area. Relatives had reportedly been transporting her to a medical facility for treatment.
Her whereabouts have been largely unreported since then. In February of this year, Lecky, under the name Tara Faye Johnson, was arrested in Miami-Dade County and charged with entering a park during after-hours. The record did not report the disposition of the case, other than saying “charge satisfied.”
DHA President Bob Fiscella said he was pleased that house is being rehabbed, as it was a topic of much discussion over the years.
“It was an eyesore for everyone who drove by there,” he said. “It will be great to see it restored. It was a really beautiful home.”
By Cathy Cobbs
Ambulance response times have shown significant improvements since Dunwoody funded a dedicated vehicle to patrol the city from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to a recently released report.
The report said 90% of the response times for all calls dropped from 24 minutes to 19 minutes, a 22% percent reduction. Ninety percent of response times during the hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. fell from 35 minutes to less than 17 minutes, according to a 120-day comparison compiled by the
DeKalb County Fire Department. However, the report cautioned that while improvements in response times have been substantial, “the cost of providing this additional service will be difficult to sustain moving forward.”
“The initial funding came from one-time ARPA [American Rescue Plan] funding. The City Council has appropriated additional ARPA funds for 2025,” the report said. “Unfortunately, there are no additional funding sources for this service after 2025.”
By Cathy Cobbs
Tucker residents weighed in at an Aug. 13 open house regarding a proposed pedestrian trail that would connect downtown Tucker to Northlake Mall.
The 2.8-mile trail “would provide an efficient, offroad alternative transportation for pedestrians and cyclists who traditionally travel the parallel roads, Lawrenceville Highway/State Route 8, LaVista Road/SR 238 and I-285,” according to information provided by the city.
At the evening opening house at Tucker City Hall, residents saw a large map of where the proposed project would be installed and placed notes on areas of concern or interest.
Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at Tucker City Hall, 1975 Lakeside Pkwy, Ste 350B, Tucker, GA 30084
• SEPTEMBER 2
CIty Buildings Closed in Observance of Labor Day
• SEPTEMBER 3, 6:30 P.M
Downtown Development Authority
• SEPTEMBER 4, 7 P.M
Zoning Board of Appeals
• SEPTEMBER 6, 7 P.M.
First Friday Concert
The Return - Beatles
Tribute Band
Church St. Greenspace 4316 Church Street
• SEPTEMBER 9, 7 P.M.
City Council Meeting
• SEPTEMBER 14, 10 A.M.
Tucker Cruise In Main Street
• SEPTEMBER 19, 7 P.M.
Planning Commission
• SEPTEMBER 21, 5 P.M.
Adult Field Day
Tucker Rec. Center 4898 Lavista Road
• SEPTEMBER 23, 7 P.M.
City Council Meeting
come back to the public for further review.
If the project does not need major revisions, next steps would include rightof-way acquisition and then the final design.
Tucker City Council Member Cara Schroeder said she was pleased by the
public turnout.
The 10-foot-wide path would begin at Northlake Mall on Northlake Parkway and end in downtown Tucker at the existing shared-use path at Second Street. Parts of the path would be adjacent to roadways while other sections would not.
According to Tucker officials, the design portion of the project has been funded. After gathering comments, depending on feedback, the project could
“We had a great group of people who provided some very good feedback,” Schoeder said. “People are excited about increasing walkability in the city.”
According to the Friends of Tucker Path website, the overall master trail plan envisions 32 miles of multi-use trail and neighborhood connectivity opportunities that will help the city connect residential areas to schools, parks, existing trails, downtown, and commercial areas.
The plan for the Tucker master trail was adopted by the city in April 2019.
By Cathy Cobbs
The Tucker City Council at its Aug. 12 meeting heard a litany of complaints about traffic congestion, littering, and speeding from residents living around Idlewood Elementary School.
Several residents living in the Idlewood Acres neighborhood spoke during public comment, saying that they are being held hostage in their homes during school drop-off and pick-up times at Idlewood Elementary School as motorists block their driveways.
“Every day they are blocking my driveway, blocking the street and I can’t get in or out of my house for two hours every day,” Christine Jackson said. “If there was an emergency, nobody could get to my street.”
Jackson said she has spoken to school officials several times about the problem to no avail.
“For about a day or two, staff members come out and direct traffic and then it goes
back to business as usual,” she said, “We are looking for some reprieve so we are not trapped in or out of our homes.”
Another resident of Idlewild Acres, Bill Washburn, a police officer for 20 years, said he is concerned about vehicle speeding during off-school hours and congestion during them.
“It is part of my training to visually estimate speed, and it is no joke when we say that speeds are often 60 miles per hour in front of Idlewild Elementary,” Washburn said.
Washburn urged the council to consider traffic-calming measures rather than widening the road.
Idlewood Acres resident Rosa Esperanza said living in the subdivision is “a curse when school is in session.”
After the public input, Tucker Mayor Frank Auman said although the council cannot comment on the statements, “it doesn’t mean that you are not being heard.”
By Beth McKibben
Speaking to Jodi Stallings, you can hear her voice teetering on the edge of exhaustion. Since announcing the sale of The Colonnade on Aug. 7, Stallings and her husband, David, have been fielding calls from journalists, chatting with long-tenured staff, and quelling the fears of regulars concerned that the nearly century-old Southern restaurant would close.
Stallings is finally ready to retire and insists that The Colonnade will live on under a new owner. She won’t sell the Cheshire Bridge Road dining institution to anyone who intends to change the business.
“I’ve been in the restaurant since I was nine. It’s been my entire life. I want our lives to slow down,” Stallings said of selling The Colonnade. “The restaurant business is tough, especially as a single establishment and with quite a legacy. There’s a lot of energy in this restaurant. I want it to continue in Atlanta.”
At 97 years old, The Colonnade may be best known for its diverse clientele, including senior citizens and members of Atlanta’s LGBTQ community. It’s a unique assemblage of people affectionally referred to as “the gays and the grays.” But The Colonnade casts a much wider net in Atlanta, with Gen Alpha and Gen Z dining with their Millennial and Gen X parents or Boomer generation grandparents. It’s how new generations become acquainted with, and fall in love with, the good, old-fashioned Southern hospitality and food at The Colonnade.
“My family has been dining at The Colonnade for over 30 plus years, celebrating many milestones: engagement, Mother’s and Father’s Day, graduation,” one regular told Rough Draft. “To say this wonderful and welcoming restaurant is deeply embedded in our family history and memories is an understatement.”
Stallings respects how much people cherish The Colonnade, especially after several unforeseen events threatened the restaurant’s existence on Cheshire Bridge. Road closures caused by construction and bridge fires, followed by a global pandemic, saw businesses up and down Cheshire Bridge experience a sharp decline in sales for months at a time, including at
restaurants like Nakato, Nino’s, and The Colonnade.
An Atlanta and family legacy
Opened in 1927, The Colonnade has been part of Stallings’s life since 1979 when her dad took ownership. She was 9 years old and spent most of her days there as a child, eventually working alongside her dad when she got older. In 2019, he sold the restaurant to Stallings and her husband, keeping The Colonnade in the family.
A year later, the COVID-19 pandemic would wreak havoc on the restaurant industry. It became an all-out battle for survival during the early months of the health crisis and there were days Stallings worried The Colonnade might not make it.
The 9,000-square-foot restaurant relies on its regulars, a full dining room and martini-slinging bar, and busy banquet space to pay the rent. Between the dining room, bar, and banquet room, The Colonnade seats 280 people at capacity.
Pivoting became more than a PR buzzword for restaurants in 2020, including for The Colonnade. Stallings closed the restaurant for four months, briefly opening on Mother’s Day to serve its famous fried chicken from the parking lot. Shifting The Colonnade’s 46 employees and extensive dining operation to takeout wasn’t possible. Closing for a few months allowed them time to shore up the restaurant before reopening for outdoor dining later that summer.
Despite their best efforts to financially secure the restaurant and its employees, sales were down nearly 70% by the end of 2020. Labor and ingredient costs had also increased. It became clear to many longtime regulars that Atlanta might lose The Colonnade. A fundraiser set up on behalf of The Colonnade raised close to $125,000 to help the Stallings and their employees, many of whom have been with the restaurant for decades, navigate the uncertain months ahead.
The Aug. 7 headlines from news outlets across Atlanta regarding the impending sale of The Colonnade brought back memories of 2020. People panicked reading the real estate listing, keying in on one bullet point that simply read, “keep or convert.” The thought of converting The Colonnade into another
restaurant, or worse, knocking it down for apartments, set off a firestorm of online comments about the sale, with most raising red flags that it could spell the end of The Colonnade.
More than four years from the start of the pandemic, six years from taking ownership, and 45 years from when her dad bought the restaurant, Stallings said it’s time for her family to pass the torch. She’s modeling the decision-making process after Jack Clark when he sold The Colonnade to her father, Paul Jones, in 1979.
“When the previous owner took my dad to Michigan to show him where he was from, he wanted my dad to meet the family and understand what he was taking on with The Colonnade,” said Stallings. “I hope to do something similar with potential buyers. I’m not selling The Colonnade to throw it away. They need to understand why it matters to our family and our customers.”
Stallings made it clear that they aren’t in jeopardy of losing the lease on the building, owned by Selig Enterprises. The company’s chairman and CEO, Steve Selig, often eats at The Colonnade. According to Stallings, he’s a firm believer in retaining legacy tenants. Selig Enterprises also owns the buildings of other iconic Atlanta restaurants like Manual’s Tavern, Smith’s Old Bar, and The Silver Skillet.
None of the potential buyers who’ve approached the Stallings about purchasing The Colonnade, she said, plan to change the restaurant, other than make some necessary upgrades and improvements to keep it ticking over for decades to come.
That will include retaining its current staff, like Rhea Merritt who joined the restaurant in the early 1970s. You’ll often find her behind the bar in the lounge serving up ice-cold martinis. Then there’s Randell Stenson at the host stand. He’s been meeting, greeting, and calling out names of parties waiting to dine at The Colonnade for 32 years.
Some of the restaurant’s regulars, now fixtures at The Colonnade, have been dining there since the 1970s and 1980s.
media presence or populated by influencers dining for the ‘gram or hot takes on TikTok. Up until 2014, the restaurant was cash-only and didn’t take credit cards.
On Cheshire Bridge Road, with its quirky collection of strip clubs, antique stores, LGBTQ nightclubs, and restaurants like The Colonnade, the tug-of-war plays out every day between old and new Atlanta. Not all change is bad, but some residents would like to see the city work toward blending the cultures and businesses of past, present, and future Atlanta on busy corridors like Cheshire Bridge.
“I have fond memories of going to The Colonnade with my grandparents on Sunday evenings. They lived on Lenox Road [in the 1980s] near the train tracks,” one native Atlantan said. “I now live in the same neighborhood and it makes me feel connected to not only them but the feel of an old Atlanta.”
While this resident understands the need to progress as a city, she also feels a sense of urgency to integrate and preserve places like The Colonnade into Atlanta’s rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods.
“Atlanta has changed over the decades, but the feel of the neighborhood, the skeleton of what once was, will always be here,” she added. “As I see Cheshire Bridge dilapidated, move up and on, build upon itself for the worse (i.e. Sam’s Corner) and then for the better (The Buttery, The Daily Chew), it saddens me but also gives hope.
In an industry where restaurants often don’t survive the first five years in business, The Colonnade continues to endure – and for almost a century. Multiple owners and generations of customers became custodians
“I’ve been going to The Colonnade for about 40 years and would be sad to see it close. When you slide into the cozy little bar and watch those martinis get shaken, poured, and passed out, you feel kinda like you’re in a club with all types [of people] happy to be together,” one regular said of why he hopes the new owners take stock in the inclusive culture at The Colonnade. “Where will the alternative ‘Gays & Grays’ destination be? I’m on the gray side, so my perspective of the Atlanta restaurant/bar scene is long and pretty wide. I don’t see an alternative.”
You hear sentiments like this time and again from patrons of The Colonnade, loyal to a restaurant without a polished social
of its legacy in Atlanta.
For Stallings, retirement from the restaurant business will mean a quieter life at her home in the North Georgia mountains. It’s bittersweet. She’ll miss being part of The Colonnade and the lives of customers. Her aim right now, however, is to find a buyer who will take as much pride in owning The Colonnade as she and her family have for the last 45 years.
“I’m on my sixth generation of customers. That’s amazing. I cherish that. We’re fortunate to be in that position as a restaurant,” Stallings said. “The Colonnade isn’t and shouldn’t go anywhere. It’s a mainstay in Atlanta.”
By Beth McKibben
Some of my favorite restaurant memories from when my children were little include taking them to R. Thomas’ Deluxe Grill on Peachtree for Saturday morning breakfast. The trip from the car to the host stand typically took an extra five minutes because we had to stop and see the talkative tropical birds outside the entrance. The trip back to the car after breakfast took equally as long.
Children (and adults) crowded around the cages engaging with cockatoos like Peaches and Cream, and Ruby the parrot who would squeak, squawk, or mimic words like “Hello.” People marveled at the beautiful birds who seemed unbothered by their busy city living quarters.
It’s hard to miss R. Thomas’ while driving down Peachtree with its motley collection of yard ornaments, flea market finds, and multicolored Statue of Liberty. I also love the unpretentious diner vibe inside R. Thomas’.
The restaurant’s owner, the late Richard Thomas, was almost always outside in the mornings watering the plants and feeding his beloved birds. Like the birds, he would greet customers heading into the restaurant, smiling and chatting up the regulars. Sometimes he’d chuckle when first-time visitors would gaze upon the magical world he had created outside. If you ran the Peachtree Road Race before he died in 2017, you
returned safely, followed by the gaping sinkhole earlier this year that threatened to take out R. Thomas’s dining room, along with neighboring restaurants Sufi’s Kitchen and Bell Street Burritos.
During a recent visit to R. Thomas’, I snapped a photo of Peaches and texted it to my kids. Both in their early 20s, they immediately texted back. They knew I was at R. Thomas’ and made me promise to take them back when they returned home for the holidays. I ordered the breakfast quinoa bowl. It’s mixed with scrambled eggs, kale, tomatoes, and salsa.
I like to order a side of chicken sausage to cut up and add to the bowl.
The restaurant finally resumed latenight dining again in April, which means you can eat at R. Thomas’ from 7 a.m. to 5 a.m., Wed. through Sat. And while you’ll likely see me dining here during regular breakfast hours rather than late at night, I’m happy a new generation of young people will discover the joys of an R. Thomas’ burger or breakfast quesadilla on Peachtree at 2 a.m.
likely saw Mr. Thomas on the sidewalk cheering on runners with one of his birds perched on his arm.
My first memories of dining at R. Thomas’, however, were the late-night pitstops in my 20s. The restaurant was open nearly 24 hours and served everything from its popular Peachtree breakfast plate to a teriyaki rice bowl to vegetarian meatloaf with bottomless coffee and fresh juices. Tables were filled with people like me and my friends, hospital workers on break, and restaurant industry folks just getting off their shifts. It was a late-night microcosm of Atlanta.
When Mr. Thomas died, longtime patrons, some of whom had been coming to the restaurant since it opened in 1985, truly mourned his death. He was a special part of our lives and typified the entrepreneurial spirit of Atlanta. He was one of the few restaurateurs to offer a variety of healthier dishes on Atlanta’s Main Street (and at all hours,) including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, well before other restaurants jumped on the bandwagon.
It’s been a rough few years for R. Thomas’, which is still family-owned. The pandemic saw the restaurant cease its 24-hour dining service and pivot to takeout in 2020. When R. Thomas’ finally reopened for dine-in service, the takeout window remained for to-go orders, but the restaurant closed early.
Then came the brazen theft of the restaurant’s birds in 2023, which were
A home to rest your head, a park where you can play, a trail to stroll, a community that welcomes you. Johns Creek is more than roads, buildings, and businesses. This is a city where you put down roots, where lifelong friends are made, where you
can watch your family grow.
Recognized nationally by Travel+Leisure as the Best U.S. Suburb to live in, Johns Creek has something for everyone and we invite you to make it your own.
Learn more about all the amazing things Johns Creek has to offer.
By Cathy Cobbs
The 33rd annual Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta will feature an array of impressive speakers – from a former medical advisor to numerous U.S. presidents to an actor who was part of a beloved television comedy series.
A release from the MJCCA detailed the line-up of events and authors that will appear at the festival from Nov. 2 to 17, touted as “From Pop Culture to Politics & Israel.”
Topping the list is Dr. Anthony Fauci, who acted as the chief medical advisor to seven presidents for 38 of his 54-year tenure with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. His book, “On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service,” was a New York Times #1 bestseller.
Fauci, who became a household name regarding his role in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, details in the book growing up in Brooklyn, his work with critically ill patients and his “behind-thescenes advising and negotiating with seven presidents on key issues from global AIDS relief to infectious disease preparedness at home,” according to an online book review from Barnes & Noble.
book, “When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion.”
Rochelle Weinstein will discuss her emotionally charged novel, “What You Do To Me: A Novel” and David and Susan Schwartz will highlight their deep dive into consumer culture in “The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z.”
In addition, Dr. Mimi Zieman will share her journey and insights in her book, “Tap Dancing on Mt. Everest: A Young Doctor’s Unlikely Adventure.”
5:30 - 9:00PM ECLIPSE DI LUNA BUCKHEAD
He will appear at the festival Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Book festival organizers said this year’s lineup will provide the community an opportunity to engage with diverse global voices.
“The 33rd edition of the Book Festival of the MJCCA is a true celebration of storytelling, offering our community an incredible opportunity to engage with diverse voices,” MJCCA Book Festival Co-Chair Cherie Aviv said. “This year’s lineup highlights prominent figures from literature, politics, and entertainment while also shining a spotlight on Israeli authors and cultural icons, offering unique insights into contemporary Israeli life and thought.”
Select keynote festival authors and entertainers include Emily Giffin, Michael Richards, John Quinones and Maria Elena Salinas, Mitch Albom, Amir Tobin, Stuart Eizenstat, and Joan Nathan.
In addition to these keynote authors, the festival features authors who delve into topics from life journeys to historical fiction, the release said.
Julie Satow will explore the history of influential women in New York with her
“This eclectic mix of voices ensures that every attendee will find something that resonates deeply, making this year’s festival truly unforgettable,” the release said. All events will occur at the MJCCA, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit atlantajcc.org.
The Decatur Book Festival has announced its featured author lineup and full schedule for 2024. This year’s festival will take place on Oct. 4-5 and features an array of nearly 100 authors in events spread across downtown Decatur.
Among the variety of authors, the 2024 lineup includes Pulitzer Prizewinning poet Natasha Trethewey; novelists Tea Obreht and Diane McPhail; sci-fi/fantasy writers Cinda Williams Chima, Jill Tew, and David Arnold; and headliners Stacy Abrams and Joyce Carol Oates.
Get full details at RoughDraftAtlanta.com/dbf.
The Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta (CVC) supports member companies to deliver business results through their strategic commitment to social impact and civic engagement. Since 1992, the CVC has provided professional development programming and strategic networking for Metro Atlanta’s most community-minded companies and corporate social responsibility (CSR) professionals.
Each year, the CVC hosts the IMPACT Awards, celebrating leading examples of CSR and community partnerships. The 27th Annual IMPACT Awards is scheduled for Tuesday, September 10th from 11:30am1:30pm at Curate on Logan Circle, and the theme is “Rooted in Community.” IMPACT is presented by Diamond Sponsor, Delta Air Lines, with additional support from Platinum Sponsors Chick-fil-A, Georgia Natural Gas, Kaiser Permanente, Norfolk Southern and many other Atlanta companies.
This year, the CVC received more than 30 IMPACT nominations from companies of all sizes. Nominations were reviewed by a national panel of CSR professionals who determined the finalists in each of 3 award categories.
The first award category is IMPACT Corporate Innovative Project of the Year. This award recognizes businesses that have successfully completed an innovative, creative, and impactful short-term employee engagement, volunteer, or social impact project that achieved measurable results. The award emphasizes the importance of dreaming big and embracing new and innovative strategies for employee volunteerism and community service.
The first finalist in this category is Chick-fil-A, which prioritizes addressing hunger and food insecurity. Chick-fil-A employees partnered with U.S. Hunger and Convoy of Hope to pack 2 million meals in 2 hours during the company’s annual conference. Fifty percent of meals packed were distributed to provide immediate relief during disaster relief efforts and remaining meals helped feed underserved urban and rural communities. Packing meals together
created a sense of shared purpose and supports one of Chick-fil-A’s CSR goals to provide 200 million meals to communities by 2025.
The other finalist in this category is NCR Voyix, which partnered with United Way of Greater Atlanta and the NCR Foundation to support 438 students through STEMUp. This program is modeled after the popular TV show “Shark Tank”, and empowers middle and high-school students through mentorship to utilize science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to solve community challenges. While supporting future leaders, NCR Voyix employees were also supporting the company’s goal to be a catalyst of opportunity and change, leveraging talents and resources to better our communities.
Next, the CVC has the IMPACT Corporate Skills-Based Award, which is presented to a company for utilizing its employee skills to support a nonprofit or community partner, while also promoting professional growth among its workforce. This year, there were 3 finalists in this category due to a tie for runner-up.
The first finalist is Cox Enterprises, which partnered with Science ATL’s School and Youth Program. Cox Enterprises hosted the organization’s Chief Science Officer Spring
Cabinet meeting and provided project management, networking tips, and a STEM career panel for 120 students. In addition, Cox Enterprises helped create posters and digital media featuring diverse STEM professionals for Science ATL’s “Hallway Takeover” school pop-up exhibit. Both efforts were designed to foster awareness and excitement around STEM careers.
The next finalist is KPMG for their innovative partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. KPMG hosted a 3-week, paid internship for the third year in a row designed to provide resources, tools, and information to high school students to provide equitable access to a choice-filled future. Students were exposed to pathways of opportunity in the fields of accounting and professional services, and KPMG employees led skill-building, professional development, and networking workshops for participants.
The last finalist in this category is The Lumistella Company, which partnered with Path United to host a high school Career Day for students from communities with low graduation rates. Students toured company headquarters, learned from the company’s Executive Board, and paired up with mentors to learn about different career paths. Students learned about animation, graphic and product design, accounting, human
resources and more. Since 2017, graduation rates of Career Day program participants have grown from 30% to 88%.
Finally, the CVC has the IMPACT Corporate Program of the Year, which is presented to an exemplary corporate employee volunteer or CSR program that goes above and beyond to effectively integrate community service and impact and/or volunteering into the company’s business culture.
Delta Air Lines is the first finalist in this category. Delta commits 1% of its annual net income to the communities where employees live, work, and serve. Delta focuses on Environment, Equity, Education, and Entire Wellness, investing time and resources to care for the planet and the people within it. Delta leverages cross-departmental collaboration to enhance community activations and provide stories, data, and content that support business objectives. In 2023 Delta reported 36,850 employee volunteers contributing more than 122,000 volunteer hours.
Kroger is also a finalist in this category. The company is guided by its purpose “To Feed the Human Spirit,” specifically through their bold impact plan to eliminate hunger and reduce waste in the communities Kroger serves. Through their food distribution program, Kroger Atlanta volunteers recently donated more than 3.2 million meals. They actively partner to reduce food waste by investing in compost gardens, local farms, and supporting critical recycling needs. In the past year, 95% of Kroger’s Atlanta employee base participated in social impact efforts.
The CVC invites you to learn more about our winners and finalists by attending the IMPACT Awards on September 10, visiting www.cvcofatlanta.org/impact, or following us on social media. Congratulations to all IMPACT award finalists and nominees for the outstanding work they are doing to enhance our communities.
is proud to work alongside Corporate Volunteer Council supporting greater Atlanta and its communities. Learn how we’re building a better future for the next generation at 34by34.coxenterprises.com.
By Toccara Arnold Alam, 2024 Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta Board President
As I reflect on my nearly eight years with the Corporate Volunteer Council (CVC) of Atlanta, I’m struck by the incredible journey we’ve taken together. When I joined in 2016, the conversation in corporate circles was dominated by one word: Millennials. Companies were eager to understand how to engage, attract, and retain this new generation of workers who were just beginning to reshape the workplace. Fast forward to today, and Millennials are no longer the new kids on the block—they’re the ones running the show, ushering in the next wave of civic leaders with fresh perspectives and unwavering commitment.
(ESG) measurement, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
The CVC Impact Awards, our annual fundraiser, has also undergone significant transformation. What was once an in-person event has adapted to the times, shifting to virtual and hybrid formats during the pandemic, and now, it has returned to in-person gatherings with record-breaking attendance. Through all these changes, one thing has remained constant: our unwavering commitment to the City of Atlanta and the corporate community we serve.
This evolution has been mirrored in the CVC itself. We’ve seen firsthand how the needs and expectations of our community have changed, and we’ve adapted in realtime to meet those challenges head-on. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, we quickly pivoted our programming to ensure that our members could continue their vital work in the community, even from a distance. The events of 2020, particularly the George Floyd protests and the Black Lives Matter movement, pushed us to provide a platform for difficult but necessary conversations about race, equity, and justice within the workplace. In these moments, the CVC didn’t shy away from the tough issues; instead, we leaned in, recognizing that our role as corporate social responsibility (CSR) professionals was expanding and a vital part of corporate environmental, social, and governance
This year’s Impact Awards theme, “Rooted in Community,” is a testament to the strong, enduring connections that have been cultivated over the years. Our corporate members and nonprofit partners are deeply embedded in the fabric of Atlanta, working tirelessly to make a positive impact on the lives of those who live and work here. The CVC has always been about more than just volunteerism— it’s about creating a culture of civic engagement that empowers companies to not only meet their business objectives but to do so in a way that enriches the community around them.
As we gather for the 2024 CVC Impact Awards, I am filled with pride and gratitude for all that we have accomplished together. We’ve faced challenges, navigated change, and emerged stronger and more resilient than ever. But most importantly, we’ve stayed true to our roots. The CVC and its members are and always will be, rooted in the Atlanta community—working together to build a better, brighter future for all. Because we’re Better Together.
The Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta (CVC) offers monthly programming to support community-facing professionals from Atlanta’s most civically minded businesses. CVC members are encouraged to listen and learn about Metro Atlanta’s most pressing needs and identify the unique ways that their companies may contribute. The CVC provides a forum where business professionals learn together, share leading practices, and fine-tune community investment strategies. Whether your business is just getting started on its social impact journey or your employees have been engaging in meaningful service for decades, the CVC stands ready to support
you. Together, we are better equipped to learn, grow and evolve.
I hope that you enjoy reading about what CVC member companies of all sizes are doing to build meaningful partnerships in support of Metro Atlanta’s unique and dynamic communities. You may view a complete list of CVC members at www. cvcofatlanta.org/members. If your company is not a member of the CVC, we invite you to join us today to connect, inspire and impact.
Together in service, Cheryl Kortemeier
Executive Director CVC of Atlanta
It is our pleasure to support Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta who exemplify excellence in leadership and are positively influencing our communities.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is the concept that companies should do more good than harm. Investing in CSR is essential for businesses of all sizes as it boosts employee morale, strengthens community relations, fosters sustainable practices, and promotes long-term success. Workplace volunteering is a key component of an effective CSR strategy, and now is the perfect time to launch or enhance your company’s social impact approach.
Workplace volunteering demonstrates a company’s commitment to community well-being and is good for business. By understanding and addressing the community’s needs, companies may provide valuable support and solutions and produce sustainable results.
Engaging employees in service enhances a company’s reputation, making it more appealing to customers and investors who value ethical practices.
Employee volunteering enhances job satisfaction and interpersonal dynamics. Employees who engage in service may learn new skills, build peer-to-peer connections, and are more likely to experience a sense of belonging. According to Double the Donation, companies with active volunteer programs experience 52% lower turnover rates and reduced recruitment costs. Volunteering at work also offers opportunities for personal and professional growth, helping employees become better leaders, communicators, and project managers.
In today’s socially conscious marketplace, stakeholders increasingly expect companies to be invested in the community. Implementing an employee volunteer program may attract customers, clients, and shareholders who prioritize social impact, thereby differentiating your company’s brand in the marketplace.
If your company is interested in learning more about volunteering as a CSR strategy, the Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta (CVC) can help. More than 100 Metro Atlanta
companies of all sizes participate in our programming throughout the year. We also host the CVC IMPACT Awards each September, highlighting excellence in corporate civic engagement. Learn more, join us, and be inspired at www. cvcofatlanta.org.
If your company is just beginning its social impact work, there are several steps to consider:
■ Listen to community needs. What are the most pressing issues?
■ Consider the company’s core mission and values. What do we stand for and how can we help?
■ Understand employee and stakeholder interests. How will they get involved?
■ Evaluate resources. What expertise does your company have to offer? Is there a budget?
■ Collaborate with partners. Are there experts already working on this issue? How can your business enhance rather than duplicate efforts?
■ Set objectives and metrics. What do we hope to accomplish? How will we know if we’ve gotten there?
■ Execute and document. Do we have a photographer? How will we capture stories and experiences?
■ Share Impact. What is your plan to share a project summary internally and with your partners? Externally?
■ Celebrate & Evaluate. You did it. Starting is the hardest part! Now, how will you evolve for next time? What can be improved?
■ Rinse and Repeat. How can your project become a program? Is this effort one that may be duplicated?
At Ryan, we share success with the communities in which we live and work. It’s one of our values and helps guide our business.
We are proud to support the Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta as they aim to advance civic engagement and social impact programs with their member companies. Learn more about Ryan at ryan.com
In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared a social isolation and loneliness epidemic. He noted that more than fifty percent of U.S. adults are experiencing loneliness, and the number is even higher for young people.
International nonprofit, Points of Light, recently highlighted the topic of loneliness at their annual conference which was attended by hundreds of social impact leaders from around the globe. They shared data illustrating that in the past fifty years, there has been a decline in participation in recreational leagues, service organizations, faith organizations, and other groups designed to bring people together. This was accelerated by the global pandemic. And when social connection goes down, incidences of depression, anxiety, and even cardiovascular issues rise.
As we consider addressing the loneliness epidemic and its impact on our physical, mental, and community health, volunteerism offers a powerful antidote to this social challenge. Volunteering creates meaningful human connections, a sense of purpose, and opportunities for personal and professional growth.
One of the most compelling ways volunteerism addresses loneliness is by fostering connection. When people come together to learn about community needs and volunteer, they form bonds with others who share similar interests and passions. Whether planting trees, packing meals or reading to young people, volunteering provides focused social interactions that would otherwise not be part of our day. These connections may evolve into lasting friendships, reducing feelings of isolation, and enhancing a person’s sense of belonging and purpose.
And speaking of purpose, feeling like you are contributing to something bigger is crucial for mental well-being. Many people who are lonely also feel disconnected from society and struggle to find meaning in their daily routines. Volunteering offers a way to contribute to the world around us, which feels meaningful. Finding a sense of purpose motivates and encourages people
to remain engaged and active in their communities, further mitigating feelings of depression and loneliness.
Volunteerism also promotes personal growth and development. Societal issues are often complex, and volunteers must listen to community needs and learn about new perspectives before acting. Through this process, we experience new ways of doing things and develop new skills and perspectives. Learning new things makes us feel empowered and boosts self-awareness. This personal growth not only combats loneliness but also enriches the volunteer’s overall life experience. As individual volunteers grow and evolve, they are likely to affect others around them creating a ripple effect. The more people engage in volunteer activities, the more communities become more connected, supportive, and resilient.
People who volunteer at work may also experience personal growth, creating connections with co-workers, deeper employee engagement with their business, and better impressions of their employer. Volunteering during the work day or after hours with peers deepens relationships and creates a shared sense of purpose. It also allows employees to learn about urgent social needs, become problem solvers, apply professional skills in a positive way, and more.
As our communities continue to grapple with the challenges of isolation, encouraging volunteerism is a vital part of the solution, bringing people together and creating stronger, more connected communities. If you are feeling lonely, why not give volunteering a try? Getting involved is as easy as doing a quick Internet search, registering to help, and then showing up.
New to volunteering? Try learning more about these organizations online: Points of Light - www.pointsoflight.org
Hands on Atlanta - www.handsonatlanta.org
United Way of Greater Atlantawww.unitedwayatlanta.org
Kaiser Permanente is humbled and proud to be part of a community of game changers. Congratulations to this year’s IMPACT award winners! For all that is you
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are groups of colleagues who come together around a shared characteristic or life experience. ERGs typically take shape to provide support, enhance personal and career development, and provide mentoring. ERGs also enhance diversity, inclusion, and employee engagement within companies and foster a sense of belonging. Examples of ERGs include Women, Veterans, LGBTQIA+, Black, Latinx, Environmental Sustainability, New Hires, and more.
In recent years, many companies have begun leveraging ERGs to drive volunteerism and philanthropy, especially when it comes to connecting with specific communities of people, identifying meaningful initiatives, and activating employees around social issues.
CVC member Maurice Baker, Manager of Community Relations for Georgia Natural Gas shared, “Ashlei Sellers of Georgia Natural Gas is a member of her company’s Amplify ERG which has a focus on new employees.” The group recently completed a volunteer event with Atlanta nonprofit, Kate’s Club. Baker
continued, “Employee Resource Groups like Amplify play such an important role in creating a sense of community and belonging -- especially for newer hires.” When companies entrust ERGs with taking the lead on community initiatives, it boosts leadership and organizational skills within the company. ERG participants often have a deeper understanding of the communities they represent, allowing them to tailor volunteer activities and philanthropic
investments. For instance, a Veterans ERG may organize programs that assist new veterans with adjusting to civilian life. Or perhaps employees who participate in an Environment and Sustainability ERG would be more informed about specific environmental concerns and have relationships with local conservation organizations. These relationships foster a deeper sense of belonging and more authentic connections for all those involved.
By integrating ERGs into their volunteering strategies, companies may align these efforts with broader corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals. ERGs often play a key role in advancing the company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by focusing on volunteer activities that address social inequity and support underrepresented groups. This alignment helps to amplify the impact of both the ERGs and the company’s overall CSR initiatives.
According to CVC member Carley Gaynes Blass, ERGs play a vital role with employee engagement at FirstKey Homes. She shared, “At FirstKey Homes, our Proud Collective ERG supports Lost ‘n Found Youth. Through meaningful volunteer engagements and donations of technology products, our team members have contributed toward Lost ‘n Found’s important work of supporting LGBTQ+ young people. We are proud that volunteerism plays a role in our employee resource groups’ annual calendar of activities, and we know that giving back brings fulfillment both to our employees and the impacted organizations.”
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By Collin Kelley
As part of the CVC 27th Annual Impact Awards, we spoke with community engagement leaders from three Atlanta companies – Delta Air Lines, NCR, and Purpose Possible – known for their social impact and having a workforce committed to giving back to their communities.
Tad Hutcheson, Delta’s Managing Director for Community Engagement, said the airline has four pillars of focus when it comes to giving back: environment, equity, education, and entire wellness. Anti-human trafficking efforts, military veterans, and diversity are also part of Delta’s community engagement.
“Within each pillar are very specific opportunities for our employees to get involved,” Hutcheson said. “In the environment pillar, we encourage employees to plant trees and do clean-ups at rivers and beaches. We just had a big meeting in Los Angeles, and we took a day and cleaned off beaches.”
Bringing volunteer opportunities to employees with busy schedules has also been a success for those juggling a career, family, and other obligations. “We just had a meal pack with Hands on Atlanta where volunteers took part of their lunch hour and helped us pack more than 3,000 bags of food and supplies for students in need,” Hutcheson said.
Hutcheson said another of Delta’s longterm involvements is with the Red Cross, where employees have been donating blood since World War II. “It’s a badge of honor that we’re the largest corporate donor of blood to the Red Cross,” he said.
On a personal level, Hutcheson got Delta involved with youth empowerment nonprofit Junior Achievement when he joined the company in 2011. Delta is now involved in 30 chapters on five continents. “Teaching kids about the aviation business and how to get involved is very special,” he said.
Yvonne Whittaker, Director of the NCR Foundation, said the corporation invests in STEM education and economic development in communities
as well as supporting job training and entrepreneurship programs.
Another pillar of NCR’s engagement is financial empowerment and literacy. “When you’re making a living wage, learning to manage it is crucial,” Whittaker said.
In Atlanta, NCR employees are engaged as reading tutors for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
She said that companies wanting to build a community engagement program should focus on what the community needs most and focus on one or two areas rather than spread employees too thin.
“If you’re trying to do everything, then it burns out the employees and the program dies,” Whittaker said.
She said NCR’s employees are excited about giving back to the community and bringing opportunities to them keeps up engagement. “When an employee sees they can make a difference by tutoring for an hour or 30 minutes each week, that helps keep up the momentum and excitement.”
Whittaker is personally involved with the Hi-Hope Service Center in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit that assists adults who have developmental disabilities. “I was drawn to Hi-Hope because I want to help people who have been overlooked,” she said.
Laura Moody, founding partner of consulting firm Purpose Possible, said she believes that companies of all shapes and sizes can create a meaningful impact in their communities.
“Purpose Possible is a young company with a small team of 25 full-time employees and we have carved out a way to give back through skills-based volunteerism rather than large, coordinated volunteer days,” Moody said. “Because we work with nonprofits, we know that most small organizations simply can’t manage largescale volunteer events. So, we choose to provide our team with pro bono hours where they can leverage their expertise to support nonprofits in the ways that they need most. In 2024, our team will provide around 3,000 hours of volunteer support through serving on boards and providing pro bono or discounted services to organizations they are passionate about.”
Our tracks connect communities to possibilities
Proud to support the 27 th Annual Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta IMPACT Awards.
By Collin Kelley
Real estate investment and management firm Jamestown announced in August that it will acquire the Atlanta subsidiary of North American Properties (NAP).
NAP’s Atlanta subsidiary has $2 billion in assets under management as of June 2024.
As part of the transaction, a Jamestown affiliate will make an investment in the platform’s portfolio comprised of Colony Square in Midtown; The Forum in Peachtree Corners; Avenue East Cobb in Marietta; Birkdale Village in Huntersville, NC; Ridge Hill in Yonkers, NY; and Newport on the Levee in Newport, KY.
The acquisition also includes NAP’s real estate services business that manages Avalon in Alpharetta, Mercato in Naples, FL, and Riverton in Sayreville, NJ.
“Jamestown’s North Star is to create inspiring places that serve as the foundation of community life and reinforce a sense of place and belonging, while generating value for investors,” Michael Phillips, President of Jamestown, said in a press release. “This acquisition will bolster our differential advantage in the market as a vertically integrated, mixed-use operator with a focus on placemaking. Their expertise around suburban placemaking is a great complement for our urban placemaking expertise, as well as our grocery-anchored shopping center business.”
Upon closing, which is expected before the end of the year, the NAP subsidiary will move forward under the Jamestown name—as will its more than 200 employees. Tim Perry, who is currently the managing partner of NAP’s Atlanta subsidiary, will join Jamestown’s executive team as a managing director
By Cathy Cobbs
When the owners of a mobile coffee truck were looking for a brickand-mortar location, there was only one choice – Tucker.
Marianna and Ahmad Alzoukani, who live in Clarkston, said Tucker’s growth and hometown hospitality were the draws when deciding where to put down permanent stakes.
“We only live about 10 minutes from Tucker and we just love Tucker,” Marianna said. “We hoped that Tucker would support us, and they have in ways we couldn’t have imagined.”
Mint Coffeehouse, 3926 Lawrenceville Hwy., across the street and down the road a bit from Ace Hardware, opened on Aug. 15 offering a culinary mix of American and Middle Eastern cuisine to its customers.
and co-chief investment officer.
NAP will continue to own and operate real estate through its other affiliates and manage investments across its wideranging venture portfolio. The company will also continue to be an investor in the subsidiary’s six owned assets.
So far, that combination seems to be successful. Traditional avocado toast and labne toast (strained greek yogurt topped with Greek seasonings and kalamata olives) have been the top sellers since its opening.
“We make these in-house, and we have homemade waffles too,” Alzoukani said. “We also offer bakery items that we source
from a wholesale supplier in Atlanta.”
Another big seller is the mint mocha coffee drink – a nod to the restaurant’s moniker.
“This is a great blending of American and Middle East cultures,” she said. “We have a lot of Mid-East decor that makes the store fun and unique.”
Alzoukani said the couple will continue to operate its two mobile coffee trucks and its indoor mobile espresso bar service, in addition to the restaurant, which is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Find out more at mintcoffeehouse.com.
By Dyana Bagby
Dr. Bryan Johnson, the newly appointed superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, has outlined his priorities for his first 100 days in office.
Johnson was sworn in Aug. 5 as the new Atlanta superintendent. His first official assignment was to create and submit to the school board his 100-day plan. The plan focuses on “four critical areas to lay a strong foundation” for excellence as he begins his tenure leading the state’s largest urban school district with approximately 50,000 students.
The areas are: 1.) Academic acceleration to ensure academic and personal success of all students; 2.) Equity, to include striving for a fair and just educational system for all students regardless of their backgrounds and providing high-quality education in all neighborhoods; 3.) Ongoing engagement with students, parents, teachers, staff and the wider community; 4.) Accountability, transparency and operational efficiency to help build confidence in the community.
“With this 100-day plan, I get
the privilege of, in particular over this early phase, gaining even more context about Atlanta and gaining more context specifically about the school system [and] unpacking historical elements
and components,” Johnson told Rough Draft in a phone interview while driving between schools. His 100-day plan includes visiting all 87 campuses in the Atlanta district.
Johnson said the community town hall meetings held in July before he officially took over the superintendent post impressed on him the importance of building trust with parents, teachers and all stakeholders.
“Trust allows people to believe and know the intent. People don’t have to agree with the decision, but they have to know that you’re making the decision out of the best place and from the best place and you want to do that by building and gaining trust,” he said.
“You can’t do that with a whole lot of words, you do that with a lot of action,” Johnson said. “We want to listen to people, and we want people to know that we hear them and we’re responding to them. And, you know, we can move forward.”
The Atlanta school board introduced Johnson as the sole finalist for the job in June; the board approved hiring him in July to a three-year contract. The search for a new superintendent began a year ago
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after the board chose not to renew Dr. Lisa Herring’s contract. Herring served from July 1, 2020, until August 2023.
Johnson’s background includes working in public education for close to 20 years, from teacher to principal to the superintendent of Hamilton County Schools from 2017 to 2021. He was named the 2021 Superintendent of the Year by the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents. His background also includes working in the private sector and higher education.
Rough Draft asked Johnson some questions about the 100-day plan and what he is noticing during his tour of school campuses and meeting with community members.
Q: Why come up with a 100-day plan?
A: It’s really best practice. I think you’ll see it across the superintendencies. Really what it does is kind of lays out for the community what it is you’re looking to learn more about, and what you’ll be learning about, what you’ll be working towards. Because of how Georgia is legislated I had a vetting period and the opportunity to gain some additional context prior to implementation of the 100-day plan, and use that context to inform what would go into the 100day plan. For instance, in the area of special education, I was able to listen in to the audit committee meeting and engage with multiple parents that that have expressed different special education concerns. From the standpoint of the audit, there’s some opportunity to do some deeper training. As far as federal and district expectations, there’s definitely opportunity to ensure that there’s more accountability and support for teachers. The benefit of me being able to be in schools is, you know, I’m engaging with some special educators, and I’m asking the question, you know, how can we help you? What’s your biggest challenge? What are you seeing? And so, yeah, those things help to inform and help us to, you know, make the best decisions possible for students.
Q: Equity is one of the four categories in your 100-day plan. In Georgia, schools have already had to deal with the state school superintendent attempting to eliminate the Advanced Placement African American History class, but later reversed course. Why is equity important to prioritize at APS?
A: I’ve had conversations with folks within the community and the school board to continue to see us move the work in that in that area. Those activities are really important for me. It’s more than activities. We want to set the structure and the groundwork for us to be able to take off. One was obviously student achievement and subgroup performance. So we want to make sure that we really focused on closing and meeting academic gaps. Secondly, there is student discipline and looking at the disproportionalities within student discipline. Thirdly is … the allocation of resources to meet the needs of all of those partners.
Q: What has stood out to you as you travel to the different schools and meet students, teachers, members of the community?
A: It’s probably two things. The community meetings, and actually [last week] I had a neat opportunity to hear a group of students perform at a scholarship luncheon. The thing that really resonated with [me] at community meetings as superintendent is you get the privilege, the honor, to serve in the community, and they need a superintendent that’s going to listen. They need a superintendent that’s going to respond. Then, hearing this group of young ladies that were talented beyond what I could even describe — reminded me of the privilege that we have to serve students. There are stories throughout the district, from honoring the teacher at Booker T. Washington who has been in the district for 59 years to meeting cafeteria staff that’s been here for more than 30 years, to the brand new teacher in the building. There’s so many instances that remind me of how special this work is, and how excited I am to be here and serve.
By Bob Pepalis
Joanne Wright has been driving school buses for 40 years, first in New York and now for Fulton County Schools.
In New York, she was “Jamal’s mom” since her son was a regular passenger on her bus from when he was in first grade until high school. At first, she didn’t know how convenient driving him to and from school would be, but then she saw it was the perfect job for her.
“I was able to take him to and from school. I was able to take him on his field trips and all his sporting events. So, I was blessed with that, and it was a pleasure,”
Wright said.
Now he’s 40 years old and Wright is still a bus driver, doing something she’s grown to love.
She’s worked for the Fulton County Schools Transportation Department for three
Sunday, December 8
years and has already been designated as one of Fulton’s Finest, an honor bestowed to 76 drivers and 12 transportation aides out of the approximately 650 bus drivers.
Another pleasure is encountering students from the past who now have careers and kids of their own. Many years into her career as a bus driver she recalled pulling up to a stop where a man was waiting with his young son.
“He’s a grown man, and he says to me, ‘you used to be my bus driver.’ Now I’m taking his child to school, and it’s beautiful,” she said. “They have their own homes, and they’re working, and their children are riding my bus. That’s beautiful.”
Another student she drove from sixth grade until she graduated high school came back to visit Wright and had grown up to speak five languages and work as a translator.
Children draw pictures for her, bring her flowers, and sometimes even bring juice to her. She takes the pictures and hangs them up on the bus so everyone can see.
The connections she’s made with the children and their parents are strong. If she missed a day of work, parents were calling her the next day asking where she was and what happened. After she broke her ankle and had to miss driving to recuperate, parents called to check on her. It was positive feedback to her knowing what the parents and kids on her bus think of her.
But there are also challenges to being a bus driver, including dealing with other
motorists and being mindful of what the kids are doing on the bus.
“I tell my kids every, every day, if you hear me blow my horn, there’s a reason. I need you to stop whatever you’re doing,’ Wright said. “I need you to stop, look at me, and I’ll say go back to the curb, or go to your mom, or just pay attention.”
She drives in the North Springs cluster, which includes the high school, Sandy Springs Middle, Ison, Dunwoody, and Woodland Elementary Schools.
Wright is on the bus by 6:15 a.m. each morning and the routes start with elementary school students, then high school and middle school.. She gets a break from approximately 10:30 a.m. until noon before reporting back at 1:30 p.m. and continuing until 5 p.m. When drivers aren’t running routes in their buses, they’re in training.
Her position as a breakdown driver, where she substitutes on routes when the regular driver is out. If a school bus breaks down on a route, she drives the replacement bus to pick up the kids.
Wright also helps recruit bus drivers for Fulton County, which at capacity would employ 805 drivers. She shared the biggest concerns she hears from would-be drivers.
“The first two things they say is, ‘I don’t want to drive those bad kids.’ The second thing, ‘I can’t drive such a big bus.,” she said.
Wright tells them she was initially afraid of driving a bus, but can now drive a school bus better than her car.
By Cathy Cobbs
A partnership between Metro Atlanta Title 1 schools and SCANA Energy has resulted in dramatic improvements in students’ test scores, grades, and overall esteem.
Of the 10 schools in Georgia that SCANA funds, two of them in DeKalb County, Stone Mill Elementary in Stone Mountain and Woodward Elementary School in Brookhaven, receive funds to run free after-school homework centers.
SCANA funds homework centers that supply minority, special education and ESL (English for Speakers of Another Language) students with after-school tutoring. The results have been significant.
Stone Mill, which had about 30 children comprising third, fourth and fifth graders, completed its second year in the Homework Center program with measurable results in the classroom and intangible improvements outside of it.
During the 2023-24 school year, according to a report compiled by SCANA, in the areas of English/language arts and math/science, every student elevated his or her test scores. In reading, 100% of third grade students improved, 92% of fourth grade students improved, and 91% of fifth grade students improved.
In science, the report said, 100% of students in fourth and fifth grades improved and 75% of third grade students scored higher.
Woodward Elementary, which last spring completed its fourth year in the program, decided to address declining science scores with their fourth graders. The students in the afterschool program, along with homework help, took field trips to science-related fairs and competitions.
Stone Mill Principal Alethea Mack and Homework Center Manager Anne Belizaire said the program, which serves 30 students a year with twice-a-week help, is extremely popular. This year, there are 15 students on the waiting list.
“I see how much the kids enjoy coming. They are running to the classrooms for their snacks and to get started,” Belizaire said. “This program is seen as a reward, not a punishment.”
Part of the strategy in the Homework Center is to “frontload” the students - that is, to meet with the students’ teachers, strategize about upcoming academic lessons, and introduce the concepts to the students first in the Homework Center.
“The students are getting ahead of their peers and feel more comfortable when these topics are introduced,” Mack said.
Trinity School serves children age three through Sixth Grade and cherishes childhood while preparing students for the future. Small class sizes, innovative programming, and early childhood and elementary education experts are just some of the reasons your child will thrive at Atlanta’s only elementary-only independent school!
By Collin Kelley
The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) will introduce seven new degree programs to the university’s offerings for the 2024–25 academic year.
Additionally, SCAD will now offer six existing degree programs previously exclusive to SCAD Savannah at the university’s location in Atlanta. SCAD’s 2024–25 academic year begins Monday, Sept. 9, with the start of fall quarter.
“For more than four decades, SCAD has been at the forefront of art and design education,” said Tara Oviedo, SCAD vice president for curriculum and assessment. “Our curriculum evolves in tandem with — and often ahead of — industry growth, maintaining SCAD’s position as the preeminent source of talent for the world’s most innovative companies. Through these seven new degree programs, along with our
expanded offerings in Atlanta and online, we ensure SCAD graduates continue to lead and shape the creative industries of tomorrow.
The new programs will be offered by the university’s School of Creative Technology, De Sole School of Business Innovation, and School of Film and Acting at SCAD Atlanta, SCAD Savannah, and online via SCADnow.
New programs include:
■ B.A. in game development (SCAD Atlanta, SCAD Savannah, SCADnow)
■ B.F.A. in game development (SCAD Atlanta, SCAD Savannah)
■ M.A. in cinematography (SCAD Atlanta, SCAD Savannah)
■ M.B.I. in creative business leadership (SCAD Atlanta, SCAD Savannah, SCADnow)
■ M.B.I. in design management (SCAD Savannah, SCADnow)
■ M.A. in editing (SCAD Atlanta, SCAD Savannah)
■ M.B.I. in service design (SCAD Savannah, SCADnow)
The university will also offer six undergraduate and graduate degree programs for the first time in Atlanta.
Expanded degree programs include:
■ B.F.A. in sound design
■ M.A. in animation
■ M.A. in interactive design and game development
■ M.F.A. in interactive design and game development
■ M.A. in motion media design
■ M.A. in visual effects
By Beth McKibben
Whether you're an avid home cook, love mixing it up behind the bar at home, enjoy wine tastings, or simply want to learn something new before the next dinner party, these classes from Atlanta chefs, bakeries, and cooking schools will help keep your skills sharp.
From the art of Neapolitan pizzamaking and the basics of butchery to the importance of knife sharpening and baking batches of brioche doughnuts, here’s where to start your culinary learning journey in Atlanta.
Cook a new dish
Head to Cook’s Warehouse at Ansley Mall for lessons on everything from how to make Thai dishes and cake decorating to baking gluten-free desserts and creating a spread for a seasonal dinner party. Classes cost between $99 and $110 per person for a hands-on cooking experience and instruction from local chefs and bakers.
Over in Virginia-Highland, consider a pasta-making class at Italian market Tuscany at Your Table. With limited availability, these classes are super popular and fill up fast. Classes cost $95 per person and include a wine tasting.
Pizza-making with a pro
Emory Village Italian restaurant and pizzeria Double Zero regularly offers pizza-making classes. Learn the craft behind making and baking Neapolitan pies, including producing dough and firing pizzas in the Stefano Ferrara Forni ovens imported from Naples. Classes cost $55 per person and include instruction from the restaurant’s pizza chef and a glass of wine.
Bake bread, then break bread
South Atlanta micobakery Osono Bread offers both sourdough and brioche doughnut-making classes. Owned and operated by baker Betsy Gonzalez, the
JF&CS offers ADHD evaluation and management for children and adults, including associated conditions.
For more information or to book an appointment with Dr. Howard Schub, Neurologist, visit jfcsatl.org/appointment
Saint Francis School is a private, independent college preparatory school that provides small class sizes, low student-teacher ratios, and a challenging yet supportive academic environment. With an emphasis on study skills, organization, and multimodal instruction, we work with each child’s unique abilities to help them thrive.
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sourdough class sees students feeding starters, mixing dough, and baking bread together. You’ll take home your starter and loaf, along with locally-milled flour and proofing basket. Held at Little Tart Bakeshop in Grant Park, you can also learn to mix, shape, proof, and fry brioche doughnuts and create fillings. Osono Bread classes average around $135 per person.
Fans of Atlanta baker Sarah Dodge can take classes at Colette Bread and Bakeshop in Poncey-Highland, including classes on sourdough and making her wildly popular biscuits.
For wine afficiandos
Street Market hosts butchery classes monthly. Owner and butcher Rusty Bowers will teach you how to use the proper knives and tools to break down a whole hog or to produce several cuts of steak. Classes cost $160 per person or $225 per person, which includes a whetstone for sharpening. Butchery classes are held at The Lost Druid Brewery in Avondale Estates.
Sharpen your knives
Take a one-on-one knife-sharpening class from the sharpener to the chefs, Moshi Moshi’s Michael Behn. This twohour session with Behn deep dives into the importance of keeping your kitchen knifes sharp, properly cleaned, and primed
Dunwoody wine bar and restaurant Vino Venue features weekly wine classes via its Atlanta Wine School. Learn which wines to pair with cheese or how to choose the best wines to complement any meal. Taste your way through wines from France, Oregon, or Italy. For people serious about taking their wine skills to the next level, Atlanta Wine School offers programs for becoming a Certified Specialist of Wine (WSET) and Italian Wine Professional. Classes range from $65 to $75, with certification classes starting at $300. Cooking classes, from kitchen basics to creating family dinners, are also available at Vino Venue.
Learn to brew beer
Schoolhouse Beer in Marietta offers regular beer-making classes, part of its Homebrew University operation. Kick off your beer-making education as a Sophmore with how-to instruction for creating the perfect brewing recipe. Then, level up to Junior and Senior classes where your put your knowledge to work using brewing equipment and techniques from previous classes. Finally, the Graduate Studies course will see instruction from Schoolhouse’s head and assistant brewers to include inside brewing intel, handy tips, and more. Classes begin at $270 per person and include a brewing kit.
Whole animal butchery
Avondale Estates butcher shop Pine
for slicing, dicing, and chopping. Behn will instruct you on how to properly use a whetstone and teach you the functionality of specific knives in the kitchen and why each blade needs something a little different when it comes to sharpening. Classes are $150 per person. Make sure to bring two to three knives for instruction. Lessons are typically held on Friday afternoons. Message Behn on Instagram for more information and to sign up for a sharpening session.
By Clare S. Richie
Following a nationwide search, the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta selected Jai Ferrell – a fifth generation Atlantan, former Atlanta Girl Scout and Spellman alumna – as its Chief Executive Officer.
“Jai’s extensive experience and relevant connections to the metroAtlanta community and beyond were important factors in our decision,”Susan L. Lazaro, incoming board chair of the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, said. “We’re excited to see her support our mission while elevating the impact we have on the lives of girls our council serves.”
Ferrell is also the first woman of color to lead the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta Council, which serves 23,000+ girls from 34 counties.
“For girls to be able to see themselves in leadership is important,” Ferrell said. “I’ve had girls come up to me almost crying. I didn’t realize the grandeur of the moment. I’m just so grateful.”
Ferrell comes from a long line of trailblazing women of color from District V, as she explained at the July 14 dedication of the Dr. Rosalyn Pope mural on the side of the Atlanta Daily World building.
“Without Rosalyn Pope there would not be a CEO Jai Ferrell standing here,” Ferrell shared in her July 14 remarks. “The mural represents the movement of women who were unafraid to blaze trails and shine their light in things that may seem impossible.”
Pope was a member of Atlanta’s first African American Girl Scout Troop, started in 1943. Ten years later, she was the only Black Girl Scout out of 50 when she represented Georgia at a national Girl Scout encampment. Pope credited
the experience as showing her “the possibilities of an integrated society,” Ferrell shared.
While at Spellman College, Pope coauthored a 1960 manifesto, “An Appeal for Human Rights,” demanding racial justice in every aspect of life. Pope passed in January 2023, but her legacy lives on.
The crowd that gathered for the mural dedication – Pope’s family members, long-term District V volunteers like Rhonda Barrow, Girl Scouts like Gabrielle Tobin and more –also celebrated Ferrell’s new leadership.
“I honestly have no words to describe this moment because it’s a moment in the making of history,” Tobin said. “I really enjoyed meeting the new CEO..I know that the Girl Scouts are in good hands.”
Ferrell credits the Girl Scouts for giving her the skills and guidance to forge her own path.
“I’ve always had a bright light,” Ferrell said. “Girl Scouts helped me cultivate that through public speaking, networking with other troops, we even had pen pals. I never felt like I had to be anyone but myself.”
Girls today face different challenges, like social media pressures and everchanging technology, but Ferrell believes they can still thrive in Girl Scouts whose mission is to cultivate courage, confidence and character.
“Girl Scouts is still a safe space for girls to be themselves and to have a community,” Ferrell said. “We’ve always diversified our curriculum and exposure because we want to equip the girls with the resources they need to be good citizens and future leaders with things like robotics, marketing, mentorship, entrepreneurship, camping etc.”
Even though, the Girl Scouts of
Greater Atlanta is already one of the top 10 in the country, Ferrell says she’s ready to “insert myself, strengthen partnerships and move the needle on the mission.”
For 100+ years, Girl Scout cookies funded its mission, starting when women couldn’t have a bank account. For the next 100 years, Ferrell wants to tell a story that “goes beyond the cookie”.
“I encourage everyone to take that voyage with us,” Ferrell said. “To understand that our girls have more to offer than cookie sales – these are the next electricians, architects, attorneys, CEOs - so how can we help them?”
Adding, “It is my goal and desire for however long I occupy this seat that every tap in the glass ceiling that I make will be the welcome mat for your daughter.”
To volunteer, reconnect or donate, visit girlscoutsatl.org.
▲Heritage Preparatory School in Atlanta has welcomed the first graduating class in the school’s history back to class. Each member of the Class of 2025 has managed to accrue at least 60 hours of community service; engaged in extracurricular activities including athletics, fine arts, and clubs; and developed a year-long senior thesis which includes a written paper that is a minimum of 5,500 words and an hourlong oral presentation and defense of their position. The first cohort of students who pioneered the high school helped craft the culture and traditions that will benefit generations of students who will follow them. From uniforms and the discipline policy to dances and selecting a school mascot, the Heritage Class of 2025 left their mark on it all.
▲Savannah College of Art and Design has appointed Hannah Flower as Vice President for SCAD Atlanta and General Counsel. In this new role, Flower leads the university's fastest-growing location, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025. Flower, formerly General Counsel and Vice President for SCAD International Student Services, has been a transformational leader at the university for more than 13 years, holding executive and senior leadership positions across departments including SCAD Academic Services, Legal Affairs, and International Student Services.
Camp Twin Lakes was recognized as the only non-school program nationally to be selected as a 2024 Engage Every Student Initiative Recognition Program Champion by the U.S. Department of Education’s Engage Every Student Initiative. The award honors Camp Twin Lakes for their efforts to expand access to afterschool and summer learning programs for students. Camp Twin Lakes was among 13 nonprofit organizations and cities that were recognized for working in partnership with their local school districts for their efforts to expand access to high-quality afterschool and summer-learning programs throughout the country.
Atlanta Gas Light donated $50,000 to three technical schools in support of scholarships for students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) career fields. The schools include Chattahoochee Technical College Foundation, Gwinnett Technical College, and Middle Georgia State University.
Agnes Scott College has announced that Cheryl Webster will join its administration as vice president for college advancement effective Oct. 1. She will be responsible for external relations, fundraising, partnership development, alumnae relations, communications and marketing. Most recently, Webster served as vice president of advancement for Salem State University in Salem, MA.
Bank of America selected five metro Atlanta high school juniors and seniors as Student Leaders, an eight-week paid summer internship connecting students to employment, skills development and service. The leaders included:
■ Ellis Schroeder, Atlanta, Druid Hills High School
■ Annie Lin, Atlanta, North Atlanta High School
■ Ososese Okojie, Douglasville, Douglas County High School
■ Matthew Phillips, Atlanta, Lakeside High School
■ Paul Gomez, Powder Springs, South Cobb High School
At the end of the internship, the Student Leaders travelled to Washington, D.C. for a week-long national leadership summit to learn how nonprofits, governments and businesses collaborate to meet local needs.
►Fulton County student Braxton Camille Smith won third place in the district-level oratorical contest of Optimist International –walking away with a $1,000 scholarship for college.
Braxton, a 10th grader, competed in the GATEway District Contest of Optimist International at Chattahoochee Technical College, North Metro campus. Braxton, 15, represented the Emory Decatur Optimist Club and Zone five, advancing to the Area level contest before competing at the GATEway District contest of Optimist International.
ADMISSIONS FALL OPEN HOUSE DATES:
Upper School (6th – 12th grade) – October 30, 2024 at 9:30 a.m.
Lower School (Infant – 5th grade) – December 4, 2024 at 9:30 a.m.
By Collin Kelley
The Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC) has announced the expansion of The Design Studios at ADAC, adding 17 designer and architect offices to the campus on Peachtree Hills Avenue.
The new suite of offices spans 12,500 square feet, totaling 50,000 square feet across more than 40 offices created specifically for designers and architects in ADAC and ADAC West.
The new suite of offices will be located on the second floor near The Hungry Peach café and will include shared conference rooms, unisex bathrooms, a break room with a kitchenette, and a common area.
The estimated completion date for
Customers paying their taxes at the Memorial Drive tax office will use the UGA Extension Services entrance located at the front of the building from Sept. 18 – 30 from 8 AM – 5 PM, Mon-Fri. EXTENDED HOURS from Sept 23 – 30 until 6 PM, weekdays only
the Design Studios at ADAC is the first quarter of 2025.
“We are beyond thrilled to expand and add an additional suite of studios to our campus. The decision was easy, given the amount of demand for a studio and the interest of many designers in expanding their thumbprint,” Katie Miner, ADAC General Manager, said in a statement. “This expansion is not just about providing an enhanced space, but also about enriching creativity, fostering collaboration, innovation, and sculpting the future of our environment here at ADAC.”
In addition to the new suite of design offices, some current tenants are expanding their space to showcase their work and accommodate more clients and projects.
“The whole Tish Mills Interiors team is thrilled to relocate to the new Design Studios on the 2nd Floor. I love the convenience, inspiration, and overall support that our Studio at ADAC has provided us for more than 18 years,” said Tish Mills Kirk, proprietor of Tish Mills Interiors. “This new chapter and location will continue to allow my team to see the latest in design in our own backyard, allowing the whole building to feel like an extension of our office and team. Can’t wait to get moved in and settled.”
Find out more at adacatlanta.com.
First installment is due Sept 30; second installment is due Nov 15 If paying the total amount due in one payment, it must be paid in full by Sept. 30. Bring your tax bill stub and a valid Georgia ID or Georgia driver’s license.
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