This move-in-ready custom home features an oversized lot, high ceilings, hardwood floors, and a gourmet kitchen, all in a prime location near Piedmont Park, the Beltline, and top schools.
Under Contract • 847 Wildwood Road NE
4 Bed | 4.5 Bath | Offered At: $1,850,000
This Morningside home on Wildwood Road offers high-end finishes, a private backyard with a heated pool, and open living spaces. Highlights include hardwood floors, a gourmet kitchen, a spacious primary suite with a spa bath, and a custom closet. Active • 1068 Wildwood Road NE
3 Bed | 3.5 Bath | Offered At: $1,449,000
This renovated ranch offers a serene retreat with a private screened porch, an open living area, and a luxurious primary suite. Set on a landscaped lot with two driveways, this stunning jewel has been transformed by its current owners. Active • 49 Lullwater
• 8x 5 Star Award Winner • Proud Sponsor of MLPA • Good Neighbor Award Winner • Sponsor of the Farmers Market Accolades
Covers,
& Völkers
Estate
1411 North Highland Avenue | Atlanta | GA 30306 M +1 404.664.8280 O +1 404.845.7724 ken.covers@evatlanta.com | kencovers.evatlanta.com
Place NE
3 Bed | 3.5 Bath | Offered At: $549,000
This Lionsgate townhouse, on a quiet street, features a great room with built-ins and a fireplace, a dining room, and a private courtyard with an outdoor fireplace. With new carpet, paint, and appliances, it’s move-in ready.
While I was in Michigan for the summer, something happened to my little corner of Midtown. In just a few months, the streets got busier.
Upon my return, I was delighted to see that the 5th Street upgrade was completed. It got fresh pavement – finally! – new bike lanes, new sidewalks, and additional landscaping. Almost immediately, I noticed the increase in foot, bicycle, and scooter traffic.
This new pedestrian activity has spilled over onto Cypress Street, where a new student housing tower is going up at 4th Street and another one has been proposed at 7th. The latter one made me pause.
If you know the corner of 7th and Cypress, it’s a narrow intersection with ecco restaurant on the northwest corner, Peachtree Lofts and Trace on the northeast and southeast, and the parking lot for Georgia Tech’s Academy of Medicine on the southwest. It’s that corner where a 20-story student housing tower is advancing its way through the city planning machinery.
Not to sound like a NIMBY (not in my backyard), but I cannot imagine a 20-story building on that tight corner. The scale of it will dwarf its neighbors and cast a long shadow.
After I saw the renderings, I was pleased with the streetlevel retail aspect – a coffee shop is planned there – but I still don’t know how little Cypress is going to handle the cars going in and out of the parking deck. I also feel for the folks living in the neighboring condos and apartments who are going to have to put up with two years of construction in such tight confines.
I am all for more density. To have more pedestrian-friendly streets and more local businesses to frequent, we need more people living in the neighborhood. But do we really need another student housing tower? Do kids not want to live on campus anymore? I mean, this off-campus housing isn’t cheap.
So, how about some more condos? Apartment buildings are going up on every open spot of land it appears, but condos seem to have fallen by the wayside. More options, theoretically, should bring more density.
So, yes, more living spaces, but can we be more mindful of what the neighborhood needs?
By Collin Kelley
The Atlanta Urban Development Corporation (AUDC) and Atlanta Public Schools (APS) announced a groundbreaking Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to redevelop eight surplus school properties across the city.
“This collaborative agreement with Atlanta Public Schools represents our city’s commitment to turning underutilized spaces into vibrant hubs that will uplift and empower our neighborhoods,” Mayor Andre Dickens said in a press release. “By leveraging the expertise of AUDC and the resources of APS, we will breathe new life into these properties and create opportunities that benefit all Atlanta residents.”
The agreement outlines a framework for AUDC and APS to redevelop former school sites, starting with the former Lakewood Elementary in Lakewood Heights and Peeples Street School in West End. The agreement establishes long-term leases and paves the way for future projects.
“This landmark partnership is a testament to what can be achieved when public entities come together with a shared vision for community impact,” AUDC President and CEO John Majors said in the release. “We are excited to leverage our development expertise to breathe new life into these surplus properties and create spaces that truly meet the needs of local residents.”
APS Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson emphasized the interconnected nature of affordable housing and education.
“As stewards of public resources, we have a responsibility to ensure our assets are used in the most impactful way possible,” he said. “This agreement with AUDC will allow us to transform underutilized school sites into vibrant
community hubs that expand access to affordable housing for our families and students and improve the overall quality of life for Atlanta families. I appreciate the Atlanta Board of Education for recognizing that housing and education are the foundation of a strong society, and we are proud to work with the City to strengthen both for the benefit of our communities.”
The announcement starts a community engagement process, including stakeholder meetings, public forums, and presentations to local organizations. An RFQ Selection Committee with representatives from both AUDC and APS will oversee the selection of planning consultants to guide the redevelopment process.
Atlanta Preservation Center Executive Director David Y. Mitchell praised APS for embracing the cultural benefit of historic preservation on the properties.
He said this was achieved in meetings, community leadership, APS Board and Facilities involvement and a “genuine desire to make something that we can be both proud of and that is sustainable.”
Mitchell noted Lakewood Elementary’s significant role as a meeting place for a 1936 sit-down strike at a nearby General Motors plant that triggered a similar event in Flint, MI that cemented the power of United Auto Workers.
“The Atlanta Preservation Center is not only grateful for what APS has done in this process, but could not imagine a better example of how these historic buildings add meaning to these developments, and gives connection to the past, present, and future with thoughtfulness,” Mitchell said. “This is HUGE, and sets a tone for being aware of the value of our neighborhoods and their stories.”
The former Lakewood Elementary School property. (Via Google Maps)
Atlanta City Council bans data centers along Beltline
By Dyana Bagby
The Atlanta City Council voted Tues., Sept. 3, to ban data centers along and near the Atlanta Beltline and within a half-mile of MARTA stations.
The new legislation aims to preserve new residential and mixed-use developments, trails and green space along the 22-mile Beltline trail loop encircling the city’s urban core. The council also wants to make sure the Beltline remains focused on building more affordable housing and providing a safe space for pedestrians, cyclists and others in nonvehicular modes of transportation.
“This legislation has set Atlanta apart from other cities across the country in that we’re looking to make some changes in how we treat data centers in our urban core,” said Councilmember Jason Dozier at the Sept. 26 meeting. He and Councilmember Matt Westmoreland introduced the legislation earlier this year.
Companies such as Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon are investing in large data centers in metro Atlanta to handle their rising demand from online consumers. Between 2022 and 2023, data centers under construction in Atlanta increased 211%, making it one of the top cities in the country for new data centers.
From the first to the second half of 2023, the construction of data center projects “skyrocketed from over 235
megawatts to over 730 megawatts, equivalent to the output of a typical natural gas plant,” the legislation said.
Westmoreland and Dozier issued written statements after the meeting and said prohibiting new data centers near the Beltline and transit areas would “ensure that Atlanta’s growth is balanced, sustainable and centered on the well-being of residents.”
“This legislation reflects our commitment to preserving the unique character of our neighborhoods, protecting our environment, and ensuring that our city’s development prioritizes the needs of the people who live and work here,” Westmoreland said.
The legislation banning the centers near the Beltline also notes that the next phases of development along the corridor will occur in predominantly Black, brown, and low-income neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are historically the most impacted by environmental pollution due to the development of interstates and the proximity of landfills.
“Atlanta’s data center market is one of the fastest growing in the nation. While this growth underscores Atlanta’s emergence as a major player in the data center ecosystem, it also raises serious concerns about the impact on our urban environment and essential infrastructure,” Dozier said.
Jason Dozier
Matt Westmoreland
Waffle House CEO Walter Ehmer died Sept. 7 at age 58 after a battle with cancer. A 1989 graduate of Georgia Tech, Ehmer joined Waffle House in 1992. He became president in 2006 and CEO in 2012.
Livable Buckhead received a $10 million federal grant to build an elevated pedestrian bridge over Lenox Road where it intersects with Georgia 400.
A 34-story tower in Downtown Atlanta that will offer rent-capped and subsidized housing to teachers and seniors got approval from the Development Authority of Fulton County to issue up to $370 million in federally taxexempt bonds.
New renderings revealed for The Stitch project
By Collin Kelley
New renderings and details of The Stitch, which will cap a section of the I-75-85 Downtown Connector, have been revealed by Central Atlanta Progress.
With $200 million in funding already secured and the engineering underway, construction on phase one of The Stitch is expected to begin in 2026 or 2027, according to development manager Jack Cebe.
Atlanta is no longer in the running to host the Sundance Film Festival. The three cities moving forward are Park City/Salt Lake City, UT (the current home of the festival), Boulder CO., and Cincinnati, OH.
The first phase will be a 4.5-acre park over the Downtown Connector between Peachtree and Courtland streets. There will also be improvements made to existing streets in the vicinity of the park.
The additional two phases of The Stitch – bringing the project to 14 acres – will be built over 10 years with completion for the entire project estimated at 2036. That timeline will depend on securing additional funding, Cebe said.
Cebe said The Stitch hopes to follow in the footsteps of the Atlanta Beltline and encourage more funding following the completion of phase one.
“We hope that the completion of phase one will generate momentum and excitement to advance the next two phases,” Cebe said.
A rendering of the completed Stitch shows programming for elements that
were suggested by more than 4,000 people – residents, businesses, and other stakeholders –who engaged in the planning process of the project. The rendering shows a lush, green linear park with an amphitheater, event pavilions, an arboretum, skate park, festival plaza, art and sculpture area, splash pad and more.
“The majority of people we engaged with wanted green space, a respite from urban life,” Cebe said. “More shade and a cooler urban environment.”
Cebe said a draft master plan will be released in about a month and will be open for public comment and feedback.
New walking tours of The Stitch project are happening now on the weekends. Registration is required at thestitchatl.com/engagement.
“The thought is to have folks who are interested in The Stitch to come down and talk with team members and see the area today and point out what is coming in the future,” Cebe said.
Courtesy Central Atlanta Progress
By Dyana Bagby
Atkins Park has been rededicated to honor Dr. Eliza Atkins Gleason, the first African American to earn a PhD in library science, after originally being named for a Confederate colonel.
The Atlanta City Council approved at its Sept. 16 meeting an ordinance to rededicate the namesake of the centuryold Atkins Park neighborhood from Confederate officer John DeWitt Clinton Atkins of Tennessee to Dr. Gleason.
Gleason was born in North Carolina and earned degrees from Fisk University and the University of California, Berkeley. In 1940, she became the first African American to earn a doctorate in library science. A year later, she became the first dean of the newly established School of Library Service at Atlanta University.
students and residents. The school was originally named for Henry W. Grady, the managing editor for the Atlanta Constitution in the 1880s who endorsed white supremacy.
“These examples got me thinking and I knew this Colonel Atkins is not
somebody we’d want to name our neighborhood for today,” Burks said.
Paul Burks, a longtime resident of Atkins Park, led the effort to rededicate the name of the neighborhood that includes about 120 households on three streets – St. Charles Place, St. Augustine Place and St. Louis Place.
He said when conducting research years ago, he learned Atkins Park was named for the Confederate colonel from Tennessee who also served in the Confederate Congress.
“I thought, ‘Well, that’s interesting,'” Burks said. “But Atlanta, of course, has lots of names that relate back to the Civil War.”
Then in recent years, Burks said he noticed Atlanta officials and residents making an effort to remove Confederate monuments and rename streets, buildings and parks tied to the Confederacy and Jim Crow era of racial segregation.
In 2018, the Atlanta City Council approved legislation to change the name of Grant Park’s Confederate Avenue to United Avenue, and East Confederate Avenue to United Avenue S.E.
In 2021, the Atlanta Board of Education approved changing the name of Grady High School to Midtown High School at the request of
Originally, Burks thought about proposing changing the name of Atkins Park, but decided that would be too difficult. Also, he and his neighbors like the name Atkins Park.
Burks decided on another route and searched online for an Atkins “that would be a person that we would admire today to be known for,” he said.
That search brought up Dr. Eliza Atkins Gleason (born Atkins). Her connection to Atlanta University as the first dean of the School of Library Science made her the perfect choice for the Atkins Park name rededication, Burks said.
The Atkins Park Neighborhood Association agreed with Burks after a months-long review process. The Virginia Highland Civic Association also gave necessary neighborhood approval.
Councilmember Alex Wan, whose district includes Atkins Park, sponsored the name rededication ordinance that is now waiting for the mayor’s signature. Burks said it was important to get official recognition by the city of the Atkins Park name rededication.
“In that way, it can be in perpetuity, that people know that we have done this. So when they go to look at the record about our neighborhood, they know we have done this,” he said.
Photo by Dyana Bagby
From trampolines to fire pits
It was a laborious Labor Day Weekend. Kristen, Elliott and I dismantled our 15foot round trampoline and built a 15-foot round firepit area in its place. We prepared the area. We hauled heavy bags of small rocks up the stairs to our elevated back yard and framed it out with larger rocks. We sweat a lot. I pounded light poles into the parched earth with a mallet. We strung the lights, stepped back and admired our work. My daughter Margo offered an assessment: “Low key—from here it sorta looks like a trampoline.”
The kids have outgrown the bouncing so our hope is they will embrace sitting around a fire in our last year before Elliott heads to college. Neither he nor I are particularly ready for this development but thankfully Kristen is. I married her because she was cute and had good taste in music so following her lead as we guide our sleepy, high school senior through a college search is a bonus. Not only does she know what FAFSA means, she smartly replaced the blackout curtains in Elliott’s bedroom with sheer ones.
I’m not sure how we got here so fast. The first Timmydaddy column I wrote for Atlanta Intown was when Elliott started kindergarten at Oakhurst Elementary. He was a sweet, shy boy and I was flushed with the worry and wonder of sending a kid off to real school. Then Elliott, his classmates and the Sixfoot Owl mascot danced around the blacktop to “Call Me Maybe” at the first ‘Community Circle.’ I felt both relief and joy. We were off and running.
Years clipped by. First day of school photos went from celebratory to silly to surly. We stumbled through the glitchy, virtual school period of the pandemic. We dusted ourselves off and started anew. Now Elliott is taller than that owl (and me) and has a wicked sense of humor. He just traveled solo for the first time and when I texted to see that his flight went smoothly he promptly replied, “We crashed.”
A little levity is welcome because this college game is much more intense than I remember. Back in my day we just accepted our SAT score as a reasonable
assessment of how smart we were and applied accordingly. We relied on hard data like—well, Marty went there and he liked it so…
Nowadays, the intense test preparation classes and multiple retakes to achieve higher scores is like some societal madness we all agree to partake in. We’ll complete stacks of applications even though the tuition figures sound like a four-year-old’s guess at how many stars are in the sky: “Fifty Million Jillion!!” Then we respond by asking if that includes room and board. Some of it is fun though. Like me, Elliott is a big college basketball fan so it
was cool for him to visit legendary hoops schools like Dayton, Pittsburgh and St. Joseph’s. Next up is a swing through the questionably named Universities. I hear great things about Georgia College and State University but that’s a terribly confusing moniker. Then we’ll tour Appalachian State University (Appalachian is not a state, duh…)
We’ve employed a gentle nagging approach, dying a slow death of the, ‘Hey Buddies’… Like, “Hey buddy--whaddya say we spend some time on applications tonight?” People say it’ll all work out but I still second guess everything. I’m sure eventually we’ll settle on a great school for our young owl to soar but wait—owls do fly, right? Not their calling card really…but see what I’m talking about!?
When the kids were toddlers those same people told us to enjoy every moment because it goes by so fast. Enjoying every moment is crazy talk but they sure were right about how fast it goes. So, so fast. If possible, I’d like to slow this train down, take a deep breath and just sit by the fire with my boy for a while.
Tim Sullivan
Elliott Sullivan then… and now (Photos by Tim Sullivan)
SUSTAINABILITY
Every election matters, every vote counts
ABOVE THE WATER LINE
Sally Bethea
Hardly a week goes by that I don’t wish I could ask my mother all the questions that have piled up in my head over the ten years since her death. In that decade I’ve become interested in, even obsessed, with family history. Particularly interesting is how my ancestors engaged, or did not engage, in the major events of their times. I have a treasure trove of documents, photos, and other information that, along with the internet, have helped me learn about my maternal ancestors. But Mama could have told me so much more and with far more color.
the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia, they organized marches, lobbied, and protested—relentlessly promoting their right to vote. The ESLV affiliated with the National American Woman Suffrage Association to pass the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution—first introduced to Congress in 1878. The constitutional amendment passed Congress and was ratified by the required number of states in 1920, despite Virgina’s failing to do so for another thirty years. For the first time, white women voted in the presidential election that year. Edith continued her work with the ESLV’s successor, the Virginia League of Women Voters.
vote in a presidential election: Nixon versus McGovern. I did not vote for the man who would later be called a crook and resign from office.
Increasingly, I became interested in how policies were made by elected officials, especially those that affected the environment, a subject becoming my passion and ultimately my career. After graduate school, I worked for two federal agencies and a nonprofit conservation organization before helping found Chattahoochee Riverkeeper in 1994. Those positions were illuminating in terms of revealing the ugly side of politics, as well as its potential for delivering positive results for families, communities, and
Recently, I discovered a great aunt, Edith Clark Cowles (1874-1954), who was an activist and leader in the women’s suffrage movement in Richmond, Virginia, where I was born. After she and her husband, my mother’s uncle, separated— he went to Hollywood in 1914 where he became a character actor in more than 100 films—Edith joined the fight for suffrage. The suffragettes believed that a democratic society should allow women the basic right to vote. They also advocated for social reform: equal access to education and employment, a woman’s right to own property, custody over her children, and control over her own body. Access to the ballot would help them achieve these goals and more.
After Edith and her colleagues formed
Black women, Native American women, and women from other racial and ethnic minority groups were discriminated against for forty-five more years until the passage of The Voting Rights Act in 1965. Despite the victories and legal access to the ballot box achieved over the past 100 years, many of these and other citizens remain vulnerable to discrimination and barriers imposed to keep them from participating in the act that is the foundation of our democracy.
My Voting Journey
During the summer of 1972, I traveled to Europe with two friends, staying in hostels, hitch-hiking, and riding trains through eight countries. I have a distinct memory of hearing about the Watergate break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., while riding a train through the Swiss Alps gazing at the snow-covered mountains. That year would be my first to
Every Vote Matters
`In the 2020 presidential election, some citizens who did not cast a ballot said they did not do so because they were “not interested” in the election, didn’t “like” the candidates, were too busy, or “forgot” to vote. Many registered voters say they don’t like politics—that it’s too tribal, too divisive, and too emotional. I get it. But, that’s also a lot like saying: “I don’t care if my drinking water is clean, or public schools are providing a good education, or equal opportunities are available to all my friends and neighbors."
Georgia’s U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock has said: “A vote is a kind of
nature. I learned how the truth can be—and much too often is—twisted to accommodate those seeking money and power. As a prime example, Georgia’s legislature was a tough place to advocate for the environment, even more so today than twenty years ago.
Very few elected officials and candidates for office have perfect records on all the issues that matter to me. That’s understandable. Moreover, I don’t have to like every person I vote for. I try to identify those candidates who exhibit basic human values: honesty, integrity, empathy, and respect for all people, for science, and for nature. These are the people I want to represent me in government.
Over the decades, I’ve spoken to many Rotary groups about my work and more recently about my book (Keeping the Chattahoochee). I have always admired the Rotary Four-Way Test and believe it can be used to evaluate candidates and the policies proposed by our elected officials: (1) Is it the truth? (2) Is it fair to all concerned? (3) Will it build goodwill and better friendships? (4) Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
prayer for the world we desire for ourselves and for our children.” Generations before us fought hard, and many died trying to protect and expand our right to vote. Those fights should not have to be repeated. No matter how polarized our current political situation, America and democracy are worth fighting for. If we don’t use our precious right to vote, we just might lose it. Vote in November like your rights depend on it because they do. Make a plan now. Helpful information is available at GA My Voter Page at mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/.
Congratulations, Sally!
Sally Bethea is the recipient of the 2024 Charles Weltner Freedom of Information Award from the Georgia First Amendment Foundation for her work as the inaugural Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and her monthly Above the Waterline column. She will be honored at the Weltner Banquet on Oct. 21, 6:30 p.m., at the Emory Conference Center. Find out more at bit.ly/ Weltner24.
Edith Clark Cowles poses (bottom right) with a banner on a float sponsored by the Equal Suffrage League in the 1918 Thrift Day Parade attended by 20,000 people. (Courtesy Sally Bethea)
nta
In 1904, Ansley Park was just an idea and some empty lots of land. 120 years later, Ansley is an oasis in Midtown with a lush canopy of trees and a string of beautiful parks and shady sidewalks that welcome Atlantans from across the city to walk, jog, bike, and picnic.
To help celebrate this milestone, Ansley Park is again hosting a Tour of Homes on October 5th and 6th and is preparing to welcome the city to one of Atlanta’s oldest and most historic neighborhoods.
Nine must-see homes in Ansley Park
Ansley Park Tour of Homes invites the city of Atlanta to experience the grace, history and beauty that is Ansley Park. The 2024 Tour of Homes features 9 exciting and impressive offerings that offer a look back into the neighborhood’s rich history as well as a glimpse of its exciting future.
The Tour of Homes is open to the public on October 5th and 6th from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 on Tour dates.
For tickets and more information, visit ansleytourofhomes.com or scan the QR code.
Top to bottom
100-Year old Reid House: Atlanta’s original luxury apartments
By Stuart Noel
Reid House, originally Garrison Luxury Apartments, located at the border of stately Ansley Park and Midtown Atlanta, is significant for its Georgian Revival architectural style designed by the noted Atlanta architects Philip Trammell Shutze and Neel Reid. Its history provides insight into the development of Atlanta in the 1920s. The building has been home to socialites, bohemians, artists, and business tycoons. Some former and current residents’ recognizable Atlanta surnames include Alston, Candler, Dewberry, Dorsey, Inman, Lanier, and Woodruff. Reid House is situated across from the High Museum of Art at the corner of 16th Street and Peachtree Street, known as “Atlanta’s Park Avenue.”
The building from its beginning housed the wealthier citizens of Atlanta and retained that distinction even as older luxury apartments declined. It was solidly built with stunning details. The circulation pattern is appealing to seekers of privacy, since only two units open onto each semi-private elevator vestibule with floors of original black and white marble tile. There are four stacks of apartments— each stack with unique floor plans that run from the front to the back of the building. Each apartment offers either an enclosed sunroom or a large garden room with adjacent masonry planter boxes. The top three floors (of nine) have working fireplaces. It is Atlanta’s version of a “classic six” or “classic-eight” pre-war apartment in Manhattan, New York.
In 1974, the Garrison Luxury Apartments were renovated at a cost of $2 million and renamed the Reid House condominiums for the renowned, classically trained architect Neil Reed, who died at the young age of 40. The awardwinning renovation by Ed Barnum, was
directed by architect Eugene T. Lowry and was done in a sensitive manner that allowed for modernization but retained original yellow pine floors, moldings, fireplaces, and cherry paneling of the interior lobbies. The elegant exterior is unchanged, including the regal pediment faced with a large disc of the crowned head of Liberty above a rectangular block decorated with a motif of six bucrania (skulls of oxen or rams), swag, and stone scrolls.
Today, in its centennial year, the building retains its original purpose for which it was designed in 1924 – a luxury apartment dwelling. Each decade tells an interesting story of its socially prominent, eccentric, and fascinating residents that reflects the artistic, stylish, and cultural history of Atlanta. Come visit Penthouse units 902 and 903 during the Tour of Homes!
Rolling through time in Ansley Park
by Re Marzullo
When planning this year’s exclusive Preview Party for sponsors of the 2024 Ansley Park Tour of Homes, co-chairs Heide Grieb and Anne Herren both knew that they wanted to make what has always been a special evening even more so. Of course there would be amazing food, spirits, and company in a gorgeous home in Ansley Park, but how to up the pizzazz and add an element that no other party could boast? How to make this invite one that people would not want to pass up and raise even more money for the Ansley Park Civic Association?
hills of Ansley Park has evolved into a 20-minute trolley excursion through the neighborhood as a part of the evening’s festivities. While on the ride, party goers will enjoy the chance to meet and interact with some of Ansley Park’s most iconic and celebrated personalities. Former residents like Margaret Mitchell, Edwin Ansley and John Inman will all be brought to life with help from the Alliance Theater. Bringing Ansley’s history to life
Own a piece of Ansley Park history and help the neighborhood! This hardcover picture book of homes is a reproduction of a 1910 publication with pictures and names of the original owners. Notations about existing and demolished houses have been added based on the Atlanta History Center research. Preorder the book at ansleypark.org/ store or scan the QR Code.
The answer came to them after a suggestion from Ansley Park resident Ron Antinori and a visit to Oakland Cemetery during their October Capturing the Spirit of Oakland event. Antinori suggested that Grieb and Herren bring Ansley’s history to life at the Preview Party with actors embodying some of Ansley’s most celebrated residents. Grieb and Herren loved the idea, so then came the issue of how best to spotlight the actors and integrate these reenactments into the Preview Party. The answer to that question was trolleys.
Yes, trolleys. Those quaint and rumbling modes of transportation that were popular around the same time 120year old Ansley Park was first conceived have now become an integral part of the Ansley Park Tour of Homes Preview Party plan.
What began as an idea to let partygoers take a spin up and down the gentle
Once they had secured the trolleys from Peachtree Trolley, Grieb and Herren enlisted another Ansley Park resident, Jen Friese, to assist with the script for the Trolley Tour. A history buff who is active in a lot of Ansley Park initiatives, Friese started learning all she could about the figures and faces who had once called Ansley Park home. The personalities and events of the last 120 years gave her a lot to work with, and the script took shape featuring six characters from the pages of Ansley Park history. Says Friese, “It was fun to give these former residents a voice! I hope our trolley riders feel like they are traveling through time while learning a bit about some of the significant people, architecture and culture that make up Ansley Park’s historic fabric.”
Riding for a good cause
With funds from the 2024 Ansley Park Tour of Homes being used to make Ansley Park more welcoming and walkable, party goers and trolley riders can enjoy themselves while knowing that they are supporting a worthwhile cause.
Anne Herren, left, and Heide Grieb.
Welcome to Ansley Park
By Derrick Brown President of the Ansley Park Civic Association
As Atlanta celebrates 50 years of the Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) system, we are reminded of the importance of putting neighborhoods at the center of who we are as a city.
Each of the 242 neighborhoods, with individual characteristics and styles, plays a unique role in telling the story of our city’s past, present, and future.
While our neighborhoods face both common and unique challenges, the creativity and energy of the people in each community can teach us a lot about finding shared solutions for a brighter future for all. Few Atlanta neighborhoods have been successfully searching out those creative solutions longer than the 120 years that Ansley Park has been at it.
For all its hard-earned historic pride, Ansley Park is not a museum or time capsule, but a living, breathing community. Rising from the rolling hills of venerated hunting grounds and farmland, Ansley Park today offers a fascinating collection of more than a century of architecture and design, an ever-evolving assortment of styles and interpretations of how to live within an exceptionally dynamic and growing part of our city.
Anchored by a foundation of 100-yearold homes, the neighborhood continues to
thrive even as Midtown Atlanta continues to rise. That contrast, that mix, has a lot to do with why Ansley Park has withstood so many challenges and yet retains such a strong pull on Atlantans old and new. Generation after generation continue to choose Ansley Park because of the contrasting landscapes, architecture and activities. It’s a central flavor in our secret sauce.
The unique selection of homes featured in this year’s Tour demonstrates exactly how that happens. Together, they tell an important story about channeling the pressures of change and growth into constructive solutions. We invite you to share in this story and help us carry the conversation forward. All Atlanta neighborhoods are in this together.
Across our city there is a fine tradition of neighbors opening their homes and gardens for tours – the Ansley Park tour has been a fixture for over 50 years – and all these home tours reflect an important point.
Opening one’s home to family and friends is a time-honored display of caring, an act of love. Opening one’s home to the greater community is an act of civic engagement. A meaningful demonstration of welcome, sharing, and exploring important elements of our social fabric across time and place. A way to nourish the beloved community.
So, welcome to our home. Welcome to Ansley Park. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
By Collin Kelley
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK) has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Atlanta for its ongoing pollution of the Chattahoochee River.
In July, CRK sent a letter notifying city officials that they would have 60 days to stop discharging illegal levels of pollution from the R.M. Clayton Water Reclamation Center or the group would file a lawsuit in federal court for violations of the Clean Water Act. A 60-day notice of intent to sue is required under the Clean Water Act.
CRK is being represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) in the suit.
R.M. Clayton, the city’s largest wastewater treatment facility, is permitted to release up to 100 million gallons of treated wastewater per day into the Chattahoochee River. However, according to the lawsuit, the facility has been illegally discharging pollutants – including
the facility’s failure to both heavy rainfall and multiple discharges of illicit substances; however, an inspection conducted by Georgia EPD revealed a state of disrepair at the facility, with problems at all stages of wastewater treatment and numerous safety hazards.
Ongoing monitoring by CRK at the facility’s outfall has revealed sporadic spikes in E. coli, which can cause serious illness, especially in young children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised. CRK also found high levels of organic material, phosphorus, and ammonia in the facility’s discharge, which contribute to low dissolved oxygen levels in the river, causing stress to fish and other aquatic life.
In a complaint filed in federal court on Sept. 6, CRK notes that the city’s failure to adequately maintain and operate the R.M. Clayton facility has resulted in illegal discharges of pollutants into the Chattahoochee River for more than a year. The suit alleges that between July 2023 and July 2024, the facility violated its permit limitations at least 79 times.
chemicals and harmful levels of bacteria – into the river in violation of both its wastewater discharge permit and the Clean Water Act.
In March 2024, CRK detected dangerously elevated levels of E. coli bacteria in the Chattahoochee River and traced the source to the R.M. Clayton facility’s outfall where wastewater is released into the river. Daily testing conducted by CRK at the outfall found E. coli levels were on average 340 times higher than the amount recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for safe water recreation.
CRK notified the City of Atlanta and Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) that the facility was discharging large amounts of E. coli and other pollutants into the river, threatening public health, wildlife, and the river’s ecosystem.
The City of Atlanta initially attributed
“The City of Atlanta knows that the R.M. Clayton facility is failing and poses a serious threat to the health of the Chattahoochee River and all the people and wildlife who depend on it,” Jason Ulseth, CRK’s Riverkeeper and executive director, said in a media statement.
“Yet the city has allowed operational and maintenance failures at the facility to compound over time, failing to follow through on even the most basic equipment repairs.”
“For months, the city has failed to alleviate very real public health and environmental concerns at the R.M. Clayton facility,” Hutton Brown, senior attorney in SELC’s Georgia office, said in the release. “Because Atlanta’s leadership did not step up and show they’re serious about fixing this problem, we had no choice but to step in and ask the court to hold them accountable.”
Riverkeeper has also filed a similar suit against Phenix City, AL for violations of the Clean Water Act and the Alabama Water Pollution Control Act.
The lawsuit claims that the Phenix City Department of Public Utilities has been illegally discharging illegal pollution levels into the river from the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
Courtesy Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
Longtime regulars purchase The Colonnade, vowing to preserve its legacy
By Beth McKibben
The sale of The Colonnade is complete and the new owners chosen.
Jodi and David Stallings handed the keys over to longtime regulars Lewis Jeffries and Paul Donahue, who will become only the third owners of the Cheshire Bridge Road dining institution in its 97-year history.
Earlier this summer, the Stallings announced the sale of the nearly centuryold restaurant, which first opened in 1927 at the corner of Lindbergh Drive and Piedmont Avenue, stating that they aimed to find new owners willing to preserve The Colonnade’s legacy in Atlanta.
Jeffries and Donahue said regulars should not expect to find any major changes at The Colonnade, other than some rearrangement in seating, the future return of menu favorites and dining options like Saturday lunch, and eventually a minor refresh of the interiors.
Understanding the legacy
Jeffries and Donahue, who own Lingering Shade Social Club on Irwin Street, have been dining at The Colonnade for decades.
Jeffries, a third-generation Atlantan, has been eating at The Colonnade with his family since before the restaurant relocated to Cheshire Bridge in 1962. It was his late mother’s favorite Atlanta restaurant and one he took her to often, especially in the year before her death. Jeffries recalls dining at The Colonnade with his grandparents when he was a
child and noted that the restaurant opened the same year his mother was born.
Donahue, a Waterloo, Iowa, native, moved to Atlanta in 1985 to work as an interior designer and has been dining at The Colonnade for more than three decades.
“Like many people, it’s been a part of our lives
for a long, long time. There are family histories here. We’ve heard so many stories from friends and people we’ve met over the last couple of weeks about their connections to The Colonnade,” said Donahue of taking over its ownership.
The duo also recognize the importance of the restaurant’s staff to the business and to its regulars. Many employees have been with The Colonnade for decades. This includes Rhea Merritt, who joined the restaurant in the early 1970s and is often behind the bar whipping up martinis. The first person people typically see when they walk into The Colonnade is Randell Stenson. He’s been greeting diners at the host stand for 32 years.
Retta Black bartended and manned the cash register at The Colonnade for 25 years before the restaurant began
accepting credit cards in 2014. Now she works for Jeffries and Donahue as head bartender at Lingering Shade.
“We’ve known some of the staff for years and years and years and they’ve all become very important to us. Everything at The Colonnade is so interrelated,” Donahue said. “That’s why it has to keep going in Atlanta.”
Understanding how cherished The Colonnade is to multiple generations of Atlantans (both new and native) is part of what prompted Stallings to approach Jeffries and Donahue almost a year ago.
Despite their familiarity with the staff and being friends with many regulars, Jeffries and Donahue admit they have a lot to learn about owning and operating The Colonnade. The staff seem supportive of the ownership transition, and even a little bit excited about what the future holds for the restaurant.
Jeffries and Donahue plan to spend the fall evaluating staff and operational needs and looking at the books, starting with analyzing the point of sales system (POS).
It’s not sexy work, but necessary to ensure The Colonnade continues operating efficiently, Jeffries and Donahue said. But people can expect to see them in the dining room greeting people and introducing themselves as the new owners.
What’s old is what’s new again
Save a few tweaks here and there, the menu will remain intact. Part of evaluating the POS system includes understanding what’s selling well and what could be improved upon in terms of the menu. However, regulars can rest assured that dishes like the yeast rolls, fried okra, fried shrimp (Donahue’s favorite), and chicken fried chicken (Jeffries favorite) won’t be going anywhere. Drinks like the Vesper and those ice-cold martinis will stay put, too.
“We want to bring back a few things that went away prior to COVID and see where business might be increasing to expand hours in the future,” Jeffries said. “We’d love to see The Colonnade open seven days a week again for breakfast, Saturday lunch, and dinner, but certainly getting back to seven nights a week at some point.”
Halloween night at The Colonnade, when everyone from staff to patrons dressed in costume, might also return this year.
As for the refreshed design, Donahue will tap into his interior decorating expertise, much of which involved sprucing up drab country clubs around the South. While they don’t want to change the cozy, comforting vibe of The Colonnade, Jeffries and Donahue do want to bring more vibrancy into the restaurant.
Jodi Stallings always referred to The Colonnade as a “country club without a membership” and Donahue said that statement resonated with him. He’ll take cues from the building’s mid-century leanings, as well as design elements from 1960s vacation destinations like Palm Beach and Palm Springs. The goal is to bring “fun things” into the space without losing the restaurant’s soul. Nothing too wild, Donahue insisted.
“She’s an old girl and it’s about time for her to have a new dress,” Donahue said. “We’re going to try to make the overflow seating in the back dining room look less like a banquet room and incorporate booths to match the ones in the main dining room.”
Even The Colonnade’s brown paper placemats will receive a little boost. The duo is playing around with different color schemes to refresh the design of the restaurant’s iconic placemats. On approaching 100 years of
The Colonnade
When asked why they think generations of Atlantans continue to dine at The Colonnade, Jeffries simply stated that the restaurant offers people consistency and comfort. It’s a constant in many people’s lives, often tied to their family histories which provides the touchstone or connection to loved ones and times gone by.
“The Colonnade also serves good food. It’s not fine dining by any means, but it’s food people like and it’s approachable,” Donahue added. “We’re really excited to get in there and get this restaurant ready for its hundredth birthday by reenergizing the staff and getting The Colonnade back to 100 percent after COVID and two bridge fires.”
One thing’s for sure, Jeffries and Donahue promised, The Colonnade’s 100th birthday party in 2027 will be one hell of a bash.
Paul Donahue (left) and Lewis Jeffries (right) are the new owners of The Colonnade. (Photo by Jaime Pryor)
Photo by Beth McKibben
The Move: Shoyu tamago, S’Pizza pop-up,
ROAM THE
RIVERBANK
The Lovett Admission Office invites you and your family to experience our beautiful 100-acre campus campus and discover our classrooms and facilities at
Roam the Riverbank on Sunday, November 10!
Visit lovett.org/admission or scan the QR Code to learn more.
“The Move” is your monthly guide to the top food finds from Senior Editor Beth McKibben, who oversees restaurant and dining coverage at Rough Draft.
nopales tacos
S’Pizza at Fellows Cafe
1088 Green Street, Roswell fellowscafe.com
Ruby Chow’s 620 Glen Iris Drive, Old Fourth Ward rubychows.com
Located across from Dancing Goats Coffee and Ponce City Market at the corner of Glen Iris and North Avenue, Ruby Chow’s features some of Chef Guy Wong’s greatest hits from his past restaurants, including the shoyu tamago from Miso Izakaya. The shoyu tamago became an instant icon when Wong introduced it at Miso Izakaya. It also brought people out in droves who came to get one last taste of his take on the Japanese soy sauce egg before the restaurant closed on Edgewood in 2018.
When Wong announced he was opening Ruby Chow’s just two years later, everyone wanted to know if the shoyu tamago would make the menu. The answer was a resounding, “Yes!”
Wong keeps his approach to the Japanese-style softboiled egg pretty classic. A peeled egg slowly boils for around five minutes in soy sauce, tinting the egg’s white exterior a light shade of beige. The egg soaks up the sweet saltiness of the soy sauce as it steeps, while a quick boil keeps the yolk runny. The shoyu tamago is then placed atop a crispy cake of sticky rice and split open to allow the yolk to run down.
Regulars of Fellows Cafe in downtown Roswell already know what takes place every Friday night inside the yellow house on Green Street. But for those who aren’t up to speed, the quaint breakfast and brunch cafe transforms into a bustling pizzeria slinging pizzas and cheesy, deep-dish pinwheel lasagnas for dinner paired with beer, natural wine, and Aperol spritzes. The dining room was packed during my recent visit to the cafe’s Friday night pop-up, S’Pizza. Tables included couples on date nights, parents enjoying a pizza night with the kids, and friends meeting up for dinner and drinks after work.
I made a reservation for four via Resy and pre-ordered two pizzas, including a pepperoni pizza topped with local cup-andchar pepperoni and a vegetarian pie topped with mushrooms, green peppers, onions, and cherry tomatoes. There’s also a seasonal pizza, which was peach and prosciutto (pictured) the night I visited. This week it’s meatball parm.
What separates a good pizza from a great pizza is the crust. Fellows has its pizza
The shoyu tamago at Ruby Chow’s is one of Chef Guy Wong’s signature dishes from his Miso Izakaya days. (Photo by Beth McKibben)
Every Friday night pizzeria pop-up S’Pizza pops up at Fellows Cafe in Roswell. (Provided by Fellows Cafe)
crust on lock, using the same flavorful sourdough recipe for baking its breads and toasts.
When you arrive, head to the counter, tell them the name on the order, grab drinks, and take a seat. Our pizzas hit the table within five minutes. S’Pizza’s pies serve between three and four people and range from $16 to $26 each. Order two pizzas to make sure everyone gets at least two slices.
Mascogo Tacos
910 W College Avenue, Decatur instagram.com/mascogotacos
El Tesoro owners Alan Raines and Samantha Eaves recently handed over the Tortuga y Chango space on West College Avenue in Decatur to Chef Craig Headspeth. The chef and his pop-up, Mascogo Tacos, took up residence in the kitchen of the former mezcal bar last year and grew a regular following.
Now Headspeth and Mascogo Tacos
occupy the entire space, once home to Lawrence’s Cafe, where the chef serves everything from mole negro de pollo to his fantastic tacos. That includes Headspeth’s signature taco: marinated grilled nopales or cactus pads.
Tender, grilled strips of cactus pads come marinated and piled onto a corn tortilla garnished with white onions, cilantro, and salsa verde. Expect the texture of cooked green beans but with a zesty tang.
I ordered three tacos on my most recent visit, including the cactus, pollo volcano, and al pastor. The al pastor was a standout — so juicy and packed with savoriness. Al pastor can easily dry out if it’s over-roasted or if it’s quick-grilled on a hot griddle. Headspeth’s version was an A+ in every way for me.
Three tacos cost $12. Pair it with a mezcal cocktail or the daily agua fresca, which can be made boozy by request.
FROM AFRICA TO THE WORLD
SEPT. 18, 2024–FEB. 23, 2025
One of Mascogo Taco’s signature tacos is the nopales (grilled cactus pads) tacos. (Provided by Mascogo Tacos)
New Georgia law regulating hemp industry goes into effect
By Dyana Bagby
New regulations on Georgia’s hemp industry go into effect Oct. 1 that ban the sale of products like CBD to anyone under 21. Other key provisions include stricter licensing requirements, enhanced testing standards and clearer product labeling mandates.
Senate Bill 494, the “Georgia Hemp Farming Act,” was passed this year by the Georgia General Assembly on the last day of the legislative session. Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill into law on April 30. The governor said at the time the bill was needed to “protect children from misleading and dangerous marketing.”
The new law essentially eliminates the
2019 Georgia Hemp Farming Act that legalized many cannabis and cannabis extracts as “hemp” but only if they had less than 0.3% delta-9 THC. The hemp industry entered a boom era with retailers now able to sell CBD, delta-8, hempinfused chocolate and even hemp flower. However, most of these items will be prohibited. Products still legal after Oct. 1 include gummies and beverages, but with a cap on delta-9 THC.
The new law means Joe Salome, co-founder of The Georgia Hemp Company, must remove most of the products on the shelves of his six stores.
“By taking away these products, there’s certainly going to be a void in the world, not only for the businesses, but for the consumer,” he said. “And there’s going to be a trickle down effect from that, whether that’s black market for consumers, and local businesses maybe not following the
City of Atlanta gets big credit rating boost
By Collin Kelley
Credit rating agency Fitch has upgraded the City of Atlanta’s rating to an all-time high.
According to a press release, Fitch upgraded the city’s Issuer Default Rating (IDR) from AA+ to AAA. This is the highest Fitch credit rating in the city’s history.
Combined with a Moody’s bond rating of Aa1, Atlanta has become “even more attractive to businesses, potential homebuyers, students, and event organizers due to its sound fiscal management, diversified local economy and forward-thinking government,” the release said.
“Under the leadership of Chief Financial Officer Mohamed Balla,
the Department of Finance has taken this mission to the next level and accomplished something we should all be proud of,”Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement. “These ratings reflect responsible, sound fiscal management and confidence in how we do business in this city. Thanks to the hard work of the DOF and so many others, the City is in the strongest fiscal position in its history, and we will continue to make sure we plan our finances with resilience in mind and an eye on the future.”
Strong credit ratings confirm that the city’s financial obligations are of high quality and are subject to low risk, allowing Atlanta to issue bonds at relatively lower interest rates, the release said.
“We are thrilled that Fitch Ratings has upgraded the City of Atlanta to
AAA, recognizing our strong fiscal foundation and long-term resilience. This achievement reflects our commitment to prudent financial management and the hard work of our finance team and city leadership, positioning Atlanta to invest in infrastructure, enhance services, and support growth for all residents,” City of Atlanta Chief Financial Officer Mohamed M. Balla said in a statement.
The Atlanta City Council also released a statement following the rating announcement: “Achieving the highest possible credit rating is testament to the years of dedication from City administration and staff both past and present. It’s a collaborative effort to develop a fiscal foundation that supports the City’s ongoing progress in creating an Atlanta where people feel safe to live,
regulations and not shutting their doors.”
Salome acknowledged the new law would result in him eventually closing some of his stores and putting people out of jobs. He also knows smaller stores and hemp farmers will suffer due to increased operational costs to meet the stricter regulations.
Salome also said his thousands of clients will also suffer by having less access to products they use for anxiety, chronic pain and relaxation.
But he said he is still glad there are regulations in place to weed out “bad actors” — retailers like gas stations or head shops that sold products without the consumer really knowing what they were buying and ingesting.
“I think the future is bright for cannabis,” he said. “We’re about to have regulated access for hemp. Hemp is making this normalized. It’ll be available in more locations.”
There is plenty of outspoken opposition to the new law. The Georgia Medical Cannabis Society said the new law creates confusing obstacles for the hemp industry.
“At its core, SB 494 presents a labyrinth of compliance hurdles that threaten to ensnare the unassuming farmer, processor, retailer, and consumer alike,” the news statement said.
“From fields of uncertainty for our farmers, ensnared by increased compliance costs and regulatory burdens, to processors caught in the crossfire of heightened testing and licensing expenses, the bill casts a long shadow of operational and financial strain.”
work and play. Our well-earned triple-A rating will allow us to more efficiently move forward with the City’s most critical Capital Improvement Projects.”
In related news, Fitch also upgraded MARTA’s bond rating from AA to AA+.
“This second rating increase in as many review cycles reflects MARTA’s financial stability and strong long-term revenue growth outlook,” said MARTA General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood said in a statement. “Bottom line, MARTA remains a good steward of taxpayer money and is wellpositioned to increase our competitiveness for federal funding and meet the expansion commitments made to our jurisdictional partners.”
Joe Salome, co-founder of The Georgia Hemp Company, said Georgia’s new hemp regulations slated to go into effect on Oct. 1 will hurt his business. (Photo by Dyana Bagby)
Food producer Cargill to open tech hub at NCR campus in Midtown
By Collin Kelley
Cargill, a global food and agriculture leader, will open a new tech and office hub in the NCR building in Midtown’s Technology Square.
The Minnesota-based company told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that it will sub-lease part of the NCR campus on Spring Street for its Digital Technology and Data (DT&D) organization.
The company announced in June that it was hiring up to 400 workers skilled in tech and engineering to staff the new office.
“Georgia, and Atlanta, are welcoming, business-friendly environments, that provide an ideal backdrop for Cargill’s
investment in technology and innovation,”Brian Sikes, Cargill Board Chair and CEO, said in a news release. “With a new office hub in Atlanta, Cargill will be able to harness the immense potential of digital technology to drive our business forward. We extend our sincere gratitude to Governor Kemp and Mayor Dickens for their unwavering partnership in making Cargill’s expansion here a reality.”
Courtesy Invest Atlanta
Georgia-Pacific tower to become mixed-use development with 400 apartments
By Collin Kelley
Downtown Atlanta’s 52-story GeorgiaPacific headquarters will be transformed into a mixed-use development, including 400 apartments.
According to a press release, the pulp and paper manufacturer said less than half of the 1.3 million square feet in the distinctive stair-stepped tower will be
retained as office space.
Along with apartments on the top floors, the building at 133 Peachtree Street will also be revamped to include retail, restaurants and entertainment space. A new central plaza with additional space for development is also part of the project.
“The office landscape has changed,” Georgia-Pacific CEO Christian Fischer said in a press release. “And we recognize
that the adaptive reuse of our site and office tower can create greater long-term value.”
“This transformative redevelopment is a significant step in moving Atlanta forward, turning an important block in the heart of the city into a vibrant and welcoming destination that breathes new life into downtown,” Mayor Andre Dickens said in the press release.
30-story apartment tower planned for Underground Atlanta
By Collin Kelley
Underground Atlanta owner Lalani Ventures has partnered with Exact Capital to build a 30-story apartment tower at the Downtown landmark.
The tower will be the site’s first new development in decades, fulfilling Lalani’s goal to create a mixed-use and mixedincome community at the historic site.
The site for the tower is at Underground’s fountain plaza, bordered by Peachtree Street to the west, Wall Street to the north, Pryor Street to the east and Upper Alabama Street to the south. Architect Niles Bolton is handling design, engineering and permitting.
The tower will include 405 units, with 163 earmarked as affordable to households at or below 60% of the Area Median Income. All units will be in one tower and share the same amenities. The developers plan to break ground before the end of 2025.
Invest Atlanta approved an inducement for a $40 million tax-exempt bond issuance to help finance the project on Sept. 19. The Invest Atlanta board will have an opportunity to review the project again before providing its final resolution in advance of the project closing on its
construction loan next year.
The $160 million tower will be developed by two minority-owned firms: Shaneel Lalani, CEO of Lalani Ventures and Underground’s owner, and Craig Livingston and Michael Callaghan of Exact Capital lead the effort.
“We’re grateful for the support of Invest Atlanta and the City of Atlanta. The vote on Sept. 19 was an important step in the process. Going vertical allows us to build a beautiful new residential community in downtown Atlanta at Underground,” Lalani said in a press release. “This is part of our overall vision to create Atlanta’s top arts and entertainment community. Having residents live right here will create more vibrancy for this beloved property with historic roots, which in turn will have a great impact on downtown Atlanta.”
New York-based Exact Capital’s most recent project in Atlanta was Skyline, a transit oriented development on the Atlanta BeltLine in Summerhill.
Lalani Ventures’ Senior Vice President of Development David Tracht added, “We’ve been working hard at Underground to bring new life and energy downtown by focusing on the arts, creatives, performances and events – celebrating
Atlanta culture. The addition of residences is desperately needed downtown and is a natural next step for Underground as we look to create a dynamic experience and community downtown.”
Lalani has been slowly revamping Underground since purchasing the property in 2020. Along with the relocation of nightclub/concert venue
The Masquerade, Underground has also become the home to burlesque theatre/speakeasy Pigalle by Paris on Ponce and nightclub MJQ Concourse is completing renovations on the former Dante’s Down the Hatch space.
Underground’s list of tenants also includes the LGBTQ restaurant/bar FUTURE; Dolo’s Pizza Co.; cat cafe/ listening lounge The Frisky Whisker; Lunchbox bar; Insomnia Night Club; Utopia Restaurant Bar & Lounge, and Atlanta Comedy Theatre.
Other tenants include Fulton County’s Public Arts Future Lab, an innovative artist residency funded by Microsoft; MARTA Artbound (MARTA’s public art program) and Arts & Entertainment Atlanta; YELLE Beauty, a Black woman-owned and operated beauty concept by Yandy Smith-Harris; Dancing Crepes, a new
dining concept also by Yandy SmithHarris; and Daiquiriville, a 2,200-squarefoot indoor/outdoor restaurant and bar with karaoke and other entertainment, owned and operated by Colombian-native Luisa Duran.
Clad in pink granite, the tower originally opened in 1982 and is now the city’s 6th tallest building. It sits on the site of Loew’s Grand Theatre, famed for hosting the premiere of “Gone With the Wind” in 1939 which was destroyed by fire in 1978.
Photos courtesy Georgia-Pacific
Rendering courtesy Underground Atlanta
SEP 18–OCT 13 2024
Described as “moving and often sharply funny” (The New York Times), THE CHINESE LADY is a unique portrait of the United States as seen through the eyes of an idealistic Chinese migrant.
By LLOYD SUH
Directed by JESS MCLEOD
NOV 9–DEC 24
One of Atlanta’s most treasured holiday traditions.
By CHARLES DICKENS
Adapted by DAVID H. BELL
Directed by CAITLIN HARGRAVES
Based on the Original Direction by LEORA MORRIS
ART & ENTERTAINMENT
Atlanta Opera to transform Bobby Jones Clubhouse into new performing arts center
By Collin Kelley
The Atlanta Opera will transform the historic Bobby Jones Clubhouse into a performing arts center with a recital hall, theatre venue, education spaces, and administrative and rehearsal areas for the Opera.
Located in Peachtree Battle on
Woodward Way along the Atlanta Beltline, the facility is expected to cost $45 million with core funding already secured, according to a press release from the Opera. Announcements of the donors and a capital campaign will be announced soon, and the project is estimated to be completed by the summer of 2027. The long-vacant clubhouse, which
served the Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta Memorial Park, was built in the Grecian revival built in the early 1900s.
Allen Post, managing partner of the Atlanta-based architecture firm, Post Loyal, is leading the team designing the Opera’s new home. Preliminary plans call for restoration of the exterior of the historic clubhouse, while a state-of-the-art facility
will face the Atlanta BeltLine. The total site area encompasses 4.7 acres of green space, the center, and parking.
The 17,000 square foot clubhouse will transform into a 56,000+ square foot complex housing a 200-seat recital hall, administrative offices, a costume shop, a film studio, a rehearsal hall, and garden spaces. Theater Projects and A’kustiks,
ARMORED AND FABULOUS
OCT. 5, 2024 - JAN. 5, 2025
Get ready to discover how spikes, shells, scales, plates and exoskeletons defend against animals’ hard-knock environments.
Armored Animals is designed and developed by Gaston Design. Sponsored locally in part by the Frances Wood Wilson Foundation.
Renderings courtesy The Atlanta Opera
LLC., are developing the recital hall as a premiere venue to present classical singers and musicians, jazz ensembles, lectures and spoken word artists, and other performing arts.
“This new, permanent home for The Atlanta Opera ensures the right fit for our current and future growth,” Tomer Zvulun, the Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. General & Artistic Director of The Atlanta Opera, said in a statement. “A state-of-the art facility in this park setting will be a source of creativity for our local and visiting musicians. It is perfectly positioned to help us serve audiences and collaborators in our beautiful city and beyond.”
The Opera said it will continue to host its main-stage productions at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
The clubhouse has been in limbo since 2018 after a nonprofit called the Haynes Manor Recital Hall Foundation of Atlanta was created with plans to turn the building into a recital hall.
According to the press release, the Opera’s search for a new facility converged with those of the Haynes Manor Foundation. The Atlanta Opera has subsequently worked closely with the Haynes Manor Foundation, the Peachtree Battle Alliance, and the Atlanta Memorial Park Conservancy to plan the new space.
Mahjong Revival: A game for all ages and skill
levels
By Logan C. Ritchie
Mahjong harkens an image of the 1950s, when Jewish and Asian women built community while playing the tile game, dishing gossip, and eating snacks.
A resurgence of mahjong has breathed new life into Atlanta social circles, from kids playing the fast-paced Hong Kong version to neighbors drinking mocktails on the back porch while fine-tuning their skills.
The ancient Chinese game is played with a little luck and a little strategy. Each player at a table of four is dealt a hand of
13 tiles marked with symbols. There are three suits called craks, bams, and dots, plus dragons, winds, and flowers. The goal is to trade and collect tiles, complete one of the patterns listed on the official score card, and be the first to declare, “Mahjong!”
Players of strategy card games like Rummy, Bridge, and Spades will see the similarities to mahjong. It’s complicated –and there are a lot of rules to track – but mahjong is not difficult to learn.
Mahjong classes have taken off in
Continued on page 34
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A group of parents from Woodward Academy learned to play mahjong over the summer. (Photo by Logan C. Ritchie)
Atlanta. Shawn Martin is the owner of Two Sparrows Mahjong with her daughter, Faye. Not only does the pair teach classes, they have also launched their own line of artistic playing cards, mats, and yakitori markers. See, mahjong is a game with adorable accessories.
Lucy’s Market in Buckhead is widely known for its mahjong tiles, which can cost $400 depending on the material and the number of tile layers. Vintage tiles are being sold online for $500 and up. Lucy’s offers carrying cases, table cloths, mats, as well as themed cards and napkins.
Two Sparrows has partnered with
Explore Brookhaven, the tourism arm of the city, to offer weekly classes at different levels. Together, they’re hosting Brookhaven Bam Bird Day on Sunday, Sept. 29 at Blackburn Park for an openplay day. Mahjong guru Michele Frizzell will be there to share tips. Mahjong games are popping up all over the city. Woodward Academy, a private school in College Park, hosted two casual play events for parents during the summer. Experienced players paired with the newbies, and everyone got to know other parents from the school that ranges from pre-K to 12th grade.
Guided play events are being held in Chamblee and Dunwoody restaurants, Fulton County libraries, senior living facilities, meetup groups, online, and everywhere in between.
In August, a local Jewish organization hosted a game of mahjong billed as “selfcare Sunday” for parents of young kids. More than 50 people showed up. The format was based on neighborhoods, so parents could continue playing with new friends.
Making new connections is one reason Celesta Kemerer was drawn to the game. She said playing mahjong satisfies her passion for games, connection, and hosting. Kemerer hired Martin from Two Sparrows Mahjong to teach 16 women
from Candler Park and Lake Claire how to play on her back porch. With so many neighbors learning together, Kemerer knew she’d always be able to get a game going.
“I was hooked from the beginning,” said Kemerer, an only child who grew up on a farm.
Kemerer played a lot of Euchre at the University of Michigan. She went on to live in New York City for seven years, traveling to competitive game night pop-ups. Mahjong came to her at the right time of life, she said.
“As a mom, I’ve abandoned a lot of things that were important to me. Now I have time to reignite some passions,” she said.
After obsessively reading about mahjong, teaching her husband and two kids how to play, and playing regularly with her neighbors, Kemerer turned mahjong into a side job. She started House of Mahjong ATL, offering lessons to beginners and intermediate players as well as advanced strategy classes.
Kemerer has big plans to bring mahjong to the wider community with game night through Candler Park Neighborhood Organization and at Vin wine bar in Edgewood.
“A big dream I have is for us to connect with each other and to drive play within our communities. Rarely do we find opportunities in our lives to put down screens and connect in person over a shared interest,” said Kemerer.
metro
Courtesy Lucy’s Market
The National Mahjong League issues a new card each year showing the rules of the game. (Photo by Logan C. Ritchie)
