Atlanta Intown - November 2014

Our mission: Published monthly since 1994, Atlanta INtown provides its readers with hyperlocal news and information that helps foster a sense of community in a dynamic urban setting. Live, work and play—we cover everything that makes our city home.

CONTACT US

Editorial

Collin Kelley

INtown Editor collin@atlantaintownpaper.com

(404) 917-2200, ext. 102

Contributors

Wendy Binns, Ann Taylor Boutwell, Kyle Brooks, Kathy Dean, Benjamin

Getz, Art Huckabee, Mary Moore, Annie Kinnett Nichols, Martha Nodar, Clare S. Richie, Chris Schroder, Tim Sullivan, Elizabeth Wilkes

Submissions

Article queries and calendar submissions should be emailed to collin@atlantaintownpaper.com

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Jeff Kremer

Janet Porter

Account Executive

Susan Lesesne

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Linda Howell

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Each month, 35,000 copies of Atlanta INtown are mailed to homes and distributed to businesses in and around ZIP codes 30306, 30307, 30308, 30309, 30324 and 30329. For delivery information, call (404) 917-2200, ext. 110.

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IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS 30306

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

Welcome to the 20th anniversary issue of Atlanta INtown

I’ve had the pleasure of editing this paper for more than half of its existence, coming aboard at a time of transition. My instruction from interim publisher Joe Hiett was to revitalize the papers. Yes, that’s papers plural. When I arrived at INtown in the summer of 2002, Nonami Enterprises had assumed ownership and there were four: INtown, Atlanta Buckhead, Atlanta and The Studio, which at the time was a standalone publication. No pressure, then.

I had been reading INtown since it first hit the streets in 1994 under the name Atlanta 30306, the Morningside zip code of founding publisher Chris Schroder. I had watched over the years as 30306 added more publications: Atlanta 30305, Atlanta Downtown and Atlanta Real Estate. There was even a short-lived Sandy Springs edition.

Those papers would eventually morph or combine into the line-up I was facing on my first day on the job. I decided the best way to get a handle on what made INtown special was to go back to the beginning. I went to the archive and pulled out the first edition of 30306, and went from there.

As I started work on the anniversary issue earlier this year, I went back to that first issue once again. My, how things have changed in such a – relatively – short period of time. Flipping through that faded 30306, it’s a snapshot of a community on the cusp of big change. In 1994, people were just starting to figure out how the Internet worked, most people didn’t have cellphones, and the source for neighborhood news were publications like this one.

Trendy coffee houses were a new thing then, and the cover of the first 30306 led with a big feature on a dozen that were open in the community. Out of the 12, only four remain: San Francisco Coffee, Aurora, Café Diem and Caribou.

Everyone was excited that a new grocery store called Harris Teeter was opening in Sage Hill shopping center and that a new branch of the post office was opening on North Highland. The hip place to buy clothes was Bill Hallman’s shop.

Cool Joe and The Funky Soul Symbols were playing at The Dark Horse Tavern and REM had a big hit record called Monster. Art galleries were all the rage, too, with features on Aliya Gallery, koolhipfunkystuff, Modern Primitive Gallery and Form & Function Gallery, owned by Flournoy Holmes (creator of iconic album art for the Allman Brothers, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith and Carole King) and Michelle Klein.

There were also a handful of advertisers willing to take a chance on a new publication. Since INtown remains advertising driven, the relationships we established with local businesses then remain vital. You can turn to page 30 to see mini-profiles on all those first advertisers who are still thriving today.

I never had the pleasure of working with Schroder, but have gotten to know him over the years and he graciously agreed to write something special for this issue. You can read that on page 5.

Our previous publisher, Wendy Binns, has also penned a few thoughts, while our current publisher, Steve Levene, talks about why INtown endures. Those are on page 7.

Atlanta’s place on the international stage began with the 1996 Summer Olympics and took off like a rocket: the transformation of Downtown, the revitalization of historic neighborhoods, the creation of the BeltLine, the boom and bust and boom again of the real estate market, the citywide embrace of sustainability, the growth of the film industry, the tech industry, and a world-class art, music and dining scene.

The spirit of 30306 and the communities we cover is still embodied in Atlanta INtown. Chris Schroder’s vision endures and continues to transform as we embrace the web and social media. How people absorb the news has changed drastically in 20 years, but our mission to publish hyperlocal news that helps foster a sense of community continues. Here’s to the next 20 years!

revamped INtown

Bottom: The Keep It INtown campaign encouraged readers to buy and support local businesses in September 2011.

Collin Kelley

20 years later, Atlanta 30306 thrives

By Chris Schroder

Twenty years ago, I quit my job and produced, printed and mailed the first issue of Atlanta 30306 (now INtown) to 10,000 homes and then took a long nap. Two days later, the phone started to ring with calls from appreciative neighbors who agreed it was time for a positive publication that did a deep dive on what was then an under-reported renaissance of close-in communities.

Today Atlanta INtown is more secure with its fourth owner, though the monthly has all along remained true to our founding principles that people want to feel connected to and do business with neighbors, even as we were all becoming more global.

Hundreds of people joined “the band” to lovingly prepare the 238 issues since then, and each have added their own individual spice to the homegrown recipe. Notables include my sister, some high school buddies, my two children, who wrote columns for years, and Jan (whom I married 10 years ago, a few years after we had both left the papers) and her daughter.

One of my favorite stories was after we started posting content on the thennew World Wide Web. We received an

email from a new resident who said he started reading our publication online while living in the Northeast and was so

About the special anniversary cover

right path.

We could have easily used old covers, graphic fonts or some other hackneyed idea for this issue, but I wanted something bold, fun and original. That’s how I –and Kyle – see the Intown neighborhoods we cover.

Since that cover in 2012, Kyle’s work has become iconic around Intown, not only in murals along the BeltLine and in Cabbagetown, but in favorite restaurants and local businesses who have commissioned him to bring some fun and flavor to their establishments.

enamored of the people and stores we profiled that he packed up and moved to 30306. We were thrilled to see clips of our articles on refrigerators all over town years later.

In the first issue, we reported on the 12 new coffee houses opening in the ‘hood and profiled neighbors who had built and lived in their original houses from the 1920s. As the years rolled on, we liked to think we had a small hand in stitching together what has become some of the most popular neighborhoods in the city.

Just last month, I took a trip through the early years as we organized a complete collection of the numerous newspapers we printed, and delivered them to the Atlanta History Center to be part of its permanent collection.

Many stores and houses have changed names and owners since then, but the sense of community is only getting stronger.

Atlanta native Chris Schroder founded this newspaper from his Morningside home. Today, he owns a PR firm in Midtown and publishes The Atlanta 100 eNewsletter.

In 2012, INtown asked Atlanta artist Kyle Brooks, who works under the name blackcattips, to create a special cover for our September issue featuring art on the Atlanta BeltLine. It turned out to be not only one of our favorite covers, but also a hit with readers and fans of Kyle’s whimsical work.

In the spring, I reached out to Kyle about creating a painting for our 20th anniversary issue. I gave him some very basic parameters about size and shape, but told him to just have fun and create a piece that not only celebrated our two decades covering the community, but also included his hallmark characters. Over the summer, Kyle emailed me a rough sketch of the birthday cake, and I knew he was on the

If you’ve been to Fox Bros. BBQ, had a cocktail on the rooftop lounge at the Renaissance Hotel in Midtown, picked up sweet treat at Sublime Doughnuts, or popped in for a beer at the Midway Pub, you’ve seen his work. He’s created the signs and logos for Grant Central Pizza and Atlanta Progressive School, painted murals for kids at WestSide Atlanta Charter School and for parishioners for Village Church in East Atlanta.

His work is also sought after by collectors, who buy his pieces or have commissioned him to paint murals in their homes. Recently, he even gave an “automobile tattoo” to someone’s van.

We hope you’ll love this month’s cover as much as we do. If you want to find out more about Kyle and his work, visit blackcattips.com.

– By Collin Kelley

North by Northwest

After the success of Atlanta 30306, a new publication focusing on Buckhead called Atlanta 30305 was launched in 1996. In this July issue, all eyes were on the Summer Olympic Games, which would bring thousands of athletes and millions of visitors to the city for two weeks. There was also a story on new places to party in the club strip that was known as Buckhead Village.

Chris Schroder

Kyle Brooks

Celebrating Two Decades

Above: The Atlanta City Council honored Atlanta INtown with a special proclamation on Oct. 6 marking its 20th anniversary. City Councilmember Natalyn Archibong, right, presented the proclamation to, from left, Senior Account Executive Jeff Kremer, Director of Sales Amy Arno and editor Collin Kelley. (Photo by Isadora Pennington)

Below: The entire Springs Publishing staff recently took a mental health day to go bowling and play laser tag at Stars and Strikes on Roswell Road. Pictured standing, from left, Amy Arno, Collin Kelley, Chris North, Ann Marie Quill, Jeff Kremer, Ellen Eldridge, Curt Cochran, Deborah Davis, Joe Earle, Janet Porter and Steve Levene. Kneeling from left are Susan Lesesne, Jenna Goff, Isadora Pennington and Phil Mosier. (Special)

FOREVER YOUR GIRL

By Wendy Binns

An issue of Atlanta INtown i s buried under concrete in the Inman Alley building on Krog Street. It was six years ago when the building association collected items for a time capsule to mark the opening of the redeveloped space in Inman Park. Whoever exhumes it in 100 years will discover a piece of INtown soul – and a part of my soul, actually. This 20th anniversary of INtown sends me down memory lane.

I first arrived to the office in 1997 fresh out of college and with so much to learn. Mentors emerged. Long-standing friendships formed. Bonds that would help navigate my way and eventually lead me to ownership of the company.

They were years of soul-fulfilling work. But, after a period overcoming breast cancer and then adopting a little boy, I needed a break. It was a good time to sell the business.

However, I do have a confession.

I miss deadlines. I see story ideas everywhere I go. I long for my old office and connecting with the community on a daily basis. I’ve moved on to new projects and have a new venture brewing, but I’ll always be an INtown girl at heart.

Happy Anniversary, INtown . I’m glad to have played a part in your history.

THE SPIRIT OF INTOWN

By Steve Levene Publisher

I moved here two years after Chris Schroder started Atlanta 30306 , the forerunner of Atlanta INtown . While I lived and worked “OTP,” I viewed 30306 as my primer to an undiscovered (for me) part of Atlanta. At the time, I didn’t fully appreciate the lure of the city’s Intown neighborhoods. But I rarely missed an issue of the monthly paper whose mission was to capture the eclectic personality of Intown – and the rapid development that was occurring in and around there.

Years later, after launching the Reporter Newspapers, the opportunity arose to purchase INtown from previous owner Wendy Binns. It was a quick and easy decision to add the well-established title to the Springs Publishing family of community papers serving Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Brookhaven and Buckhead. INtown’s hyperlocal focus on neighborhood news, people and events was a perfect match with our company’s DNA.

While our geography has expanded, there are common elements connecting all five of the communities we now cover: a diverse population of engaged residents who care deeply about where they live, and a constant hum of activity.

This special issue’s content, crafted by longtime editor Collin Kelley (are you one of his 40,000-plus Twitter followers?) reflects the dynamism and spirit of the Intown community today and over the past two decades. We appreciate the support and feedback from thousands of readers and hundreds of advertisers who have helped INtown reach this milestone. As always, please let me or Collin know how we are doing, and what we can do better in the future.

Steve Levene

Special

Wendy Binns and her son, Daniel.

1994

A LOOK BACK: 20 YEARS OF INTOWN HISTORY

Ann Taylor Boutwell

Bill Campbell inaugurated city’s 57th mayor on Jan. 3. Buildings along Peachtree Street were illuminated on Jan. 27 as part of “Atlanta in a New Light” to welcome Super Bowl visitors and launch the official countdown to the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. • Super Bowl XXVIII was played on Jan. 30 at the Georgia Dome. The Cowboys defeated the Bills 30–13. • The first Music Midtown is held on property at the corner of Peachtree and 10th streets that will eventually become the Federal Reserve. • Beverly Harvard was named Atlanta’s first female police chief. • Peachtree Road Race celebrated 25th anniversary. • Emory University embarked on $100 million building project to build a school of health and new law library. • Olympic czar Billy Payne has an epiphany for a new Downtown park to mark the Centennial Olympic Games.

1995

In February, J. B. Fuqua honored his wife, Dorothy, on their 50th wedding anniversary by donating $3 million to Piedmont Hospital’s expanding heart center now known as Fuqua Heart Center of Atlanta. • The historic 1924 Atlanta Municipal Market at 209 Edgewood Ave. was renamed Sweet Auburn Curb Market. • Newt Gingrich was elected U.S. Speaker of the House, becoming the first Republican speaker in 40 years. • Downtown’s busiest intersection at Peachtree Street and International Boulevard shut down for two weeks in August to install a multicolored asphalt map of the world for the Olympics. • The 1995 World Series matched the Atlanta Braves against the Cleveland Indians. The Atlanta Braves won the city’s first world championship, Oct. 28. • Turner Broadcasting System and Time Warner, Inc. announced a $7.5 billion merger. • The U.S. Track and Field Championship was the public’s first official glimpse of the Olympic stadium in June.

1996

Atlanta

geared up for the Centennial Olympic Summer Olympic Games—July 19 through Aug.

4. • Centennial Olympic Park opens on July 13. • The new $11 million Martin Luther King, Jr. Visitors Center opened on July 10. • Boxing great Muhammad Ali lights the caldron at Olympic Stadium to open the games on July 19 • On July 27 at 1:19 a.m., a pipe bomb exploded at Centennial Olympic Park, killing two people and injuring 111 others. • During the 17 days of the Olympics, more than two million visitors came to Atlanta, and an estimated 3.5 billion people around the world watched on television. • The Atlanta Braves play their last game at the Atlanta-Fulton County stadium, which is slated for

demolition.

1997

Dr. Albert E. Manley, president of Spelman College, died in March. He shepherded students for 22 years during the tumultuous1960s civil rights issues and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

• The Atlanta Fulton County Stadium is demolished on Aug. 2. • Cathy Woolard became the first openly gay person elected to city office.

• The Carnegie Pavilion sculpture, made from the façade of the demolished Carnegie Library, was dedicated at Hardy Ivy Park in Downtown. • Development plans emerged to transform the old Atlantic Steel site along the Downtown Connector into a new development called Atlantic Station.

1998

The National Black Arts Festival celebrated its 10th Anniversary in July. • Eric Robert Rudolph, who bombed Centennial Park during the Olympics and is responsible for many other, is placed on FBI’s Most Wanted list. • Centennial Olympic Park reopened in March, with a redesigned landscape for public use. • Atlanta’s favorite primate, Willie B., celebrated his 40th birthday with pears, bananas and watermelon at Zoo Atlanta. • In November, John E. Aderhold’s donated $2.5 million to Georgia State University in honor of his wife to create the new classroom building, the Helen M. Aderhold Learning Center.

1999

Super Bowl XXXIII saw the Broncos defeat the Atlanta Falcons 34–19 to win their second consecutive Super Bowl. • Atlanta Ballet celebrated its 70th anniversary during the 1999-2000 season at the Fox Theatre. • Fire engulfed the under-renovation Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts in Cabbagetown, and the daring helicopter rescue of a worker trapped on a crane made international headlines. • After losing $100,000, day trader Mark Barton kills 12 and injures 13 others on July 29 during a shooting rampage at two Atlanta day trading firms. • The Atlanta Braves’ Chipper Jones won the 1999 National League Most Valuable Player Award. • Zoo Atlanta acquired two giant pandas, Lun Lun and Yang Yang, from China. • Ryan Gravel writes his masters thesis at Georgia Tech about using the city’s 22-mile circle of disused railroad corridors for something called the BeltLine.

the corner of Piedmont and North avenues demolished to make room for Publix and Walgreens. • Turner Broadcasting’s $90 million Techwood campus building opens. • Hundreds attended the memorial service for Atlanta Historian Franklin Garrett at Oakland Cemetery.

2001

Trustees of Woodruff Art Center approved a $100 million-plus expansion, which includes three new buildings for the High Museum of Art along with a new residence hall and sculpture studio for the Atlanta College of Art. • Planes are grounded at Hartsfield Atlanta Airport in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C. Interstate road signs display the message “National State of Emergency.” • The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta gets more funding in the wake of anthrax scares. • Shirley Franklin elected as Atlanta’s first female mayor.

2002

Two big projects were announced for Downtown across from Centennial Park: a new aquarium and the relocation of the World of CocaCola museum.

• Home Depot founder Arthur Blank bought the Atlanta Falcons. • Atlanta rapper and TLC member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes is killed in a car accident on April 25 in Honduras. • A fugitive since 1987 and one of America’s Most Wanted criminals, James Sullivan, is arrested for the murder of his wife Lita at a resort in Thailand on July 2.

2003

Maynard Jackson, the first African-American mayor of Atlanta, dies June 23. • Ivan Allen Jr., the 52nd mayor of Atlanta from 1962 to 1970 who led the city through economic prosperity, civil rights civility and brought major league sports to the South, dies July 2. • Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta opened Downtown. • The mixed-use Atlantic Station on the former site of the Atlantic Steel Company opens to the public. • Midtown is transformed with opening of Georgia Tech’s Technology Square on Oct. 24.

2004

The world premiere The Color Purple musical opened at the Alliance Theatre. • Piedmont Park celebrated 100 years. • After 137 years, Federated Department Stores closes or rebrands the last of the Rich’s stores. • Former mayor Bill Campbell was indicted on wide-ranging corruption charges. • The Fox Theatre celebrated its 75th birthday.

2005

2000

Atlantans party on despite fears that the “Millennium Bug” will cut computers and electricity around the world. • Over 7,000 people said goodbye to Zoo Atlanta’s Willie B. at a special memorial service. • Rio Mall at

Shoppers flocked to the new IKEA store at Atlantic Station in June. • The Georgia Aquarium opened Nov. 23. • Woodruff Art’s trustees endorsed the merger of

Beverly Harvard

Cathy Woolard

Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes

The Braves win the World Series.

Muhammad Ali with the Olympic Torch.

Rio Mall (Courtesy Shopping Mall Museum

Willie B. Ivy Hall

Atlanta Art College and SCAD Savannah College of Art and Design. • Former iXL building at 1600 Peachtree St. becomes new home to SCAD, which also acquired historic Ivy Hall on Ponce de Leon. • Architect Renzo Piano’s expansion of High Museum opened to the public in November. • Henry W. Grady High School in Midtown showed off its two-year, $24 million renovation of the Charles Allen Building and the old gym. • In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, panicked motorists, fearing a gasoline shortage, caused chaos at local pumps.

2006

Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King, Jr. died on Jan. 30. • Construction began on Buckhead’s tallest building, the 48-story Sovereign. • Ford Motor Co.'s 60-year history of auto making in Atlanta ended after the Hapeville plant is closed. • The FCC approves the buyout of Atlanta-based Bellsouth by AT&T.

2007

Georgia Department of Transportation contractor crews reconstructing the 14th Street Bridge received the go-ahead to close to traffic in May for the next two years. • The new World of Coca-Cola opened beside the Georgia Aquarium at Pemberton Place in Downtown. • Atlanta Falcon Michael Vick is convicted for dog fighting at his home in Richmond, VA, and is suspended from the NFL. • Roberto C. Goizueta, the Coca-Cola Chairman noted for the company’s turnaround, dies on Oct. 18.

2008

A tornado plows through parts of Downtown on March 14, damaging the Westin Peachtree Plaza, Equitable Building, Georgia Dome, Georgia World Congress Center, collapsing parts of the Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts, rips roofs off homes in Cabbagetown and heavily damaging monuments and trees at Oakland Cemetery. • Druid Hill Presbyterian Church celebrated its 125th birthday. • G. Wayne Clough resigned as Georgia Tech’s 10th president to accept the position as 12th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute. • A bronze statue of Andrew Young, former Congressman and 14th Ambassador to the United Nations, was unveiled in Downtown’s Walton Park. • The under-construction Canopy Skywalk at the Atlanta Botanical Garden collapsed, killing one and injuring 18 others on Dec. 19.

2009

The Starlight Six Drive-In Theater on Moreland Avenue celebrated its 60th birthday.

• The city of Atlanta is awarded $47.6 million in federal dollars for the Atlanta Streetcar project. • As part of the global recession and real estate market meltdown, Georgian Bank, Buckhead Community Bank, RockBridge Commercial Bank and others around the state are closed. • The Atlanta JournalConstitution breaks the Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal.

2010

Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Beverly Hall appointed a commission to investigate the cheating scandal, which she will later be indicted in. • A zebra escaped from the Ringling Bros. Circus performing at Philips Arena, causing chaos on the Downtown Connector before he was caught on Feb. 19. • Part-time Atlantan Justin Bieber released his hit song “Baby.” • In September, Georgia State University’s opening football game was against the Shorter Hawks, winning the game 41-7.

2011

The Jan. 9 snowstorm and freezing rain brought Atlanta to a halt, closing schools and businesses for days.

• The U.S. Federal Court of Appeals in Atlanta heard arguments against the Constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. • Georgian Terrace Hotel celebrated its 100th anniversary in October. • Downtown’s Harris Street is renamed John Portman Boulevard to honor the architect. • Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel, a one-hour original documentary written and directed by Executive Producer Pamela Roberts, premiered June 30 on GPB Television.

2012

The Atlanta Falcons proposed a bigger stadium to replace the Georgia Dome. • The $1.4 billion international terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport opened on May 16. • The National Trust for Historic Preservation added the “Sweet” Auburn Avenue corridor, which was once the center of African-American civic, social and business life, to its 2012 list of America's Most Endangered Historic Places.

• The Eastside Trail of the Atlanta BeltLine opened to the public on Oct. 15.

2013

Bobby Jones Golf Course, located in Buckhead’s Atlanta Memorial Park, received a $30,000 city grant

to develop a new master plan. • Skyview, a giant Ferris Wheel once located in Paris, opened July 14 next to The Tabernacle in Downtown. • Atlanta Streetcar construction began. • Atlantans were stunned when the Braves announced on Nov. 11 that they would leave Turner Field and build a new stadium in Cobb County.

2014

On Jan. 28, a snowstorm cripples the city with thousands of motorists trapped on the interstates and children forced to spend the night in schools. • The 152-year-old Friendship Baptist Church holds its final service before being demolished to make way for the new Falcons stadium on May 26. • Atlanta-based director Kenny Leon nabbs his first Tony Award for best director of the revival of "A Raisin in the Sun." • Decatur's Glennwood Elementary, the city's oldest public school, celebrated its 100th year • The National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and College Football Hall of Fame opened Downtown. • The Atlanta History Center announced it would build a new home for the Battle of Atlanta painting housed in Grant Park’s Cyclorama. • The Atlanta Streetcar began testing with plans to roll out to the public in November.

Coretta Scott King

World of Coca-Cola

Oakland Cemetery after the tornado.

The Starlight Six Drive-In.

Decatur after the snow storm.

SkyView Farris Wheel

Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel

Historian & Margaret Mitchell House docent Ann Boutwell can be reached at annboutwell@bellsouth. net. Ann is pictured here at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market in 2003.

Neighborhood Snapshots: 30306

Celebrating 20 Years INTown Celebrating 20 Years INTown

Images from from the zip code that birthed Atlanta INtown

Clockwise from top left: Carol Dickson, has been a clerk at Intown Ace Hardware for more than 16 years. Shelley Sexton with son Andrew, right, and Gina Vono with son Greyson and their dog Sasha on a walk in Virginia-Highland. Highland Tap has been a mainstay in VaHi for 25 years. Video rental store (yes, they still exist) Videodrome and Buddy’s are go-to retail shops in 30306; Majestic Diner on Ponce has been serving generations since 1929. The Plaza Theatre is one of the city’s oldest movie houses, recently marking its 75th anniversary. Alon’s Bakery serves up all the sweet treats you could ever need in Morningside. Fire Station No. 19 has been protecting the community since 1925. Independent shops and restaurants line North Highland in VaHi.

Photos By Isadora Pennington

OLYMPIC MEMORIES

How the 1996 Summer Games transformed Intown

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

When attorney Billy Payne rst oated the idea of Atlanta hosting the 1996 Summer Olympic Games way back in 1987, many people had the same reaction: “Dream on, Billy.”

Atlanta had everything going against it: insu cient infrastructure, little international standing and a lingering “Old South” mentality despite desegregation. And, of course, there was the exorbitant cost.

But Mayor Andrew Young latched onto Payne’s idea. It was the ‘80s, a er all, and business was booming, neighborhoods were being reclaimed, the Atlanta airport was growing and even Underground Atlanta was in the process of getting a new lease on life as a shopping destination.

Fast forward to Sept. 18, 1990.

Atlanta was actually on the shortlist of potential hosts for the Summer Games, but the long shot to get the nod. e favorites were Toronto and Athens (which hosted the rst Olympic Games) along with Belgrade, Manchester and Melbourne.

Atlantans huddled around TVs and gathered Downtown as International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch made the announcement from Tokyo: “ e International Olympic Committee has awarded the 1996 Olympic Games to the city of… Atlanta.”

e delegation in Tokyo, which included Payne, Young and a very relieved Mayor Maynard Jackson, erupted into cheers, while there were hugs, tears and dancing at Underground.

By the time INtown was launched in its rst iteration as Atlanta 30306 in November 1994, the city was in the middle of a massive transformation not seen since Reconstruction. e Olympic Stadium was under construction next door to the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, it’s progress a daily reminder of the juggernaut of 10,000 athletes and two millions visitors descending on the city in less than two years.

On the west side of Downtown, a former wasteland of abandoned buildings and warehouses, a new gathering spot called Centennial Olympic Park was being built. It was to be the focal point of all the entertainment surrounding the Games.

A new natatorium was under construction at Georgia Tech, along with the Olympic Village. e High Museum was planning a historic and mind-blowing exhibition of great art treasures from around the world. ere was increased

interest in art in general, with sculpture and installations part of the Olympic transformation.

e entire city was getting a faceli to make its big international debut, and some of it was controversial, including attempts to remove the homeless from Downtown and the unveiling of the totally bizarre (and almost universally detested) Olympic mascot, Izzy. To be fair, Izzy started a trend of wacky mascots (London’s one-eyed Wenlock, anyone?) that make Atlanta’s blue bomb look downright cuddly by comparison. All is forgiven, Izzy.

But when boxing legend Muhammad Ali lit the torch at the opening ceremonies on July 19, 1996, there was a collective sigh of relief. e Games were o to a good start, with U.S. athletes on the road to collecting 101 medals.

en there was the bomb.

On July 27, Eric Robert Rudolph – who wouldn’t be brought to justice until 2003 a er a string of other bombings – placed a pipe bomb in the park. It killed two and wounded 111 others. It was a Friday night and the park was packed with people enjoying the music and atmosphere of the Games.

Georgia Tech professor and poet Karen Head had been in the park the night before, standing in almost the exact spot where the bomb went o . “It still gives me a little chill to think about it,” she says.

Luckily, Head’s lasting memory is attending the medal round of the dressage competition (“even the horses got medals!”) and seeing a visiting Princess Anne in the stands.

Eve Ho man, who sat on the Metro Atlanta Olympic Games Authority, attended the opening ceremonies and remembers the “cacophony of languages” as she walked from Midtown to the Olympic Stadium. “I felt like a hostess welcoming the world,” she said. “I walked a little taller in the heat with my daughter at my side. Later, we went to Centennial Park to see our names inscribed on the paving bricks, including one for my husband who had died a year earlier.”

At the end of the Games, there was a collective opinion on the international stage that the Atlanta Olympics had been a bit ho-hum.

ere was no dazzle or glitz at the opening and closing ceremonies to remember, the bombing had stolen many of the headlines, and many thought the Games were too commercialized. Even Samaranch, who had called each Games before it the “best ever,” simply said, “Well done, Atlanta.” at stung a bit.

But Atlanta’s reputation as an international city, a tourist destination

and city keen on business was cemented nevertheless. e Games pumped $5.14 billion into the city and the transformation of Downtown would continue with Philips Arena, the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, the Center for Civil and Human Rights, and College Football Hall of Fame. Centennial Park has become Downtown’s “living room” for concerts, holiday celebrations and a gathering spot for workers and city-dwellers, who have returned in droves.

e city’s population surged from 3.5 million in 1996 to nearly 5.5 million today, it is home to more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies, and Harts eldJackson International Airport has a shiny new international terminal and retains its designation as busiest in the world.

Je Morrison, a history bu and project architect with Collins Cooper Carusi, said that Atlanta had successfully “absorbed” the Olympic venues unlike other host cities.

“In some host cities, the venues are abandoned and deteriorating,” Morrison said. “To Atlanta’s credit, it has outgrown the Olympics, repurposed the venues and moved on.”

Morrison said he believes Atlanta would have continued to grow even if it had lost the Olympics, but it would have probably been a slower process.

Morrison said there are still areas of

Downtown that need more attention. He speci cally mentioned Mitchell Street between the city, county federal government complexes and Castleberry Hill.

“ e area is not without occupants, but it doesn’t add anything to neighborhood,” he said. “People drive there to work, then go home. It’s an area not contributing to the urban neighborhood.”

When Morrison moved to Atlanta just a er the Games, he said there will still swaths of Downtown up to Midtown that were empty or under-utilized.

“I had dinner at the SunDial on top of the Westin Peachtree recently and it is amazing to see how much has lled in,” he commented.

Central Atlanta Progress President A.J. Robinson said the physical element of Centennial Park was the catalyst for all the development around it.

“ e legacy is the constant reminder that Atlanta can meet any challenge when the city puts its mind to it,” Robinson said. “Today, you might not see that in as grandiose fashion as the Olympics, but the spirit remains in the minds of many of us.”

In the summer, when the Rings Fountain cools o kids of all ages in the middle of Centennial Park, Billy Payne’s hairbrained idea 27 years ago continues to pay in dividends.

Above: Centennial Olympic Park was a late idea by organizer Billy Payne, but was the catalyst for renovation and regrowth in Downtown Atlanta. (File)

Right: The Olympic Cauldron sits near Turner Field, the former Olympic Stadium, on Hank Aarron Drive. (Photo by Isadora Pennington)

Top of page: Olympic mascot Izzy was the butt of many jokes, but he’s positvely prosaic compared to later mascots. (File)

Ryan Gravel and the Atlanta BeltLine From idea to advocacy to transformation

By Clare S. Richie

Most of us know the Atlanta BeltLine. It’s where we walk, bike, run a 5K, watch the lantern parade, access parks and other neighborhoods. We’re hungry for this type of sustainable connectivity and community, which started 15 years ago as an idea from then Georgia Tech graduate student, Ryan Gravel.

A er spending his senior year in Paris, where he walked everywhere, ate fresh foods, and lost 15 pounds, Gravel thought deeply about the role of city infrastructure in how we live our lives. Sidewalks versus highways, for example, encourage di erent lifestyles.

“Atlanta is a railroad town,” Gravel explained, “with compact, mixed-use intown neighborhoods built around streetcars.” Gravel was fascinated by trains as a child growing up in Chamblee. So, when he needed a cityscale design project for his master’s thesis, Gravel knew what infrastructure was missing to revitalize Atlanta –transit. His master’s thesis became the kernel of a vision that would transform a 22-mile loop of old railroads with transit, trails and green space to promote economic growth and quality of life in 45 neighborhoods.

Needless to say, Gravel graduated, and his idea was temporarily shelved as he went to work for an architecture rm. It was his master plan for Inman Park Village, deciding whether or not to place the parking

Downtown, where all the lights are bright...

deck close to the old railroad line, which compelled Gravel to share his idea with his colleagues. at was the spark. In their free time, Gravel and his colleagues mailed out letters and maps detailing the vision. Cathy Woolard, Atlanta City Councilmember at that time, was frustrated by the lack of city transit and embraced the Atlanta BeltLine. “With Cathy’s help, we used the NPU [neighborhood planning unit] system as a framework for sharing the idea all around the city,” Gravel recalled. From 2001 through 2004, Gravel spent countless evenings and weekends talking to NPUs, neighborhood groups, schools, churches, businesses, and anyone else who would listen. e idea grew into a grassroots campaign of local citizens and civic leaders, with Gravel working full time for Friends of the Belt Line. Other groups added to his idea. e Trust for Public Land proposed 1,400 acres of new parks, Trees Atlanta asked to plant an arboretum, Mayor Shirley Franklin suggested an a ordable housing initiative, and more. Gravel welcomed these new ideas – they were better for the city and built a broader constituency.

Yes, we actually published a separate edition called Atlanta Downtown for a short time. e lead story from November 1997: the planned demolition of the Omni Coliseum to make way for Philips Arena. ere was also a feature on how chess had become popular in Woodru Park, with players gathering daily in good weather for friendly matches.

In 2005, the 6,500acre Atlanta BeltLine Tax Allocation District (TAD) passed with broad-based support and is expected to generate approximately $1.4 billion, covering close to one third of the total program cost. e same year, Friends of the Belt Line merged with Mayor Franklin’s Atlanta BeltLine Partnership. Wearing many hats along the way – Friends of BeltLine sta , city planner, Atlanta BeltLine Partnership Board member, and currently

an urban designer at Perkins+Will – Gravel remains dedicated to the BeltLine and proud of all who came together to make it happen.

“ e BeltLine is already doing what we said it would do,” Gravel said. e rst two-mile phase of the trail is a popular city feature with a 3:1 economic impact, turning a $350 million investment into more than $1 billion of new mixed-use redevelopment. His favorite picture is a woman walking on the BeltLine with her groceries. “It is already showing us how Atlanta can revitalize its infrastructure to promote a more sustainable life.” ere’s still work to be done. e Eastside Trail design calls for access points to Ponce de Leon, lighting, and water fountains accessing water lines crisscrossing under the trail. “We could see trains in the corridor in the next ve years if we push for it. Let’s pass a referendum and collect the funds we need to get it done,” Gravel urged.

“ e BeltLine will evolve over our lifetime,” he re ected. For Gravel, future phases should include a more robust public art program with permanent exhibits, performance venues, and artist housing and work spaces. It should also include equitable access for all income levels, green standards for building in the corridor, and community food networks.

e BeltLine is a model and the world is watching. In fact, Gravel’s passion for revitalizing infrastructure has him traveling the world to research, document and tell the story of how cities like Los Angeles, Toronto, Detroit and Rotterdam can transform degraded rivers, canals, and railroads to renew their cities, health and spirit.

Photos courtesy Atlanta BeltLine/Ryan Gravel Above and right: The Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail before and after. Below left and right: Ryan Gravel and the Ponce bridge in 2004.

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

Once the Battle of Atlanta painting leaves Grant Park for its new home at the Atlanta History Center, the historic Cyclorama building will undergo a massive interior transformation.

Atlanta-based sustainable design rm Epsten Group has been tapped by Zoo Atlanta to transform the circa-1921 building into a new event space and restaurant with a viewing area overlooking the African elephants, zebras, and gira es in their savanna habitat.

Peter Choquette, design and consulting department manager at Epsten Group, said it’s too early to announce a budget for the renovation project, but the wish list for the Cyclorama building is being eshed out.

e completion date is set for 2018, which gives the Atlanta History Center time to construct and build a new home

Improve

for the painting, as well as move the giant Texas locomotive and other Civil War exhibits.

ose concerned about what Choquette calls the “postcard image” of the front façade of the Cyclorama can

rest easy: the “original fabric of the building will remain intact.

“ e front façade will not change,” he said. “From the beginning, we said we don’t want to change that in any way.”

e interior and rear of the building will be a di erent story.

A restaurant, kitchen, catering facility

Quality of Life!

and event space will require a complex interior renovation, Choquette said. ere are also plans to add an outdoor deck to the viewing area over the savanna exhibit, as well as add a conservatory space for additional restaurant seating that will o er views into Grant Park.

“The deck and the conservatory will fit very well into the structure and offer fantastic views,” Choquette said.

He said there would be renovations to the front plaza once the building is done, and what will happen to the Zoo Atlanta administration building that sits opposite the plaza is still undetermined.

Since 2008, Epsten has worked with Zoo Atlanta on several projects, including the parakeet aviary and tiger viewing area.

“Epsten Group is focused on regenerative architecture, and we believe in Zoo Atlanta’s conservation e orts,” said Dagmar Epsten, the group’s president and CEO. “We are thrilled to be engaged with them in particular on this Grant Park meeting facility with views of big wildlife of the earth’s savannas, which will give our city’s human occupants the opportunity to connect with our global animal occupants like none other.”

Left and below: Renderings of the interior of the renovated Cyclorama building from a video preview created by Zoo Atlanta.

Above: The historic “postcard” facade of the Cyclorama building in Grant Park will be unchanged after the renovation.

CLANG, CLANG WENT THE TROLLEY

The return of streetcars to Downtown was a decade in the making

By Collin Kelley and Ann Taylor Boutwell

INtown rst wrote about the potential return of steetcars to Atlanta for the cover story of our October 2003 issue.

at’s when former Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard was touting a plan created by Georgia Tech graduate student Ryan Gravel called “the belt line.” In line with Gravel’s thesis, she envisioned new trolleys connecting to MARTA via a “network of old train tracks that crisscross the city that are no longer in use.”

at plan eventually became the Atlanta BeltLine, a 22-mile loop of abandoned rail circling the city that is slowly being reclaimed as walking and biking paths. Light rail is planned to complement the paths in the BeltLine in the future, but the city’s rst real streetcar is expected to begin ferrying passengers around the Downtown core later this month.

e Atlanta Streetcar’s 2.7 mile loop from Centennial Olympic Park to the King Center and back is the rst installment of a larger vision of bringing trolleys back to a city which abandoned them in 1949.

Back then, a network of streetcars connected the city’s neighborhoods and business hubs. You could hop on a streetcar and take it all the way to Decatur, which also had a streetcar system. A er 1949, the city utilized the same overhead power lines that ran the streetcars for a system of electric buses. ose were discontinued for gas-powered buses in 1963.

Before the “Great Recession” hit at the end of 2008, a number of plans were oating in hopes of recreating Portland, Oregon’s successful re-launch of streetcars to its downtown streets. MARTA oated the idea of a “ ex trolley,” essentially trains running on tires in HOV lanes and dedicated paths along city streets. ere was also a plan to run a streetcar line down Peachtree from Buckhead to old Fort McPherson.

e Peachtree line might eventually come to fruition, but for now, all eyes are on Downtown and the big blue streetcars that are set to begin rolling any day now.

Special

Above left: Streetcars traverse Alabama Street in Downtown in the 1920s near the old Atlanta National Bank Building in this historic postcard.

Above right: We first reported on the potential for the streetcars’ return along with something nicknamed “the belt line” in the May 2003 edition.

Left: The Atlanta Streetcars have been on the 2.7-mile loop through Downtown for testing in October, and opening day is scheduled before the end of this year.

Pet Pick

Ivy is a 5-yearold boxer/pit bull mix looking for a best friend. She has so much to o er. She is loyal to a fault and is bursting with love. Ivy is also quite intelligent and enjoys learning. She is as beautiful as she is sweet, and anyone would be lucky to call her family. To adopt Ivy or any of the other available dogs and cats searching for a home, visit pawsatlanta.org or stop by the shelter at 5287 Covington Highway in Decatur.

Pet Briefs

e Atlanta Humane Society’s annual Pet Parade - A Walk for Animals will be held Nov. 1 along the Chattahoochee River at Garrad Landing Park, 8000 Holcomb Bridge Road. All proceeds from the Pet Parade bene t the Atlanta Humane Society’s homeless animals. For more details and to sign-up, visit atlantapetparade.org.

e Atlanta Humane Society o ers a Grief Group for Pet Loss at the Howell Mill Campus on the second Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. - noon. Come share your story with group members experiencing similar loss and emotions. e session is led by Linda Ehlers, who holds a master’s degree in community counseling and education from Georgia Sate University. Ehlers is also available for individual counseling. e main objective of the group is to generate mutual support and comfort to one another. No appointment is necessary, and the cost is $5. For more information, visit atlantahumane.org or call the AHS Education Department at 404-974-2899.

Mighty Real...

Atlanta Real Estate was another standalone publication that tried to get a handle on the booming building and renovation trends in the city. In this issue from 1999, the focus was on kitchen renovations, how to reclaim dormant space in a small home or condo, a look ahead to styles of the new millennium (Mediterranean never really caught on, did it?), and tips for installing cabinets and faucets.

Pets Are Loving Support

Intown nonprofit nears 25th anniversary of helping people and pets

By Kathy Dean

As part of our anniversary, we’d like to re ect on another organization that has grown alongside us, one that contributes much to the Intown community – Pets Are Loving Support (P.A.L.S.). As a matter of fact, P.A.L.S. will be celebrating a major anniversary of its own next year. In January 2015, the nonpro t organization will reach the 25-year mark.

P.A.L.S.’ mission – to provide ongoing care and support to pets of Atlanta area persons with critical illnesses, disabilities and the elderly – allows pets to stay with their owners at a time when they need each other the most. It’s well known that the powerful human-animal bond brings healing through love and companionship.

“We serve 450 animals every month, and we haven’t ever turned anyone away, not even when the economy had its downturn,” said Kevin Bryant, P.A.L.S. executive director. “It can be a challenge, of course, since a lot of the people are facing very tough health and nancial issues, but when it comes down to it, we’re there for the pets – and that only makes the owners’ lives better.”

Bryant has been heading up P.A.L.S. for a little over eight years. While he’s the only sta member, and does everything from client services to grant writing, he was quick to point out that there’s also a core group of about 250 volunteers who all have their own special niches where they help, from food delivery to fundraising.

Speaking of fundraising, P.A.L.S.’ monthly bingo games are a well-known community event. e games are held at Jungle Atlanta and feature tasty food, lively

music and exquisite drag queens who keep the party going strong. Bingo is an important part of the P.A.L.S. heritage, especially since it’s the group’s longest running source of income.

Last November, however, saw a new, exciting event—the Manly Miss America Pageant. It got such an overwhelming response, it’s being repeated this year on Nov. 8.

Photos are posted online and people vote for their favorites. e top 10 then appear in swimwear and eveningwear competitions – as well as in the delightful

funding. We survive on donations and the goodwill of the community alone.”

e story of P.A.L.S. is a touching one: Two Atlanta businesswomen, veterinarian Dr. Susan Wynn and educator Dr. Margaret Schulte, were both volunteers for Project Open Hand. ey met and discovered they shared a love of animals and a commitment to working with AIDS patients.

While talking with another volunteer, they learned that there was a nearby AIDS patient who lived alone with his cat. He so loved his cat that he was sharing his one meal a day with it. He was also using the little money he had for vet care instead of his much-needed medications.

is predicament touched the women’s hearts. ey both understood that while this man was risking his life to care for his pet, the cat was his best friend, his only friend. e human-animal bond was critically important for his well-being.

ey further realized that this was not likely to be an uncommon issue for AIDS patients, most of whom had lost their jobs, homes and savings once they’d been diagnosed. Drs. Wynn and Schulte decided to take action and began to collect pet food. From this simple act of caring, P.A.L.S. was born.

question and answer segment. Last year, Bryant represented Alaska by dressing as Sarah Palin. As convincing as he was, the winner was a manly Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.

It’s through these fun events that P.A.L.S. raises money for serious work.

“We cover a lot of services for the people and their pets,” Bryant adds. “And we get no state or federal

Since it started in 1990, P.A.L.S. has delivered free pet food to more than 1,000 clients and 1,300 companion animals in the metro Atlanta area. Today, the group also transports pets to veterinary clinics and pays for basic care, like exams, annual shots and spaying/neutering. When necessary, the organization can even provide contacts for free foster care and adoption programs.

For Bryant, as for the volunteers, working with P.A.L.S. is a labor of love. “I love my job,” he said. “And I love that I’m able to help so many animals in this city.”

Comprehensive Women’s Health

Lynley S. Durre , M.D.

Atlanta 30306 announces it will become Atlanta INtown in the October 1998 issue.

Obiamaka Mora, M.D.

State of the art Pelvic & Bladder Surgeries

Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy

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Great News!

For the convenience of our patients, we have a new o ce location at Northside Hospital Campus. Appointments being accepted now! Call to schedule for either o ce today: 404-352-2850

Julie Sayers, PA-C

Hello, Buckhead!

Atlanta 30305 eventually morphed into Atlanta Buckhead. In this issue from February 1998, there was a big story on the redevelopment of the Lindbergh area.

Jessica Guilfoil Killeen, WHNP-BC

Main O ce: Piedmont Hospital Campus 105 Collier Rd NW, Suite 1080 Atlanta, GA 30309 404-352-2850

Satellite O ce: Northside Hospital Campus 960 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 336 Atlanta, GA 30342 404-352-2850

www.mcdanielanddurre .com

INtown in Pictures

PEOPLE, PLACES & EVENTS THAT SHAPED OUR COMMUNITY

The bars of Buckhead Village were demolished to make way for a mixed-use development that was to be called Streets of Buckhead in 2008.

The B-52’s frontwoman Cindy Wilson invited INtown into her North Buckhead home to see where all the band’s memorabilia is kept in 2003.

Then Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton gave the commencement address at Agnes Scott College in Decatur in 2005.

Georgia Tech’s Ramblin’ Wreck was on hand to mark the opening of the new Fifth Street Bridge in 2007.

Architect Santiago Calatrava was selected to build a new Symphony Center in Midtown in 2005.

Atlanta actors Lauren Ruehring, Mitchell Anderson and Carolyn Cook were profiled in The Studio in 2003 as part of our fall arts preview.

The Georgia Aquarium under construction in Downtown in 2005.

A bit of Paris in Midtown: The Millennium Gate opened at Atlantic Station in 2008.

Georgia Tech President Wayne Clough at the opening of Technology Square in 2000.

Former publisher Wendy Binns and editor Collin Kelley at Atlanta Botanical Gardens’ Scarecrow in the Garden.

Children play on the Noguchi Playscape (installed in 1976) before its renovation in 2009.

IKEA opened its first store in the Southeast in 2005 at Atlantic Station, making inexpensive Swedish-designed furniture available to all.

The hit comedy “Peachtree Battle” became the longest running production in Atlanta, running from 2001 to 2013.

On March 14, 2008 a tornado swept through Downtown and heavily damaged the Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts.

The iconic Alexander Calder sculpture on the front lawn of the High Museum in 2005.

In September 2005, Oglethorpe students helped pack supplies for Hurricane Katrina victims at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport.

The “Ghetto Burger” at Ann’s Snack Bar on Memorial Drive was named the best burger in America by the Wall Street Journal in 2007.

Blasts from the past...

From le : ere was a short-lived publication called Atlanta Sandy Springs, which morphed into Atlanta North (covering Sandy Springs, Roswell and Alpharetta). In 1999, Schroder Publishing marked its 5th year in business on the cover of INtown with the motto “Your Neighborhood Newspaper With Universal Appeal.” at still applies 15 years later!

School Briefs

Cardlytics, an Atlantabased ad tech company, recently tapped into Atlanta’s high-tech talent pool in a unique and innovative way.

e company held its third Cardlytics Iron Coder So ware Engineering Competition at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Zhiyuan Lin, a Georgia Tech computer so ware engineering major, won rst place and took home a cash prize of $2,000. Lin and the second and third place winners – Albert Shaw and Surenkumar Nihalnni – also secured job interviews with Cardlytics.

From the 204 taste tests served in Fulton County to the district-wide Children’s Farm Day for all third graders in Ti County, school districts across Georgia are using Farm to School programs to teach core curriculum, support their local economies, ght obesity and other preventable, food-related diseases, and increase the amount of local food they serve to their students. ose schools were recently honored with the Golden Radish Award, which is given to school districts in Georgia who are doing extraordinary work in farm to school. Atlanta Public Schools, City Schools of Decatur, Fulton County Schools and DeKalb County Schools were all recognized.

Lovett choral student Chip Fankhauser has been selected for membership in the 2014 All-National Honor Choir, presented by the National Association for Music Education. ousands of students from all 50 states auditioned for this prestigious ensemble. Only two choral students from Georgia were selected.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School, 2885 Briarcli Road, will host an open house on Nov. 16 from 3-5 p.m. IHM invites all prospective K-8 students and their parents to attend the event. A special presentation at 3:15 p.m. will provide an overview of IHM from both the administrative and student perspective. For more information, visit ihmschool.org.

Modern Dental is a dental facility designed with patients in mind. Adult Dentistry, Child Dentistry, Dental Implants, Cosmetic Dentistry, Extractions, FASTBRACES, Invisible braces, and much more!

INtown Remembers

In the October 2001 issue, the dead of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were remembered on the cover.

Rooms With A View

To kick o the new millennium, a new editorial direction saw INtown the paper arranged like rooms of a house (Front Porch, Dining Room, etc).

BEST WISHES TO YOU AS YOU CELEBRATE YOUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY!

The residents and staff of Canterbury Court appreciate all that you do to represent our city’s neighborhoods.

As Atlanta’s first continuing care retirement community, our roots run deep, too. In 2015, just a few months from now, we will begin celebrating our own anniversary –our 50th! We’re proud to serve generations of Atlantans and invite our neighbors to visit.

Inviting Gardens Await You

Our gardens span more than 10 acres, beckoning residents and guests to relax and reflect, walk with friends, walk the dog, spot a rare bird or two, or cultivate a bit of garden.

Surprisingly Affordable Living

Our graciously detailed, up-to-date apartments for independent living come in many styles and sizes, from the most affordable in Buckhead to among the most luxurious. All with a full complement of amenities, services, activities and entertainment included. The ease of affordable living at Canterbury Court is often a pleasant surprise.

We invite you to take a closer look. CALL (404) 365-3163

TODAY TO SCHEDULE A PERSONAL VISIT AND COMMUNITY TOUR.

Health Briefs

e Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation's sixth annual Uptown Rhodes Race 5K, presented by the Dewberry Foundation, will take place on Nov. 8 at 9 a.m. starting at Rhodes Hall, 1516 Peachtree St. e race will circle around the manicured landscape of Ansley Park golf course before returning to Rhodes Hall for the nish. "Pet pit stops" will be located along the route to provide dogs with drinking water and treats. A er the race, participants will enjoy a post-race party featuring barbecue sandwiches from LowCountry Barbecue, treats, drinks and music. Participants will receive race t-shirts and goodie bags from Big Peach Running Co. Awards will be given to the top three overall nishers, the top three male and female racers in each age group, as well as the rst stroller and rst canine nisher. Registration is available at active. com.

e Susan G. Komen Foundation has given $16.5 million in new grants to more than 50 early-career breast cancer researchers nationwide. e grants include $450,000 in new funding for research at Emory University, bringing Komen’s total research investment in Georgia to $2.8 million since 1982. Mylin Torres, MD, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, will use the funds to research ways to improve quality of life among breast cancer patients, speci cally as it relates to in ammation caused by treatment and cancer-related fatigue. For more information about Komen Atlanta, visit KomenAtlanta.org.

Kroger’s Atlanta Division customers donated more than $112,000 during the Great American Milk Drive supporting Feeding America in September. All proceeds from the fundraiser will be donated to local food pantries that provide essential food items to the more than 12.5 million families facing hunger and malnutrition in America.

Fi h ird Bank Broadway in Atlanta kicked o the engagement of the hit musical Mamma Mia! with a special charity check presentation at the Fox eatre. e donation was made to the e Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Georgia Chapter, a nonpro t health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, and providing education and patient services. A total of $9,450 was raised for the nonpro t organization.

Dr. Mark Sweatman, an amputee who lost his leg in 2010, will lead a 140-mile walk around and through Atlanta from November 8-16 to raise funds and awareness for Lost-n-Found Youth. Mark will post during the walk to wmarksweatman.org where all the maps are included, and welcomes volunteers who want to walk with him. Lostn-Found Youth Inc. is the only nonpro t agency that assists homeless LGBTQ youth in Atlanta. is is the second annual Mark Sweatman Inspirational Walk for charity. Last year Mark walked 120 miles from Atlanta to Birmingham to raise funds for Limbs for Life, a national nonpro t that provides prosthetic limbs for amputees who cannot a ord them.

e Georgia Center for Nonpro ts (GCN) announces the third annual Georgia Gives Day will take place on Nov. 13. is online fundraiser will drive awareness and donations for participating nonpro ts across the state, as Georgians come together for a 24-hour day of giving. Since the inaugural event in 2012, Georgia Gives Day has brought more than 1,700 participating nonpro ts together with nearly 19,000 donors to raise more than $2.5 million that directly bene ted these nonpro ts. Donors can give directly via the Georgia Gives Day website or through their mobile device. Learn more by visiting GAgivesday.org.

e Buckhead Coalition, Midtown Alliance and Central Atlanta Progress are trying a pilot program to provide eld trauma kits to Atlanta Police Department o cers patrolling those zones. e Trauma Plate Pack contains hemostatic gauze, tourniquet, compression dressing, gloves and more. e initial distribution will provide 30 kits for each zone.

Buckhead Alliance President Sam Massell led the e ort a er nding out about the eld kits through its sister community relationship with the British Island of Bermuda.

Police Chief George Turner has signed new policies aimed at establishing Atlanta Police Department procedures for interactions with transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming individuals

“ is important policy is a formal recognition that this community will be entitled to the same level of respect, courtesy and professionalism extended to all citizens with whom our o cers interact,” Chief Turner said. “We live in a diverse, major metropolitan city, and our policies must re ect the need to embrace, and work cooperatively with, every citizen we serve within that broad community.” All department personnel will receive training on the new standard operating procedure, which was developed in compliance with standards of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). e training will be held with the assistance of APD’s LGBT Liaison O cers, Senior Police O cer Brian Sharp and O cer Eric King.

Buckhead Coalition President Sam Massell shows off the field trauma kits that will be given to Atlanta Police officers in Zone 2.

TimmyDaddy

By Tim Sullivan

From Boston to Buckhead

In something of a fun coincidence, the 20th anniversary of Atlanta INtown perfectly marks my own arrival in town. Like many transplants, my wife Kristen still thinks of where she grew up in New Jersey as “home,” which is understandable, but for me it’s solidly A-town. If a new grey hair sprouts every time I utter the phrase 20 years ago, then so be it. I need a quick trip down memory lane!

Twenty years ago, I graduated from Boston College and moved to Atlanta with a bunch of friends because the Boston winters were wearing us out. I suppose I could have moved back to New York where I grew up, but the Olympics were coming to Atlanta and there was this magical neighborhood called Buckhead where every night was a street party. My buddy McCarty and I arrived on a Saturday night and it felt like we somehow magically drove to Rio in a 1991 Toyota Camry wagon.

Twenty years ago, the Gables of Buckhead apartments were newly built and the paint had barely dried when we moved in. My share of the rent was $455, which was about $55 over my budget so we couldn’t a ord much furniture, but the proximity to CJ’s Landing, e Lodge and ree Dollar Café were hard to argue with. Out of my bedroom window, I could peer up Pharr Road to Taco Mac on one side and Oxford books on the other. Who needs furniture, right?

Twenty years ago, I needed a job so I worked as a rug porter at Rugs by Robinson in ADAC. It was fun to learn a new trade while looking for a real job, whatever that was. I relied on Creative Loa ng heavily to introduce me to the city, so I gured why not pop in the o ce and see if there was a job opening at the paper itself. It turns out there was. I thought this will be a smooth “Tim Sullivan, English Major, pleased to meet you. I love writing words! Where’s my o ce?” But the guy was only interested in my computer skills and how many

words per minute I could type, and he didn’t mean while being clever. In college I nger-tapped papers on a Smith Corona word processor that sounded like a machine gun when printing. ey did not need my services.

Twenty years ago, I went on a series of interviews with UPS for an overnight shi job that had something to do with package security. e interviewer said he really liked that I had lifeguarding experience. I was informed I would need to get a haircut and invest in more white shirts. With each successive interview I tried to reshu e the deck “Tim Sullivan, English Major – can I drive one of the brown trucks?” Despite assurances that the bene ts were great and that upward mobility could be swi , I declined the o er. I couldn’t bring myself to care enough whether a package was lost or delivered on time. Plus, I would have been dearly missed at CJ’s.

Twenty years on and perhaps not surprisingly, I’m still in the rug business. I rely on UPS every day and care deeply about the security and timeliness of my packages. So it goes. And the good people at Atlanta INtown don’t judge how quickly I type my words. I’ve lived in Buckhead, VirginiaHighland, Midtown, Cabbagetown and Decatur, and morphed from a bemused outsider to someone who gets goose bumps when Samuel L. Jackson beckons “Rise up Atlanta!”

So cheers to INtown on the 20th anniversary! And cheers to my fellow transplants and the lifers who have welcomed us. I think since I’ve outlasted Turner Field and my daughter pronounces certain words with a southern twang I’ve achieved native status, no? Readers do tell – what were you doing 20 years ago? Best story gets a shbowl at LuLu’s Bait Shack on me.

Tim Sullivan grew up in a large family in the Northeast and now lives with his small family in Oakhurst. He can be reached at tim@sullivan nerugs.com.

Park Springs Member Geri Houpt

“I

From left, friends Brian McCarty, Tim Sullivan and Kent Schneider shared a pad at Gables of Buckhead in 1994.

TRUE ORIGINALS

The businesses that helped INtown grow

By Elizabeth Wilkes

From the very beginning, Atlanta INtown has relied on the advertising dollars from local businesses to publish each issue. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we pro le the local businesses that appeared in our very rst issue back in 1994. We’re pleased to see so many of them still going strong.

Atkins Park Restaurant and Bar

794 N. Highland Ave., Atlanta, 30306

atkinspark.com

From humble beginnings as a deli in 1922, Atkins Park has since transformed into a neighborhood favorite with full dining and a bar, and is Atlanta’s oldest continuously operating tavern. “ ere is something here for families, the young, the late night workers, and visitors of our historic neighborhood,” said Sandra Spoon, who started as a server in 1985 and worked her way to her current position as Chief Financial O cer of Atkins, which now includes an additional Smyrna location and Ormsby’s. “If you know the old TV series Cheers, I think that gives the best visual of who we are.” e classic menu o ers tried-and-true Southern fare, while increasing o erings of new cra beers and regular menu updates from the executive chef keep Atkins current as a popular and comfortable spot to relax and enjoy a meal.

Briarcli Animal Clinic

1850 Johnson Road, NE, Atlanta, 30306 briarcli animal.com

When Briarcli Animal Clinic was founded in 1959, Dr. Peter J. Muller II. lived on the premises with his wife, Peggy. As the hospital grew, his son, Dr. Peter J. Muller III, joined the practice, and still heads it today. e practice also expanded to locations in Sandy Springs and College Park. “Our doctors are constantly educating themselves on the latest in veterinary medicine,” said Catherine Muller, grandaughter of the founder. “We have always been on the cutting edge with technology that you typically only see in human medical facilities.” Accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association, the clinic is open 24/7 for emergencies in addition to providing regular veterinary care, with several vets certi ed by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.

HammerSmith, Inc.

807 Church St., Decatur, 30030

hammersmith.net

Since 1991, Druid Hills native Warner McConaughey and his team have been providing Atlantans with premier design-build service. From the beginning, HammerSmith, Inc. has been about designing to please the client.

Every job is di erent for the architecture and renovation rm, taking into account each homeowner’s unique needs and interests – there isn’t a ‘HammerSmith house.’ “We’ve never had a showroom, because our business is not about products,” McConaughey said. “ e rst thing we talk about with clients is their lifestyle – what problems they are facing, and how we can x them.” HammerSmith continues to work on homes in neighborhoods around Atlanta, ranging in style from traditional to contemporary.

Aurora Co ee

468 Moreland Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30307 auroraco ee.com

Seattle native Betsy Buckley founded Aurora Co ee in 1992 in VirginiaHighland. While that location has since closed, Aurora lives on just down the street in Little Five Points.

A er starting as a cashier in August 2005, managing partner Mathis Hunter completed a rigorous barista training program, which ensures that the shop continues to maintain its standards for good co ee as the industry continuously changes. Hunter describes Aurora as a totally independent co ee shop run by some of Atlanta’s nest baristas, many of which double as artists, cra smen and musicians. “We are the city’s rst specialty co ee shop and have been a true neighborhood gathering place since the ‘90s.”

Camera Bug

1799 Briarcli Road NE, Atlanta, 30306 camerabug.com

Larry Fruhwirth established Camera Bug in 1980, and it soon became a staple for cameras and photo development. A er he passed away, longtime friend Tim Nix gained ownership, and has operated the store since 2004. In the midst of the digital camera revolution, Nix opted to shi the focus from lm cameras to a new niche: telescopes. Camera Bug carries on today with a wide-ranging inventory of telescopes, binoculars and telescope accessories. “I’m one of the only stocking dealers of telescopes in the Southeast,” said Nix. “I have a whole lot of inventory that is not so neatly arranged, but I can usually nd exactly what you need.”

Flora Dora

1830 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta, 30324 my oradoraonline.com

irty- ve years ago, Anthony Pernice moved from New York City to Atlanta in hopes of starting a business. Flora Dora began in a ea market, which led to a retail spot on Amsterdam Avenue before moving to its current home on Cheshire Bridge Road. “As the city grew, my business grew,” said Pernice. “We are the top silk oral company in Atlanta, with a unique store o ering accessories, home décor and original art from local artists.”

Flora Dora customizes every ower, shrub, and tree for its broad range of clients: interior designers, businesses like Macy’s and Crate & Barrel, to Agnes Scott College and City Hall, and increasingly, the lm industry.

George’s Restaurant

1041 N. Highland Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30306

georgesbarandrestaurant.com

George’s Restaurant is famous for its burgers, but it wasn’t always that way. George Najour established a deli and grocery in his name in 1961. His son, G.G. Najour, started working at George’s part time in college, and he’s been there ever since, taking over as owner-operator in 1991 so his father could retire. “In the early 1980s, I changed the place from a deli to a full restaurant,” said G.G. “From the beginning, we wanted to have excellent burgers.” While the menu has expanded over the years, the most popular item is still burgers – traditional beef, and now turkey, veggie, black bean and lamb burgers, too.

Home ReBuilders

2120 Plaster Bridge Road, Atlanta, 30324 homerebuilders.com

Bill Bartlett purchased the small home remodeling company founded by Diane Stephenson in 1989. Over the past 25 years, it has grown to be one of Atlanta’s largest renovation firms building a reputation for quality remodeling with its in-house architects, designers and construction team. In the early years, the business primarily helped Intown homeowners who were desperate for reliable help in preserving their older homes. “Today we work with people who tend to be more focused on design, are more savvy about trends and have an increased interest in their home’s value,” Bartlett said. “We have tried to stay true to our original mantra, generating creative projects with quality construction while having fun.” In 2002, the company opened its handyman division, DogGoneHandy, to meet the demands of previous clients looking for help with home maintenance.

Murphy’s Restaurant

997 Virginia Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30306 murphys-atlanta-restaurant.com

Intown Ace Hardware

854 N. Highland Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30306 intownace.com

After buying the store with their combined life savings, Intown Hardware was founded in 1979 by brothers Doug and Joe Eifrid. Upon seeing initial success, the brothers moved to the N. Highland Avenue location in August 1981, and decided to call it “Intown Hardware,” since at the time the area was not considered Downtown, Midtown or Uptown. As the “Intown” name stuck and the area grew, so did the store – its sales more than doubling for several years. Joe decided to build a new store from the ground up in Decatur in 1984, splitting the company in the process. To this day, the ownership remains in the family. Doug still operates the Highland store along with his sister. Both stores use the Ace Hardware buying cooperative while maintaining their established place in the community for over 30 years.

Oriental Designer Rugs

1250-B Menlo Drive, NW, Atlanta, 30318

orientaldesignerrugs.com

Mellow Mushroom

Multiple locations around Atlanta mellowmushroom.com

Thirty years ago, two Georgia Tech students started what is now the iconic Mellow Mushroom pizza. The first store opened in 1974 out of an old liquor store on Spring Street. Their attempt at perfecting pizza became so popular that they opened up new locations around Atlanta, and began franchising in the 1980s to employees and customers. Atlanta artist Buddy Finethy is responsible for creating the colorful mushroom characters that adorn restaurant menus and décor. The visuals remained largely unchanged since its inception until 2011, when Finethy himself redesigned the logo with “Mel O. Mushroom” holding a slice of pizza. While the restaurant continues to open new franchises annually, Atlanta is still Mellow Mushroom’s hometown, with locations in Buckhead and Midtown, and nearly a dozen others in the metro Atlanta area.

San Francisco Coffee Roasting Co.

1192 N. Highland Ave., Atlanta, 30306 sanfranciscocoffeeroastingco.com

Tom Murphy opened Murphy’s on Dec.1, 1980, modeled on his favorite New York City delicatessens. A deli counter used to stand where the bar is today, as Murphy’s became a Virginia-Highland cornerstone for American comfort food. “We have always been committed to offering the freshest food available, at a value,” said Murphy. “Purchasing from local produce vendors, rather than big suppliers, made the most sense as far as value and quality were concerned.” Murphy’s has become a supporter of community endeavors like Project Open Hand and the school garden at Morningside Elementary School. Murphy’s continues to offer its popular weekend brunch, along with a bakery and wine shop.

A family affair from the beginning, the Golchha family started producing handmade rugs in India in 1973. Oriental Designer Rugs was established in New York City in 1984, with the Golchha’s importing rugs from their home country. Ten years later, the company set up a showroom in Atlanta and permanently relocated to Amsterdam Avenue when the Olympics came to town. This year marks the family’s 30th in business, and founder Benny Golchha, at nearly 70, is still active in operations along with his son, Vineet, who joined the company in 1998, and Renu Giri, who joined in 1990. The team continues to cover all aspects of handmade oriental rugs, from design and production to import and retail, at their new location in the West Midtown design district.

Re/Max “The Intowners”

1189 S. Ponce de Leon Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30306 theintowners.com

Peter Bade moved from New York to Atlanta for college more than 30 years ago and has never considered leaving since. “Intown is an awesome, easy place to live, with everything at your fingertips,” said Bade, who has loved the community since purchasing a 1920s home near Piedmont Park in 1979. He obtained his real estate license soon after, graduating from Georgia State with a master’s in historic preservation. Along with developing his real estate reputation, Bade has been continually involved in preserving the history and green spaces of Atlanta. Today, Bade is based in Midtown and merged with Julie Sadlier and Sandy D’Aprile to collectively form “The Intowners” team of award-winning realtors with Re/Max Metro Atlanta Cityside.

Highland Pet Supply

1186 N. Highland Ave., Atlanta, GA 30306 highlandpet.com

Doug Bond opened San Francisco Coffee Roasting Company in 1994 in VirginiaHighland when coffee in Atlanta was in its infancy. Getting your morning cup of joe or latte was not so convenient then. He brought the classic neighborhood coffeehouse, with its casual San Francisco style, to the city. There are now three locations around Intown. With their onsite coffee roaster in VirginiaHighland, you can literally smell the coffee in the air if you happen to be in the neighborhood. While there have been many changes in the coffee industry over the years, the coffeehouse remains a neighborhood fixture. Bond said: “We have been told many times over the years, ‘don’t change a thing!’”

For 20 years, Highland Pet Supply has been providing food, toys, dog washing and more for the community from its retail store in Virginia-Highland. Dog training was originally taught in the parking lot, but moved to its own facility in the mid-90s at Amsterdam Walk before moving into a brand new training center on Rankin Street. Owners Ian Awbrey and Toni Barry said dogs and their

control and basic commands in private training sessions, including a “puppy primer.”

humans can be taught leash

ATKINS PARK

TRUE ORIGINALS

opportunity to become “part of a true international real estate company,” which has more than 500 offices outside the U.S. Askew’s firm was the first from Georgia to join Engel & Volkers this past April. “It’s been very good for us,” Askew said. “We’re seeing more people wanting to buy Intown because of amenities like restaurants, shops, the BeltLine and wanting to park their cars and be able to walk. It’s very exciting.”

Ten Thousand Villages

1056 St. Charles Ave., Atlanta,

atlanta.tenthousandvillages.com

Back in 1994, Ten Thousand Villages was called Windows on the World, but the Virginia-Highland fair trade retailer’s mission remains the same: establishing long-term buying relationships where skilled artisans from around the globe lack opportunities for stable income. Two friends, Marg Lambert and Karen Gross, started the Virginia-Highland store in 1993. Gross, a nurse practitioner, and Lambert, a grade school teacher, were moved to take action after learning about children living in the Guatemala City Dump. The duo’s creative energy continues to operate the store today, along with a very active board of directors. The store hosts Nonprofit Shopping Nights in November and December which give sales to artisans, but also gives a small percentage back to local nonprofits in Atlanta.

Worthmore Jewelers

500 Amsterdam Ave., Atlanta, 30306 worthmorejewelers.com

Worthmore has been a passion project for its owners Harris and Gerri Botnick for 20 years. The first shop opened on Amsterdam Walk in 1994 and a second in Decatur in 2008. The Botnicks said their clientele started out purchasing simple silver bands and return whenever there is another occasion – an engagement, commitment ceremony, marriage birthday or holiday. The shop also does repairs and offers appraisals.

ATKINSPARK.COM 794 N. HIGHLAND AVE 404-876-7249

City officially looking for Civic Center redevelopers, ideas

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development authority, has announced a request for proposals for the redevelopment of the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center on the cusp of Downtown and the Old Fourth Ward.

The nearly 20-acre site, which sits at 295 Piedmont Avenue between Pine Street and Ralph McGill Boulevard, is currently owned by the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation and is one of the largest assemblages of land in Downtown.

“The redevelopment of the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center will bring renewed economic and cultural vibrancy to the surrounding neighborhoods,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “I have great confidence that the deliberate, open process being put forward by Invest Atlanta will allow us find a partner capable of transforming this asset into a destination that will attract people to the heart of Atlanta for many years to come.”

Along with speaking to primary and secondary redevelopment objectives, submitted proposals must also conform to city of Atlanta zoning restrictions, as

well as align with community interests. Around 100 people were in attendance last month for a meeting with community leaders about the future of the Civic Center property.

According to Tim Hollis, president of the Fourth Ward West Neighborhood Association, the majority of residents at the meeting wanted a mixeduse development including retail, restaurants, office and residential. He said walkability and the development being easily accessible to residents was important.

Invest Atlanta said “innovative public/private partnerships in support of the technology and the bio-sciencesectors, as well as the growing film and entertainment industry” are also possibilities for the site.

Proposals are due Dec. 10 and finalists will be asked to provide their firm’s offers at the beginning of the year. Once a recommended developer is selected, their proposal will be evaluated and reviewed by the Invest Atlanta Board of Directors.

The Civic Center, which was built in 1967 on former slum land known as Buttermilk Bottom, seats 4,600 and has hosted concerts, theater and, more recently, has become home to taping shows like Family Feud.

Are You Looking for Full-Time Work?

cottage in the heart of Buckhead. Renovated kitchen and baths, Impeccable gardens, Master on Main

THE NEXT BIG THING

Ponce City Market is transforming the O4W

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

“Amazing” was the word I could not stop uttering when I was given a tour of Ponce City Market back in September 2012. Construction was just getting under way to transform the former Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog distribution center and, later, City Hill East, into a giant, mixed-use development in the Old Fourth Ward.

City leaders have heralded the transformation of the building as another big leap forward in Atlanta’s draw as a tourist destination, and the potential for similar historic properties like Underground Atlanta. PCM has also spurred more residential in its shadow, including apartments and condos that want to be near the action.

It’s more than two years later, and the first clutch of retailers and businesses have opened their doors, while residents are also moving into The Flats, the 259 loft-style apartments now available for lease.

Dancing Goats Coffee, Binders Art Supply and Frames, General Assembly, The Suzuki School and athenahealth are up and running in the 2 million square feet of space and its 16-acre campus between Ponce de Leon and North Avenues. More tenants are expected to be announced this month.

Since my first tour, the soaring ceiling held up by massive mushroomcapped columns has been transformed into the Market Hall, which will be like Manhattan’s Chelsea Market, Pike Place Market in Seattle or Pier 39 in San Francisco. Chai Pani, Simply Seoul Kitchen, H&F Burger and Honeysuckle Gelato are on the way.

The 4.5 acres of open rooftop with commanding views of Downtown, Midtown and Buckhead will pay tribute to the PCM site, which before Sears was once the Ponce de Leon Amusement Park. This will be the “fun level” with a putt-putt

golf course, carnival games and a bar and restaurant for residents of The Flats and visitors.

The old railroad trestle that used to bring boxcars into the building for easy loading when it was Sears’ regional catalog warehouse is being transformed into a mezzanine, which will feature a food and drinks This level will also offer direct bike and walking access from the Atlanta BeltLine, which runs directly along the east side of PCM.

For a building that is 86 years old (with additions built in the ‘40s and ‘60s), developer Jamestown said the entire structure was built like a tank and in remarkably good condition.

As work on the building continues into the new year, artifacts from the early 20th century have been found and preserved for future use to keep the building’s character or as sculptural pieces. There are light fixtures, scales, wooden file cabinets, clocks and a massive mail-sorting machine from Sears.

With Atlanta’s long history of tearing down its historic buildings, the fact that PCM is still standing is a miracle in itself.

Isadora Pennington

www.shared-vision.net

Business & Retail Briefs

This month, Mason Murer Fine Art will move to a new space and transform into Mason Fine Art and Events. The new location will open Nov. 14 at 1386 Mayson St., a mile from the current location on Armour Drive in Buckhead. The new 21,000-square-foot facility’s opening exhibition will feature Linda Mitchell, Abbey Ryan, Keiko Gonzalez, Larry Walker, Otto Lange, Terri Dilling, Pam Moxley, Heather Hilton, Carl Holzman, Joe Remillard, Karen O’Neil, Jan Lukens, Allison Shockley, Erik Gonzales, Christine Hayman, Robert Marchessault, and an outsider art exhibition, Religion and Spirituality in Southern Vernacular Art. Check out masonmurer.com/moving for updates.

Women in Film & Television Atlanta (WIFTA) will celebrate its 40th anniversary with an event on Nov. 8 starting at 6:30 p.m. at The Wimbish House on Peachtree Street in Midtown. There will be hors d'oeuvres, drinks, music and remarks by special guests from Georgia's film and television community. “We are excited to reminisce about the influence WIFTA has had on Atlanta's TV/film community over the last 40 years and are extremely proud of strides the industry made as it relates to women in general,” stated WIFTA Vice President of Communications Tanisha Coffey. “But we also know there is so much more we can accomplish. The journey continues. We're looking forward to spearheading another 40 years of progress.” For tickets and information, visit WIFTA.org.

Kamileon’s Kloset, an Atlanta-based nonprofit whose mission is to transform lives by promoting the economic independence of men and women seeking employment, will host its annual Sip ‘N Shop for Charity event on Nov. 7 from 4 to 9 p.m. and Nov. from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event features designer samples and overstock merchandise from top retailers. New clothes, shoes and cosmetics from brands such as Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Anne Klein, Calvin Klein, Sean John and Bobbi Brown, to name a few, are available at up to 80 percent below retail value. The event will be held at Kamileon’s Closet, 3110 Sports Ave. in Smyrna. For more information, visit thekloset.org.

Simon and Noble Investment Group have announced a joint venture to bring the AC Hotels by Marriott brand to Phipps Plaza in Buckhead. Located at the intersection of Peachtree and Wieuca roads and adjacent to Nordstrom at Phipps Plaza, the AC by Marriott Buckhead will be the brand's first hotel in Atlanta. It is scheduled to open in January 2016. The hotel will feature 166 rooms and suites, a lounge, 2,500 feet of flexible meeting space, a library, indoor pool and more.

Kroger has opened its 2,000th Fuel Center in Decatur at 2385 Wesley Chapel Road. The new Fuel Center will offer a total of 18 fueling pumps, including 9 diesel fuel pumps. It will be open daily from 6 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Georgia Commerce Bank has named Cassie Smith as senior vice president of finance and Chuck Shaw as senior vice president of compliance and risk management. Locally, the Atlanta-based bank has locations in Brookhaven and Buckhead.

Tongue & Groove nightclub turns 20 this month. The 8,600-square-foot nightclub, lounge and event venue located in the Lindbergh area of Atlanta at 2420 Piedmont Road will celebrate with a huge birthday event on Nov. 20. For more details visit tandgonline.com.

Columbia Property Trust announced that it has completed the sale of a fivebuilding, 1 million-square-foot, Class-A office campus in Atlanta for $290 million. Fully leased to AT&T Services, the property is located at 1025, 1055, 1057 and 1277 Lenox Park Boulevard, and 2180 Lake Boulevard in the Lenox Park office complex in Buckhead.

Krog Street Market’s first retail tenant, The Collective, is now open. The Collective is housed in “The Cottage,” a 1920s historic home that Paces Properties has relocated, renovated and renewed. Now located at the corner of Lake Avenue and Waddell Street, The Collective anchors the Krog Street Market parking lot on Lake Avenue. The gift shop will offer home and garden décor, jewelry and art – all curated by local vendors. Owner Greg Ansley said locally-crafted goods from vendors Southeast Succulents, Those Barrett Twins, Porterhouse Interiors and Nancy Zahn Antiques are also featured. “We could not be happier to be back in Inman Park,” said Ansley. “As the first retail tenant to open at Krog Street Market, we are eager to see our old friends and welcome new customers to our cottage location.”

Chuck Shaw Cassie Smith

By Clare S. Richie

With the winter holidays approaching, it’s time for the King of Pops’ staff to fold up their trademark rainbow umbrellas and put on elf booties. This winter marks the third year for Nick and Steven Carse’s Christmas tree delivery side venture, Tree Elves.

Costumed elves deliver Frazier Fir trees in three different sizes – small (45’), medium (6-7’), and large (8-9’) along with an assortment of holiday-flavored pops like eggnog, white chocolate peppermint and fruitcake. The trees come from the Cheeks Brothers Tree Farm near Boone, NC to your Intown home, apartment or business.

This year, the trees will be fresh cut instead of potted, a change made in response to customer demand for larger trees that required pots weighing in excess of 300 pounds.

“Once the elves collect your tree, they’ll bring them to our farm. There we’ll grind the trees up for compost to enrich the soil we use to grow fruit for our pops,” explained Nick Carse. And, for each Christmas tree sold, the ecoconscious brothers will plant a Georgia native tree (such as eastern red cedar) at their farm.

Last May, Nick and Steven Carse

purchased a 68-acre property that included a commercial nursery located about 15 minutes west of Six Flags Over Georgia in Douglas County.

“Our nursery, Turtle Brook Nursery, is already growing and selling Georgia natives under the guidance of Peter Calabrese and Cooper Starr, formerly with Trees Atlanta,” Nick shared.

Unfortunately, Georgia’s climate isn’t conducive for growing Christmas trees. Luckily, many of the ingredients of your favorite pops do thrive here. So, the brothers are in the process of cultivating a farm on the property to grow berries, melons and herbs for their frozen treats. Last month, they planted 10,000 strawberry plants. They will also experiment with raising figs, pomegranate and kiwi.

The Carse brothers keep finding green ways to operate and expand. They compost King of Pops fruit waste from their Inman Park kitchen on the farm and long-term envision community gardens and children’s programs.

This holiday season – if you want the convenience of a Christmas tree delivery and pick up, environmentally friendly reuse of your tree, and crave holiday pops – Nick and Steven Carse hope you’ll choose Tree Elves.

For more, visit treeelves.net.

SUSTAINABLE INTOWN

From recycling to green building, the city has embraced the eco-movement

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

When Atlanta INtown began covering the sustainability movement more than a decade ago, most of our coverage was centered around April’s celebration of Earth Day. But there was also a growing sense of urgency about the city’s air pollution, traffic and the amount of waste going to local landfills.

Atlanta and the metro region was already under the gun from as far back as 1998, when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) brought sanctions against the city for its smog level, meaning the loss of millions of federal dollars for highway projects. In 2004, the EPA still classified Atlanta as a “severe non-attainment” zone for failure to meet ozone standards. It wouldn’t be until 2013 that the EPA declared the city was in compliance, but by then the tide toward sustainability was already in full swing.

Six years ago, INtown created a regular monthly section called “Go Green” and earlier this year published our annual “Green Issue” in April. We embraced the eco-friendly movement to chronicle what local leaders, organizations and residents were doing to make the city more sustainable.

We reported on homebuyers who had decided to

spend the extra money for green roofs, rain barrels, lowflow fixtures and recycled building materials.

Keep Atlanta Beautiful and other organizations

stepped up efforts to recycle electronics, and the city of Atlanta implemented new recycling guidelines.

The local food movement exploded with urban farmers raising their own vegetables and restaurants shifting away from frozen and processed to food grown just hours away. The number of local farmers markets grew from a couple to dozens.

Atlanta Recycles, an advocacy group made up governmental, corporate, nonprofit and environmental entities, helped shape the city’s move toward larger recycling bins for residents, and expanded collection of recyclables at city buildings, recreation centers, and police and fire stations.

Atlanta Recycles was also instrumental in the development of the Downtown Zero Waste Zone. Focused on the foodservice industry, members pledge to recycle paper, plastic, metal and glass, compost food scraps and reuse old grease from their kitchens.

In 2010, Mayor Kasim Reed announced his goal of making Atlanta one of the top 10 sustainable cities in the country. Four years later, there have been significant strides in making the city green and there are more, exciting changes to come.

The city’s Office of Sustainability, led by Denise Quarles, said the greening of Atlanta has been possible through the unprecedented collaboration between

Courtesy Georgia Tech Students collect recyclables on the Georgia Tech campus.

stakeholders citywide. The most notable collaboration has been with the business community, which has signed on as part of the Better Building Challenge to make 20 percent of Atlanta’s commercial buildings energy and water efficient by the year 2020.

“We have 200 buildings now participating in the challenge,” Quarles said, “and 76 of those are municipal buildings.”

Midtown created its own EcoDistrict, and has made substantial moves in recycling, energy, and promoting sustainability among its residents and businesses.

Last month, the Midtown Alliance announced its inaugural EcoDistrict Luminaries, comprised of 19 businesses and buildings that have made a significant commitment to sustainability practices. Buildings and busineses include:1180 Peachtree, Federal Reserve

Bank of Atlanta, Fifth Group’s Ecco and Lure restaurants, One Atlantic Station, Perkins+Will, Working Buildings, Heery International, Invesco, Jamestown, Lord Aeck & Sargent, Triage Consulting Group, 1075 Peachtree, Bank of America Plaza, Promenade, Centergy One, Lowes Atlanta Hotel, Viewpoint and South City Kitchen.

Dan Hourigan, Director of Transportation and Sustainability for Midtown Alliance, said Atlanta’s air quality issues were a wake up call to the city to make better decisions and face environmental issues head on.

“We’ve made great strides in the last decade or more,” Hourigan said. “Climate change is now in the news and people are learning how they can make differences in their own communities. There’s a much broader desire for a healthier place to live and work.”

Company plants 80 trees to help create BeltLine Arboretum

Georgia’s Own Credit Union commemorated its 80th anniversary by endowing 80 trees to Trees Atlanta. The donated trees were planted to create the first stretch of the Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum.

David A. Preter, Georgia’s Own president and CEO, was joined by city, state and community leaders for a ceremonial first tree planting event along the BeltLine Arboretum. Following the ceremony, over 80 Georgia’s Own volunteers continued

planting the donated 80 trees –performing more than 240 service hours – to complete the initial phase of the Arboretum.

Ultimately, the BeltLine Arboretum will be a curated collection of trees providing countless environmental benefits like cleaner air, storm water collection and much-needed shade for those enjoying the trail and its surrounding greenspace. It will be a 22mile linear tree museum – the longest in the world.

Special Georgia’s Own Credit Union president and CEO David A. Preter, right, worked with other company volunteers to plant trees along the BeltLine Arboretum.

MOSAIC’S SUCCESSFUL REMODELING PROCESS

COMMUNICATION

Justin Larrison is a team player. Coordinating, tracking, researching, and supporting your project from design to production. Making calls and running interference on anything that might get in the way of your exceptional remodeling experience.

PROJECT COORDINATOR. FIELD SUPPORT. AND THE GUY WHO HAS YOUR BACK.

Special photos

To mark the recent National Drive Electric Week, the oldest drive-in met the newest cars when Georgia Power EV drivers took over The Varsity in Midtown for the first ever EV Cruise In The event was designed help educate and inspire customers to purchase electric vehicles. National Drive Electric Week, formerly National Plug In Day, has grown with the popularity of EVs into a full week of events.

The Atlanta Community ToolBank is hosting its annual Tool Rush Sale on Nov. 8 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the ToolBank warehouse, 410 Edgewood Ave. The general public is invited to shop thousands of new, and some gently used, tools and supplies –all priced 50 percent off retail. There will be a special “early bird” event from 8 to 9 a.m. with a donation of $10. Every dollar spent immediately and directly benefits Atlanta Community ToolBank.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has been presented with Southface Energy Institute’s highest honor, the Argon Award, for his commitment to sustainability. Under Reed’s leadership, Atlanta, which is ranked among the top 10 U.S. cities with the highest percentage of green commercial real estate, has earned national credibility for its stewardship to foundation and federal awards aimed at advancements in sustainability. As a result, Atlanta was selected as one of three cities to pilot the national Better Buildings Challenge, a presidential initiative that challenges cities to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent by 2020. Past Argon Award recipients include Ray Anderson, Ted Turner, Arthur Blank, TOTO USA and The Coca Cola Company.

Atlanta Habitat for Humanity installed 20 recycling bins designed specifically for placement at Atlanta Habitat’s different building sites, for their main offices and ReStore, as part of a national recycling bin grant program made possible by Keep America Beautiful (KAB) and The Coca-Cola Foundation. In its ninth year, the Coca-Cola/KAB Recycling Bin Grant Program is providing nearly 4,500 recycling bins to colleges and universities, nonprofits and local governments, with more than 65 percent of the total designed specifically for permanent, ongoing use in heavily-trafficked public spaces and events. “Having the recycling bins at our build sites mirrors our mission of building green homes for working families,” said Geneva Hall-Shelton, Atlanta Habitat’s senior sponsorship manager. “We are proud to report that since we received the bins in July, we have collected more than 500 pounds of reusable materials.” Hall-Shelton also mentions how the volunteers who come out and build appreciate the recycling bins. A full list of the spring 2014 Recycling Bin Grant recipients and further information about the grant program is available at bingrant.org.

The Atlanta Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) has been awarded a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the city’s lead hazard control program, Lead Safe Atlanta. The program, which launched in 2011, is designed to identify housing built before 1978 where lead-based paint is present and reducing a child’s exposure to it. In children under age six, lead has been linked to several behavioral and health risks, including aggressive behavior, hearing loss, hyperactivity and learning disabilities.

HOLIDAY DELIGHTS

A guide to Intown events, festivals and tree lightings

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

e holiday season o cially begins in November with tree lightings, shopping, theatre and much more. Check out our guide and get in the spirit. ere’s something here for everyone.

Chastain Park Arts Festival

Find a unique gi or piece of art for the holidays at the annual festival set for Nov. 1 and 2 in the park. Nearly 200 artists will be on hand along with a children’s area, live music, food from local food trucks and more. For more, visit chastainparkartsfestival.com.

Garden Lights, Holiday Nights

e Atlanta Botanical Garden in Midtown will transform into a glowing wonderland with millions of lights from Nov. 15 to Jan. 3, from 5 to 10 p.m. each evening. e trees, Imaginary Worlds topiary (including new giant butter ies, frogs and a unicorn) and more will be wrapped in special LED lights for this nightly display. For ticket information and more details, visit atlantabotanicalgarden.org.

Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer

e faithful recreation of the classic animated TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer returns to the Center for Puppetry Arts for a h year from Nov. 11 to Dec. 28 (there are preview shows on Nov. 11 and 12, too). ere will also be create-a-puppet workshops. e shows always sell out quickly, so reserve your tickets now at puppet.org.

Pink Pig & Lighting of the Great Tree

It’s not the holiday season in Atlanta until e Great Tree is blazing atop Macy’s and the Pink Pig is taking kids on a ride through a winter wonderland. is year, the Pink Pig (located on top of the Lenox Square parking deck in Buckhead) will be open Nov. 1 to Jan. 4 (closed anksgiving Day and Christmas Day). On anksgiving night, the annual Lighting of Macy’s Great

ATLANTIC STATION

Tree will draw thousands to Lenox Square. e evening will begin at 6 p.m. with entertainment and music. Find more details at simon.com/mall/lenox-square.

Indie Craft Experience Holiday Shopping Spectacular

Local artisans will be on hand Nov. 22-23 at the Georgia Freight Depot in Downtown, 65 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. If you’re looking for original, one-of-akind art, gi s and more, this event is not to be missed. For more information, visit ice-atlanta.com.

A Christmas Carol

e Alliance eatre will present its 25th annual staging of the Charles Dickens’ classic about a visit from the ghosts of Past, Present and Future to mean old Scrooge from Nov. 21 to Dec. 24. Visit alliancetheatre.org for information and tickets.

ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN

Santaland Diaries and Madeline’s Christmas

David Sedaris’ tale of working as a department store elf over the holidays has become a staple for the season, and it’s back at Horizon eatre Nov. 21 through Dec. 31. Visit horizontheatre.org for tickets.

Lighting of Atlantic Station

e west Midtown development will be hosting all kinds of activities during the holiday months, starting with the Lighting of Atlantic Station on Nov. 22. e family friendly events feature music and entertainment. e gigantic decorated tree will light up the night just a er sunset, and the evening culminates with Santa’s parade and arrival. You can also ice skate on a unique track-style rink, check out Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna (through Nov. 30), have your photo take with Santa, and enjoy regular “Snow Shows,” where fresh snow falls on visitors at Central Park.

RUDOLPH

INDIE LIT

Letters Festival returns to The Goat Farm

Lostintheletters, an Atlanta-based literary organization, will host e Letters Festival 2014 on Nov. 68. e festival will feature writing workshops, conversations, discussion panel, a book market and live readings.

e line-up includes poets Jason Koo, CA Conrad, Morgan Parker, Jason McCall, Esther Lee, Gina Abelkop and Amy McDaniel; non ction writer Kate Sweeney; and ction writers Lauren Watel, Jamie Iredell, Lindsay Hunt, Leesa Cross Smith, Aaron Burch and Adam Robinson. e festival kicks o Nov. 6 at the o ce of BurnAway, while the rest of the festival will be held at e Goat Farm Arts Center. OOMPH! Press of Buenos Aires will host a live-webcast reading featuring exciting Argentinian writers and American writers on Nov. 7.

ere will be a mixture of free and ticketed events for the weekend, so be sure to visit thelettersfestival.org for a complete schedule.

Freddy Cole: Home for the Holidays

Saturday, December 13, 2014 | 8:15PM | $40

Legendary jazz singer, pianist, recording artist Freddy Cole heads home to Atlanta to make the season bright with Christmas favorites, signature standards, and more. “Freddy has an impeccable sense of swing…he is, overall, the most maturely expressive male jazz singer of his generation, if not the best alive” (The New York Times).

Kate Sweeney

Esther Lee

Jason McCall

Amy McDaniel

CLAYTON STATE UNIVERSITY MORROW, GEORGIA

Arne Troelstra & Kate Troelstra

THE BEST BOOKSTORE EVER

Remembering the gone, but not forgotten Oxford Books

monthlies, to underground literary zines to international newspapers. e store’s video rental section was a go-to for foreign lm fans.

For many years, Oxford had the distinction of being the largest independent bookstore in the Southeast. e stores attracted some of the biggest authors of the time for book signings. Since it was open 365 days a year, you could wander in a er anksgiving dinner or spend your holiday cash on Christmas Day.

Oxford closed its doors in 1997, killed by a combination of a poorly set up loan, unsuccessful expansions and the onslaught of chain bookstores. Seventeen years later, bookstores in general teeter on the brink because of the rise of Amazon, big box retailers slashing prices and the popularity of eBooks.

Former employee Gabrielle Smith has set up a Facebook page for Oxford, which contains pages of memories from former employees and shoppers as well as photos.

of, including radio deejay Melissa Carter, noted artist Kara Walker, and Bobby Mort, who recently won an Emmy for his writing on e Colbert Report. Many future Atlanta authors visited Oxford and dreamed of writing their own books.

By Collin Kelley and Annie Kinnett Nichols

Atlanta natives and longtime residents still mourn the loss of their favorite retail spots: great department stores like Rich’s and Davison’s, bying vinyl records at Peaches or nding a great old lm at Movies Worth Seeing. But for literature lovers, the one that truly got away is Oxford Books.

Opened in 1970 by Rupert LeCraw in Peachtree Battle Shopping Center, Oxford instantly became a mecca for readers. Upstairs was the city’s rst real co ee house – e Cup and Chaucer – you could have a pastry with your cup of joe while reading a book or newspaper.

Oxford would expand to include a massive second location on Pharr Road, a used bookstore called Oxford, Too, Oxford Comics and short-lived locations on West Paces Ferry and in Sandy Springs.

e Pharr Road store in Buckhead (where Allure apartments are now located) became the agship Oxford in 1992. Housed in a former Mercedes-Benz dealership built in 1966 by Bruce Go , the modern, space-agey feel of the two-story circular buildings was like no other space in the city. Along with the miles of books, the Oxford on Pharr also had one of the largest magazine selections – from UK music

Jennifer Eve Bonder worked at the Peachtree Battle store and recalls chasing actor Kevin Kline around the store and bumping into Elton John, who was wearing a trench coat in July.

Oxford was a favorite stop for novelist Anne Rice, who would arrive for signings in a hearse or dressed as Cleopatra. INtown’s historian Ann Boutwell remembers meeting the late Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Lewis Grizzard at the Peachtree Battle store when he was signing Don’t Bend Over in the Garden, Granny, You Know em Taters Got Eyes.

Dan Goldgeir, a writer at AdPulp. com, said he spent hours in e Cup and Chaucer working on ads and doing research, while insurance underwriter Jack Hammond misses “the di erent levels on Pharr and the groovy ‘60s architecture vibe.”

Donna Bowling, COO at MindPower, said each store had its own special characteristics. “At Peachtree Battle, there was the aroma of co ee brewing, spiral staircases and library ladders. At Pharr, there was the octagonal-shaped buildings and the dueling smells of old, musty books versus freshly printed publications. Ahhh… the memories!”

Writer and artist Alicia Griswold worked at Oxford, Too, which had used books and magazines from oor to ceiling.

“I worked in Oxford, Too from its opening and for about a year a er saving for grad school,” Griswold said.

“I remember the long literature test we had to take to get hired. It made the GRE look like a Cosmo quiz.”

e Oxford, Too building is now home to Peachtree Battle Antiques and Interiors.

Oxford also employed some notable folks you might have heard

Crime author Grant Jerkins (A Very Simple Crime and the forthcoming Done in One with Jan omas) vividly remembers om Wolfe’s signing for A Man In Full at the Pharr store. “Not only was that his follow-up to Bon re of the Vanities, but it was also set in Atlanta—so there was a massive crowd,” he said. “ ey had him up on this makeshi elevated stage, complete in his sparkling white ice cream suit. When you nally got to the head of the line, there was no interaction with Mr. Wolfe. He was several yards away, just sort of looking down at you, and an intermediary would take your book up to him to have it signed.”

Jerkins said Oxford, Too was his favorite store. “I would spend the entire day rambling around that place. It was rickety and creaky and sprawling. ey also had a store-within-the-store just for book collectors. It was run by a guy named Grover and his assistant, Alek. at was my rst exposure to the world of signed copies, Brodart dust jacket protectors, ephemera, rst editions and limited editions. I’ve been a collector ever since.”

Jerkins also met legendary sci- author Ray Bradbury at Oxford, Too in 1996. “Not only did I shake his hand and chat with him, I went through the signing line three times (at his suggestion), and got my entire Bradbury collection autographed.”

And while Oxford is no more, one vestige survives: Oxford Comics at 2855 Piedmont Road. Originally part of the Pharr Road store, the comics and games purveyor continues to carry on the legacy and stir up fond memories of what many Atlantans remember as the best book store ever.

For more memories and photos, check out the facebook.com/groups/ OxfordBooksAtlanta.

The Last Indies

For the March 2012 edition, guest contributor Osayi Endolyn wrote our cover story about Intown’s independent bookstores adapting to face the onslaught of online retailer Amazon and the rise in popularity of eBooks. Outwrite Books in Midtown had just closed, sending a shockwave through the literature community. Luckily, indies like Charis Books, A Cappella, Eagle Eye, Tall Tales, Atlanta Vintage Books and Bound to Be Read are still providing readers a chance to shop and buy their books Intown.

The fromer Mercedes dealership on Pharr Road was transformed into Oxford’s flagship store.

Special Chris Morris and Gabrielle Smith at Pharr Road.

Special Gabrielle Smith’s collection of coffee mugs from Oxford Books.

Special

Former employee David Johnson checks out the selection at the Pharr Road store.

Paideia School welcomes community to 32nd anniversary of Art Visions

By Martha Nodar

More than 30 years ago, a passion for art and a knack for fundraising motivated a parent from the Paideia School in mapping out a vision to raise money for the school while highlighting and supporting local artists. Art Visions, the brainchild of the late Dottie McRae, has passed the test of time and it is celebrating its 32nd season this fall as a parent-run ne art and cra sale on the Paideia campus.

“Paideia is known for having parents who are very involved,” said Judy Schwarz, director of parent involvement.

“Dottie was both an involved parent and a promoter of the arts. She was an art collector and had many friends who were artists.”

Every November, the school’s practice gym is converted into an indoor art gallery where artists from both the Paideia community and the community at large exhibit their work on consignment. Geared toward kicking o the holiday-shopping season, the two-day annual event takes place before anksgiving, either the second or the third weekend in November. is year it will be open to the public on Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Nov. 16 from

noon to 5 p.m.

A kids’ corner has been designed for children ages 5 and older to do collages and print cards as a way to keep them occupied while their parents may be browsing or shopping, Schwarz said.

Shondra omas, Paideia’s art teacher, said she frequently recognizes familiar faces every year. “People in the community nd out about the event through word-of-mouth,” she said.

omas is also a volunteer Paideia parent and one of the local artists who sell their work at the annual show. She said she loves making jewelry and answering the patrons’ questions about her cra . A percentage from all the proceeds bene ts the school’s art program.

Schwarz said that what began decades ago with just 20 local artists exhibiting their pieces has grown over the years to approximately 100 participants whose work may include paintings, drawings, jewelry, pottery, photography, collages and mixed media.

“Our event is an amazing forum for local artists to come together,” said Meghan Green, Art Visions’ co-chair. “We welcome the community to this unique creative outlet.”

Green, a Midtown resident, said she and her co-chair Robin Critz, a fellow volunteer Paideia parent, visit area galleries, festivals and art events especially in the summer looking for new talent and contacting artists.

“I am the mastermind organizer planner, and Robin is the artsy creative genius,” Green said.

Green said this year patrons may expect to nd homemade aprons, children’s accessories, homemade candles, organic products and much more.

“It is very exciting to provide the community with such a fun shopping spree,” Green said.

e Paideia School is located at 1509 Ponce de Leon Ave. For more information, visit paideiaschool.org.

Special

Some of the arts and crafts available during last year’s Art Visions event.

Special

An eclectic selection of art will be available this year.

Visual Arts

Interiors: The works of award-winning photographers Claire Rosen, Guillermo Srodek-Hart and Steve Aishman examine the affective power of sheer presence and the inscription of cultural history at Hagedorn Foundation Gallery. Closes November 8. Free. hfgallery.org

Leaves of Grass: Photographers Steven L. Anderson and Susan Hable Smith both explore their relationship to the natural world in this first two-person exhibit at Poem 88. Closes November 8. Free. poem88.net

Builder Levy - Photography: Arnika Dawkins Gallery presents this stunning retrospective of the award-winning artists’ work over the past 50 years to the present. Closes November 22. Free. adawkinsgallery.com

Creole World: This Whitespace exhibit is a complex, multi-layered photo essay linking New Orleans, which is frequently referred to as “the northernmost Caribbean city,” with its cultural kin further south. Free. Closes November 22. whitespace814.com

Not My Enemy - People From Pakistan, Cambodia and East Ukraine: John E. Ramspott ‘s photos depict the lives of people from Pakistan, Cambodia and Ukraine, showing that life goes on despite current or past upheavals. Closes November 22. Free. stanmccollumgallery.com

Ruud van Empel - New Work: Dutch photographer Ruud van Empel’s collages and digital manipulations show the possibilities of infusing art and technology at Jackson Fine Art. Closes November 29. Free. jacksonfineart.com

Birth of a Red Planet: Pater Bahouth reworks Florence Thomas’ earlier miniature diorama photography into a ‘50s era View Master science-fiction tale at Hagedorn Foundation Gallery. Tuesday through Saturday. Free. hfgallery.org

Cézanne and the ModernMasterpieces of European Art from the Pearlman Collection: The High presents an outstanding selection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and modern art with masterworks from Degas, van Gogh and

Modigliani. Tuesday through Sunday. $12 to $19.50. high.org

Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear: Fernbank Museum of Natural History examines the physiological, neurological and sociological aspects of this often misunderstood emotion in an enjoyable environment. Monday through Sunday. $16 to $18. fernbankmuseum.org

Inspiring Beauty - 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair: MODA honors the fashion show that brought European couture to the African-American community. Tuesday through Saturday. $5 to $10. museumofdesign.org

Performing Arts

Murder Ballad: In this rock and roll musical, a sultry singer spins a lurid tale of lust and murder that unfolds when a New York love triangle goes wrong. Opens November 5. $20 to $32. actors-express.com

The New Pornographers: The Vancouver indie rock group known for their unique take on pop music returns to Atlanta on the heels of a new album release. November 6. $29. thebuckheadtheatre.com

Twelfth Night: A shipwreck, separated identical twins, mistaken identities, romance and one pair of yellow stockings — welcome to Orsino’s court

INSPIRING BEAUTY

and the zany world of Shakespeare. November 6 through November 30. $15 to $39. shakespearetavern.com

Il barbiere di Siviglia: Georgia State University’s Opera Theater stages a production of Rossini’s treasured opera “The Barber of Seville.” Free! Opens November 7. music.gsu.edu

Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Allen Toussaint: This group has traveled worldwide spreading their mission to nurture the art form of New Orleans jazz. $35 to $60. November 7. ferstcenter. gatech.edu

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Center for Puppetry Arts’ beloved holiday adaptation is soaring back into town once again this holiday season. Opens November 11. $16.50 to $20.50. puppet.org

Morgan Freeman Presents The Magic Negro and Other Blackness: Using improv and character pieces, this one-man show examines the representation of black males in the media, as told by the character of Morgan

DIRTY DANCING

PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND

Freeman. Opens November 13. $10.50 to $27.50 dadsgarage.com

Madama Butterfly: This new coproduction from The Atlanta Opera presents a fresh look at Puccini’s timeless tragedy of innocence lost. November 8 through November 16. $26 to $140. atlantaopera.org

A Pinter Kaleidoscope: Audiences encounter playwright Harold Pinter’s dystopian nirvana by moving through various locations within the theater space at this show. Closes November 9. $10 to $20. theater.emory.edu

Chamber Music in Sacred Spaces

— NEW VOICES: Atlanta Chamber Players return to Ahavath Achim Synagogue with new work by composer Adam Schoenberg honoring Jewish composers Erich Korngold and Srul Irving Glick November 9. $10 to $20 atlantachamberplayers.com

One More For The Fans!Celebrating The Songs & Music of Lynyrd Skynyrd: This musical tribute to the Southern rock band honors the band’s role in the 1976 “Save the Fox” campaign. November 12. $72 to $222. foxtheatre.org

Kyle Abraham - Abraham.In.Motion: Award-winner choreographer Kyle Abraham’s “Pavement” transforms the stage into an abstract metaphor of a basketball court to look at AfricanAmerican history and culture. November 14. $30. ferstcenter.gatech.edu

White Rabbit Red Rabbit: Iran’s Nassim Soleimanpour dissects the experience of a whole generation in this original play in which each performance features a different actor. Closes November 22. $20 to $25. outofhandtheater.com

Milton Nascimento: This iconic Brazilian singer-songwriter’ s early work fused Africanized jazz with Latin-American folk, an alternative to generations of bossa nova. November 23. $42 to $68. rialto.gsu.edu

Dirty Dancing -The Classic Story on Stage: This unprecedented live experience at the Fox Theatre brings the classic film to the stage with heart-pounding music and sensational dancing. November 25 through November 30. $30 to $85. broadwayinatlanta. com

UnderContract

Yelp’s list of local dining institutions with 20+ years in business

By Benjamin Getz Yelp Atlanta Community Manager

Twenty years.

at’s quite a milestone for any restaurant, but Atlanta’s rich history of Southern culture and love of food means there are some eateries that have endured for decades.

In celebration of Atlanta INtown’s big 2-0, we’ve brought you a list of 20 institutions with 20-plus years in the biz – replete with Yelper-approved items you won’t want to miss.

e rst ve on the list de ned the way Atlantans were eating before the 1950s had even rolled around. ese historical, and now famous, spots could grace the front of any postcard as they all say “Atlanta,” in their own way. Hats o to these oldies but goodies.

1. The Colonnade (1927)

1879 Cheshire Bridge Road –Morningside/Lenox Park

The obvious choice here is fried chicken. They run a tight, southern ship with all the fixin’s and no ifs, ands or buts – it’s cash only, friends.

(See our review on page 52.)

2. The Varsity (1928)

61 North Ave. –Downtown

“What’ll Ya Have?” Well, if you say anything that doesn’t include a chili dog, a Frosted Orange, a fried peach pie, and a neatly creased paper hat, you’re doing it all wrong.

3. The Majestic Diner (1929)

1031 Ponce De Leon Ave. – Poncey-Highland

Open 364 days a year at 24-hour increments is the name of the game at the Majestic. Those neon lights will lure you in like a moth to flame. At least there are hash browns afterward.

4. Mary Mac’s

224 Ponce de Leon Ave. –Midtown

Because starting your meal off with pot likker, cornbread and cinnamon rolls is the way it’s done at this Atlanta mainstay. It’s more of a right of passage and something worth touting to your Yankee friends.

5 . Busy Bee (1947)

810 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive – Downtown

Busy Bee’s motto says it all –“Prepared with Love, Seasoned with Soul.” Yelpers go nuts for their candied yams. Get some.

6. George’s Restaurant & Bar (1961)

1041 N. Highland Ave NE - Virginia-Highland

George’s has become a go-to for those who want a big, juicy handmade burger and a fun night of trivia. Make note of the Jalapeño Dijon Burger –it’s worth the burn.

7. The Silver Skillet (1956)

200 14th St. - Midtown

Not just a breakfast spot reserved for Tech students. You’ll take step back into the ‘50s as you take a seat at the counter for a good ole-fashioned breakfast.

8. Manuel’s Tavern (1956)

602 N. Highland Ave. – Poncey-Highland

Everyone’s favorite neighborhood bar. You can’t miss this Poncey centerpiece –one of the coolest, old-timey murals in the city.

9. Pittypat’s Porch (1967)

25 Andrew Young International Blvd. - Downtown

Make like Scarlett O’Hara and sip on a mint julep as you soak up at this mustvisit on many a tourist’s radar. Make ready your favorite lines from “Gone With the Wind.”

10. Polaris (1967)

265 Peachtree St. –Downtown

It closed down for a few years, but now it’s back and better than ever. The only thing more fun than a dinner date under the blue dome with views of Downtown is the ridiculously fun elevator ride to the top.

11. McKinnon’s Lousiane Restaurant (1972)

3209 Maple Drive - Buckhead

Louisiana cuisine reigns supreme at McKinnon’s – gumbo, bouillabaisse and fish prepared any way you like. The owner, Aziz, is a great guy. Make sure you give him a good, Southern handshake.

12. The Sun Dial (1976)

210 Peachtree St. - Downtown

Let’s be honest: Dinner on the 72nd floor is going to be awesome. Every. Single. Time.

13. Petite Auberge (1974)

2935 N. Druid Hills Road – North Druid Hills

Holding down French cuisine in the ATL for over 30 years with timeless favorites like Beef Wellington and Coq Au Vin.

14. Nikolai’s Roof (1976)

255 Courtland St. - Downtown

Yet another place to dine with a view. Rachel C notes the bar’s “lush and romantic” appeal. Exactly what you’d like to see for a night out Downtown.

15. La Grotta (1978)

2637 Peachtree Road - Buckhead

Quite literally meaning “The Cave,” you’ll find this spot tucked neatly under a condominium building. The traditional menu will comfort your soul like a warm blanket.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

16. Bones Restaurant (1979)

3130 Piedmont Road – Buckhead

Lee C’s definition of “heaven in a bowl – the truffle mashed potatoes.” Yep. She hit the nail right on the head. Paired with their legendary French onion soup, you’ve got a surefire win for dinner.

17. Murphy’s (1980)

997 Virginia Ave. – VirginiaHighland Murphy’s could write the book on “brunch dining.” All of the favorites under one roof. Take one look at their Yelp page and you’ll see one thing Yelpers say you can’t miss – grits.

18. American Roadhouse (1989)

842 N. Highland Ave. – Virginia-Highland

Stellar pancakes for over 23 years in the Highlands. They’re definitely doing something right. One word: ‘Merica.

19. Ann’s Snack Bar (1971)

1615 Memorial Drive – Kirkwood

Ann Price set the burger bar high with her infamous “Ghetto Burger” (the Wall Street Journal called it the best in America). It’s the most ugly-beautiful burger you’ll ever experience.

20. Bacchanalia (1993)

1198 Howell Mill Road – Westside

“The” spot for special occasions. The price tag isn’t the only thing that has given these guys over 20 years of business in Atlanta. The food is darn worth its salt. Especially when someone else is paying.

Follow Ben Getz’s reviews at benjamingetz.yelp.com and all the Yelp adventures on Instagram and Twitter @YelpAtlanta.

Originality is our nationality! Inspiration can come from anywhere – Greek islands, Mediterranean markets, mom’s kitchen. And that’s exactly where we’ve discovered some of our most innovative dishes yet. Our recipe for creating the deliciously unexpected is simple: wholesome ingredients with a dash of inspiration, served up by friendly folks right around the corner. Welcome to Taziki’s.

Rachael Cory & Michael Hoffman Jr.

TURKEY DAY OUT

Local restaurants prepare Thanksgiving feasts

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

If you’d rather spend time with family and friends instead of standing over a hot stove this Thanksgiving, many Intown restaurants will be serving up feasts for the whole family.

Here’s at look at some of the restaurants open on Nov. 27. You can find more at OpenTable.com.

103 West Executive Chef Jeff Riedel will be cooking up turkey and all the trimmings for this special Thanksgiving feast in Buckhead. 103 West Paces Ferry. buckheadrestaurants.com/103-west.

Fogo de Chao

If you want something more exotic for your holiday meal, enjoy 16 cuts of delectable fire-roasted meats, Brazilian side dishes and more. $51.50 per person. 3101 Piedmont Road. fogodechao.com.

The Capitol Grille

A menu of favorite Thanksgiving dishes is in the works as well as the restaurant’s a la carte menu. $36 per adult or $15 per child. 255 East Paces Ferry. thecapitalgrille.com.

BLT Steak

The Downtown restaurant will have a special Thanksgiving Day menu and will

also offer complete family dinners for order and pick up the day before. 45 Ivan Allen Blvd. e2hospitality.com/blt-steakatlanta.

10th & Piedmont

This Midtown spot will be offering a casual Turkey Day lunch and dinner buffet from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. 991 Piedmont Ave. communitashospitality.com/10th-andpiedmont

South City Kitchen Midtown

Known for its modern take on southern cuisine, South City Kitchen will be offering a three-course, prix fixe menu of holiday favorites. $45 per person, $22.50 for children under 12. 1144 Crescent Ave. midtown.southcitykitchen.com.

Seasons 52

The Buckhead restaurant will be serving a traditional Thanksgiving dinner all day, with special portions just for kids. The regular menu is available, too. $26.95 per person, $12.95 for child portions. 3050 Peachtree Road. seasons52.com.

Maggiano’s Italian favorites such as spaghetti and lasagna will be offered as well as traditional Thanksgiving dishes at the Buckhead restaurant. 3368 Peachtree Road. maggianos.com.

The Colonnade

It doesn’t get any more southern or traditional than The Colonnade’s fourcourse Thanksgiving meal. $25 per person.1879 Cheshire Bridge Road. colonnadeatl.com

Rosebud

Head over to Virginia-Highland for a traditional dinner of turkey, ham and all the fixin’s served family-style. $45 per person, $20 for children. 1397 N. Highland Ave. rosebudatlanta.com

Murphy’s

The Virginia-Highland mainstay has been offering Thanksgiving To-Go for 25 years. A limited number of orders are being taken, so hurry if you want to be on the pick-up list. The cost is $135 for four prepared dinners. Call 404- 872-0904 to order your feast.

Legal Sea Foods

If you’d rather have surf and turf for your holiday meal, the seafood eatery in Downtown has you covered. There will be everything from stuffed turkey to stuffed lobster on the menu. 275 Baker St. legalseafoods.com/restaurants/atlantadowntown.

Petite Auberge

A four-course, gourmet

Thanksgiving Day meal with turkey, chicken, fish, steak, lamb and veal selections will be available. Prices range from $29.95 to $39.95, and there’s also a kids’ menu with soup or salad, choice of entree and dessert for $9.95. 2935 North Druid Hills Road. petiteauberge. com.

Your Authentic Italian Neighborhood Grocery

Start Your Holiday Shopping Now!

Bring a little bit of Italy to your gift recipients this coming holiday season. We will have all the traditional Italian holiday items including panettone, pandoro, torrone, panforte and an expanded selection of our regular Italian Specialties, wine and tableware including:

Meats • Cheeses • Olive Oils

Pastas • Sauces • Antipasti Sweets • Wine • Baking Items

Prepared Meals/Salads

Stop by for lunch or on your way Home We’re Open 7 Days a Week!

A little corner of Italy… In the Heart of Virginia-Highland

1050 North Highland Avenue 404.815.8383 www.ToscanoandSons.com

The Colonnade Restaurant Review

By Art Huckabee

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that after living in Atlanta for close to 25 years, there are a lot of local landmarks that I have never visited. I have never been to the World of Coca-Cola or to the Atlanta Cyclorama or to the Margaret Mitchell House. I have also never hiked to the top of Stone Mountain nor seen the laser light show there. Most surprising to me, particularly with my penchant for Southern food, I had not eaten at The Colonnade until last month.

The Colonnade has been in business since 1927. Judging by the crowded parking lot on a recent weeknight, lots of people continue to like this place.

It’s a sprawling space with a big sign at the entrance that alerts you to the fact that they don’t take credit cards; heck MasterCard and Visa didn’t exist 87 years ago, so why start now?

Despite the crowd, we were quickly seated in the busy dining room. Our waiter brought us each a small plate with a pack of Saltine crackers and two little tubs of butter; it was a curious “amuse-bouche.”

The menu is large without being overthe-top “diner” large. There is no bar menu, but they claim to make any cocktail you’d want and offer bottled beer and wine of the red and white varietals. You get the sense that most people don’t even look at the

menu. They know what they want and the wait staff does too. There are lots of regulars in this place.

The house specialties are the fried chicken and the fried shrimp, so we ordered both. We also ordered the seafood platter with fried shrimp, fried tilapia and fried scallops, and the nightly special, prime rib.

The fried chicken was good, rivaling any Southern kitchen’s. The skin was crispy and the meat was moist and tender. You get your choice of two breasts and two wings or two thighs and two drums. The portions here are not small. The fried scallops and the fried tilapia were also very good but it was the shrimp, those 18 large, plump, lightly battered shrimp; they rivaled any found at any seafood shack in coastal Georgia or Florida. Everyone in our party agreed that we would return for the shrimp alone.

The prime rib was a large Mastodonsized cut. It was ordered medium but came definitely more on the rare side. Our waiter quickly remedied the error.

Each entrée came with a choice of two sides or a side and salad. There was a large assortment to choose from. It’s not every day that you see tomato aspic or rutabagas on a menu. The hits were the cole slaw, the macaroni and cheese and the cucumber salad. The slaw was crisp, rough-chopped cabbage with a tangy sweet and sour dressing. The mac ‘n cheese was not as

cheesy as some found on other menus but it was a nice balance of noodle and cheddar. The cucumber salad was cool, vinegary tart, and sweet as if lightly pickled. The chunked cucumber, tomato and red onion paired well together.

The misses were the fried okra and the fluffy whipped potatoes. The okra was a bowl of cold nuggets, too long removed from their fryer bath. The potatoes were dense, missing their “fluff ” and begging for some gravy or a pad of butter.

The sweet tooths in our party dug into a large slice of coconut ice box pie. It was very good with lots of toasted coconut, egg custard and whipped cream.

It won’t be another 25 years before I visit The Colonnade again, but if I did wait that long, I get the sense that it will still be there. Now, where’s this place they call The Varsity?

The Colonnade is located at 1879 Cheshire Bridge Road. For more information, call 404-874-5642 or visit colonnadeatl.com.

Art Huckabee is one of Yelp’s Elite Reviewers, as well as a pilot, gourmet cook and food lover. Send feedback to atlantafoodwriter@gmail.com.

The fried shrimp is a favorite among diners.

The coconut ice box pie has plenty of egg custard and whipped cream.

Luxury experience at every price.

under contract

LOFTS OF BELEVEDERE

Easy access to Piedmont Park and Midtown. $190,000-$219,900

Sherry Hoger ● (404) 921-9510

(404) 786-9562

Charleston-style 3BR/3BA townhome near The Beltline. $390,000 Leslie Body ● (678) 570-7412

under contract

PLAZA

& 2BR units avail. Pool, concierge, & gym. $212,000-$384,900 Todd Hale ● (404) 822-0230

Two story 2BR/2.5BA penthouse with four balconies. $525,000

Rob Vogel ● (404) 281-7295

4BR/3.5BA newer build in the City of Decatur. $699,900

Carter & Associates ● (404) 944-6577

Spacious 5BR/4.5.5BA with renovated kitchen. $525,000

Carter & Associates ● (404) 944-6577

Renovated 3BR/2BA Inman Park cottage. $430,000

Bill McMurry ● (404) 610-6532

Penthouse 1BR/1BA in the heart of Buckhead. $189,000

Christine O’Neill ● (404) 857-7058

Rare two story penthouse. Spectacular

1,000 sq ft terrace. $1,650,000 Monique Reller ● (404) 310-2200

(404) 310-8582

Spacious 3BR/2BA in Smyrna with detached garage/workshop. $185,000 Barbara Giardina ● (404) 969-6737

1915 updated Neel Reid classic 4BR/3.5BA. $2,250,000

Hilson Hudson ● (404) 217-6004

● (404) 754-0500

under contract

METROPOLIS

Amenities include city views, pool, concierge, & gym. $142,900-$209,900

Ashley J. Webb ● (770) 653-6517

HARRY NORMAN, REALTORS ® the intown office

Mike Wright, Sr. VP/Managing Broker 1531 Piedmont Avenue NE • Suite B Atlanta, GA 30324

Renovated 1BR/1BA top floor corner unit with covered terrace. $170,000 Jeff Masarek ● (404) 314-1104

880 GLENDALE TERRACE #11 1BR/1BA only two blocks to Piedmont Park. $129,500 Rodney Hinote ●

2255 PEACHTREE ROAD #826

779 CLIFTON ROAD

77 PEACHTREE PLACE #511

MIDTOWN 1BR

955 JUNIPER STREET #4321

3334 PEACHTREE ROAD #302 1BR/1BA condo with fabulous Buckhead views. $199,000 Gemma Taylor ●

3360 CHARLOTTE CIRCLE

1078 ALTA AVENUE

1434 HILLPINE LANE Fee simple 2BR/2.5BA townhome in Morningside School District. $325,000 Rogers Barry

130 E. PARKWOOD ROAD

613 IRWIN STREET

3150 ST. IVES CC PKWY

BUCKHEAD ATLANTA

THE COOK’S WAREHOUSE From an “a-ha” moment to 20 years of success

By Mary Moore

I grew up on a farm west of Atlanta. My great aunt and great uncle lived off the same driveway as me and my family, and my grandmother and great aunt one driveway over. We lived on a farm raising broiler chickens, cows and pigs, and grew many of our own vegetables. My mom, grandmother and great aunts loved to cook – and from an early age, so did I! While putting myself through college at Georgia State University, I determined that I needed to make the most amount of money in the least amount of time – waiting tables of course. I quickly determined that the “front of the house” wasn’t my forte. I was at Shipfeifer’s on Peachtree and lucky enough that the owners liked me and wanted me to stay. I said, “I want to work Monday through Friday during the day, in the kitchen, so I can go to school part time.” They said “OK,” beginning my next culinary journey.

I worked my way to assistant manager after about a year, and knew that what I really wanted to do was serious food. I interviewed at Indigo Coastal Grill and started as a day prep cook shucking oysters and peeling carrots. I worked my way through the kitchen and onto the night shift as garde (salad) manager, then grill, then saute and eventually kitchen manager and expeditor. I also worked the same for a sister restaurant next door, Partners Morningside Café, as well as day chef.

After graduating from college, I went on to work at Harry’s Farmers Market in research and development soon after Harry’s went public. After about six months I became the director of research and development at Harry’s.

On a trip to New York in November 1993 with my friend and colleague, the renowned chef Scott Peacock, to cook in the Green Market on behalf of Harry’s, we discovered Scott had forgotten the crepe pan. We toured many Manhattan cookware shops to no avail, but Scott said, “I know where we can get one,” and the cab took us to Bridge Kitchenware.

Bridge Kitchenware was a cross between a store, a warehouse and a wholesale cooking supply store. I was dumbfounded by the range of cooking implements carried by Fred Bridge in his store, which was a favorite of Julia Child, Jacques Pépin, Andre Soltner and every professional chef in Manhattan.

I walked out, crepe pan in hand, and had my epiphany: “This is it, I’m going to have a store like this in Atlanta!” And so began The Cook’s Warehouse.

Still at Harry’s, I got serious in early September 1994 about opening my store, wrote a business plan and was turned down by eight banks. I called my friend Cici Coffee, of Natural Body, for advice. We went to see Cici’s banker at Bank Atlanta, and with my grandmother Mimi co-signing my SBA loan and personal loans from three friends who believed in me, I began my business.

I opened the first The Cook’s Warehouse in the Amsterdam Walk Shopping Center on Amsterdam Avenue in Midtown Atlanta on March 14, 1995.

The first few years were incredibly lean, but with Mimi’s house on the line, I could not fail. Luckily, I knew how to make great macaroni and cheese, and ate a lot of it.

I partnered with Doug Bryant, founder of Sherlock’s Wine Merchant, to open hybrid stores in Decatur in 2005 and Merchant’s Walk in East Cobb in 2006, which is when the online store at cookswarehouse.com also opened for business.

We have now grown from two employees in one store to 80+ associates in four retail locations, and have a rapidly growing online business. We’ve also grown the largest avocational cooking school in the Southeast with more than 800 cooking classes each year.

We’re also proud to have raised more than $400,000 for the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and have made donations to 1,700 other local organizations and nonprofits. The Cook’s Warehouse has held an astonishing 6,500 cooking classes and taught more than 75,000 students.

And Mimi kept her house!

Here come the food trucks...

Atlanta was a little late to the food truck craze, but once it caught on, you couldn’t turn a corner without running into a line of hungry folks waiting for barbecue, curry, Thai or a popsicle from the King of Pops. Foodie Thom Volarath wrote our cover feature about “Street Eats” in September 2010 issue.

Mary Moore

Quick Bites

French bistro Le Bilboquet is expected to open soon in the Buckhead Atlanta development serving lunch and dinner. The bistro and bar, which opened its first outpost in New York City in 1986, will be the only freestanding restaurant on the property. Signature dishes include Cajun chicken, steak au poivre, salmon tartare and chocolate mousse.

The Atlanta Lobster Festival will be held in Candler Park on Nov. 2 from 1 to 6 p.m. The inaugural outdoor festival will include an afternoon of live music, arts and crafts, light bites from a selection of the city’s top restaurants, as well as a variety of craft beer and wine options. Proceeds from the culinary event will benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making kids better today and healthier tomorrow through specialized care programs. For more, visit atlantalobsterfestival.com.

SweetWater Brewery will hold its fifth annual Brew Your Cask Off festival on Nov. 8, featuring more than 110 specially-made beers made from guest brewers from around the Southeast including chefs, restaurants, bars, beer retailers, charities and local media. The event will be held from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the brewery at 195 Ottley Drive in Buckhead. Tickets are $35 in advance at brewyourcaskoff.com or $40 at the door. A portion of event proceeds go to benefit the Georgia Conservancy.

The Atlanta Chapter of Les Dames d’ Escoffier International (LDEI), a worldwide society of women in the culinary, beverage and hospitality industries, will host the 14th annual Afternoon in the Country at Serenbe on Nov. 9 from 1 to 4 p.m. Rooted in philanthropy, the annual fundraiser event will benefit the LDEI Atlanta scholarship fund. A percentage of proceeds will also go to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Georgia Organics, Global Growers Network, The Giving Kitchen, The Wylde Center and Wholesome Wave. Tickets are $125 for adults 21 and older, $50 for guests 16 to 20 and $35 for guests ages 13 to 15. Children 12 and under will be free. Guests may purchase tickets at ldeiatlanta.org. Advance purchase is recommended, as the event sells out each year.

Twin Smokers Barbecue & Bourbon (twinsmokersbbq. com) is now open in the Luckie Marietta District in Downtown Atlanta. The 4,000-square-foot space located at 300 Marietta St. will offer smoked meats, fresh sides, craft beer and cocktails to match.

Lobby Bar and Bistro at Twelve in Atlantic Station has announced that Justin Kurtz has been named executive chef. Kurtz hails from multiple Ritz-Carlton locations and most recently from Chateau Elan Winery and Resort.

The Westin Peachtree Plaza in Downtown has unveiled The Westin Eat Well Menu for Kids, in partnership with SuperChefs. The menu includes eight signature dishes created and tested by kids, including crepes, salmon salad, spinach and cheese omelets.

Jane St. Vodka Soda (janestvodkasoda.com) has officially launched in Atlanta, making it the first to market vodka soda. Offered in four flavor combinations –Original (with a hint of lime), Grapefruit Meyer Lemon, Pineapple Jalapeno and Peach Peppercorn – Jane St. Vodka is naturally sweetened with agave nectar. The drink was created native Atlantan Elizabeth Wiltgen, who now lives in Los Angeles where she created the Ice Ice Shavie food truck.

Butter & Cream Ice Cream Shop is now open at 416 Church Street in Decatur. The small batch shop features flavors like Cashew Crème Brule, Bourbon Toffee, Butterscotch Brownie and Lemon Sorbet. Be sure to find their Facebook page for more information.

Bishops Coffee and Tea (bishopscoffeeandtea. com) has opened in Midtown at 1540 Monroe Drive. The shop offers gourmet roasted coffee, a wide selection of loose-leaf teas, and desserts.

World of Beer (worldofbeer.com/Midtown-Atlanta) has a new tavern at 855 Peachtree St. in Midtown. The roughly 4,000-square-foot tavern features an outdoor patio space and over 500 bottles and 53 rotating taps featuring craft beer to satisfy every beer lover in town. There’s also a menu of comfort food and traditional bar offerings such as pretzels, burgers, desserts and more.

RECLAIMED NEIGHBORHOODS

Celebrating 20 years of community renewal

By Kathy Dean

Since the first issue of Atlanta INtown hit the streets 20 years ago, the paper has gone through some notable changes. And so have the streets where we deliver those papers.

The last two decades have seen growth and regeneration in many Intown neighborhoods, particularly Downtown, East Atlanta, the Old Fourth Ward, Cabbagetown, West Midtown and Castleberry Hill.

Each community has its own special flavors and textures, and each has seen its renewal play out in specific ways. All these neighborhoods, however, share a similar history that’s led to their current popularity among homebuyers.

And they are popular!

“Well-priced homes in good condition and in good locations often receive multiple offers,” said Anne Miller, associate managing broker, Midtown Office of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices|Georgia Properties. “I suggest that Intown buyers be prequalified by a reputable lender before they begin their home searches. That way they’ll be ready to move quickly with a strong offer and win the deal when they find the right home.”

Miller said that a number of factors have affected the regeneration of communities like East Atlanta and Castleberry Hill, including high gas prices and the stress of fighting rushhour traffic twice a day.

“Intown neighborhoods that gained popularity in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s – Virginia-Highland, Morningside, Peachtree Hills, Garden Hills – have become too pricey for most first or even second-time homebuyers to consider, so these buyers have reached out into surrounding, less ‘gentrified’ areas for more affordable, yet convenient, places to live,” explained Miller.

The neighborhood regenerations have generally been successful. Businesses have opened to serve new residents and are thriving. Area schools have dramatically improved as young parents move into the neighborhoods and take active roles volunteering in and supporting the schools.

As these communities have revitalized, bars, restaurants and shops have opened, increasing the neighborhoods’ walkability and further increasing their popularity. Buyers can live close to galleries, theaters, and music and sports venues. The Atlanta Beltline development, and its proximity to the Intown neighborhoods, has also greatly added to the business and home sale boom in these areas, Miller added.

Melissa Wakamo, broker/owner of Red Robin Group Real Estate said that just like people, each Intown neighborhood has its own personality. When purchasing a home, it’s not just the house, but also the community that a buyer is purchasing, so homebuyers should do their research and work with an agent who understands the neighborhoods.

“Before making a decision, spend a little time shopping, dining or walking in the community,” Wakamo advised.

“Go to a neighborhood association meeting. Get to know a few people in the area and ask them what they like about it. Most buyers can get a really good feel for the community before making a home purchase.”

She pointed out that while the regenerating Intown neighborhoods are attractive to homeowners, it’s important to recognize that some homebuyers have a more pioneering spirit than others. Some people are

comfortable in a neighborhood that is revitalizing and feel exhilarated as they watch their community grow.

“Others, however, desire a community that’s a little more stable, where much of the neighborhood’s personality and amenities are already established,” Wakamo said. “I believe one of the most important services that an agent can provide is knowing their client and knowing each neighborhood to find a great fit. It’s sort of like being a matchmaker.”

Bill Adams, president of Adams Realtors in Grant Park, listed reasons Intown communities are so popular, including the impressive housing stock and impossible-to-beat location – in the center of the Atlanta metro area with quick access to the airport and shopping. “But the people are the most interesting and exciting aspect of living here,” he stressed.

Adams was one of the early Atlanta urban pioneers, and he shared what it took to lay the groundwork for the more recent resurgence. “The neighborhood renovations actually began in the late 1960s and early 1970s,” he said. “At that time, people were moving into an area that spanned all the way from where Freedom Parkway is now to where Ga. 400 ends at I-85, including VirginiaHighland and Morningside.”

Residents in those communities came together

to actively fight the highways cutting through, he explained, and that activism led to the preservation movement that grew to include Inman Park and Grant Park.

There were lots of obstacles, though. Intown housing was hard to finance since banks wouldn’t loan money to homebuyers in neighborhoods like Grant Park. Adams mentioned a specific savings and loan association that wouldn’t lend money to buyers in Virginia-Highland and surrounding areas, even though two of its top branches were located there.

“We had to work to convince the banks that we were worth their while. They’d written off the Intown neighborhoods,” he said.

Still, many of the homebuyers bought with financing from the sellers or using the “Bank of Mom & Dad.” They’d move in and renovate one room at a time, or they’d run up charges on their credit cards, sell the house, pay off the cards and start all over again. This meant that the renovation of the neighborhoods happened in a piecemeal fashion.

Financing wasn’t the only problem. There were zoning issues, too, especially in Grant Park and Midtown, which were zoned then for apartments.

“Apartments aren’t good for the fabric of those neighborhoods,” Adams said. “The area couldn’t revitalize unless the zoning changed, and in 1975 and 1976, we orchestrated a large rezoning for the area from apartments to family housing –and that laid the groundwork.”

Adams recalled that, in the mid1960s, he saw beautiful two- and threestory grand Victorian houses in Inman Park and Grant Park that were divided up and used as rooming houses. The lawns were patches of dirt and the front porches had six to eight mailboxes, Coke machines and couches with men sleeping on them.

The houses still retained a lot of their charm, though. Adams said, “When a person from the suburbs who grew up in 1950s and 1960s ranches went into these older homes, they saw high ceilings, stained glass windows, huge rooms and potentially beautiful pine floors.”

It’s not surprising that the houses in those sections of Atlanta were very

Adams Realtors

East Atlanta

Adams Reltors Grant Park

Berkshire Hathaway

Ward Adams Realtors Grant Park

Isadora Pennington

Councilman Kwanza Hall spoke at the opening of the BeltLine Gateway in the O4W.

affordable back then. In the last decades of the 20th century, houses in VirginiaHighland were available for around $25,000, and in Grant Park for $5,000. Adams found a nice corner lot with a 1,800-square-foot house that had been boarded up for 10 years, and was able to buy it for $7,500. In comparison, his friends who were buying homes in the suburbs were paying $80,000 to $100,000.

“The Intown homes were fixer-uppers, of course, but they were attractive to the baby boomers largely because of the prices, but also because they weren’t so conformist,” Adams said. “A lot of the boomers grew up in the suburbs and they were tired of all the houses and people looking like one another.”

There were drawbacks to Intown living in the 1970s; the schools were rather poor and there was very little choice in retail or dining. Residents had to drive a while just to buy groceries. While it was challenging, Adams said that the diversity made it a lot of fun.

“On your block, neighbors could include a lawyer, plumber, GSU professor and social worker,” he said. “On Saturday afternoon, everyone would be outside fixing up their houses, and they’d all work together – it was kind of like an old-time barn-raising. I helped neighbors and friends by putting roofs on their homes. It was not only building, it was community building.”

Over the last 20 years, Adams has seen a lot of neighborhoods bloom, from Reynoldstown and Grant Park to the Old

Fourth Ward and Castleberry Hill. It’s mostly singles and young marrieds who move into the areas. In the past, they’d head to the suburbs, like Alpharetta, once they had kids to take advantage of the better school systems.

Now, Morningside and Inman Park boast good elementary and middle schools. Two charter schools have sprung up in Grant Park, and Maynard Jackson High School just had a $30,000,000 renovation. Adams credited activist parents for the changes, and said that the improvements are bringing in even more families.

“Atlanta’s not unique in the urban revitalization movement,” Adams said. “It was happening all over the nation. But it’s a slow process. It happens house-byhouse, neighborhood-by-neighborhood, until it reaches a tipping point. A lot of dedication and hard work went into the neighborhoods to bring them to that point, and there were times we didn’t know if we’d succeed.”

SCAD Takeover

The students in Christopher Bundy’s graduate writing class at Savannah College of Art & Design created all the content for our memorable July 2011 issue. The students worked with the INtown staff for months planning the issue, which also featured the striking cover art by Caleb Morris.

Red Robin

East Atlanta Strut

BEFORE & AFTER

Transforming the Ansley Forest Apartments

Atlanta-based TSW, an architecture, landscape architecture and planning firm, was hired by Madison Property Management to re-design Ansley Forest Apartments, a 1970s era, 269-unit apartment complex in Midtown Atlanta near Piedmont Park. Now, after nearly two years of work, the project has moved from design to construction, with the renovation expected to be completed by Buckhaven Construction early next year.

“Making Ansley Forest more energyefficient and attractive to today’s renters was an exciting challenge for us at TSW,” said Jerry Spangler, founding principal of TSW. “The complex appeared frozen in time. While the surrounding neighborhood has practically exploded with office, retail and multi-family development, Ansley Forest sat unchanged for decades. Because of this, the complex presented both positives and negatives in terms of re-design, and the

owners wisely decided on a renovation rather than tearing down the buildings and starting over.”

On the plus side, according to Spangler, were the solid building materials used in the original construction, the variety of apartment floorplans and the generous ratio of greenspace to buildings, more common decades ago when land was less expensive. The buildings are two and three stories tall, and are surrounded by curved drives and walking paths accented by mature trees and shrubs.

“As the cliché goes, ‘They don’t build them like that anymore’,” said Spangler. “Every apartment unit has a private entrance, so there are no shared hallways. The buildings feature brick construction and are attractively spaced throughout the property. Residents enjoy private outdoor patios and garden spaces, if they live on the ground level, and balconies with skyline views above the trees, if they live in one of the two-level townhomes above the apartment flats.”

Because the owners and architects agreed there should be minimal changes to the buildings’ exterior structure, all interior improvements had to be designed within the footprint of each apartment unit. TSW began by creating open floorplans. They removed walls and opened up the closed-off kitchens, creating airy living spaces. Kitchens and bathrooms were outfitted with new fixtures that are not only more efficient, but more attractive

and better scaled to fit the spaces. One of the most dramatic improvements came from replacing and enlarging all of the old windows in the complex.

Cosmetic changes included removing the old curved balcony awnings and replacing them with colorful flat awnings. Juliette balconies were added to some of the units, while the existing balconies received new wrought iron railings, complimenting the new exterior wrought iron light fixtures. As the project progressed, the management company brought in landscapers to remove overgrown vegetation and relandscape around the existing mature trees and shrubs.

The final phase of the project calls for TSW to design a brand new free-standing leasing office and fitness center overlooking the outdoor pool. Because the existing building

will be torn down, TSW has been able to design an attractive and energy-efficient structure featuring such innovations as photovoltaic solar panels on the roof. This final phase began last month.

Special

TSW’s Jerry Spangler

Special

Ansley Forest Apartments is getting a big interior and exterior renovation that keeps the unique charm of the 1970s era buildings, while giving them a new, modern appeal.

Since 1994, Atlanta INtown’s mission has been to provide hyperlocal news and information to our readers who live, work and play in a dynamic urban setting. We cover everything—in print, online and through social media—that makes our city your home.

MIDTOWN APPEAL

More new mixed-use projects get underway

The influx of new mixed-use development over this past year continues to demonstrate Midtown’s appeal as a live-work-play location of choice. In addition to the 20-plus announced development projects this year, seven projects are currently under construction and another has recently been completed. Here’s a report from Midtown Alliance:

New Construction

JLB partners broke ground late last month on 782 Peachtree Street, a

mixed-use project that will contain 294 apartments and 6,300 SF of retail. Also in construction is the project located at 33 Peachtree Place, a mixed-use development by Wood Partners that will include 343 apartments and 19,000 SF of retail.

University House Midtown, a student housing project with 267 units and 10,000 SF of retail, on track for delivery next summer. Just down the street is a second student housing development, Tech Square Tower, with 230 residential units, 14,000 SF of office and 4,700 SF of retail. South City Partners and Gateway Development are partnering on the project, which will also be completed summer 2015.

The Emory Proton Therapy Center, a $200 million+ state-of-the-art cancer treatment facility, began construction in 2013. The project contains 115,000 SF medical space and 4,000 SF of retail, and is anticipated to open in 2016.

Midtown Development Review Committee Recap

The Midtown Development Review Committee (DRC) met Oct. 14 for follow-up presentations on four projects presented previously and one new application.

Modera: Mill Creek returned to present updates on their mixed-use project, a 29-story apartment tower with roughly 450 units and 12,300 square feet of retail at the corner of 8th Street and Williams Street. The development team incorporated several key changes requested by the DRC, including the addition of retail space on Peachtree Place. They received a recommendation of support from the committee on their SAP application.

Broadstone Terraces: Alliance Residential presented a more refined concept for Broadstone Terraces, a new 8-story apartment building with approximately 218 units proposed on the southeastern corner of Juniper at 6th Street. Given its proximity to the singlefamily neighborhood immediately east of Piedmont Avenue, the project was reviewed by both the Midtown Neighbors Association and NPU-E. It received strong support from the neighborhood as well as from the DRC.

Azure on the Park: Atlantic Realty Partners provided an update on the first phase of their proposed development at

Piedmont and 11th Street. The proposal includes a 24-story residential tower with 283 units, and an adjacent 5-story building with roughly 47 residential units and 2,100 SF of retail space that will wrap structured parking. The DRC recommended support for the project.

Kapture: The committee revisited a renovation project proposed at 75 Peachtree Place that will convert an existing single-story office building into a restaurant/lounge. The committee recommended support for the project and the associated variation request to encroach into the supplemental zone in order to provide a lift for ADA access.

717 Piedmont: A new application was presented for extensive renovations to a home on Piedmont Avenue, near 4th Street. The scope of work includes renovations to the main and upper floor as a single family residence, renovation of the existing basement to add two one-bedroom apartments, and the addition of a threecar garage accessible from the alley. The committee recommended support for the SAP application.

Special Broadstone Terrace

Special

Modera

CONGRATULATIONS ATLANTA INTOWN

Real Estate Briefs

Fuqua Development has unveiled plans for a high-density, mixeduse development on property near the Atlanta Waterworks that was once earmarked for a new transit hub by Amtrak and Greyhound. According to reports, the nearly 14acre site is at the southeast corner of 17th Street and Northside Drive. The project would include approximately 350 multifamily units, 100 detached townhomes, and more than 35,000 square feet in retail space.

Buckhead’s rapid growth is reflected in the rise of new apartments, according to the Buckhead Coalition. The increase shows why residents should support the city’s proposed infrastructure bond issue, Coalition President Sam Massell said last month. The coalition said 300 new Buckhead apartment units were announced recently by Regent Partners and 351 more were announced by Hanover, bringing the list to 30 different projects totaling 9,422 units. “It certainly represents a healthy economic condition,” Massell said, while admitting not all of the projects may come to fruition. “Apparently, it’s a direct response to the population growth of 25- to 35-year-olds who presently prefer the flexibility of renting, rather than owning,” Massell said.

susan@homesteadatlanta.com

michael@homesteadatlanta.com

Georgia Tech has retained Stevens & Wilkinson to provide architectural, engineering and interior design services for a comprehensive renovation of the Glenn and Towers Residence Halls. A new 8,400-square-foot addition will connect the two residences, fulfilling the original 1940 master plan, and features a fitness center, multipurpose meeting room, classroom and small group study rooms. Exterior grounds will also be redesigned to create new outdoor spaces for recreation and entertainment as well as a new accessible route through the sector of campus where the residences are located. The threeyear, 125,000-square-foot project is on track to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Sales of newly built, single-family homes have been at the highest level in six years, according to The Cal-Culator index from Southeast Mortgage. Sales of new, singlefamily homes in August rose 18 percent nationally from July and 33 percent above 2013 levels, according to the latest data released jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development on September 24. The South posted a 7.8 percent change month-to-month, and a 27.2 percent increase from 2013. The data also reflected a slight increase in inventory, which now stands at a 4.8-month supply. Unfortunately, after four consecutive months of gains, existing-home sales fell 1.8 percent nationally and 4.2 percent in the South in August, according to The National Association of Realtors.

Engel & Völkers Buckhead Atlanta has announced the appointment of Valerie Levin, senior vice president, Business Development and Operations, and Joe Gary, builder account manager, to the management team.

Four Atlanta Realtors have been recognized among the top 1 percent of sales associates affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Atlanta for 2013. Debbie Sonenshine, Robin Blass, Marc Castillo and Bradford Smith were recognized at a gala event in West Palm Beach, Florida, to honor the top regional associates from NRT LLC, the largest residential brokerage in the country.

An update on the North Buckhead master plan

The Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods heard an update on the North Buckhead master plan during its October meeting.

Caleb Racicot, from planning and architectural firm TSW, said preliminary recommendations for the master plan were made in late September, including protecting the single-family home nature of the community, creating more parks and greenspace, and creating more walking and biking options.

Racicot said preserving the current land use pattern and not allowing multi-family housing to encroach into single-family neighborhoods was a top priority. He also said there were opportunities for low-density, mixed-use developments in areas zoned for commercial, and that a recommendation would be made to the city of Atlanta about rezoning changes.

TSW has also been exploring unbuilt lots and open areas that might create more greenspace for the community. Racicot said there’s also potential to use some of the old Ga. 400 toll area for recreational space. New sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and bike lanes are also in the plan, along with traffic calming on West Wieuca and Old Ivy Road. North Buckhead Civic Association President Gordon Certain said, unfortunately, the master plan was too late to figure into the infrastructure bond referendum proposed by the city of Atlanta.

An early rendering of the Fuqua development in West Midtown.

MORNINGSIDE - Renovated 4 sided brick on quiet cul-de-sac. Gourment kitchen w/Subzero/Thermodor/Bosch plus huge sunroom addition. Upstairs owner’s suite with new spa bath. 4Bed/2.5Bath $650,000 FMLS:5346138

Michael JW Smith 404-786-2057

KIRKWOOD - Incredible value for this newer Craftsman Home. Convenient to Oakhurst. Spacious Living Areas. Fabulous Finishes. Amazing Master Suite. 5Bed/3.5Bath

$549,900 FMLS:5344022 Amber Mason 678-637-3530 Patrick Peyer 404-784-7936

PIEDMONT HEIGHTS - Amazing renovated/ expanded traditional intown home with all the bells & whistles. Master suite that leads to

BROOKHAVEN VILLAGE - Spacious 3 level Brookhaven traditional in a cul-de-sac neighborhood. Vaulted great room with double windows and fireplace. 5Bed/4Bath $460,000

DRUID HILLS - Fabulous house in GREAT location near Emory/CDC/Virginia Highlands. Spacious eat-in kitchen with a big island and lots of cabinets/counter-space! 4Bed/2.5Bath

$389,000 FMLS: 5339728

Hallie Chasen 404-271-4635

REYNOLDSTOWN – Fantastic newer home in HOT Reynoldstown! Walk to neighborhood Coffee/Cocktail shop, Dog Park, Restaurants and only steps to the Beltline! 3Bed/3.5Bath

$359,000 FMLS: 5351467

Erin Fye 404-771-9822

SHILOH RIDGE - This is the home you have been waiting for! Gorgeous Estate Swim Community Home in the best school district, sitting on over 1.5 acres. 5Bed/4.5Bath $549,900 FMLS: 5337141

Matt Schwartz 404-874-2262

INTOWN - Refinished Hardwood Floors. Freshly Painted. New Carpet. Large Kitchen w/Stained Cabinets & Granite Ctops. Quaint Front Porch. Convenient to Edgewood Retail.

4Bed/3.5Bath+Loft $364,900 FMLS:5304016

Tonya Marlatt 404-518-8787

INTOWN - Panoramic Skyline Views. 2 Master Suites. 2 Private Terraces. 14’+ Ceilings. Brazillian Hardwoods. Huge Tax Abatement thru 2022. 3 Assigned Parking Spaces.

2Bed/2.5Bath $864,264 FMLS: 5184357 Rea Kelly 404-428-9929

BUCKHEAD - Sophisticated City Home. Turn-Key Opportunity. Completely Furnished! Walls of Windows. Hotel Amenities w/ Unrivaled Finishes Throughout.

2Bed/2.5Bath $599,000 FMLS: 5327908 Marc Castillo 404-449-6862

MIDTOWN - Steps From Atlantic Station. Immaculate Condition. Hardwood Floors.

Romeo & Juliet Balcony. Quick Access to GT & Downtown. 1Bed/1Bath $122,850

FMLS: 5331314 Patrick Jones 404-680-9534/Rea Kelly 404-428-9929

MIDTOWN - Large Penthouse Unit w/2 Master Suites. Midtown Views Through 20’ Floor-to-Ceiling Windows. 2 Balconies. Gourmet Kitchen. Storage Unit.

3Bed/3Bath $739,900 FMLS: 5335472

Allen Snow 404-931-1176

INTOWN - Rare Top Floor Unit w/Great City Views. Huge Laundry/Storage Room. Gated community. Lots of visitor parking. Great amenities. 2Bed/2Bath $285,000

FMLS: 5345672

Tonya Marlatt 404-518-8787

MIDTOWN - Exceptional all brick home. Like new condition. 4 finished levels. Wood floors. 10’ ceilings. Enormous level fenced-in back yard. Walking distance to Noble Park and shopping. 5Bed/6.5Bath $1,099,000 FMLS: 5177482 Marc Castillo 404-449-6862