Each month, 27,000 copies of Atlanta Intown are mailed to homes and distributed to businesses in and around ZIP codes 30306, 30307, 30308, 30309, 30324 and 30329. For delivery information, delivery@roughdraftatlanta.com
To subscribe to home delivery, ($75 / year) email delivery@roughdraftatlanta.com
Our 30th anniversary cover was designed by noted Atlanta artist Chris Veal (@caveal on Instagram). Known for his iconic pop art murals, this Andy Warhol/ Roy Lichenstein-inspired piece speaks to Atlanta Intown’s past and present in a most colorful way. Thanks, Chris!
PUBLISHER'S NOTE
Three decades of local journalism
Homes as unique as you.
Keith Pepper
As we went to print with Atlanta Intown's 30th anniversary issue, Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism released its latest "State of Local News Report." The findings were stark: fewer than 5,600 newspapers remain in the U.S., a collapse of print media that outpaces previous predictions. Since its launch three decades ago, this paper's mission has remained constant: deliver nonsensational news that connects neighbors and builds community.
When Chris Schroder launched “Atlanta 30306” in 1994, the media landscape looked very different. We relied on the morning paper to learn who won last night's game, and The Atlanta Journal still landed on doorsteps in the afternoon.
Now, four owners later, Intown has not only survived, but we are defying industry trends and thriving in print, online, and through our email newsletters.
When I acquired the paper in 2020, some people said I was crazy (many others undoubtedly thought it, but were too polite to say so), and they may be right. But, along with my lifelong media obsession and a desire to be engaged in the local community, I saw a great brand, product, and team that only needed a few tweaks to capitalize on the opportunity to grow.
We are on track to have our fourth consecutive year of revenue and audience growth, and we have almost doubled our investment in editorial staff since 2020.
Digital-first, but true to print
We evolved how we deliver news, but not why we cover it – from the essential stories about education and local government, to the arts, restaurants, and real estate coverage our readers crave.
serving our core communities with intention. Our print distribution targets Atlanta's most engaged and influential neighborhoods, and our dedicated and talented team, led by Collin Kelley, brings decades of knowledge to every issue.
Inimitable Senior Dining Editor Beth McKibben lives and breathes (and eats) Atlanta’s dynamic food scene daily, and award-winning columnist Sally Bethea literally drinks the water she expertly writes about.
This expertise, combined with our collaborations with other local media organizations, creates a better product for our readers and a clearer path to business sustainability.
What's ahead?
While we will continue to invest in our digital products, I expect that our print model will survive well into the future. Like many media companies, we are exploring ways to activate events for our readers and are always looking to add more diverse voices and pilot things like audio, video, and new coverage areas.
How you can help
Local journalism thrives through community support. Here are three ways you can help ensure we're around for another 30 years:
1) Support our advertisers: When you find your dream home or discover a new school, event, or exhibit, let them know you saw their ad in Atlanta Intown.
2) Subscribe to our newsletters: Our morning Rough Draft newsletter offers a clever, curated, and concise look at what you need to know each day. Text DRAFT to 66866 to subscribe. We also offer afternoon newsletters focused on arts, film, food, and more.
Stories now appear first on our website and in daily newsletters, but our monthly print paper fills a unique role in this era of infinite choices, information overload, and partisan division. Despite their reach, digital platforms can't replicate the neighborhood connections fostered by a thoughtfully curated community paper delivered to your mailbox. In an age of AI and influencers, something is reassuring about receiving a free publication crafted by your neighbors.
While many national publications chase scale and clicks,
3) Become a member: If you value what we do, consider a contribution at roughdraftatlanta. com/membership.
Congratulations to the entire Atlanta Intown family from 1994 to today, and thank you for your continued support of local journalism.
Scan to subscribe to Rough Draft, or, text DRAFT to 66866
30 years of Intown
By Collin Kelley
I’ve had the remarkable pleasure of editing Atlanta Intown for 22 of its 30 years. I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating: I am stunned and grateful to still have a job in print journalism nearly 40 years into my career.
I came to Atlanta Intown in 2002 in a time of transition for the publication. Nonami Enterprises had assumed ownership and there were four publications to contend with: Intown, Atlanta Buckhead, Atlanta North,
and our entertainment publication, The Studio. My instruction from interim publisher Joe Hiett was to revitalize the titles, and he gave me rein to do so.
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.
CITY OF ATLANTA
55 TRINITY AVE, S.W.
GEORGIA 30303-0300
TEL (404) 330-6100
October 21, 2024
Greetings:
As the 61st Mayor of Atlanta, I am pleased to wish Atlanta Intown a happy 30th Anniversary on behalf of the people of this great city!
Over the past 30 years, Atlanta Intown has blossomed into a beloved publication that captures the vibrant spirit of our city. Our society’s media landscape is constantly shifting. Through these rapid changes, Atlanta Intown has not only adapted but thrived, showcasing everything that makes Atlanta such a globally influential metropolis.
Atlanta Intown highlights our city’s renowned arts & culture, booming entertainment scene, thriving business landscape, and so much more. It shines a spotlight on local restaurants and businesses and tells the stories of inspiring residents and organizations who are making a positive impact in our communities. Each month, this publication reaches more than 27,000 homes and businesses, connecting individuals citywide through insightful storytelling and thought-provoking journalism.
Over the past three decades, Atlanta Intown has truly enriched the lives of countless Atlantans. Congratulations again on this significant milestone. Thank you for telling the stories of our city, and here’s to many more years of success!
I extend my best wishes for a memorable occasion.
Sincerely,
Mayor Andre Dickens
Those newspapers would eventually morph or combine into the line-up I was facing on my first day on the job. Just like I did with our 20th and 25th anniversary issues, I went to the archive and pulled out the first edition of Atlanta 30306 to look back at where we’ve been.
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 cell phones, and the source for neighborhood news was 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 three remain: San Francisco Coffee, Aurora, 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
Continued on page 8
Scan the QR code to read the first issue of Atlanta 30306 from Nov. 1, 1994.
Andre Dickens MAYOR
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens congratulated Atlanta Intown's 30th Anniversary, left. The first issue of Atlanta 30306 from 1994, above.
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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 and poster 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 to this day. Without the support of our loyal, local businesses, Intown wouldn’t exist.
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 Atlanta 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 worldclass art, music and dining scene.
The spirit of 30306 and the communities we cover is still embodied in Atlanta Intown. Our mission to publish hyperlocal news that helps foster a sense
of community continues. Under the ownership of Keith Pepper, Intown has become a part of the Rough Draft family of publications, including the Reporter Newspapers and our award-winning daily newsletter.
It continues to be my honor to helm Intown and to bring you stories you won’t find anywhere else – whether you’re getting Intown in your mailbox, at a local retailer, online, or through the newsletter. There are so many more stories to tell, so let’s keep it going for 30 more!
Continued from page 6
Dist. 4 Atlanta City Councilman Amir Farokhi presented a 30th anniversary proclamation to publisher Keith Pepper, left, and editor Collin Kelley, right. (Photo by Savannah Pierce)
Ann Taylor Boutwell’s 'A Look Back'
Editor’s Note: In memory of our longtime historian, Ann Taylor Boutwell, we have compiled this look back at 30 years of Atlanta history. You are missed, Ann.
Nov. 1, 1994: Chris Schroder founded a community newspaper called Atlanta 30306 covering Virginia-Highland, Morningside, Druid Hills, and Lenox Park. Thirty years later, the publication is known as Atlanta Intown and is part of the Rough Draft Atlanta media family.
Oct. 28, 1995: The Atlanta Braves won the World Series in six games against the Cleveland Indians at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.
July 19 - Aug. 4, 1996: Atlanta hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics bringing more than 10,000 athletes and two million visitors to the city.
Feb. 21, 1997: Eric Robert Rudolph, the serial bomber who killed two with a pipe bomb during the Olympics the previous year, detonated a pipe bomb at The Otherside Lounge, a lesbian bar along Peachtree Road. No one was killed but the bar was heavily damaged.
Jan. 25, 1998 After winning the NFC Championship Game, the Atlanta Falcons were heavily tipped to win their first Super Bowl but wound up losing to the Denver Broncos.
Sept. 18, 1999: Philips Arena – now known as State Farm Arena – officially opened on the spot of the former Omni Coliseum.
Jan. 1, 2000: Southern rock band Gov’t Mule, which started in 1994, played three concerts at the Roxy Theatre to welcome the new millennium.
2009: As part of the global recession and real estate market meltdown, Georgian Bank, Buckhead Community Bank, RockBridge Community Bank, and others around the state closed their doors.
Jan. 18, 2010: Part-time Atlanta musician Justin Bieber released his first single, “Baby.” Nov. 2, 2011: Harris Street in Downtown is rededicated as John Portman Boulevard in honor of the influential architect.
Oct. 15, 2012: The Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail – stretching from Piedmont Park to Inman Park – officially opens.
July 14, 2013: SkyView, a giant Ferris wheel once located in Paris, opens in Downtown across from Centennial Olympic Park.
Aug. 25, 2014: Ponce City Market, formerly a Sears & Roebuck distribution center, opens in Old Fourth Ward.
April 1, 2015: Eleven former Atlanta Public Schools educators are convicted of racketeering for their roles in a scheme to inflate students' scores on standardized exams.
Nov. 6, 2001: Shirley Franklin is elected as the first female mayor of Atlanta.
April 25, 2002: Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, a founding member of Atlanta-based girl group TLC, was killed in a car accident in Honduras.
Dec. 2, 2003: The Atlanta City Council votes to set the last call at 2:30 a.m. for city bars and nightclubs after a series of shootings outside Buckhead Village nightspots. The ban effectively ended the city’s decades-long popularity as a 24-hour party city.
March 2004: Federated Department Stores closed or rebranded the last of Rich’s Department Stores, ending a storied 137year history in Atlanta.
Nov. 23, 2005: The Georgia Aquarium opened in Downtown Atlanta, holding the distinction of being the world’s largest until 2012.
Oct. 27, 2006: Ford Motor Co.’s 60-year history of making automobiles in Atlanta came to an end when the Hapeville Assembly Plant was permanently closed.
May 24, 2007: The new World of CocaCola Museum opens at Pemberton Place in Downtown after relocating from Underground Atlanta.
March 14, 2008: A tornado sweeps across Downtown blowing windows out of skyscrapers, knocking down century-old trees in Oakland Cemetery and damaging the Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts.
April 4, 2016: Prince’s solo performance at the Fox Theatre would be his last. He died on April 21 at his Paisley Park estate near Minneapolis.
March 30, 2017: A massive fire under a bridge along I-85 collapsed a 92-foot-long section of the roadway causing 43 days of detours until it was repaired.
March 31, 2017: The Atlanta Braves officially moved to Truist Park, which opened as SunTrust Park, playing an exhibition game against the New York Yankees. The Braves won 8-5.
Dec. 8, 2018: Atlanta United defeated Portland 2-0 to win the MLS Cup in front of a record attendance of more than 73,000 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Oct. 5, 2019: Movie mogul Tyler Perry held a black-tie gala to celebrate the opening of his movie studio, Tyler Perry Studios, in southwest Atlanta.
March 2, 2020: The first case of COVID-19 is detected in Georgia followed shortly by a “lockdown” period that closed businesses, restaurants, and schools.
March 16, 2021: A gunman killed eight people – including six Asian American women – at spas and massage parlors in Cherokee County and along Piedmont Road in Atlanta.
May 9, 2022: Rapper Young Thug was arrested in Atlanta on racketeering charges as the alleged founder and leader of the violent Young Slime Life street gang.
Aug. 14, 2023: A Fulton County grand jury indicts former president Donald Trump and 18 others for allegedly attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Nov. 1, 2024: Atlanta Intown marks its 30th anniversary.
Atlanta Braves win the 1995 World Series.
Mayor Shirley Franklin.
Olympic mascot Izzy.
How I launched Atlanta Intown
By Chris Schroder
In October 1994, I was driving to my downtown newspaper job from Morningside, watching new coffee shops and restaurants building out along North Highland, and thought the emerging neighborhood was missing a significant voice: a neighborhood newspaper.
I took a week’s vacation and started walking the streets of Atlanta 30306, telling merchants I was launching a newspaper with that name that would tell the story of the zip code’s people, stores, and restaurants. We would not discuss crime or politics, but we would write about religion.
The first ads were bought by the supportive owners of San Francisco Coffee, Murphy’s, and Atkins Park. Soon, I sold more ads than I expected and needed more articles. I enlisted high school classmates Dr. Tom Calk and Charles Driebe to write about healthcare and music. My sister Van Waddy wrote about spirituality, finding a devoted audience. My architect girlfriend wrote about Neel Reid homes in Druid Hills. My daughter Sally, who designed the newspaper’s logo, wrote about teens and my son Thomas wrote about kids.
I still didn’t have enough funding to pay the expected expense of $5,000 to print 20,000 copies and mail 10,000 to all
30306 households. My girlfriend urged me to visit her church where minister Charles Stanley preached that if you were receiving a call from God to go start a new mission, you best pray and listen. I did. When I got home, I had a voicemail from a Realtor asking if he could buy the full-page back cover. I had my answer.
The next day, I quit my job. My boss thought I was crazy. “Do you have a staff or any funding?” she asked. “No,” I said. “But I have a good idea and faith it will work.” Fortunately, it did. I stayed up for three nights straight editing, designing, and producing the inaugural 24-page issue. I watched as the postman dropped
issues in mailboxes and I talked merchants into putting stacks by their front doors. The phone calls began – from neighbors wanting to write, take photographs, illustrate cartoons, buy and sell ads. A reporter from the AJC called to write my story. I hired my first employee six months later. Soon we had a staff of 12. One, Jan, became my wife 10 years later.
Things didn’t always go smoothly.
Civic leaders in Buckhead and Downtown urged us to expand there. They weren’t as successful and we began to lose money. I appealed to readers for contributions and they responded. We expanded the original concept to Atlanta Intown. I found a
business partner in real estate mogul Tom Cousins, who paid off my debts and funded our growth. Then 9/11 hit and the following recession forced me to sell my remaining portion to his family office.
The great news is that, 30 years later, Atlanta Intown is on its fifth owner, and my friend Keith Pepper and team are doing a fine job covering the stories of what has become a popular section of town. Every time I pick up a new issue, I feel a little heart-tug, knowing we helped make Intown a great place to live, work – and publish.
• Enclave of 36 intown cottages
• Historically inspired architecture
• Walk to Milam Park with pool, dog park and ball fields
• Electric car charger
• Two Car Garages
• Great Financing Options*
- No PMI
~ Up to $12,500 in down payment assistance
• Conveniently located near Decatur, Emory, Children’s Hospital of Atlanta, Tucker and downtown Clarkston
Chris Schroder with the laptop he used to create the first issue.
The original editorial and advertising team circa 1996.
By Steve Levene
In 2013, six years after launching Reporter Newspapers, I had an unexpected opportunity to acquire Atlanta Intown. That was an easy decision to make. The monthly publication had a welldeserved reputation for lively coverage of its diverse market, along with a large base of loyal readers and advertisers. Its circulation area touched each of the four Reporter markets while expanding our community focus. Intown also had a terrific editor—Collin Kelley!
It didn’t take long for Intown to energize the company’s editorial and business mission. Three of the four
Reporter editions already covered the metro area’s newest cities (Sandy Springs, Brookhaven and Dunwoody); now, Intown was covering the explosive growth in and around some of Atlanta’s most dynamic neighborhoods. Readers found more content through a wider editorial lens, while advertisers could reach new customers economically. Our company’s growth accelerated.
Looking back, adding Atlanta Intown to our lineup of monthly publications came at a pivotal moment for the business and it proved to be a singular success. How proud I am to have been a part of this.
Congratulations on Intown’s 30th anniversary!
A little help from friends and mentors
By Wendy Binns
You know how co-workers can start to feel like family and a new city becomes home? That’s how I feel about my experience with Atlanta Intown.
On my first day of work in June 1997, I barely found my way to the Downtown office. As a recent college graduate and new to Atlanta, I relied on the hospitality of strangers and my new boss, Chris Schroder, who exuded enthusiasm for our newspapers. He taught me how articles and advertisements can bring the community together.
The people I met treated me like family. Barbara Dobkin, owner of Right Brain Art Gallery, showed me her creative world. I never got the chance to tell her how much that meant to me. Rich Chey, owner of Doc Chey’s and Osteria, was a
role model in giving back. When I got breast cancer, Randall Fox, owner of the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces, escorted me to chemotherapy in a vintage Rolls Royce.
I eventually became the owner and publisher of Atlanta Intown in 2008, which was highlighted by the mentorship of Billy Wren of Nonami Enterprises, Neely Young from Georgia Trend magazine, and the support of my editor, Collin Kelley, and staff. On occasion, like old times, some of us still gather around a big table at Manuel’s Tavern to reminisce and catch up.
To all of you, the people I met since that summer day in 1997 when I stumbled into the city – I am grateful. Thank you. And, congratulations to Rough Draft Atlanta for carrying the torch!
Former publishers Wendy Binns and Steve Levene in 2013.
So long, farewell, & never-ending breadsticks
Kristen, Elliott, and I had a great day visiting Georgia College in Milledgeville. On the ride home my usually nonplussed, High School Senior said, “That was actually kinda fun.” Clearly, he never expected it to be but saying so told us this was a positive experience.
MAY I BE EXCUSED
Searching for a college with a 17-year-old is a journey where sometimes we engage in very grown-up conversations with this bright, opinionated man-child. Then other times we’re begging him to contact a teacher for a recommendation while he seems to be seeking re-entry to the womb.
We were racing home for Margo’s 15th birthday dinner because she was already annoyed that we spent most of her day exploring a place where Elliott might spend the next four years of his life. We were heading to the Olive Garden because Margo saw something about it on TikTok a while back and even
after three visits, the shine still hasn’t worn off.
For the uninitiated, Olive Garden is the home of the never-ending pasta, soups, salads, and breadsticks. The ambiance evokes Italia via Dunwoody, and the aroma is as if you are trapped in a canister of Parmesan cheese. Once home from Milledgeville we scooped up Margo and friends in Decatur and braved I-285 for our big night out.
As we waited for our table I asked the
girls if they were going to opt for something that is never-ending or something that has an end. They didn’t react at all, but the beauty of dad jokes is they don’t have to be very good. It’s like a superpower. The breadsticks arrived and we ate them promptly. More arrived and we started munching on those too while noting these are more like small loaves of bread than they are sticks. Postscript: Our to-go boxes fed us for the next two days.
For dessert, servers emerged from every corner of the restaurant to sing Happy Birthday to Margo. Other patrons joined in too, so to show my gratitude I offered them breadsticks. After the singing was done, I offhandedly said “Well, that was extravagant” and Margo’s friend Piper laughed so hard she nearly lost her never-ending soup. I’m sure wittier things were said over the course of the evening but being unintentionally funny is just another realm of middle age, I guess.
Middle age…sounds wild. Like this publication, I too burst on the scene thirty years ago. A college buddy and I rolled into Buckhead from New York in an older model Toyota Camry wagon. As we toasted our new city at the Three Dollar Café I thought—this is going to be good. Atlanta took me in, and I don’t recall ever feeling any pull to leave.
Years went by. I married Kristen and we had Elliott and Margo. My brother Bill and I opened a business and life seemed to speed up. I started writing things down, just to remember, just to reflect and if possible, to slow things down. I suppose two out of those three isn’t terrible. Then fifteen years ago, my friend Tony introduced me to Wendy Binns saying, “You should totally hire Tim to write for your paper.” I mean, with an endorsement like that, how
could she not give me my own column? It was an exciting time, and I remember again thinking this was going to be good.
Indeed, it has been and now all of a sudden, this is my last piece. I’m forever grateful to Atlanta Intown/ Rough Draft publishers Wendy, Steve and Keith for accommodating me as I scratched this writerly itch. And amidst his many duties, Editor-in-Chief Collin has skillfully shepherded me along with patience and grace.
As I’m sure you can tell; I love Kristen, Elliott, and Margo to the moon and back. It is because of all these people that I have been able to communicate, commiserate and share these stories with you. I have that library of reflections now and through all the drafts and editing and deadlines, I think I’m a better writer too.
Mostly though, I have appreciated your readership. Writing is cathartic and clarifying for me but sharing with others makes it more rewarding. While I summoned stories from the people and events of my life, I hope these essays were relatable. That was, at least, always my intent.
I used to worry that I’d run out of topics but like those never-ending breadsticks, the ideas keep coming. So, while I will miss this space terribly, I have a feeling this too is going to be good. My kids promised to teach me how to properly use Instagram so if you’d like to keep up with my musings, I’d love for you to follow me @timmydaddyatl. I hope you’ll come along, and I’ll see you around town.
Tim Sullivan
Elliott and Margo Sullivan when the column first began 15 years ago.
The Sullivan Family – Elliott, Margo, Kristin and Tim – today.
SPONSORED BY VISIT LAKE OCONEE
A guide to holiday traditions at Lake Oconee
As the holiday season approaches, Lake Oconee transforms into a magical winter wonderland filled with festive traditions, cozy experiences, and unforgettable moments. Whether you’re seeking Christmas nostalgia at The Ritz-Carlton, shopping for unique gifts at local boutiques, or indulging in seasonal dining, Lake Oconee offers the perfect holiday retreat. From community events and tree lightings to lakeside s'mores and cozy cups of hot chocolate, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. This guide will help you plan the perfect holiday getaway at Lake Oconee, where cherished memories await!
Gift Shopping at Lake Oconee
Genuine Georgia: Pick up unique, handcrafted items from local artisans, perfect for one-of-a-kind gifts.
Bend the Trend: Offering sleek, modern designs perfect for your holiday shopping, helping you find unique, luxury pieces for your home this Christmas season.
Greensboro Jewelers: Find the perfect piece of jewelry for your someone special.
J H McCommons Co: Offering a wide variety of gifts for just about anyone, including those hard-to-find items. From handbags to home decor and jewelry, they offer specialty items you won’t find anywhere else.
Soiree at the Lake: Your one-stop shop for Christmas gifts, home décor, stylish women’s clothing, and more!
Holidays at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee
Ice Skating: Step into The Winter Forest, where guests can skate on a 5,000-squarefoot ice rink, relax in the cozy Ice Lounge, enjoy drinks from the festive “Ice” Bar, and capture magical moments at the Snow Globe Photo Booth.
Gingerbread Cottage: Pastry Chef
Michael Gaddy and his team present a lifesized Gingerbread Cottage in the lobby, adorned with thousands of candy pieces. Step inside for a closer look and capture magical holiday memories with festive photos.
Gingerbread House Decorating: A fun, family-friendly activity where you can create your own gingerbread masterpiece.
Dates: December 15, 21, and 22 Time: 12:30pm to 2:30pm
Build a Buddy: Build your “beary” own holiday friend you will love for a lifetime. Traditional and festive bears available for all ages.
Dates: November 20, December 15, 21, and 22
Holiday Events Around Town
One Christmas Night in Memphis: The Music of Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins & Elvis Presley: A rocking concert tribute to legendary Sun Records recording artists Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley at the Plaza Arts Center on December 5th.
Downtown Greensboro Tree Lighting: Join the community as they light up the holiday season with the annual festive tree lighting event on December 6th.
Christmas at the Plaza: Come enjoy themed crafts, treats and have your picture taken with Santa at The Plaza Arts Center on December 7th.
Joe Gransden’s Swingin’ Holiday Show: Festival Hall Presents the fabulous Joe Gransden with special guest Robin Latimore for a swingin’ good time holiday show! Come celebrate the season with Joe Gransden and his 10 piece band on December 19th.
Breakfast with Santa: Kids will love Breakfast with Santa, where they can share their wish lists while enjoying a festive breakfast buffet featuring pancakes, waffles, omelets, and more. Come dressed in holiday attire for this special occasion!
Dates: December 15, 21, and 22
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
Coffee and Pastries at Bonnie’s Coffee Shop: Sip on seasonal favorites like peppermint mochas, spiced lattes, and rich hot chocolate in a charming setting after a day of shopping.
Dinner at Table at the Lake: Enjoy exceptional dishes featuring local produce, seafood, and inviting flavors. Ask for expert wine pairings to complement your holiday dining experience.
Craft Beer at Oconee Brewing Co: Where festive cheer meets craft brews! Gather with friends and family to enjoy a delightful selection of seasonal beers in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Join us for special holiday events, live music, and tastings that capture the spirit of the season.
Find your reason to linger longer this holiday season
Elf Tuck-Ins: Receive a special visit from Santa’s Elves and hear a bedtime story from them as they deliver a personalized bag filled with hand selected items from Santa.
Photo Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee
Celebrating Intown’s longtime businesses
By Collin Kelley
As Atlanta Intown marks its 30th anniversary, we looked back at our first issue in 1994 to see which local businesses are still thriving three decades later. From restaurants to retail to home services, these businesses have stood the test of time.
Many of these businesses also remain distribution points for the print issue of Intown, so drop in and show them some love so they’re around when we celebrate our 40th.
Atkins Park Restaurant and Bar
794 N. Highland Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30306 atkinspark.com
Atkins Park is an institution on Highland Avenue, serving hungry and thirsty patrons at the city’s oldest continuously licensed tavern for more than 100 years. From its origins as a deli, Atkins Park is now serving upscale comfort food alongside craft beers.
Seattle native Betsy Buckley founded Aurora Coffee in 1992 in VirginiaHighland just as coffee shops were becoming trendy hangout spots. Now located in Little Five Points. Aurora remains a favorite gathering place and holds the distinction of being the city’s first specialty coffee shop years before Starbucks arrived in Atlanta.
HammerSmith, Inc.
807 Church St., Decatur, 30030 hammersmith.net
Owner Warner McConaughey founded HammerSmith in 1991 and has grown the business into an award-winning design-build firm. Over the last 30+ years, HammerSmith has become a leader in green building design and even helped write the EarthCraft Renovation Guidelines.
George’s Bar & Restaurant
1041 N. Highland Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30306 georgesbarandrestaurant.com
George’s Restaurant has been a fixture in Virigina-Highland since being founded by the late George Najour as a deli and grocery in 1961. In 1983, a kitchen was added in the back and the evolution to a bar and restaurant began. Still in the Najour family, George’s still serves up one of the best burgers in town.
Bill Bartlett purchased the small home remodeling company founded by Diane Stephenson in 1989. Over the past 55 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.
Mellow Mushroom
Multiple locations around Atlanta mellowmushroom.com
Mellow Mushroom, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, was created by two Georgia Tech students in 1974 and first operated out of an old liquor store on Spring Street in Midtown. Since then, Mellow Mushroom has grown into a franchise with more than 150 stores across 16 states.
Murphy’s Restaurant
997 Virginia Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30306 murphys-atlanta-restaurant.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 staple for American comfort food. It’s still a beloved go-to nearly 44 years later.
San Francisco Coffee Roasting Co. 1192 N. Highland Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30306 sanfranciscocoffeeroastingco.com
If you turn to page 10 of the very first issue of Atlanta 30306 – the forerunner of Intown – you’ll see a small advertisement for San Francisco Coffee. Doug and Tanya Bond had just opened the business in Virginia-Highland, roasting their own coffee on the premises and cultivating a casual California vibe. There are now three locations around Intown, including Chandler Park and at Georgia Tech.
Intaglia Home Collection
1544 Piedmont Ave., Suite 105, Atlanta, 30324 intagliahome.com
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Intaglia is the go-to for contemporary home furnishings and interior design services. If you’re looking for a new sofa, bed, dining room table or décor for your home office, drop by Ansley Mall and check out the always-chic showroom.
Courtesy Atkins Park.
Courtesy San Francisco Coffee.
Courtesy Intaglia.
Highland Pet Supply
1186 N. Highland Ave., Atlanta, 30306 highlandpet.com
For more than 30 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 is now taught at a training center.
Doc Chey’s Noodle House
1424 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta, 30306 doccheys.com
Rich Chey opened Doc Chey’s in 1997 serving up a menu of stir-fries, dim sum, and street food like BiBimBap. He later opened Osteria 832 serving pizza and pasta just up the street on N. Highland.
Intown ACE Hardware
854 N. Highland Ave., NE, Atlanta, 30306 intownaceatlanta.com
A stalwart in the Virginia-Highland community since 1979, Intown ACE is still a go-to for Intowners looking for their tools and repair needs. From hard-to-find plumbing parts to plants and gifts, this ACE is still the place!
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 on Amsterdam Avenue in Midtown when the Olympics came to town. Now located in Underwood Hills, the family is still the city’s original purveyor of handmade oriental rugs.
Courtesy Oriental Designer Rugs.
Courtesy Intown ACE Hardware.
Experience Your World Through Our Lens
Arthur Blank Foundation awards $4.5 million in job training grants for Westside neighborhoods
By Dyana Bagby
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has awarded nearly $4.5 million to three organizations to provide job training to residents living in Atlanta’s Westside neighborhoods of English Avenue and Vine City, in an effort to prevent displacement and increase economic mobility.
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
Atlanta Technical College was awarded $2.5 million to train 400 residents in electrical linework, transportation, distribution and logistics; Goodwill of North Georgia received $1.5 million to train 250 residents in clean-tech industries like solar technology and electric vehicle charging; and the Atlanta Department of Labor and Employment Services got $486,000 to offer paid job experience, skills training and job placement to residents ages 18-34.
Beltline running near the neighborhoods have attracted some new development. Out-of-state real estate speculators are also buying up houses in the neighborhoods at rock-bottom prices, with most leaving them empty and boarded up as they wait for real estate prices to increase.
This gentrification of the historic Westside neighborhoods threatens to force out legacy residents who can’t afford rising property taxes, for instance.
“We recognize that financial security is essential to the stability of residents, and addressing the wage gap is key to preventing displacement,” said Danny Shoy, Jr., managing director of Atlanta’s Westside and
February 19 - March 6
March 7 - 16
Blank, co-founder of Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, pledged to support jobs programs, affordable housing and other inititatives in the Westside neighborhoods as part of a deal with the city for hundreds of millions in public funding to build and maintain MercedesBenz Stadium.
English Avenue and Vine City, majority Black neighborhoods where civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Maynard Jackson and Julian Bond once lived, stand in the shadow of the $1.6 billion stadium that opened in 2017. The neighborhoods, long neglected by investors, have high rates of poverty, unemployment and crime.
The stadium plus a stretch of the Atlanta
Youth Development at the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, in a news release.
Last year, the Blank Foundation awarded $22.4 million in grants to the Westside Future Fund , CareerRise and Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund. The grants supported the foundation’s decision to revise its strategy to increase the economic mobility of legacy residents in English Avenue and Vine City and address both affordable housing and financial inclusion.
With the three newest grants, the foundation has invested more than $106 million in Atlanta’s Westside since 20071.
Photo courtesy Atlanta Technical College
Photo courtesy Blank Foundation
Giving thanks for anniversaries and a free press
ABOVE THE WATER LINE
Sally Bethea
Given my birthdate, it’s no surprise that I’m “old school” when it comes to keeping files of news clippings. My young staff at Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK) never understood why I thought I needed to have hard copies of the articles published about our river advocacy work. “It’s in your computer
files or searchable on the internet,” they’d say. I’d just smile and keep filing the paper.
I have a five-inch ring binder filled with print media from the 1990s and 2000s covering CRK’s years-long battle to force the city of Atlanta to stop dumping sewage into the river and neighborhood streams. When I wrote my book (“Keeping the Chattahoochee”), the binder was instrumental in helping me reconstruct the chronology of the twists and turns of that issue. Few of the old articles were digitally archived. I felt enormously vindicated for
being a hard copy hoarder.
Persisting and Growing
Not surprisingly, I also have a file of my monthly columns written over the past nine years for Atlanta Intown: paper copies I can read while holding them in my hands. Yeah, old school. I rifled through the columns this week, proud to be a part of the team that monthly produces hyperlocal and eclectic stories about people, places, and issues—and has done so for the past thirty years. Happy 30th Anniversary to us and all of you readers!
Mozart with Stutzmann + Chorus
14/16
21/23
+ Mozart + Walton
Collin Kelley, Intown’s editor, has been a dream to work with over the years. He puts up with my (always) last-minute submissions and lets me write about any environmental topic I choose. In more than 100 columns, I’ve covered hurricanes, fireflies, parks, the climate crisis, Atlanta’s tree canopy, the Okefenokee, my father’s garden, forever chemicals, pandemic grief and nature, microbeads, fatbergs, negative ions, rainwater harvesting, and the local food movement—to name a few.
Not for the first time, I realize how lucky I am to be able to write for this respected paper, now part of the growing Rough Draft Atlanta family of publications. Four years ago, Keith Pepper became Intown’s publisher. He transitioned the monthly print community newspaper into a digitalfirst media organization and leveraged partnerships throughout the city to help people make connections—for work and entertainment.
Free Speech, Open Government
On Oct. 21, I received one of the highest honors in my career when the Georgia First Amendment Foundation presented me with the Charles Weltner Freedom of Information Award. The foundation, which advocates for government transparency, free speech rights, and access to public information, is also celebrating its 30th anniversary this year—as is Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. Clearly, 1994 was a great year for start-ups!
When I accepted the award, I told the audience that the success of CRK’s advocacy depends on two essential groups of professionals: investigative journalists and public interest environmental lawyers with access to government records. Without them, we would not have been able to tackle, much less win, our toughest battles. Our accomplishments have depended on our ability to exercise our right to free speech, our ability to access and review information held by public agencies, and the press exercising its right to publish these facts.
Uncensored information about the world around us and opinion pieces—even and especially those that are critical—help ensure public policy decisions that are fair, democratic, inclusive, and accountable. Hard-working journalists (print, radio, television, and social media) help uncover the inequities in our society, corruption, and activities that threaten our families and communities. Their independence is fundamental to democracy and must be defended.
Shining a Light
During my years with CRK, it wasn’t hard to find stories to illustrate why the overhaul of the city’s sewer system was crucial, or to find good reporters, willing publishers, and graphic illustrations of those problems and many others.
In the late 1990s, an Associated Press
Sally Bethea with her commemorative cartoon created by Mike Luckovich. (Photos courtesy Georgia First Amendment Foundation)
reporter joined us on a river patrol. It was a lovely day on the water, until the city accidentally spilled 800,000 gallons of raw sewage into the river, literally in front of our boat. That story was carried in news outlets around the Southeast for weeks; it helped convince the public and elected officials that something really needed to be done. When our government agencies and officials fail to do their jobs to safeguard us from the impacts of dirty air, contaminated water, and spoiled land, citizens often have no other place to turn than the press to shine a light on serious problems.
In early June this year, businesses, neighborhoods, hotels, and hospitals in Atlanta’s central core suffered nearly a week without water, when the city’s aging pipes burst. An eye-opening (and mind-boggling) investigative report by the Atlanta JournalConstitution recently revealed the ongoing risk to the entire drinking water system. For
years, city employees had failed to maintain the thousands of shut-off valves buried underground; several failed, creating multiple cascading breaks. The reporter filed nearly a dozen open-records requests, seeking a clear accounting of how the city maintains and tests its shut-off values; officials could not provide one.
As the saying goes: “Sunlight in the best disinfectant.” In other words, people usually perform to a better standard when they know their behavior is being observed. It’s human nature. Accurate, truthful journalists are our guardians; they assemble and verify facts and then work to convey a fair account of their meaning. In this post-truth era of fake news and alternative facts, critical thinking and news literacy are more important than ever.
Thank you Atlanta Intown for three decades of journalistic integrity, important news, and wonderful stories about our community.
Detail of award-winning Atlanta Journal-Constitution cartoonist Mike Luckovich’s cartoon for Sally.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Charis Books & More marks 50th anniversary
By Collin Kelley
Charis Books & More, one of the oldest and last remaining feminist and LGBTQ+ bookstores in the country, is framing its 50th anniversary around a prophetic quote from iconic author Octavia E. Butler’s classic 1993 novel “Parable of the Sower.”
In the novel, we meet protagonist Lauren Olamina on July 20, 2024 in a dystopian world ravaged by climate change, wealth imbalance, and corporate greed. Imbued with “hyper-empathy,” Olamina can feel the sensations she witnesses in others. She realizes the only way forward for humanity, as futile as it may seem, is to “take root among the stars.”
“We’ve chosen this invocation from Butler because it dares us to change the world. It dares us to struggle through scarcity and collapse, to build community with the tools available to us, and to imagine a future that is only possible with our people alongside us,” the Decatur-based bookstore said in a statement. “2024 is a pivot point in ‘Parable of the Sower’ and in Charis’ history, just as it likely will be a pivot point in human history. We mark this 50th anniversary as a moment on a continuum followed by tomorrows we are still creating.”
Opened by Linda Bryant in 1974, Charis was a mainstay of Little Five Points for its first 45 years. Alice Walker, Gloria Steinem, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Leslie Feinberg, bell hooks and Octavia E. Butler herself were just some of the feminist icons who regularly read or
visited Charis over its long history.
In 2019, Charis entered a partnership with Agnes Scott College and moved to Decatur. Located at 184 S. Candler St. in a 1901 Victorian home that was completely renovated by Agnes Scott as part of the partnership, Charis continues to thrive in its 50th year.
Now co-owned by Sarah Luce Look and Angela Gabriel, Charis also has a nonprofit arm called Charis Circle, which plans programming, author events, and fundraises for the shop.
In the highly charged political climate, where LGBTQ+ rights are being used as wedge issues by candidates,
Charis realizes just how significant its 50th anniversary is and what’s at stake for the future.
“We want control of our bodies, safe and affordable food, housing, and healthcare, the support to raise a child or not to, the right to choose who we call family, and the right to age with dignity; we want rest and pleasure and love and art, free expression, access to information, a connection to the earth and the protection and renewal of ecosystems, privacy from surveillance, the right to migrate freely and safely, and freedom from interpersonal and state violence,” Charis said in its statement. Charis’ story has
been as much about survival and weathering economic and cultural change as it is about community and success.
“We weathered the hardest parts of our history because of the mostly invisible labor of a handful of staff, board members, and volunteers, and the commitment of a small number of donors who helped us keep the doors open when so many other feminist, queer, and literary institutions could not survive. We did this by refusing many traditional capitalist and nonprofit modes and returning again and again to the will and the wisdom of our people,” the statement said.
Charis will mark its 50th anniversary beginning Nov. 2 with a ticketed event at Letitia Pate Evans Dining Hall on the Agnes Scott campus. The event will feature a performance by Indigo Girls and guest authors and speakers.
From Nov. 4 to Nov. 9, there will be a series of readings, lectures, and events to also mark the anniversary. Visit charisbooksandmore.com for details.
Charis Books & More in Decatur (File)
Former owner Sherry Emory, Founder Linda Bryant, and Volunteer Liz Hill in 1979. (Courtesy Charis)
By Directed by MATT TORNEY
Nancy Pelosi will close out MJCCA Book Festival on Nov. 17
By Cathy Cobbs
CHARLES DICKENS
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, the first female speaker of the House of Representatives, will serve as the closing speaker for the Book Festival of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) on Nov. 17.
The MJCCA announced that Pelosi, who has served for 37 years representing California’s 11th District, will discuss her newly released memoir, “The Art of Power,” a recounting of her historic rise from housewife to U.S. House Speaker.
“This year’s book festival is set to be our most memorable yet,” MJCCA Book Festival Co-Chair Cherie Aviv said. “We are thrilled to announce Nancy Pelosi as our closing speaker, offering a unique and intimate look at her remarkable career.”
Pelosi, regarded as one of Washington’s most powerful female politicians, was the first woman, the first Californian, and the first Italian-American to hold the speakership. Pelosi served from 2007-2011 and 2019-2023 – the first person to be twice elected to the post.
She was the chief architect of major legislation under two Democratic administrations, including the Affordable Care Act and the American Rescue Plan. Pelosi led House Democrats for 20 years and previously served as House Democratic Whip.
She joins several other prominent national figures who will appear in person at the festival, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, former chief medical advisor to the president, who will discuss his book “On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service,” on Nov. 3.
Throughout her political career, Pelosi has been characterized as a polarizing political figure by both the right and left wings, but most vehemently by the Republican party for her stances on gun control and increased taxation on the wealthy, as well as her role in twice impeaching former president Donald Trump.
She was the focus of numerous threats of violence during her career, including an attack on her home in 2021, when vandals wrote graffiti on her San Francisco home, sprayed fake blood on it and left a severed pig’s head in the yard.
Pelosi’s husband, Paul, suffered significant injuries in late October 2022 when he was attacked by a hammerwielding assailant who broke into the couple’ San Francisco home shouting, “Where’s Nancy?”
The suspect, David DePape, told police he was planning to take the congresswoman hostage, ask her questions and break her kneecaps if she lied.
Three weeks after the attack and a day
after Republicans officially won control of the House Chamber in the 2022 midterms, Pelosi announced that she would not seek any Democratic leadership role while still remaining in Congress.
During the 2023-24 Congressional session, the longtime Democrat has sponsored or signed onto bills to combat homelessness, protect children and raise the minimum wage.
The MJCCA also announced that Noa Tishby, a two-time New York Times bestselling author, will share her insights on the current challenges facing Israel. Lior Raz, the celebrated Israeli actor and co-creator of the television series “Fauda,” will share behind-the-scenes stories from his acclaimed series and offer a look into his future projects, including his upcoming role in “Gladiator 2.”
The MJCCA’s lineup for the remainder of the festival will also include such authors as:
■ Emily Giffin, author of “The Summer Pact”
■ "Seinfeld" Actor and Comedian Michael Richards, author of “Entrances and Exits”
■ John Quiñones and Maria Elena Salinas, co-authors of “One Year in Uvalde: A Story of Hope and Resilience”
■ Mitch Albom, Bestselling author of “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “The Little Liar: A Novel”
■ Amir Tibon Journalist and Author of “The Gates of Gaza: A Story of Betrayal, Survival, and Hope in Israel’s Borderlands”
■ Stuart Eizenstat, Former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union and Author of “The Art of Diplomacy: How American Negotiators Reached Historic Agreements that Changed the World”
■ Joan Nathan, Author of “My Life in Recipes: Food, Family, and Memories”
All events will occur at the MJCCA, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, GA, 30338. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit atlantajcc.org/book.
Nancy Pelosi (Courtesy MJCCA)
Centennial Yards is a $5 billion mixed-use development in Atlanta, aiming to revitalize 50 acres of underused land in Downtown Atlanta.
Centennial Yards will offer 8 million square feet of commercial and residential space, including retail, entertainment, offices, hotels, new homes, and outdoor hangout spots for Atlanta residents and visitors.
Atlanta Beltline names Amina Cooper as director of arts and culture
By Collin Kelley
Atlanta Beltline, Inc. has selected veteran arts leader Amina Cooper as its first-ever director of arts and culture to lead its public art initiative, Atlanta Beltline Art.
As director, Cooper will guide the strategic vision for the Beltline’s arts and culture programming, overseeing its breadth of public art installations, events and special exhibitions as well as its annual juried exhibition season.
“It means the world to me,” Cooper said in statement. “For the past 10 years, my work has focused on community and equity. To now be able to uplift best practices in equitable, culture-based programming for the community I was born and raised in, in collaboration with the artist community that’s so familiar and dear to me, is an incredible gift.”
Cooper brings experience in public art management, curation and policy and has managed large-scale public art projects for a number of leading municipalities, museums and galleries. Most recently, she served as program director of public art at the Arts & Science Council in
Charlotte, overseeing public art commissions for the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Her career also includes roles at cultural institutions such as the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and Glenstone Museum.
Joining Cooper is Chelsea Morey, the newly appointed arts and culture project manager. Morey comes to the Beltline from the High Museum of Art, where she served as manager of exhibitions. Morey will be responsible for coordinating the public art functions of Atlanta Beltline Art, including both permanent and temporary projects as well as design and planning initiatives.
As the Beltline marches towards its goal of completing its 22-mile trail corridor by 2030, arts and culture will remain an integral part of implementation, supporting its commitment to advancing equity and inclusion and community representation along the trail. The Beltline
will also celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2025. As part of the acknowledgement of these two milestones, Atlanta Beltline Art will curate legacy art installations along the trail.
“Atlanta Beltline Art is a powerful force, weaving connections and breaking down barriers across our diverse communities,” said Nonet Sykes, Atlanta Beltline’s Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer. “I am confident that under Amina’s leadership, we will continue our mission to ensure that the Beltline is a vibrant, artistic hub for all of Atlanta.”
ARMORED AND FABULOUS
OCT. 5, 2024 - JAN. 5, 2025
Get ready to discover how spikes, shells, scales, plates and exoskeletons defend against animals’ hard-knock environments.
Armored Animals is designed and developed by Gaston Design. Sponsored locally in part by the Frances Wood Wilson Foundation.
Amina Cooper and Chelsea Morey (Courtesy Atlanta Beltline, Inc.)
ABV finds room to grow in EAV
By Isadora Pennington
ABV Gallery celebrated a major milestone in September: the debut of their new home in East Atlanta Village.
The gallery opened with a solo show, “CHAPTER NEW,” by founder and visionary artist Greg Mike, which he created specifically for the debut of ABV’s new location.
ABV Gallery + Agency, which stands for “A Better View,” is a creative hub for exhibitions and representation of artists that has been a mainstay of the local art scene ever since it first opened in 2010. The gallery has occupied a storefront in Old Fourth Ward’s Studioplex ever since.
Over the years, ABV’s reach has grown in scope. They have maintained wellattended exhibition openings, established special art events such as their popular monthly Drink & Doodle and annual mural festival the OuterSpace Project, as well as executing an impressive array of artist collaborations through the agency side of the organization.
Eventually, with a burgeoning staff of
creatives and arts professionals, Mike felt that they needed a larger venue to support their continued growth.
“We were just kind of bursting at the seams there, we were on top of each other and our team grew like crazy,” Mike said. He was eager to not only find a more suitable location but also to buy instead of renting.
For six years, Mike searched in earnest for a new home for ABV Gallery. It wasn’t until he toured a former church in East Atlanta Village that he felt that he had found the right place to land.
“I knew it was the perfect space,” recalled Mike, who has connections to East Atlanta Village from various events and murals throughout the years. In fact, he painted one of his first large-scale murals there over 15 years ago.
“I love East Atlanta and the vibe,” he told me, sharing that he has seen a lot of changes occurring around him since he first got on the scene. He is eager to root ABV in a community that remains a cultural hub for creatives.
And now, with the opening of their new space, Mike and his crew are embracing the change and all the opportunities it will provide.
I asked Mike about his experience overseeing the renovations and improvements at the former church which drew huge crowds to openings over the weekend.
“It has been a roller coaster, definitely a ton of stress and ups and downs,” Mike said. “I went into it not knowing anything. I walked into the building four years ago and was told it would take six to eigh months but it ended up taking three years. Good things take time.”
Beyond the logistics of finding contractors, getting permits, and getting the project underway, Mike was challenged by his own commitment to prevision. It’s no secret that Mike is a visionary, and as such he tends to be a perfectionist.
He had a specific vision for every aspect of the new gallery, from the lighting to the furniture to the Scandinavian-inspired all-black exterior, and he was exacting as a
site supervisor.
In order to make their new space truly suit their needs, he took the structure down to the studs, removing and replacing even the foundation of the space. Mike explained that large-scale sculptures, including the four that he has in his “CHAPTER NEW” exhibit currently on display, can be quite heavy and he wanted to ensure that they could safely be displayed in the building.
In the process of renovations, Mike found records of the building dating back to the 1950s, though the structure appears to have been added onto multiple times since it was first built.
Prior to Mike’s purchase of the 8,500-square-foot property in 2021, the building was home to Holy Temple Deliverance Church, a historically Black sanctuary of worship that was led by Bishop Nelson E. Clements whose wife, Mrs. Shirley Ann Clements, inherited the church after his passing. I asked Mike what the reception has been like as they
Continued on page 30
ABV Founder and Curator Greg Mike. (Photo by Dave Roland)
Inside the new gallery space in EAV. (Photo by Isadora Pennington)
Detail from “CHAPTER NEW,” the solo exhibition by Greg Mike. (Photo by Isadora Pennington)
ABV Gallery’s new permanent home in a former church on Metropolitan Avenue in East Atlanta Village. (Photo by Isadora Pennington)
times during the renovation process and attended the opening night party.
and sinister art which he then hid under his mattress.
It wasn’t until around 20 years ago when Mike started participating in public art that he reconsidered the artwork he was putting out into the world. He explained that it felt wrong to put out such negative works for everyone in the community to experience. As a result, he shifted and began making vibrant works with more cheerful messages. Mike’s works have resonated with art lovers both locally and abroad who are drawn to the playful compositions and cultural references within them.
“I really use art as therapy for me, and the way that I’m able to make myself feel better is by painting happier and brighter and more colorful stuff,” said Mike. He said that the reaction to this shift in his work was overwhelmingly positive, and he also began feeling better in turn, as if he was manifesting a better future for himself.
abandoned paint cans,” Mike said. “It’s just mind-blowing, it’s a testament to hard work… It hasn’t been an easy road, so it’s humbling and exciting and also terrifying. I’ve always believed that if it doesn’t challenge you and doesn’t scare you, it won’t change you.”
Beyond the sense of accomplishment that he feels from reaching this truly incredible milestone, the new space for ABV Gallery has also had a profound impact on his two young children who have seen this idea take shape and then come to life over the past several years.
They are growing up surrounded by art, just like Mike did when he was a young boy drawing on the floor of his father’s set design shop. It’s a kind of fullcircle experience, in that way. And Mike is eager to pass along his love for art to the next generation of artists as well.
converted a former place of worship into an art gallery, and he said that Mrs. Shirley has been enthusiastic about the changes.
“Mrs. Shirley, she has been so great,” Mike said. “The big thing for her is there were so many memories for her in this space with her husband, her friends, her family. She was really glad and excited that it would still be a space for gatherings and community versus being torn down for condos.” She visited the site multiple
For Mike, this endeavor was not only an opportunity for the gallery, it also marked a new chapter in his artistic career. Now he has his own studio space on the property where he can continue developing his artwork.
He shared that the development of his personal artistic style has evolved since he was an angry kid who was into skateboarding and anarchy. In those days, he would fill his sketchbooks with dark
Mike has worked hard for many years at developing his own personal style, as well as his signature character ‘Larry Loudmouf.’
These days, the city of Atlanta is peppered with artwork that is either directly from Mike’s hand, or otherwise was touched by him in its creation and curation. He has deep ties to the local arts community and has made a name not just for himself but also for many of the artists who regularly work with his team at ABV.
“I never imagined this when I started off as a starving artist painting on
“Art is important because it’s therapy for me at the core,” Mike said. Art is a constant in his life, and was his first love since before he met his wife and started a family of his own.
“It brings people together and uplifts the community,” Mike continued. “It takes blank walls and turns them into works of art around the city. It adds culture and diversity. There are so many reasons why art is important. Art is everything. It has saved my life, guided my life, it is my light. I don’t know what I’d be doing without art.”
Find out more at abvatl.com.
ABV Gallery celebrated its move to East Atlanta Village with a solo show by founder Greg Mike. (Photo by Isadora Pennington)
Continued from page 28
Downtown Atlanta launches immersive public art initiative
By Collin Kelley
The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) and Arts & Entertainment Atlanta (A&E) are launching ART IN THE PARK, a yearlong, immersive public art initiative that will redefine the cultural landscape of Downtown Atlanta.
Woodruff Park will be home to a rotating series of vibrant, interactive art
installations that are free to the public.
“These installations are part of a broader effort to ensure Downtown Atlanta remains a thriving cultural center,” said Nancy Zintak, Vice President of Communications & Engagement at Central Atlanta Progress.
“By focusing on local and international artists, we aim to offer dynamic art experiences that reflect the diversity
and creativity of our community while making the arts accessible to all.”
This dynamic initiative showcases a broad range of local and international artists, offering Atlantans and visitors an opportunity to engage with cutting-edge contemporary art in new and meaningful ways. The first installations, set to debut in Fall 2024, will bring innovative experiences that spark curiosity and foster connection. Additional programming will continue to captivate and inspire throughout the year, further positioning Atlanta as a national cultural destination.
“As part of ADID and A&E’s ongoing mission, ART IN THE PARK emphasizes the importance of promoting, funding, and supporting local and international talent,” said Noa Hecht, Creative Placemaking Lead at ADID. “This initiative is about more than just art—it’s about transforming public spaces, building community, and making the arts accessible to everyone.”
First installations
Taino Night Glow
Installation Date: October 2024
Created by Puerto Rican muralist ARRRTADDICT and in collaboration with Dashboard, Taino Night Glow brings the vibrant energy of the Caribbean to life through an illuminated installation inspired by the El Yunque rainforest. This immersive experience celebrates Indigenous Caribbean culture, surrounding visitors with a layered mural that evokes abstract flowers, plants, and whimsical patterns.
“With Taino Night Glow, I wanted to create a space that connects us to our cultural roots and offers a vibrant
visual escape,” said ARRRTADDICT. “This installation is an homage to the resilience of Caribbean Indigenous culture and the power of storytelling through art. I wanted the colors and shapes to evoke the magic and mystery of the natural world while also inviting people to reflect on the history and spirit of the Taino people. The goal is for the installation to be more than just visually engaging — I hope it becomes a space for dialogue, connection, and understanding of the stories that have shaped our Caribbean heritage.”
Los Trompos
Installation Date: November 2024
By Mexican artists Esrawe + Cadena and presented in collaboration with Creos, Los Trompos (“Spinning Tops”) is a family-friendly, interactive installation featuring large, colorful spinning tops. These works encourage collaboration and play, bringing traditional Mexican craftsmanship to the forefront with woven fabric structures that come to life through community interaction.
“Los Trompos is designed to unite people through play and creativity,” said Esrawe + Cadena. “The installation encourages people of all ages to engage with the artwork in a way that is both physical and communal. We’re thrilled to bring Los Trompos back to Atlanta, a city with such a vibrant cultural scene, and we look forward to seeing how it transforms Woodruff Park into a lively, joyful gathering space where people can connect, share, and create lasting memories.”
For more information on ART IN THE PARK and other upcoming events, visit AtlantaDowntown.com.
"Taino Night Glow" was created by Puerto Rican muralist ARRRTADDICT. (Courtesy ADID)
The giant spinning tops, "Los Trompos," will be on display in November. (Courtesy ADID)
Intown’s ever-evolving dining experience
By Beth McKibben
The average lifespan of a restaurant is between eight and ten years. Margins are so thin in this industry that the pandemic caused the permanent closure of nearly 73,000 restaurants nationwide during the first year of the global health crisis. It’s an incredible achievement when a restaurant makes it to 20, 50, or even an astonishing 100 years in business.
As Atlanta Intown celebrates 30 years of covering the city and its residents and communities, we’re looking back at the changing landscape of dining over the last three decades through four restaurants that opened in 1994 that are still around today and their 2024 counterparts.
An Expanding Palate
Nicks Food To-Go
240 M.L.K. Jr Drive, Atlanta. nicksfood.com
Nick and Eleni Poulos opened this Greek restaurant at the corner of M.L.K. Jr. Drive and Hill Street in 1994. But the couple didn’t serve Greek dishes when Nick’s first opened, opting instead for wings, hot dogs, and burgers. Eventually, Eleni convinced Nick to add gyro meat and gyros to the menu. She knew people would embrace the Greek pita cradling
hottest new restaurants. Owner Avery Cottrell describes Gene’s menu as VietCajun food meets the Flora-Bama at your favorite barbecue joint. At Gene’s, Cottrell combines his love for smoking meats with classic dishes from the seafood shacks and Vietnamese restaurants he grew up around in southeastern Louisiana. Think trays of smoked meats like boudin, pulled sticky ribs caramelized in fish sauce, and brisket with sides of Vietnamese-style smashed cucumbers, beef tallow refried beans made with brisket scraps, and Serrano pepper coleslaw. Cottrell simply isn’t afraid to flex his flavor muscles. A cartoon likeness of Cottrell’s chubby orange and white cat serves as the restaurant’s namesake and brand inspiration.
Exploring Culinary Roots
1994
slivers of tender spiced lamb meat or fried chicken dressed with her family’s tzatziki sauce. The tiny takeout restaurant has become a cherished institution in Atlanta, feeding everyone from locals and tourists to journalists and people working nearby at The Gold Dome (Georgia Capitol). Now run by the couple’s daughter and younger family members, Nick’s appears locked in to serve another generation, having weathered a property sale, the pandemic, and major redevelopment projects in the neighborhood over its 30 years in business.
2024
Gene’s
2371 Hosea L Williams Drive, East Lake. genesgenesgenes.com
Atlanta’s ever-expanding population has led to the city’s expansive palate and the rise of hyper-regionality on the menu at restaurants. What started as
a popular pop-up serving Viet-Cajun takes on barbecue, egg rolls, and sides of marinated crab claws exploded onto the dining scene in 2024 as one of the city’s
Anis Cafe & Bistro
2974 Grandview Avenue, Buckhead. anisbistro.com
When Anis Cafe and Bistro opened in 1994, the Buckhead French restaurant was hardly the first in Atlanta. But rather than offering French cuisine in a buttoned-up atmosphere, owner Arnaud Michel channeled the more rustic food and casual sophistication of his hometown of Montpelier on the southern coast of France and his memories growing up at his family’s winery. This Provencal-style bistro housed in a former bungalow features an
Nick’s Food To Go
Anis Cafe & Bistro
Gene’s
Marie illustration by T. Dylan Moore.
Costume
sketches by Sandra Woodall.
utterly charming garden patio meant to transport you from bustling Buckhead to a quaint sidewalk cafe in the French countryside. Here regulars rave about the tartare de tomate with buffalo mozzarella, mussels in white wine sauce, croque madame, and entrees such as braised lamb shank with stewed lentils. Sip on French wines by the bottle with friends or an anise-laced pastis cocktail such as the Mauresque with orgeat before your meal.
At Avize, Chef Karl Gorline pays homage to his Bavarian roots by exploring the dishes and culinary traditions of countries bordering the Alps like Germany, France, Switzerland, and Italy. Gorline’s grandparents immigrated to the United States from the Bavarian region of Germany and some dishes at Avize are based on family recipes. Using herbs, produce, and grains grown on the restaurant’s farm in Bremen, Georgia, Avize reflects the seasonality of the South seen through the dishes of the Alpine region. Expect a dry-aged duck for two smoked in hay from the Bremen farm or flammkuchen (tarte flambée from the Alsace region of France) topped with onions, smoked crème fraiche, and house-cured bacon. Minced blueberries,
buckwheat, and walnuts create bittersweet notes in the venison tartare. Even the bar features Alpine twists on cocktails like a swizzle made with Navy-proof rum, allspice dram pineapple, and green chartreuse served in a vintage beer stein.
Little Bangkok has been a staple on Cheshire Bridge since 1994. It’s the type of restaurant you find yourself returning to again and again. The homey atmosphere and quick service make this little Thai establishment feel more like your favorite neighborhood diner. If you’re a regular here – and there are many – the staff may already know your order. That might include a generous portion of the popular pad thai or green curry, house specialties like the Bangkok Thai duck, or metal tureens for the table filled with creamy tom kha gai (a $13 hotpot of Thai chicken coconut soup laced with Thai chilis). Meals often begin with skewers of chicken satay and Thai dumplings bursting their
with minced chicken and shrimp. While half the menu is dedicated to Chinese dishes, the comforting Thai fare served at Little Bangkok has kept its tables full for the last 30 years.
Emily James and her daughter, LaToya Franklyn, transformed the former Noni’s Italian restaurant and bar into a festive spot celebrating their Trinidadian roots and the Caribbean diaspora. The mother-daughter duo sees Miss Conduck as a fusion of Caribbean cultures best experienced through food while immersed in a colorful, music-driven space. Trinidadian dishes like doubles, roti, and pholourie live alongside Jamaican curry goat, oxtail rasta pasta, and tres leches cake for dessert. Several dishes are based on family recipes. The rum punch here is a must. After years of hosting family and friends at home for the holidays, James and Franklyn brought their Caribbean feasts to Edgewood in 2024. Only now, everyone’s invited.
The Lobster Bar beneath Chops 70 West Paces Ferry Road, Buckhead. chopslobsterbar.com
The Lobster Bar wasn’t always part of Chops. Buckhead Life Restaurant Group opened the swanky steakhouse in 1989, following up on its success five years later by opening the raw bar and restaurant downstairs. Rich mahogany, marble, halfmoon leather booths, and coffered ceilings upstairs give way to an intimate, more low-key space at The Lobster Bar, set off
tops
Avize
Little Bangkok
Miss Conduck
Lobster Bar
by the striking barrel-vaulted, herringbone tiled ceiling spanning the dining room. Don’t let the white tablecloths fool you. The Lobster Bar offers a refined yet relaxed dining experience. It can even get a little boisterous. Chops and The Lobster Bar serve the same menu of prime steak cuts and seafood, but it’s hard to resist ordering the namesake crustacean downstairs, which can come fried, poached, chilled, steamed, and thermidored.
Chef Kevin Gillespie opened Nàdair in 2024 to return to the cooking he became known for at Woodfire Grill. Nodding to his Scottish roots and love for live-fire
cooking, Gillespie describes Nàdair as having a sort of “rustic elegance.” Rather than referring to it as a Scottish restaurant, however, Gillespie sees Nàdair as a culmination of his 20-year career as a chef. Offering both a three-course and six-course tasting menu, Gillespie brings his Scottish and Southern heritages together in dishes like wood-roasted mushrooms with a fried farm egg, vegetarian haggis comprised of smoked butternut squash and malted pumpkin puree, and cider-braised pork shoulder with heirloom wheat porridge. Like Lobster Bar, the vibe at Nàdair leans into casual sophistication. You’ll likely see a few people decked out in their family plaid, too, including Gillespie who pops out of the kitchen in his kilt throughout the night to greet guests in the dining room.
Nadair
My Sister’s Room: Atlanta’s landmark lesbian bar continues to endure after 28 years
By Dyana Bagby
My Sister’s Room has been a cornerstone of Atlanta’s LGBTQIA landscape since it opened in 1996 at Midtown Promenade. Originally opened as My Sister’s Room: A Parlor for Women, the bar quickly became a sanctuary for queer women and their allies.
Over the years, My Sister’s Room (MSR) faced the challenges of rising rents and urban development, relocating
numerous times to ensure its survival. Each move — from Midtown to Decatur to East Atlanta and then back to Midtown, before finding its present home on Crescent Avenue — was made as a commitment to creating a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ people, said Jen Maguire, who owns MSR with her wife, Jami Atlanta. Maguire is known in Atlanta by her stage name, Chase Daniels.
The couple purchased MSR from Susan Musselwhite in 2011, eventually moving it from its then-current home in Decatur to Glenwood Avenue in East Atlanta Village. In 2018, they relocated the bar again to 12th Street in Midtown. MSR was forced to relocate yet again in 2022 when developers announced the bar on 12th Street would be torn down for a new condo development. MSR took over the former Publico space on Crescent Avenue just around the corner.
“Being back in Midtown is like coming full circle,” said Daniels. “Where we are now is our favorite location. It has lots of foot traffic, a large stage for shows and performances, and a view of Atlanta’s skyline.”
Each transition also underscores the precarious nature of LGBTQ+ spaces in a city that is constantly evolving, Daniels said. And in a time when lesbian bars in the U.S. have dwindled from around 200 in the 1980s to less than 35 today, MSR stands as one of the few remaining establishments dedicated specifically to the needs and experiences of queer women.
“We say we’re a lesbian bar where everyone is welcome,” Daniels, 49, said. “We’re a melting pot and pride ourselves
on being one of the more diverse bars. We are very big on welcoming everyone, especially our transgender family.”
The “secret sauce” to MSR’s longevity as one of the country’s few lesbian bars is being good business owners, Daniels said. That includes the ability to adapt to the needs of different generations of partygoers at MSR. These days, the bar hosts more burlesque performances, comedy nights, women sports watch parties, karaoke, drag king and drag queen shows, and, of course, plenty of dance parties.
Food is important, too, and the bar sells about a thousand of its signature extra-crispy wings each week. Homemade pizzas are popular. Vegan options are also available now at MSR. It’s part of the mission to make the bar as inclusive as possible and focus on taking care of people.
But My Sister’s Room is more than a nightlife venue in Atlanta. It’s become a space that people can come to for connection, representation and empowerment within the lesbian community and the broader LGBTQ+ spectrum, Daniels said.
“When you come here, you are in a safe space,” she said. “We are like a second, chosen family. We have a lot of people who come here who call us their moms. It’s a good feeling knowing they always have a place to come to.”
Native Atlantan Royce Soble, a photographer and artist, was there when MSR first opened in Midtown nearly 30 years ago. It was a small space where lesbians gathered to drink martinis, smoke cigarettes and talk for hours. But, most
The patio at My Sister’s Room includes views of the Midtown skyline. (Photos courtesy MSR)
MSR serves 1,000 of its popular wings each week.
importantly, MSR offered the opportunity for community.
“MSR was a very big part of my younger years. I would go there after work or after class at Georgia State and understood the importance of an establishment where I knew these were my people,” Soble said.
Soble, 51, now identifies as non-binary and no longer visits MSR. But they are grateful MSR still stands in Atlanta, especially for new generations of LGBTQ+ people to have a place to come and express themselves without fear as they navigate figuring out their sexual orientation and gender identity.
It’s also important for lesbians to know where they can go to meet other women in Atlanta.
“Kudos to Jami and Jen for keeping MSR going and honoring what they can do for their community,” Soble said.
“They have kept the name going and
continue to give people a place to connect and convene and for people to express themselves whether they are queer, lesbians, transgender or non-binary,” Soble added.
For Daniels and Atlanta, they’re grateful and humbled by the support for MSR and want to continue being a place that lifts up the LGBTQ+ community in the city and beyond.
“We couldn’t do what we do without the people of Atlanta,” Daniels said.
My Sister’s Room is located at 1104 Crescent Ave. in Midtown. For more information, visit mysistersroom.com.
HIGH MUSEUM OF ART ATLANTA THROUGH FEB 16 TICKETS AT HIGH.ORG
Georgia O’Keeffe (American, 1887–1986), Pink Dish and Green Leaves (detail), 1928–1929, pastel on board, private collection. Photography courtesy of Bruce M. White.
MSR hosts weekly events, including drag king and queen shows and dance parties. (Photo by Dyana Bagby)
Thankful
REAL ESTATE
30 Years of Intown Real Estate
Real estate professionals share their memories and insights
By Kathy Dean
Over the last 30 years, Intown housing has been growing by leaps and bounds in popularity and price. That’s true for real estate in all of Atlanta, and Georgia.
In 1990, the average home price in Georgia was roughly $70,700. By 2000, that had jumped to $111,200, according to Demographia/Wendell Cox Consultancy. Zillow reports that in 2024, the average value of a home in Georgia is $328,526.
But that’s all just numbers. Prices go up and down over time, but Intown real estate has seen more lasting changes since 1994.
Center stage
According to Ken Covers, Agent, Engel & Volkers Atlanta, the 1996 Olympics had the most profound effect on Atlanta’s real
estate market because of the global reach the Olympics has on the world stage. “It was then the world realized what a great city Atlanta is. It is also what inspired me to check out Atlanta,” he added. “Once I did, it wasn’t long after that I packed up and moved here from Chicago.”
The games had a direct economic impact, too. Valerie Levin, Senior Vice President, Managing Broker, Midtown Office, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, reported that the Olympics brought in approximately $5 billion.
“The games also generated an estimated $176 million in additional revenue for the state, not to mention the infrastructure improvements, urban redevelopment and media exposure which put Atlanta on the map as a global destination,” she said.
Ken Covers
Valerie Levin
Realtor Harvin Greene’s first home in 1998 was this 1920s bungalow made from a kit you could purchase from Sears & Roebuck. (Courtesy Harvin Greene)
Levin explained that the growth was so fast and the impact on Atlanta so strong that the city had to grow up. “After the 1996 Olympics, the city attracted people from all over the country and the world who saw the potential and ease of living in this Southern jewel of a city,” she said. “This created a need for a robust artistic scene, five-star hotels and Michelin-rated restaurants.”
Harvin Greene, Agent with Dorsey Alston, moved to Atlanta the day after she graduated from the College of Charleston and was working for Coca-Cola during the Olympics. “The investments in the city, its infrastructure and housing after that was what poised us to be the major market we are now living in,” Greene said.
New life for old neighborhoods
As more people flocked to Atlanta, they began looking Intown to some of the area’s more settled communities — such as the Old Fourth Ward, Westside and Summerhill. These neighborhoods have been enjoying a revival.
“It’s wonderful to see the restoration and renewal of these wonderful neighborhoods thriving with families,” Levin said. “Old Fourth Ward is not only an excellent location, it’s rich in our city’s history…Westside is one of the first developments to bring elevated shopping and dining in an urban setting. Summerhill tops Curbed Atlanta’s 2020 list of best places to live in Atlanta.”
Greene, a resident of Historic Druid Hills, said that Ponce City Market was transformative to the east side of town, and she believes that the Westside can credit Westside Provisions District and Georgia Tech with its growth. “Summerhill is one of the more interesting ones to me, as everyone was so upset when the Braves moved to Cobb County, but the new commercial district and Georgia State completely revived that area,” she said. She added that she’s watching Lulah Hills, the old North DeKalb Mall site.
“This is where I think the next hot spot will be as buyers are heading farther east
towards Stone Mountain and Tucker for affordability,” Greene said.
Surviving the slump
Like the rest of the nation, Intown felt the effects of the Great Recession in 2008. Greene got into the real estate business during that time.
“I think it has helped me as I never knew an “easy” market. Every transaction was extremely difficult and complicated,” she said. “Overall, though, I believe Intown Atlanta fared much better as a whole than many of the suburban markets.
“While some areas that were on
the cusp of redevelopment struggled as builders left half-finished projects, they have more than recovered and I think there is smarter development now than what was happening then,” Green added.
Levin also shared an optimistic view. “Like any disruption in our marketplace, it was a time for opportunity and to reinvent our business models,” she said.
She conceded that new construction was hit the hardest, as was commercial real estate. The recession destroyed more than 248,000 jobs in metro Atlanta and caused a quarter-million foreclosures. But since Atlanta attracts new residents and has a high job growth, the city fared better than most.
“The population of Atlanta increased by 0.7% between July 1, 2008, and July 1, 2009, adding 537,386 residents. This was one of Atlanta’s slowest growth rates,” Levin reported.
Since then, job growth has been solid which leads to a demand in housing. “The population of the Atlanta metro area in 2009 was over 5.4 million which was an increase of more than 1.2 million people. This growth helped Atlanta move into the top 10 metropolitan areas by population,” Levin said.
Covers, who specializes in the Morningside neighborhood, watched firsthand as that area lost less value than other areas and recovered quicker. “As we recovered and homeowners did their homework, the public realized the strength
Harvin Greene at her debutant ball in 1993 and today. (Courtesy Harvin Greene)
Every Voter Matters
of the Intown neighborhoods,” he said.
The Beltline ties it all together
One of the biggest changes for Intown has been the Beltline, 22 miles of trails tying together Atlanta neighborhoods.“The Beltline has absolutely changed the Intown real estate market, and all neighborhoods affected,” Covers said. “In addition to shelter, it brought an activity, a lifestyle to the public that they had been craving more of — whether it be biking, walking, skating.”
It has also created many different types of housing opportunities, like townhomes and condos, he added, and they’ve been very well received. “Plus the economic effect it has had on the affected neighborhoods has been absolutely enormous,” Covers stated.
Levin lives on the Beltline in Buckhead and said, “It has enhanced living and walkability in our city.”
On the other hand, she noted that home prices near the Beltline have risen faster than in other areas and contributed to “green gentrification,” a process where restoring urban areas with green spaces increases housing prices and displaces working-class residents.
To help alleviate the problem, “….the
Beltline has acquired land to support affordable housing,” Levin said. “Murphy Crossing is a great example of this; it’s a 20-acre site located directly on the Westside Trail.”
The proposed development plan includes 1,100 residential units, including affordable housing as well as commercial space for small businesses and amenities.
Last thoughts
As far as real estate in general, Greene stressed that one of the biggest changes over the past 30 years has been the use of technology. “The ability to reach buyers directly and market homes through social media — this has been a game changer,” she said.
Homebuyers can get it all here, according to Covers. “I always tell people we truly do sell the American dream here in Atlanta — house, yard, garden and pool — with weather and seasons long enough that allow you to really enjoy having those features,” he said.
Levin predicted positive things for the upcoming year in real estate. “I believe the housing market in 2025 will be vibrant,” she said, “and Atlanta will continue to lead the country as a sought after city to live in!”
The Atlanta Beltline is credited with supercharging Intown’s real estate growth after the recession. The Eastside Trail is shown here under construction in 2012. (Courtesy ABI)
Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration
JANUARY 28, 2025 AT HYATT REGENCY ATLANTA 11:00 AM CHECK-IN | 12:00 PM PROGRAM BEGINS
Join Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District as we highlight Downtown projects and honor the people creating positive change in the heart of the city.
Redevelopment of Atlanta Medical Center set to begin Mall West End to become mixed-use development
By Dyana Bagby
Wellstar Health System has selected the Integral Group to lead the redevelopment of the Atlanta Medical Center site into a revitalized community with housing, retail and healthcare resources.
The October announcement comes nearly two years after Wellstar abruptly closed the 120-year-old hospital in the heart of the historic Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. The announcement also comes as the city’s numerous moratoriums banning new development on the hospital site expired Oct. 15.
The moratoriums were implemented to allow the community and city to come up with a vision for the hospital campus’ redevelopment that is “consistent with the character of the surrounding area,” according to the legislation.
Last month, the city council approved the Atlanta Medical Center Small Area Plan as a concept plan to redevelop the 22-acre hospital property.
The concept plan created with input from Old Fourth Ward residents, city officials and other stakeholders, envisions a public green space, apartment buildings, retail, commercial use and medical and hospital facilities.
“For nearly two years, our administration has worked with purpose and intent on a thoughtful plan for the next chapter for this property,” Dickens said in a news release.
“Through direct engagement with the Old Fourth Ward and surrounding stakeholders, we now have an opportunity to create an inclusive, forward-looking and thriving new development that meets the community’s needs for affordable housing, green space and safe streets — while maintaining some medical use and retaining the neighborhood’s unique character,” he said.
Wellstar, owner of the 22 acres of property, said the redevelopment of the site would be “guided” by the city’s concept plan.
The nature of the health and wellbeing component will be determined in collaboration with community stakeholders as part of Integral’s comprehensive planning
process and will include an in-depth analysis of the area’s healthcare needs, according to the news release.
“At Integral, we believe that transforming a community requires more than just development — it requires a commitment to understanding and addressing the core needs of the people who live there,” said Egbert Perry, chairman of the Integral Group, in the release. “This project is a tremendous opportunity to create a lasting impact. It will honor the history of the area while shaping a vibrant, sustainable future.”
The redevelopment will take place in phases over several years with community input at every stage, according to the Integral Group.
Over the next few weeks, the Integral Group will develop an implementation plan and engage with neighbors and community stakeholders to gather further feedback. Integral expects to apply for permits soon with the goal of beginning demolition of certain aging structures in the first quarter of 2025.
Wellstar will work closely with the city “to build on its revitalization plan and bring to life our shared vision of a thriving, healthy addition to the Old Fourth Ward,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System, in the news release.
Atlanta City Councilmember Amir Farokhi said transforming the hospital property “is a long-awaited new beginning for the Old Fourth Ward community.”
“These properties have enormous potential to meet our city’s and the neighborhood’s need for more dense, mixeduse development, including, hopefully, new housing,” he said in the news release.
The Old Fourth Ward sits at a crossroads of the city, said Tom Boyle, president of Old Fourth Ward Neighborhood Association, in the news release.
“This is a vital investment in the growth and advancement of this historic neighborhood for the betterment of all who live here,” he said. “We are ready to move ahead quickly with the next steps for this site and we are eager to work together throughout all phases of this project.”
By Collin Kelley
The City of Atlanta announced the acquisition of Mall West End in partnership with Atlanta Urban Development and Atlanta Beltline, Inc. BRP Companies and The Prusik Group purchased the land and are leading the redevelopment efforts of the property through a joint venture.
Funding includes a $5 million acquisition loan from Atlanta Urban Development, $5 million from Atlanta Beltline, Inc., and $19 million in acquisition financing provided by Merchants Capital. Atlanta Urban Development and Atlanta Beltline, Inc. have a minority interest in the project as the owner/borrower.
The city announced in July that the 12-acre site will be redeveloped into a mixed-use project led by BRP Companies and The Prusik Group.
The acquisition is the first step in the approximate $450 million redevelopment of the historic property into a mixedincome, mixed-use affordable housing development. The redevelopment will also offer “inclusive commercial space for a diverse business community—most importantly including legacy small businesses,” according to a press release from the city.
“This is a long-awaited new era for the West End. This is not just a redevelopment of the Mall West End— this is fulfilling a commitment to a community,” Mayor Andre Dickens said in the press release. “Our Administration is dedicated to creating affordable housing and vibrant business spaces that respect and preserve the rich legacy of this historic neighborhood. Together with our partners, we will work to ensure the heart and soul of the West End continues to thrive under our stewardship.”
Once a hub for African-American commerce and community, West End
boasts a legacy of historic architecture, eclectic art scene and a variety of cultural events.
“This is the moment the West End community—and all of District 4—have been working towards for years. Thanks to the resilience of legacy residents, business owners and the surrounding communities; and the hard work of our office, Mayor Dickens and his team and so many other partners, we can preserve an authentic cultural experience for future generations of West End and Atlanta residents,” Dist. 4 Councilmember Jason Dozier said in the press release.
Construction on the Mall West End redevelopment is expected to begin in 2025, with phase one completion slated for 2026.
The current plan includes:
■ Approximately 125,000 square feet of retail, including a grocery store, fitness center, food & beverage, and local boutiques
■ Approximately 900 mixedincome rental units, with 70% workforce housing, 20% affordable at 50% AMI, and 10% at 80% AMI
■ A minimum of 10,00 square feet of affordable commercial space allocated for qualified small, local businesses
■ Student-targeted housing
■ A planned 150-key hotel
■ A planned 12,000 square feet of medical office space
■ Extensive community amenities such as activated street scape, fitness center, resident lounges, and bike parking
Along with the plan and in coordination with the Atlanta Beltline, the developer intends to establish a fund that will provide qualifying commercial tenants with rent credits and tenant improvement allowances. The developer has made an initial commitment to fund no less than $500,000 for this effort.
Courtesy Wellstar Via Google Maps
Free, Sustainable, Community Journalism
Cheers to ROUGH DRAFT for 30 years of empowering Atlanta with impactful stories! WABE is thrilled to cover and connect our community with you. —Your Friends at WABE Newsroom
A better Atlanta through brilliant architecture and art
Oscar Harris FAIA, NOMA recalls thirty years ago in Atlanta with fond memories.
The city was preparing to host the 1996 Summer Olympics in a couple of years. Massive capital improvement projects were under construction across the Atlanta region to accommodate millions of anticipated visitors. Since he opened his firm in 1977,
PERSPECTIVES IN ARCHITECTURE
Melody Harclerode
the architect had led Turner Associates to design Hamilton Holmes MARTA Station, the Underground Atlanta revitalization, Atlanta Fulton County Government Center, and other civic projects with firm partner, Jim Graves. Reflecting about this time, Harris observes, "Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, former Mayor Maynard Jackson, Jr.
and Chair of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Billy Payne understood the importance of good design to make a positive impression of Atlanta with visitors during and after the Centennial Olympic Games. Turner Associates had proven that we could design great projects."
Despite the discrimination that Black architects faced with gaining development projects in the private sector, the firm secured significant civic projects for the Games, including Perimeter and Doraville MARTA Stations, Martin Luther King, Jr. Visitor Center, and the Look of the Centennial Olympic Games. Harris appreciates that Turner Associates’ projects for the 1996 Summer Olympics still benefit Atlanta.
Public art, a feature promoted by the firm with its design of Concourse E at HartsfieldJackson International Airport, has inspired a thriving public art program for the entire airport. The dramatic glass dome, curved walls, and clock tower in the firm’s atrium of the central passenger terminal project offer
a welcoming space for travelers. Hermes Towers, the lighted sculptural columns created by the firm for Centennial Olympic Park, remain an iconic symbol of the Centennial Olympic Games and Atlanta.
Following the 1996 Summer Olympics, Turner Associates designed projects, such as the DeKalb County Justice Center, Georgia State University Student Center, Atlanta Police Headquarters Building, and Dynamic Metals Lofts.
Harris started the Atlanta Center for Creative Inquiry in 2004, concerned with the percentage of under-represented groups and women in the architectural profession. Renamed Spike Studio, this nonprofit organization has engaged 650 middle and high school students to promote greater diversity in the architecture, design, construction, and engineering industries. Harris was elevated as a Fellow by the American Institute of Architecture in 2006 for his national impact on the architectural profession.
Oscar Harris FAIA and business partner Jim Graves AIA in the early years of Turner Associates
Oscar Harris in 1980.
Hermes Towers in Centennial Olympic Park.
Fulton County Government Center
DeKalb County Juvenile Courthouse
The award-winning architect, business leader, and mentor has also earned accolades as an artist in recent years. His colorful, abstract paintings have been featured in exhibitions across Atlanta. Harris reflects, “My inspiration comes from everywhere. It might be the sound of John Coltrane’s sax, Miles Davis’s horn, or image compositions that I have locked in my mind while walking
around.” Across multi-disciplines, Oscar Harris, FAIA, NOMA continues to elevate Atlanta with creativity and excellence. For more information about Oscar Harris and his contribution to Atlanta architecture, tune into the Uplifting Places podcast hosted by Melody Harclerode at podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/melodyharclerode.
Here’s the information we need:
■ Nominator (name, relationship to nominee and contact information)
