Atlanta Intown - January 2020

Dear Neighbor,

As the leading individual real estate advisor in Morningside for more than 10 years, no one is more equipped to ensure your home maintains peak engagement from start to finish of the listing process. I am confident that I am the best and most experienced professional to assist you in your next buying or selling transaction.

Being that Morningside is also the place I call home, and given my heavy involvement in the community boards and associations, it is my mission to help you find a buyer that will love your current home just as much as you do.

Please do not hesitate to reach out for a complementary home valuation or listing consultation. Demand in Morningside is high while inventory remains low. There has never been a better time to sell a home in Morningside, I would be proud to represent you with your Real Estate needs.

Ken Covers, Realtor®

Private Office Advisor

c. 404.664.8280 | o. 404.845.7724 ken.covers@evatlanta.com kencovers.evatlanta.com

Of the top 12 sales in Morningside for 2019, Ken has outsold other agents by more than 50% with a total of 5 sales. Additionally, Ken also holds the top 2 sales of the year.

Source: FMLS

We had seen several sold signs with Ken’s name on them as well as the advertising in the local Intown paper that showed he had sold several higher end homes in our neighborhood. That was an important factor in deciding to go with Ken and Engel & Völkers.

Ken’s assistance with staging our property was invaluable. He really transformed the main rooms, creating more of a “wow” factor. We believe that played an important role in selling our home in record time.

He was a pleasure to work with. We actually enjoyed the process and had fun. That’s not something that many people can say about selling their home.”

- Carolyn Appen

Ken Covers has an amazing reputation but our trust in him is primarily from personal experience. He has helped us buy and sell in the past and there was no question when we put our house on the market that we would list it with Ken. No one knows Morningside and the surrounding neighborhoods better than Ken and his commitment is 100%. I’d say he’s got a gift except that I know how hard he works. I would and have recommended Ken to anyone looking to buy or sell and my advice to them is ‘listen to him. He’s worthy of your trust and he knows what he’s talking about.”

- Johanna Norry

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Editorial

Collin Kelley

INtown Editor

collin@atlantaintownpaper.com

(404) 917-2200, ext. 102

Contributors

Dyana Bagby, Sally Bethea, Kathy Dean, Clare Richie, Asep Mawardi, Jacob Nguyen, John Ruch, Tim Sullivan, Megan Volpert

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

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My political agenda: Term limits and retaking the driving test

As the Georgia General Assembly gears up for its 155th session on Jan. 13 and we head into another contentious presidential election year, I thought about quitting as editor of INtown and running for office.

I kid, I kid. But I have considered it a few times.

I would only run on two campaign issues: setting term limits for politicians and requiring that the driving test be retaken every 10 years. I think I’d get elected in a landslide.

Do we really need politicians making a career out of it? No, we do not. Did you know that U.S. Representative Don Young of Alaska is currently serving his 24th term? He’s been in office since I was a toddler and I just turned 50!

Watching the recent impeachment hearings, it became clear to me that term limits are necessary because many members of the body obviously lost any sense of a moral or ethical compass long ago. I firmly believe the longer you’re in political office the muddier your ethics and core values become. What’s that old saying about absolute power corrupting absolutely?

Under my legislation, all seats – local, state and federal – would be capped at two terms. If you can’t get your agenda passed in four to 12 years, then you have no business in politics anyway. Get in, represent your constituents, then get out. Will that fit on a bumper sticker?

While I think many voters (except for other politicians) would get behind that legislation, my second agenda item might be a harder sell. Although, with the way folks are driving these days, maybe not.

I’ve griped and moaned about the lack of responsibility on Intown’s streets a number of times in this column, but I really believe we’re at a crisis point. People just don’t know how to drive, or maybe they don’t care, but something needs to be done. My solution: mandatory retake of the driving test every 10 years. If you’re a multiple violator of traffic laws, every five years. Senior citizens included. I will give no quarter.

On a daily basis I question the judgement of the drivers in front of and behind me. It’s beyond a lack of courtesy, but general disregard for basic traffic laws and with more and more cars on the road, there must be a reckoning. I don’t want to be a road rager, but I find myself screaming “use your @$#^%@$! turn signal” more and more often. Even with back up cameras, people still don’t know how to parallel park. Four way stops seem to mystify drivers of all ages. Yield and Keep Moving signs at interstate onramps are merely suggestions. I could go on and on and on.

Frequent mandatory driving tests would be unpopular, especially with the “ok boomer” set, millennials, Gen X and everybody else. Too bad, so sad! See, I’m already drunk with power.

I seriously doubt that I will ever seek any kind of public office. I really don’t have the temperament for it. But maybe some aspiring candidate will read this column and pick up my agenda. Call me! I’d make a great press secretary.

Happy

The Neighborhood News & Features

A Bigger Better Loop

Contest envisons I-285 with ziplines, lazy river, monorail and more

By John Ruch

Aring of urban forest. A 64-mile-long river. The world’s longest zip line or biggest skate park. Monorails and bus lanes.

Those were just a few of the 50 ideas for the future of I-285 last month in a contest – “A Bigger Better Loop” – operated by Atlanta BeltLine founder Ryan Gravel. The contest was intended to be playful and far-out, Gravel said, but also a way of “training people to think differently” about the massive Perimeter highway’s social and cultural possibilities. After all, he noted, the idea of a park/transit/trail loop on old Atlanta railroad beds was once pretty wacky, too.

The submissions were displayed at Generator, Gravel’s urban-planning nonprofit in Atlanta’s Poncey-Highland neighborhood. He gathered a panel of influential locals to serve as judges, including Atlanta BeltLine Inc. CEO Clyde Higgs; City Planning Commissioner Tim Keane; Marian Liou, founder of Brookhaven’s We Love BuHi and now an Atlanta Regional Commission analyst; Rose Scott of WABE News; Thomas Wheatley of Atlanta Magazine; Bem Joiner of the creative agency Atlanta Influences Everything; Tim Schrager of Perennial Properties; and Bithia Ratnasamy, a city project manager on affordable housing policy.

Liou later said her top pick was 8-year-old Scarlett Partrain’s “The Zipline” – winner in the contest’s “Best Utopia” category – and its depiction of a giant version of the ride where people slide down a cable.

“My favorite was the ‘Zipline,’ because I love seeing children rethinking infrastructure and our built environment with joy and fun in mind. We need more of that,” Liou said.

Gravel said he received 47 public submissions for the contest and tossed in another three himself to make an even 50. That matched one inspiration for the contest: 2019 is both the 20th anniversary of his Georgia Tech thesis paper that proposed the BeltLine and the 50th anniversary of I-285’s completion.

Some of the ideas were improbable fun, like turning the highway into a “lazy river” ride or a 64-mile Porsche test track. Others were within the realm of the possible, such as a monorail line similar to versions proposed over the years by such officials as Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul. The Stuckey’s store company weighed in with a concept for Georgiagrown produce sold in its stores at every exit.

The contest comes as the Georgia Department of Transportation is planning its own major change to I-285: adding “express lanes,” or toll lanes, over the next 15 years, which could carry both private vehicles and mass transit buses. Gravel previously said the toll lanes were not an inspiration for the contest, but that he would prefer a “serious” transit plan. Regarding the content, GDOT spokesperson Scott Higley said, “GDOT welcomes all forms of public input and encourages community engagement,” but also thinks its toll lanes plan is a good one.

“The benefits of express lanes are proven – and not just for users of the express lanes,” Higley said. “Motorists and transit riders on I-75 and I-575 have been experiencing the very real benefits of the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes for well over a year, enjoying greatly reduced travel times and speed limits during rush hour up by an average of 20 mph even in the general purpose lanes. Express bus transit is currently in use in those and all express lanes as it will be on the I-285 Express Lanes.”

Transit was a common theme of the contest, with gondolas and dedicated bus lanes among the options. One proposal called for tolling all exit ramps and using the money to fund MARTA. “Is it legal? Maybe. It is contentious? Certainly,” mused that proposal.

“Atlanta’s Forest Ring” envisioned the Perimeter’s lanes – narrowed thanks to the assumed precision driving of future autonomous vehicles — separated by grass and trees. The “HydroLoop ATL” would place a multilane waterway along the Perimeter, including that lazy river, speedboat lanes and a “recycling chute”; it also proposes a riverfront hotel in Dunwoody and a year-round version of Sandy Springs’ Artsapalooza festival.

Ryan Gravel

Lazy River

The following are the contest winners. Generator Executive Director Heather Infantry said their prizes were the “satisfaction of being recognized by our esteemed panel of judges.”

Best for the People: “285 Expansion Plan: Pocket Cities/TOD & MARTA Loop” by Travis Bruce

Best for the Planet: “More Tree Please: 64 Miles of Forested Trails” by Judy Yi

Best Use of Technology: “Project Iris: A High-Speed Transit and Renewable Energy Parkway” by Nicholas Mulkey

Best Use of Ecology: “The Blue Loop: Off Ramps into Nature” by Hannah Palmer

Best Utopia: “The Zipline” by Scarlett Partain

Best Dystopia: “Multi-Layered I-285” by David Pope

The same day as the contest winners were revealed, Gravel’s Generator became Google Fiber’s first Community Connection in Atlanta. The designation means Generator is now connected to Google’s gigabit network at no cost and with ongoing, dedicated support. Gravel said the superfast internet will be used at Generator to animate the space with digital content and support its workshop series, which prepares the next generation of visionaries and change-makers to cultivate ideas around specific themes or focus areas.

Monorail

Mural

News Roundup

The Atlanta Regional Transit Link Authority adopted the ATL Regional Transit Plan in December. There are 192 projects on the list costing a whopping $27 million, including the Clifton Corridor project that would connect the Lindbergh MARTA station to the Emory/CDC campus.

The Atlanta City Council approved legislation prohibiting the city or its contractors from purchasing, acquiring, or making available to the public noncompostable single-use plastic serviceware, such as bags, styrofoam, and straws. The ban applies to all city buildings, including the concourses and terminals at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The Atlanta City Council has established the City View at Rosa Burney Park Housing Urban Enterprise Zone in the Mechanicsville neighborhood, which allows the city to designate an area or site to receive an abatement of taxes for the purpose of encouraging private investment in areas or sites which otherwise would unlikely be developed because of economic depression. This designation of a residential Urban Enterprise Zone is for 259 and 295 Richardson Street to be rehabilitated as 181 residential affordable housing units for families earning no more than 60 percent of the area median income.

The City of Atlanta scored its seventh consecutive perfect score on the Municipal Equality Index (MEI). With a total raw score of 107, the 2019 report awards the city its highest-ever score on the MEI, which reflects the inclusivity levels of a city’s laws, policies, and services impacting LGBTQ constituents.

Buckhead business executive Kelly Loeffler is the new U.S. Senator for Georgia, replacing incumbent Johnny Isakson, who stepped down mid-term for health reasons. Loeffler, a Republican, was appointed to the Senate seat Dec. 4 by Gov. Brian Kemp.

Celebrating the Dream Events to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 20

To Greatness” gala on Jan. 18 at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown with honorees including actor/musician Jaden Smith. For a full schedule and more information, visit TheKingCenter.org.

The MLK March & Rally

By Collin Kelley

Visiting the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site and the Center for Civil and Human Rights are top destinations to mark the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday on Jan. 20. Here are some other events you won’t want to miss.

MLK Celebration & Jazz Brunch at City Winery

City Winery at Ponce City Market will host a Jazz Brunch in honor of MLK featuring PR Experience and hosted by WCLK’s Deb Moore on Jan. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For tickets and information, visit citywinery.com/atlanta.

The King Center

The annual commemorative service will take place on Monday, Jan. 20, starting at 10 a.m. in the Horizon Sanctuary at Ebenezer Baptist Church. The King Center will also host the annual “Salute

The King Day March, also set for Monday afternoon, Jan. 20, along Peachtree Street to Auburn Avenue and on to Jackson Street. Leading up to the event, the MLK March Committee will observe King Week from Jan. 12 to 20 with a series of worship services, youth conference and more. See the full schedule at mlkmarchcommittee.com.

Children’s Museum of Atlanta

The Downtown museum will mark the King Holiday on Jan. 20 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with events including a reader’s theater, science show, storytime, art studio and build it lab. Visit childrensmuseumofatlanta.org for full details.

MLK Day 5K Drum Run

The annual walk/run will be held Jan. 20 starting at 8 a.m. in Piedmont Park with the start and finish at 10th Street near Park Tavern. The USATF certified course and Peachtree Road Race qualifier will be run on grass, road, gravel, wooden bridge and dirt

paths through the park. There will also be a 3.1-mile drumline all along the racecourse, so come early to enjoy the music. To register and for more information, visit mlkday5k. com.

Atlanta History Center

There will be free admission to the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead in honor of Martin Luther King Day. Among this year’s highlights is a performance of “Walking Through the Valley” written by Addae Moon, Atlanta History Center’s Director of Museum Theatre. Set in 1963, a young activist is asked by the “powers that be” to alter the language in a speech he’s written for what will become an historic event. He envisions a conversation with four iconic freedom fighters in an effort to decide whether a compromise will best serve the greater good. For the full schedule of events and activities, visit AtlantaHistoryCenter. com.

National Center for Civil and Human Rights

The Downtown museum will be open on MLK Day and is home to the permanent Martin Luther King Jr. Collection of papers and items from Morehouse College. Visitors can also explore the permanent exhibition on the American Civil Rights Movement and other social justice and human rights causes. For more information, visit civilandhumanrights.org.

Luther King Jr. Community Service Awards

Martin

Emory University will hand out the annual awards on Jan. 23 at 4:30 p.m. in the Rollins Schools of Public Health on the main campus, 1518 Clifton Road. This year’s theme is “Mobilizing for Justice, Advocating for Change.” For more, visit emory.edu/MLK.

BeltLine gets $2.8 million for light rail, announces Southside Trail contractor

The City of Atlanta has officially secured $2.8 million to advance the extension of light rail to the Atlanta BeltLine’s Westside Trail and Eastside Trails. The announcement was made Dec. 3 at the BeltLine’s Fourth Quarter Briefing held at Atlanta Technical College. According to BeltLine officials, the work funded by the $2.8 million will include “geotechnical and utility surveys to clarify impacts and costs of the preferred alignment in support of transit build-out with MARTA and the City. It will also provide data that can help determine potential station locations.”

A timeline for completion of the project was not announced.

Also announced at the briefing: Astra Group will build the first phase of the paved Southside Trail between University Ave and Pittsburgh Yards on the western portion of the trail.

The BeltLine was recently denied a $16 million federal grant to begin work on paving the eastern portion of the trail that begins at Bill Kennedy Way at Memorial Drive.

Collin Kelley

Martin Luther King Jr.

Jaden Smith

A rendering of the BeltLine with transit.

Pet Pick

Lager is a smiley, snuggler. He’s a smaller guy and very polite. In his kennel, he is quiet and still. When he’s outside, he just wants to be close to you. Lager would love to have another dog in his life, but he’s also okay with being an only dog. He would love to have an adopter who can nurture him and build his confidence. Lager is smart, and a quick learner. If you’re looking for gentle companion who would be up for just about anything, please come meet Lager. For more information about adopting Lager, visit PAWSAtlanta.org or visit the shelter at 5287 Covington Highway in Decatur.

Bad back, good life

It’s December and I’ve been squeezing every ounce of productivity I can out of each day. Tying up loose ends at work, shopping for holiday gifts and frantically getting the house ready to host a huge crowd on Christmas, which, in turn, caused me to throw my back out. Suddenly, this very busy time of year is at a fully immobile stop.

There is nothing like a poorly timed back injury to make a guy feel sorry for himself. While sequestered at home I’ve been trying to focus on the positive, but I’ve also been watching a lot of daytime TV, which means I’ve seen every imaginable pharmaceutical advertisement.

Take this one ad for treating plaque psoriasis. There is a 40-something-year-old “regular” guy at the gym who more than anything loves playing basketball. But his embarrassing rash has him sidelined. Cosentyx clears him up and gets him back in the game! But the story falls flat when he starts dribbling and looks like a toddler attempting yo-yo tricks. Basketball is his passion? Really? I could certainly play the role better than that guy. Cosentyx—call me.

When my back gave out, my mother-inlaw rushed over to help. My brother covered for me at work and my assistant coaches ran basketball practices for me. Elliott handled getting the garbage and recycling to the curb. Margo helped me put on my socks and gave me gentle snuggles to cheer me up.

Despite the discomfort, I do feel supported. Heck, at least I don’t have plaque psoriasis.

TIMMY DADDY

By Tim Sullivan Tim Sullivan grew

Oh, wait – another pharmaceutical ad. It’s a happy, wintry scene right out of a Hallmark movie until the poor guy looks like he dislocates his elbow throwing a snowball. The actor isn’t model-goodlooking or anything so if they just needed an average dad-type who can properly throw a snowball they should have called me! Now I forget what the ailment and product even were. It may have been to treat diabetes or lower cholesterol or whatever. I have no idea though because I was so distracted by the actor.

But tuning out the TV for a few minutes, I really am awfully thankful for my wife. Even through a super busy week at work, Kristen has kept the household grooving while I groan, ingest Advil and watch TV. Her birthday is next week, too. She deserves some spoiling so

I really need to recover quickly. As of right now her gift will be whatever unused Icy-Hot patches I have left over.

I am glad that they stopped running those Cialis commercials with the His and Her bathtubs down at the lake though. Talk about suspension of reality. I always felt bad for the poor saps that had to carry those bathtubs down to the dock, too. I bet their backs hurt.

I’m not old enough to play the husband in Cialis ads, but I could offer some marketing consultation. I think people are annoyed by the same old rich guy with the salt and pepper coif. He has the self-satisfied look of someone who has made millions orchestrating hostile takeovers for Bain Capital. And his significantly younger wife is VERY excited about this little pill. They are basically a 30-year age progression of the couple with His and Her Audis gift wrapped in the driveway on Christmas morning. But let’s not get started on car commercials – bah humbug!

OK, I need to turn the TV off. My back will heal eventually, won’t it? There will be some presents under the tree and my guests will have a good time even if the house isn’t

perfect, right? In 2020 I plan to remember that I am only as good as the people around me. And I’m very lucky to have such great people. Also, once I can put my own socks on again, I’m getting an agent. Happy New Year, all.

up in a large family in the Northeast and now lives with his small family in Oakhurst. He can be reached at tim@ sullivanfinerugs.com.

Office Space

New renderings released in former Masquerade transformation

By Collin Kelley

The transformation of the former Masquerade nightclub and concert venue into a new office complex called The Mill continues, and developers have released dramatic new renderings of the project

Located across from Ponce City Market in Old Fourth Ward, the site was also the former Excelsior Mill, which has been on North Avenue for at least 118 years. The Mill also has direct access to the Eastside Trail of the Atlanta BeltLine and Historic Fourth Ward Park.

Southeastern Capital Companies and Coro Realty acquired the buildings in July 2016 and have since led the extensive renovation efforts, which were designed by Smith Dalia Architects.

Exterior steel cladding was custommilled to reproduce the original historical pattern, while the reopening of large windows has brought daylight deep into the previously darkened interior spaces. Original heavy timber posts, beams and trusses also showcase the building’s mill history. Much of the manufacturing equipment will remain in place, including a heavy-duty gear and pulley system originally used at the property.

“It is exciting to begin to see the adaptation and restoration of these extraordinary buildings take shape,” said Robert Fransen, Managing Partner, Coro Realty. “The Mill is a best-in-class renovation in one of Atlanta’s best Intown neighborhoods. We’re continuing to round out our portfolio with these diverse property types and are proud to preserve this important Atlanta landmark.”

When completed in first quarter 2020, The Mill will deliver more than 30,000 square feet of open, creative office space. thoughtwell. is serving as asset manager, guiding the project’s overall branding, messaging and leasing. Scott DeMeyer and Emily Richardson with Colliers International are leading the office leasing.

For more information, visit themillatl. com.

REAL ESTATE. REAL PEOPLE.

Ground was broken Dec. 9 for Midtown Union, the massive mixed-use development that will include the global headquarters for Invesco. Members of the development team, including MetLife Investment Management, Granite Properties, Invesco, and other officials took part in the ceremony.

Invesco, the sixth-largest U.S. retail asset manager, has committed $70 million to expanding in Atlanta will add 500 jobs.

Designed by Cooper Carry, with Brasfield & Gorrie as the general contractor, Midtown Union will feature 606,000 square foot Class A, LEED-certified office building developed by Granite Properties and MetLife Investment Management. The 26-story tower offers a multi-level hospitality lobby and 12,000 square feet landscaped outdoor amenity deck on the 8th floor. The deck will connect to a fitness center, conference meeting facilities and a pre-function area to support multiple meetings.

There will also be a 355-unit apartment tower atop eight levels of parking developed by StreetLights Residential in partnership with MetLife Investment Management. The 18-story multifamily will offer studio, one, two and three-bedroom homes and amenities such as concierge service, coffee bar, conference lab, co-working space, resident storage, pet spa, fitness center, club room and an outdoor amenity deck with pool, seating and grilling stations.

A 205-room boutique hotel will be developed by Stormont Hospitality Group and the Allen Morris Company in partnership with MetLife Investment Management. The 12-story hotel offers 5,000 square feet of meeting space, a chef-driven restaurant, and a bar facing Arts Center Way.

There will also be an extension of Arts Center Way creating a new pedestrian-friendly retail destination offering 30,000 square foot of shops, restaurants and green space, while a 635,000 square foot parking deck providing 1,909 parking spaces.

The project is expected to be complete by late 2022.

Officials from MetLife Investment Management, Grantit Properties, and Invesco were on hand for the groundbreaking at Midtown Union.

40-story mixed-use tower proposed in Midtown

lowest level of the parking deck, more art and greenery along 15th.

SCAD’s proposed expansion of its Digital Media Center will add 3,500 square feet to the existing 60,000-square-foot building at 1116 West Peachtree Street. Taking design cues from the recently completed SCAD 40 building, the stucco-clad two-story expansion will include new signage and architectural lighting to accent the building at night. The project was approved by the DRC with recommendations for more lighting and landscape improvements.

The Midtown Development Review Committee finished out 2019 with presentations for three new projects: a new 40-story mixed-use tower near the Arts Center MARTA Station, SCAD’s Digital Media Center, and a new 20-story student housing project accommodating almost 800 students.

According to a recap provided by Midtown Alliance, the biggest project on the table at the Dec. 11 meeting was from Hanover Company: a 40-story mixed-use tower at the southwest corner of West Peachtree and the planned extension of 15th Street. The project at 1230 West Peachtree would have 8,600 square feet of ground floor retail uses at the street corner with 258,000 square feet of office, 328 apartment units and a 793-space parking deck. Construction would begin in 2021 to coordinate with the planned extension of 15th Street. The DRC commended the design team for the building’s overall architecture, but did suggest a few design modifications to both meet code and improve the street level experience, including a pedestrian connection from 15th Street to the

Chicago-based Core Campus is entering the Midtown market for private off-campus student housing project called Hub on Campus project at 960 Spring Street at the corner of Peachtree Place. The site is directly across the street from two other student housing developments –The Mark and University House. Hub on Campus would feature 278 units (784 beds) and 5,600 square feet of ground floor retail along Spring Street. The DRC recommended several modifications to enhance the street-level retail and eliminate small alcoves that could present public safety challenges. Landscaping, more security and green screening for the wall of the parking garage facing Spring and 10th streets was also recommended. The applicant will provide updated plans for further review by the committee in the new year.

Different views of the proposed 1230 West Peachtree

SCAD Digital Media Center

Hub on Campus

▲The former Turner Broadcasting campus on Techwood Drive in Midtown was dedicated to its founder, Ted Turner, at a ceremony on Dec. 6. The name Turner Broadcasting ceased to exist after the company was purchased by AT&T and the building is now home to its subsidiary WarnerMedia. In addition to the campus dedication, WarnerMedia unveiled a commissioned mural portrait of Ted Turner by famed artist JEKS, and announced a $550,000 gift to the University of Georgia, establishing Ted Turner Exhibition Hall & Gallery at UGA’s Library, the Ted Turner Scholarship Fund to students at UGA’s Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication and WarnerMedia’s Ted Turner Maverick

Internship, in partnership UGA’s Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication.

The real estate investment and management firm behind Ponce City Market has launched a new online direct-to-consumer investment platform called Jamestown Invest. The initiative will provide U.S.-based investors the opportunity to directly invest in Jamestown real estate for the first time across a variety of national markets. The first target acquisitions for the fund are Southern Dairies, a historic five-building, 79,000-plus square foot creative office campus located in Old Fourth Ward, and the Upper Westside Portfolio, featuring more than 223,000-plus square feet of loft office, showroom, and warehouse space. To learn more, JamestownInvest.com.

The Metro Atlanta Chamber and ChooseATL have launched a new series on its social media platforms called Atlanta Made, which showcases individuals who are making their mark in the region. The first two profiles were on Qoins’ CEO and Founder Christian Zimmerman and Axis Replay’s CEO and Founder Allie Young. Visit @ChooseATL on Twitter and Instagram to follow the series.

Italian accessories brand Max Stanco has opened at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead. The 1,700 square foot location offers high-end artisan leather shoes and travel and sports bags for men and women. Fashion brands Tom Ford and Dolce & Gabbana have also opened at the mall.

JLL has announced that technology company Square, Inc. is expanding its presence by 26,000 square feet at BB&T Tower at Atlantic Station. Through this expansion, the company will almost double its presence at the tower, bringing the total occupied space to 55,000 square feet.

London-based indoor mini-golf experience Puttshack has signed its first American lease at The Interlock development in West Midtown. Puttshack will occupy more than 25,000 square feet and will feature four unique nine-hole competitive mini-golf courses complemented by food and beverage offerings and a private event space for hosting social and corporate events.

Atlanta Land Trust and Latin American Association have been named as the 2019 Bank of America Neighborhood Builder awardees in celebration of their 100 years in Atlanta. The nonprofits were selected for their work to address issues fundamental to economic mobility, ensuring opportunities are within reach for all Atlantans. As an awardee,

each organization receives a $200,000 grant, a year of leadership training for the executive director and an emerging leader at the organization, a network of peer organizations across the U.S., and the opportunity to access capital to expand their impact.

Cobbler Union, the Atlanta-based luxury footwear and leather accessories brand, has opened a pop-up shop at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. Open through summer 2020, this will be Cobbler Union’s second shop, with an existing brick-and-mortar at Ponce City Market. The pop-up shop will offer drivers, sneakers, and accessories in an 827 square foot shop.

Golf equipment company PXG is now open at Lenox Square in Buckhead. The 3,000 squarefoot location includes two state-of-the-art fitting bays, a putting green and an expansive retail area.

Boardroom Salon for Men will open its latest location at Madison Yards on Memorial Drive this month. Boardroom is a combination oldtime barbershop and a country club where men can relax, unwind, and enjoy a haircut, shave, or spa service. The salon features dark wood paneling, plush leather chairs, pool table, chessboard, complimentary beverage, and more. There are locations already open in Buckhead and on North Druid Hills. For more information, visit boardroomsalon.com.

Celebrating $24M In Sales In 2019

Fundraiser launched after ‘catastrophic’ fire at Paris on Ponce

A fire ravaged Paris on Ponce – the historic building full of eclectic vintage shops and event spaces along the Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside Trail – the night before Thanksgiving. A fundraiser has been launched to help restore the 100-year-old-building.

Paris on Ponce owner Nicolette Valdespino has set up a GoFundMe page and at press time, nearly $17,000 has been raised. There’s a goal of $100,000.

Valdespino said that a number of the shops were destroyed and described the damage as “catastrophic.” The shops destroyed by the fire include Three Hearts, Full Circle, BeltLine Books, PopLooks, Carl Janes Studio and Korki.

Valdespino, who doesn’t own the building that was formerly the Colgate Mattress Factory, said she is hopeful that insurance will eventually pay for repairs, but she said work needs to begin immediately if Paris on Ponce is to survive.

“Help to begin rebuilding, to clean, and to take care of our incredible staff of eight through the holidays that are beyond heartbroken,” Valdespino said. “Hopefully, insurance will take care of us eventually, but these things take time – usually months – and if we have a shot to begin rebuilding, it has to be now.”

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Are you living your best life?

Collin Kelley

Home & Real Estate

2020 Vision

Intown real estate professionals look forward to a strong market

By Kathy Dean

The real estate market in Atlanta’s Intown neighborhoods has seen a lot of changes over the last decade. Overall, they’ve been positive. Since 2010, home prices have skyrocketed. Sales are up dramatically, and houses are selling more quickly than ever.

Over the last two years or so, however, things have leveled off a bit.

Ansley Atlanta Real Estate, reported that while there is more inventory than last year, the amount of time it takes to sell that inventory has also increased.

“The average days on the market for single family homes and condominiums increased to 41 days compared to 34 days in 2018,” he said, adding that the market has experienced a healthy appreciation in home value.

“The average sales price for single family homes jumped to $524,000, up from $495,000 in 2018,” Hinote said. “Condominium prices have also increased from an average of $339,500 in 2018 to $365,600 in 2019.”

These days, Intown buyers don’t make low offers, according to Ken Covers, Realtor and luxury home specialist in the Intown Market with Engel & Völkers Atlanta. “When I talk to homeowners who are renovating, I advise them not to water it down, but to ‘water it up.’ The nicer the homes are, the faster they sell.”

He sold five of the top 12 home sales in Morningside, and “one of the nicest went for $1,849,000,” Covers said. “Another went for $750,000 over the asking price—and it sold in a day-anda-half!”

million to spend and was struggling to find the home they wanted.

While scarcity of deliverable product is driving up the value, Covers said that the price still has to be in the range of the value. And he predicted that values will continue to increase in 2020.

“I’m often asked, “How long will this last?” There’s no way to know for

2019 overview

According to Alison Sternfels, Compass Atlanta—Team 360° ATL, while the market is still going great, the Intown market didn’t see as much appreciation from 2018 to 2019 as it did from 2017 to 2018. “Homes are selling an average of 2% to 3% below list price, which is a fantastic statistic, but many properties had a price reduction prior to going under contract,” she said.

Six months of inventory indicates a normal market regarding supply, she explained, and “we’re still below six months of inventory in all price ranges except $2 million and above. This is good news for sellers, and the moral of this story is to price right from the beginning.”

Rodney Hinote, Associate Broker,

The Intown real estate market had been relatively strong in 2019, noted Erin Yabroudy, Realtor with Harry Norman Realtors. “While the number of sales has cooled, the home values continue to appreciate,” she said.

“We’ve found the demand for housing remains strong and that buyers are attracted to the vibrant urban lifestyle that our restaurants, shops, parks and schools provide,” explained her colleague Kevin McGlynn, Realtor with Harry Norman Realtors.

He added that, for buyers, there has never been a better time, since interest rates have remained low and lending requirements and options have become more flexible.

Often, well-finished homes sell at full price within two days, he said. “Of course, that’s when everything about the house is done. Then it’s received extremely well. It’s almost a phenomenon,” he continued. “Listings are going for full price and in cash.”

Looking ahead

As for challenges in the Intown market, Covers expects to face the same things in the coming year as he did in 2019. “While it’s never been more desirable to live Intown, there’s just not enough premium product,” he said. “There’s a strong desire to be Intown among the more premium buyers.”

He reported working with one client who had $2.5

sure, but this is the sixth year in a row. It’s ferocious. It’s the most active time in the city,” Covers said. “There are more buyers than properties available, and prices are up 3 to 5% for sellers.”

Sternfels agreed that there’s no reliable way to predict the future. “A crystal ball would be fantastic to have! I do see the market continuing in a similar path as 2019, with pricing appreciating a little to holding steady with inventory remaining on the lower level.”

All signs point to 2020 being very similar to 2019, with steady growth and increased home values, according to Hinote. “Have you seen the cranes in Midtown lately? Job growth is happening, and all the people moving to Atlanta need a place to live,” he said. “A few years ago, many buyers were experiencing ‘buyer fatigue,’ losing out on multiple buyer situations, only to end up renting out of frustration. I do foresee an increase in inventory next

Alison Sternfels

Ken Covers

Rodney Hinote

Erin Yabroudy

year, which is great news for buyers!”

Yabroudy and McGlynn said they’re excited about the 2020 housing market and look forward to another recordsetting year. “Our city’s booming economy and strong job growth in Midtown are encouraging factors for the Intown market,” Yabroudy said. “There are lots of choices available for today’s buyers, from high rise condos to traditional homes in our beautiful neighborhoods.”

BeltLine properties still hot

Of course, there’s one area that continues to be a big draw for Intown homebuyers.

“The Atlanta BeltLine has greatly contributed to the success of the Intown market,” McGlynn explained. “We see lots of great things happening in neighborhoods in and around the BeltLine.”

Hinote said that anything that’s sleek in design and BeltLine adjacent is generating a lot of interest and demand. “I’m excited about what’s happening with the Memorial Drive corridor and the Summerhill/Georgia State stadium area,” he said. “Both of those areas include all the necessary elements to provide a true neighborhood experience,

including walkability to restaurants, shops and nightlife.”

Covers expects that what has been popular will continue to be desirable in 2020—and that means beautiful condos and anything near the BeltLine. “The BeltLine is the ‘waterfront’ property of Atlanta,” he said.

He pointed to a townhome overlooking the BeltLine that’s priced at $1.6 million. “The quality is stellar, with four floors, a full two-car garage, outdoor kitchen and wine cellar,” Covers said. And it appeals to two groups of buyers flocking to Intown.

“There are the millennials, who want what they want, and the baby boomers who are coming Intown in record numbers,” he reported. “They want to be close to the BeltLine and where the activity and action is.”

Luxury and convenience

As a rule, boomers are looking for a flat level home, Covers said, and want

to be able to walk from their garage into their kitchen. “And they want it fully finished,” Covers noted. “They want it well done and high end. It needs to be turn-key; they don’t want any work to do on it.”

Open floor plans, as well as highend kitchens and baths, continue to be popular, “but if I can put my finger on any one feature that’s really bringing in the buyers, it’s the master closet,” Covers said.

He explained that people have substantial wardrobes and want a house with a large closet—almost the size of a bedroom— to showcase their expensive clothes, handbags and shoes, rather than just a small room to hang their clothing.

“The home with the large, welldesigned master closet will sell very well,” Covers said. “In the next one to two years, I think we’ll see a lot of development in that area.”

One of the areas of the housing market that excites Yabroudy and

McGlynn is the emergence of smaller but more luxurious homes. “Many boomers are looking to downsize and move into town from the suburbs and want a smaller home, but they also want it nicely appointed,” Yabroudy said.

A need for more Intown housing

With the influx of boomers, Yabroudy said she’d like to see more homes with a master bedroom on the main floor. “New home starts are up Intown and new construction tends to sell quickly, so we’d love to continue to see speculative builders and renovators choose to work Intown,” she said. “We always appreciate builders who design appropriately designed homes that fit the existing style of our historic neighborhoods.”

As far as what Intown real estate needs, Hinote added that he does hope to see more affordable housing options that will appeal to first-time homebuyers in 2020. “That’s one segment of the housing market that is lagging behind in Atlanta, and I’d like to see a bigger initiative by the city and developers to fill this need,” he said. Sternfels agreed. “Without question, Atlanta is in need of affordable housing throughout the Intown neighborhoods.”

Kevin McGlynn

▲Kolter Urban has announced it will build a luxury 47-unit condo tower, Graydon Buckhead, at 2520 Peachtree Road. Construction will begin in early 2020 with expected completion by mid2022. The 22-story tower will be a 5,850 square foot penthouse as well as two- and three-bedroom homes ranging from just over 2,100 to 3,600 square feet. Luxury amenities include valet and concierge services, a resort-style pool and spa, elegant entertainment areas, formal and informal club rooms, fitness center with spin studio, green yoga lawn, dog spa and park, and two guest suites.

The Ardent Companies has announced it will build LaFrance Square, a 102unit apartment building and townhome development near the Edgewood-Candler Park MARTA station and Pratt-Pullman District at the corner of LaFrance Street and Arizona Avenue. According to a report at Curbed Atlanta, a timeline for the project has not been set.

Christie’s International Real Estate welcomed 200 brokers from its global network to the company’s invitation-only Luxury Specialist Conference recently held in Houston. At the conclusion of the conference, attendees were bestowed with the Christie’s International Real Estate Luxury Specialist designation by Christie’s Education, which is reserved for brokers who have shown a dedication to exceptional client service by continuing to acquire expertise and insights into the ever-evolving luxury sector. Harry Norman, Realtors brokers were honored for completing the exclusive program and earning the designation.

▼Engel & Völkers Buckhead Atlanta has opened a new office at 3221 Peachtree

Street. Shirley Gary, owner and CEO of Engel & Völkers Buckhead Atlanta and Engel & Völkers Atlanta North Fulton, and her team of real estate advisors welcomed clients, colleagues and community leaders to a champagne reception on Nov. 14 to officially open the new, 5,600 square foot space. “We are absolutely thrilled with the location, size and functionality of this new office,” said Gary. “The location and visibility can’t be beat. The office is surrounded by ample, free parking, which is practically unheard of in Buckhead these days. And, we now have plenty of room for training sessions and large meetings.”

►Marx Realty has announced the completion of the $10.5 million modernization and repositioning of 207 Peachtree in Atlanta. The 1920s property has been reintroduced as The Department Building in homage to its former use as Regenstein’s Department Store. The historic building exterior as well as the original Art Deco design elements have been preserved. A new rooftop amenity deck will provide unobstructed views

up and down Peachtree Street and of Stone Mountain. Local design firm ASD | SKY managed the redesign. Saito – Sushi, Steak and Cocktails will open at 2,200 square feet restaurant on the ground floor while tenants are sought for the upper floors.

Cherry Street Energy, Parallel Housing and Woda Cooper Companies partnered for the Adair Court Housing Development, which recently celebrated its grand opening at 806 Murphy Ave. Adair Court is a mixed-income senior community in Adair Park, located on the Atlanta Beltline. There are two buildings in the housing development for seniors aged 55 years and above. Nineteen of the units are reserved for residents earning up to 50 percent of the area median income and 58 units for residents earning 60 percent AMI.

Sustainability How ‘better living through chemistry’ became a national emergency

Iam a child of the 1950s, perhaps like many of you, born at the beginning of that post-World War II decade: a transition period from wartime production of industrial products to a peacetime era of mass consumption, when chemical companies and ad agencies combined their efforts to sell “a better living through chemistry.”

ABOVE THE WATER LINE

By

America’s chemical industry worked tirelessly to refashion itself for this new era and maintain its revenues.

DuPont, Dow, 3M, Formosa and others manufactured new products to support “modern lifestyles,” using petrochemicals, plastics, woodpreservatives, pesticides and more. These products were developed, quickly tested, and then marketed to farmers and the general public.

Glitzy media pieces urged consumers to “gladden hearts and lighten labor” through the “wonderful world of chemistry.”

My memories of these so-called miracle products are many. I remember the airplanes flying low over the beach on Florida’s Sanibel Island in the late 1950s and 1960s, spraying DDT to kill mosquitoes; my parents would shout that the planes were coming and my sister and I would run outside to watch them drop their cargo, no doubt breathing the white mist. At home in Atlanta, men walked through the stream behind our house – where I loved to play – spraying the water with mosquito-killing chemicals. At the 1964 World’s Fair, DuPont’s popular pavilion was filled with magical

new products for the home and a flashy musical revue that extolled the virtues of man-made chemicals. It was all so exciting!

In the early 1960s, DuPont introduced its “happy pan” to make life easier with Teflon, a new name for the chemical coating that used perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its long chains of carbon during the manufacturing process. Like most homemakers, my mother was thrilled at the prospect of not having to scrub pans. As our pans aged, I remember seeing strings of the Tefloncoating peel off the cookware. Was our food being seasoned with Teflon? Was it a safe product? Early studies didn’t reveal any associated health issues and, besides, we believed that the government would protect us from harmful products.

The chemical industry boomed, as sales reached into the millions and then billions of dollars; thousands more chemicals were developed and marketed in the following decades. Passed by Congress in 1976, the Toxic Substances Control Act required the U.S. EPA to inventory all chemicals produced in this country; it yielded a list of more than 60,000 synthetic substances – all of which, including PFOA, were exempt from the new regulations.

That the science of chemistry has changed and, in many ways, vastly improved our lives is not in dispute. Yet, in the past four decades, we’ve learned a great deal more about the impacts of some of these chemicals on public health and the environment –how they move through the environment (and us) and the risks they pose. Thanks to inquisitive victims, investigative journalists, environmental organizations and public interest

attorneys, we have also learned how some companies repeatedly failed to disclose the hazardous nature of products and kept government agencies in their pockets.

The true story of DuPont, PFOA and the cancers and deformities in Parkersburg, West Virginia is told in the new movie “Dark Waters.” It is a deeply troubling – in truth, nauseating – tale of how the company hid evidence that the synthetic chemical was a toxin that could slowly build up in humans and cause kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, pre-eclampsia and ulcerative colitis. The movie traces the efforts of a relentless attorney, over two decades, to obtain justice for people harmed by the chemicals and demand that the federal government take action on PFAS: a group of about 4,700 synthetic substances, now known as “forever chemicals.”

Used in Teflon, ScotchGuard, firefighting foam and other products, PFOA has been poisoning land, contaminating drinking water and harming people since the mid-20th century. Based on its own secret medical studies, DuPont knew since the 1970s that their factory workers were being contaminated, ingestion caused birth defects, dust from factory chimneys settled beyond

property lines, and the chemical was in local water supplies. The company considered a less toxic alternative in the 1990s, but determined the financial risk to be too great; PFOA-products were an important part of the company’s $1 billion in annual profit.

In 2013, EPA finally demanded, after years of pressure, that DuPont stop making and using PFOA, so the company switched to the “less-toxic” alternative developed ten years earlier, also not evaluated or regulated. EPA then issued a “health advisory” level for PFOA, i.e., a guideline that is not enforceable and cannot be used to demand cleanups. Under the Trump Administration, EPA has become even more timid about taking any action. With the federal government’s total failure to manage this toxic chemical, some states are moving toward regulation, notably Minnesota, Michigan, New York, New Jersey and Vermont.

Meanwhile, safety concerns, protests and legal actions are escalating. In Georgia, the city of Rome recently filed a lawsuit against thirty carpetmanufacturing companies that used PFOA and are located upstream of its drinking water supply, where high levels of the “forever chemical” have been found.

How do we ensure that our living is really “better” with chemicals? Make sure that your candidates will fight for a strong, funded EPA. Support the use of public funds for much-needed science and health studies and adequate monitoring of our water supplies. Demand transparency and accountability, so all risk assessment studies and other pertinent documents are made available to the public. Elections matter.

Sally Bethea

Sally Bethea is the retired executive director of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. She continues her advocacy for the environment and won the Georgia Press Association Award for opinion writing for her monthly column in INtown.

For your next chapter

Your home is more than a building or an address. It’s where you experience life, connection and growth. The real estate team you choose to represent your property should be as exceptional as you are, and as your next chapter is going to be. In Atlanta, only Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty offers unrivaled service and limitless opportunities.

TUCKER.

By Dyana Bagby

A ribbon cutting was held Dec. 12 to officially open the “model mile” of the Peachtree Creek Greenway, the first stretch of a linear park and multiuse path that is envisioned to stretch 12 miles and connect Atlanta, Brookhaven, Chamblee, unincorporated DeKalb County and Doraville.

Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst told the crowd of more than 100 people who attended the ceremony that the plan is for someone to be able to get on a bike in Brookhaven, ride on the Greenway to the Atlanta BeltLine, then to the Silver Comet Trail and then to Alabama.

“This used to be called the miracle mile because people thought it would take a miracle to get this thing done,” Ernst said of the first leg that opened between North Druid Hills Road and Briarwood Road.

The ribbon-cutting fell on the one-year anniversary of the groundbreaking ceremony. There are more anniversaries to be had, Ernst said.

“This is just a point in time, just one … and I know in a few years well be digging in the dirt again and connecting that path, so let’s get to it,” he said.

Numerous people and organizations are responsible for the completing the first mile, including the Salvation Army, whose regional headquarters is adjacent to the Greenway The nonprofit donated land that is used for a trailhead off North Druid Hills Road.

Special recognition was also given to the nonprofit Peachtree Creek Greenway organization that has advocated for its construction including Betsy Eggers, chair of the organization, and board members Sarah K. Kennedy and Meredith O’Connor.

“We’re just ecstatic,” Eggers said after the ceremony as she prepared to ride her bike. “To think this creek was just a nasty, dumped-on, trash location. But now it’s not just usable, it is joyful.”

ECO BRIEFS

During the recent Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, the U.S. Green Building Council announced that more than 100 cities and communities have now achieved LEED certification. The City of Atlanta, this year’s Greenbuild host city, marked the 100th certification. USGBC launched LEED for Cities and Communities in 2016 as a globally consistent framework for measuring and tracking sustainability at the city and community scale. The rating system tracks progress across key performance indicators, including energy, waste, water, transportation, resilience, health and equity.

The Georgia Conservancy honored former U.S. President Jimmy Carter as its 2019 Distinguished Conservationist during its recent gala at the Atlanta History Center. As one of the Georgia Conservancy’s charter members in 1967, Carter’s environmental legacy in Georgia and beyond includes preserving the Upper Flint River at Sprewell Bluff, establishment of the Georgia Heritage Trust, support of significant environmental policy changes and an unwavering commitment to natural resources. “Future generations of conservation leaders must remember that we are stewards of a precious gift, which is not an unpleasant duty but rather an exciting challenge,” said President Carter. “We must safeguard our land so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy freshwater, clean air, scenic mountains and coasts, fertile agricultural lands, and healthy save places to live and thrive.”

Southface Institute and Atlanta Housing have closed on the first transaction of approximately 0.7 acres, which includes the existing Southface campus, located at 241 Pine Street NE. Southface has been on this site, under a long-term land lease, since 1995 when it moved from Moreland Avenue to construct a demonstration facility that highlights residential sustainability in partnership with the City of Atlanta prior to the 1996 Olympic Games. This transaction is the initial purchase of land within the up to 1.8 acres of the current Civic Center site that the Atlanta Housing Board of Directors approved last November. By remaining in its current space, Southface can continue its work promoting sustainable homes, workplaces and communities, while preparing for transformative growth in the future.

Visitors to the Trees Atlanta Kendeda Center may notice some new, tiny dots adorning the glass on the building. These dots are special window treatments designed to prevent birds from flying into the windows. The project is thanks to a partnership between Trees Atlanta and Atlanta Audubon, with a grant from the Disney Conservation Fund. The dots are a special CollidEscape film that reduces the transparency of the glass and breaks up reflection, preventing bird-window strikes.

The custom bridge for the Greenway cost $1.8 million and includes LED lighting. Photo by Dyana Bagby

Jimmy Carter

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News You Can Eat Tasting Intown: A review of Le Colonial

Afundamental concept of ancient Chinese philosophy is the idea of yin and yang. The general principle is that no thing exists without some opposite. Yin and yang contradict but are also inseparable equals. Harmony is achieved through their balance. This is how I finally resolved the question of why Le Colonial is needed in the Shops at Buckhead, when you can walk a few blocks and find Chai Yo just down the street.

I reviewed Chai Yo very favorably in this publication last winter. Even then, like many citizens of the metropolis, I questioned why anyone would go out in cold weather for Asian food when there is a wealth of excellence on offer for delivery. In the case of Chai Yo, I concluded that you must occasionally leave the house for premium ingredients and

quality service. Those same judgments apply to Le Colonial, but how they should we decide between two equally good places that are just a stone’s throw apart?

We should start with a foundational fact: Chai Yo is Thai and Le Colonial is Vietnamese. A lot of people have no sense of the culinary differences between these two cultures. Both are rooted in strong Chinese influence, but then Vietnam was eventually colonized by the French and Thailand remained relatively neutral amidst the territorial squabbles of the British and the French. The extent of French influence on the food in Vietnam is a matter of some debate, and Le Colonial purports to represent some part of that influence.

You can mostly leave that conversation to the history buffs or seriously niche foodies, but it’s fair to say in general that a people subjugated by a foreign power necessarily develop a sense of humor that can fly under the radar. This slight cheekiness is everywhere on display at Le Colonial, from the pepper garnish pointing out at you from the top of the spicy lime cocktail to the decidedly more relaxed and modern approach to service. You can go to Chai Yo to be mothered by more traditional waitstaff, whereas at Le Colonial you are more likely to share a joke with your server.

Tasting Intown

By Megan Volpert

But let’s talk about how good the food is. At Le Colonial, you can find high end preparations of some of your favorite delivery options, like chicken dumplings and spring rolls. The dumplings have wonderfully crispy edges, and in addition to the savory black vinegar sauce, shredded ginger adds a lot of bonus flavor without additional heat. The best small plate is the yuzu crab salad, which offers delightfully perky citrus notes to brighten up your winter atop equal parts avocado and lump crab meat. In each entrée plate, the veggies are exactingly sized into cubes or slices, as well as steamed to perfection in a way that preserves crunch, color and texture. My favorite was the yellow coconut curry with tofu, which had the usual array of eggplant, green bean and cashew, but the added delight of yam and mango. The sauce coats those two orange gems so that they look identical and each mouthful is thus a bit of a playful surprise.

Everything there is beyond simply proficient, but I actually think dessert is the thing Le Colonial does best. The table-side pour-over of Vietnamese coffee is a cool show plus utterly delicious. The presentation of the cinnamon poached pear is awesome and sneaky. First luxuriate in its layers of chocolate sauce and gold foil, then knock the top off the pear to reveal citrus Chantilly cream inside. The coconut pineapple upside down cake has layered multiple thin rings of pineapple on top to best achieve that sticky caramelization that makes this kind of cake so mouthwatering to begin with. The crown jewel of the dessert menu, however, is the coconut and lemongrass panna cotta in cherry brandy sauce. That lemongrass shines brightly through a variety of well-balanced and delicate flavors from the raspberry and mint garnishes, lending taste all the way through, as opposed to a scent that dissipates quickly into the usual vanilla.

At Chai Yo, you find modern dishes full of high drama paired with classical and distinguished service. At Le Colonial, you find old world dishes full of understated amusements paired with somewhat more casual and congenial service. How nice to find two varieties of superior Asian cuisine with entirely fresh ingredients just a couple of blocks apart in Buckhead. They need not compete, as both are charming. Go with whichever suits your mood in the moment but remember to strike a balance because you really ought not neglect either one. They are like yin and yang.

Le Colonial is located at 3035 Peachtree Road. For more, visit locolonialatlanta.com.

Megan Volpert lives in Decatur, teaches in Roswell and writes books about popular culture.

Poached Pear

Panna Cotta

Salmon Curry Tofu Dumplings

Tasting Intown: Dish Korean Cuisine on Buford Highway

Vegetables

By Jacob Nguyen

Dish has been open on Buford Highway since 2017 serving a menu of traditional Korean food with a modern twist. With a big menu of rice and noodle dishes, there’s even a Korean take on a hamburger for those who are not as adventurous. There’s something for everyone at Dish and the prices are reasonable, too.

I visited on a Wednesday night, so the restaurant wasn’t busy like it often is on the weekends. My friend and I were seated promptly and our food appeared quickly and efficiently as well. Looking in through the wall of windows from the outside of the restaurant, the décor makes it seem formal, but it is actually casual and comfortable.

Our server was very helpful in recommending dishes from the menu and I ordered one of the restaurant’s most wellknown meals – Dolsot Bibimbap ($15). This rice-based dish can be ordered with beef, chicken on tofu. I had the beef. The rice is served in a hot pot topped with sautéed vegetables, a fried egg and seasoned with soy or hot chili paste. I like mine spicy, so I went with the chili paste. It’s a large amount of food and every bite was delicious.

Because I had skipped lunch and was very hungry, I also ordered a bowl of Sundubu Jjigae ($10.50), a stew that can be made with beef, pork, seafood or tofu. It’s very spicy, but hit the spot on a cold, rainy evening.

My friend was the less adventurous and decided to try Dish’s take on a hamburger. He ordered the Kimchi Bulgogi Burger ($9.50, extra $2 for fries). Served on a regular bun, this burger was made with tender

Bulgogi beef, shredded cabbage, cheese and a house mayo. My friend said it was good but wished there had been a few more pieces of beef. One would not expect the best fries at a Korean restaurant, but these were some of the best I’ve ever tasted (I did steal a few from his plate). They were crispy, golden and I wish we’d ordered some as an appetizer. But don’t worry, because a traditional spread of small plates is brought to the table including broccoli, cabbage, kimchi and more ahead of the meal.

As I said earlier, if none of these items appeal to you, there is a big menu of noodles and rice in many combinations. If you are looking for good Korean food, Dish is definitely a place you should visit.

Dish is located at 5000 Buford Highway in Chamblee. For more information and to see the menu, visit dishkoreancuisine.com.

Dolsot Bibimbap

Rice Bowl

Kimchi Bulgogi Burger Sundubu Jjigae

2019 Notable Sales

QUICK BITES

Wonderkid is now open in the Atlanta Dairies development on Memorial Drive in Reynoldstown. The restaurant, a collaboration between Big Citizen (Darren Carr and Eric Simpkins) and King of Pops (Steven and Nick Carse), offers unique takes on classic comfort food and baked goods, an extensive list of cocktails, alongside the debut of King of Pops soft serve. Visit @wonderkidatl on Instagram for more information.

▲ Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall has set up three “Base Camp Tents” in its large, outdoor area facing the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail, which will be open through the winter for outdoor dining. The 144-square-foot tents, which hold 10 people, are situated atop wooden platforms and each one is flanked by a five-foot deck, firepit, greenery and camping chairs. Guests can enjoy food and drink service directly in the tents for $35/person per hour (not including tax + 20 percent gratuity). Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant at (404) 458-6838.

706. The restaurant offers fully salads and wraps, soups, organic teas and lemonades. For more

Tickets are now on sale for the set for March 15 at The Fairmont. Tickets, which are $47.50 for general admission and $62.50 for VIP, include Bloody Marys made by local bars and restaurants, food and drink tastes, one vote for The People’s Choice Award, temporary tattoos, photo ops and more. For more information, visit thebloodymaryfest.com.

was featured on NBC’s Today Show during the small business segment of the program in November. Owners Jayson and Monica Smith have been serving the Atlanta University Center community for 25 years.

Tampa-based Cuban restaurant Hemingway’s is slated to open a new outpost at Krog Street Market in Spring 2020. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Hemingway’s second location will stick to the original restaurant’s menu with items like tostones rellenos topped with homemade spicy saffron aioli, the traditional La Frita Cubana sandwich, and build-your-own Cuban bowls.

At Engel & Völkers our passion is exceeding client expectations, so it's only natural we align ourselves with exceptional real estate professionals to serve clients across the globe. It's why we don't simply have agents, but rather, Trusted Advisors to guide clients through their home journey with bespoke knowledge, and distinguished care.

The Studio

Going Underground

Architect and tour guide publishes new book on Atlanta’s unseen underground

By Collin Kelley

As a poet and novelist, I am often asked by writers and publishers to “blurb” a book, which means to write a short endorsement that will appear on the back cover. I have written many, but never in my capacity as editor of Atlanta INtown. So, I was quite tickled when Jeffrey Morrison reached out to me about writing a blurb for his book “Atlanta Underground: History From Below,” which is out now in hardcover from Globe Pequot Press.

The blurb reads: Jeffrey Morrison descends into the buried and nearly-forgotten heart of Atlanta with a meticulously researched and fast-paced historical narrative coupled with stunning, noirish photographs and archival images that illuminate a city in flux. Atlanta has famously demolished some of its most historic buildings as it aggressively strives to be a modern, international city. As this underworld vanishes in the name of progress, “Atlanta Underground” is a must-read for history buffs, city planners and guardians of history now and in the future.

If you only think of shops, restaurants, The Masquerade and the Peach Drop when someone mentions Underground Atlanta, then let Morrison take you to somewhere you’ve likely never been in the heart of Downtown.

The area in question is The Gulch, a warren of below level parking lots, train tracks, tunnels and streets that date back from the city’s earliest beginnings. This area has been in the news a lot lately, including these pages, as it barrels toward transformation into a massive mixed-use project called Centennial Yards. Many might not know that “Underground Atlanta” also stretches east all the way back to Georgia State University and that remnants of the old Omni Coliseum are still down there, too.

If you’ve ever parked in The Gulch for an event at State Farm Arena or Mercedes BenzStadium, then you’ve caught a glimpse of the underworld beneath Atlanta, but Morrison has been leading tours there for more than a decade and his personal fascination became the genesis of “Atlanta Underground.”

Morrison got the idea for the tours from a prompt in the old DIY magazine, ReadyMade. The prompt was to “lead a tour of somewhere you know well.” As an architect and advocate for preservation, Morrison had been exploring and photographing The Gulch and its environs since the 1990s. He started leading lunchtime walks for his fellow architects, but word spread of the “Unseen Underground” tours and they grew quickly to become anticipated public events in the Spring and

Fall. His tours have been since been included in the annual Phoenix Flies celebration hosted by the Atlanta Preservation Center and he’s also given tours for Central Atlanta Progress. His last “Underground Tour” in October attracted 75 people and his upcoming tour in March is sure to be even more popular thanks to the book. You can check out the Unseen Undergroud Walking Tours page on Facebook or AtlantaFromBelow.com for more details on the upcoming tour.

Morrison originally thought of selfpublishing a coffee table-style book of his photographs with short captions. But after his walking tours started to get buzz

Continued on page 35

Jeffrey Morrison compiled 60 photos of Atlanta’s “unseen underground” including, clockwise, the loading dock at the old Atlanta Constitution building, the parking structure under the Omni complex and Magnolia Street running alongside stairs to the World Congress Center. On page 35, the parking structure beneath Georgia International Plaza between State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Chinese Lantern FestiVaL

With a theme of “Into the Wild,” the festival continues at Centennial Park through early January. Photos by Asep Mawardi.

Continued from page 32

in the media, Globe Pequot Press reached out to him. The resulting book features 60 of Morrison’s photographs and a more complete history of Underground that took months of research to complete.

The photographs showcase the forgotten roadways, tunnels and monumental concrete structures – including a great staircase that is actually an emergency exit from the World Congress Center – that symbolizes this dark beauty of what lies below. But this underground is constantly in flux.

“From one month to the next, things change down there,”

Morrison said. “Stadiums come and go, arenas come and go, bridges come and go.”

Morrison laments the 2018 demolition of the decaying Interlocking Tower, the last remnant of the grand old Terminal Station that disappeared in 1971 to make room for the Richard B. Russell Federal Building, and the removal of the original Zero Mile Post – that marked the city’s beginnings as a railroad hub in 1842 – to the Atlanta History Center. A replica of the post is now in place, but Morrison said it doesn’t have the same historic look or feel.

If the Centennial Yards project goes off as planned with the buildings sitting atop a giant podium to leave room for parking and the railroad tracks, it will create even more

Read These!

underground to explore, Morrison said.

He’s also excited that the former Norfolk Southern headquarters on the edge of The Gulch is being renovated into homes, shops and restaurants. “The reopening of the old

Nelson Street pedestrian bridge that runs between the buildings would reconnect Downtown to Castleberry Hill, and that would be amazing for the neighborhood.”

Morrison is also still hopeful that highspeed commuter trains might one day make The Gulch their hub, which has been on the drawing board for decades. How the Centennial Yards project will affect that is still unknown. “They should leave room underneath Centennial Yards for those tracks to thread through. The city and state need to advocate for it.”

And if that happens, it means Morrison’s underground will change once again.

Georgia Center for the Book has selected its new slate of 2019 Books All Georgians Should Read written by authors from the state.

Books All Georgians Should Read

Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States - Samantha Allen

Antisemitism: Here and Now - Deborah E. Lipstadt

St. EOM In the Land of Pasaquan: The Life and Times and Art of Eddie Owens

Martin - Tom Patterson (Photography by Jonathan Williams, Roger Manley, Guy

Mendes)

Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others - Barbara Brown Taylor

The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls: A Novel - Anissa Gray

The Magnetic Girl: A Novel - Jessica Handler

Unmarriagable: A Novel - Soniah Kamal

The Atlas of Reds and Blues: A Novel - Devi S. Laskar

The Tradition: Poems - Jericho Brown

Still Life with Mother and Knife: Poems - Chelsea S. Rathburn

Books All Young Georgians Should Read

Cece Loves Science - Shelli R. Johannes (Co-author)

Meet Miss Fancy - Irene Latham

Hands Up - Breanna J. McDaniel

The Roots of Rap - by Frank Morrison (Illustrator)

Threads of Love - Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal

Little Taco Truck - Tanya Valentine

Aru Sha and the Song of Death: A Pandava Novel Book 2 - Roshani Chokschi

Ellie Engineer, the Next Level - Jackson Pierce

Amal Unbound - Aisha Saeed

You Asked for Perfect - Laura Silverman

Harvin Greene + Stephanie Marinac

VISUAL ARTS

Director’s Cut: Photographers breathe fresh perspectives and a new vitality into traditional photographic genres such as landscape, portraiture, and still life. Closes Jan 9. Free. apgphoto.org

Fair Play - The Bobby Jones Story: Discover the man who transcended sports during the Great Depression and became an American hero at a time when the nation most needed one. Daily. Free$21.50. atlantahistorycenter.com

Fashioning Art From Paper: Explore 500 years of fashion through the breathtaking trompe l’oeil masterpieces of Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave. Closes Jan 12. $5$10. scadfash.org

Gatheround - Stories Of Atlanta: Atlanta History Center’s newest exhibition weaves stories and artifacts together to define the narrative for the past, present, and future. Daily. Free-$21.50. atlantahistorycenter. com

Heavy Clouds: Exhibit highlighting C Flux Sing’s use of marker and acrylic paint, an amalgam of pastels and primary colors. Tue-Sat. Free. artsxchange.org

Joys Of The Seasons: Browse a display of lovely original artworks celebrating all the seasons of the year at this exhibition. Closes Jan 14. Free. rfaa.org

PRISM - Winter Lights: This exhibition celebrating the season with vibrant, lightbased sculptures by artists from around the country that spread throughout the park. Daily. Free. woodruffpark.com

►Spotlight On Art: Showcase of new, original works by more than 350 artists, spanning from contemporary and realism to sculpture and jewelry. Daily. Free. spotlightonart.com

Something Over Something Else: The first exhibition to bring dozens of works from Romare Bearden’s eminent “Profile” series together since its debut nearly 40 years ago. Tue-Sun. Free-$14.50. high.org

The Design Of Dissent: Exhibit examines graphic work that addresses social and political concerns in the United States and across the globe. Tue-Sat. Free-$10. museumofdesign.org

The Mandarin Shutze - A Chinese Export Life: Visit Philip Trammell Shutze’s eclectic collection that highlights curiosities that would look nice in your home. Daily. Free-21.50. atlantahistorycenter.com

sounds, and stories of the greatest trading route in history. Closes Jan 5. $18-$20. fernbankmuseum.org

Virgil Abloh - Figures Of Speech: This exhibition explores the work of Ablah, a modern, genre-bending artist and designer who became creative director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear in 2018. Tue-Sun. Free-$14.50. high.org

PERFORMANCE ART

A Night Of Flamenco: See flamenco in an intimate atmosphere, without amplification, the way flamenco is supposed to be admired. Jan 24. $30-$35. lacande.la

Andrew Schulz: Comedian from New York, known for his work on ‘Guy Code,’ ‘The Brilliant Idiots’ podcast and the Amazon original series ‘Sneaky Pete.’ Jan 25. $28.50-149. centerstage-atlanta.com

Atlanta Jewish Life Festival: This family event is packed with activities for all ages including live performances, Israeli wine tastings, an artist market, games and more! Jan 26. Free-$12/Family $65. atlantajewishlifefestival.com

Fun Home: Based on Alison Bechdel’s bestselling graphic memoir of the same name, this production took Broadway by storm and cemented itself as one of the landmark musicals of our time. Wed-Sun. $20-$40. actors-express.com

Traveling The Silk Road: Step 1,000 years back in time to experience the sights,

◄Narnia: This immersive dramatization tells the story of four English schoolchildren who stumble upon a wardrobe, which they discover to be a portal. Closes Jan 12. $30-40. serenbe.com

▲Criss Angel: This extraordinary evening of magic unplugged features Angel and amazing friends with a stripped-down purity that’s guaranteed to blow your mind. Jan 14, $39.50-95.50. cobbenergycentre.com

Grace Potter: Multi-instrumentalist Potter is a singer/songwriter with a bluesy, roots-rock specialist powerful voice. Jan 18. $38.50-182. tabernacleatl. com

►Jon B: The consummate artist, an accomplished musician and noted songwriter and producer with several gold and platinum records under his belt Jan 5. $35-48. citywinery.com/atlanta

Mary Poppins Jr.: Even grown-ups can learn a lesson or two from the famous nanny in this musical production. ThuSun. $13.50-16. elmstreetarts.org

◄Maybe Happy Ending: This play tells the story of two obsolete helper-bots living an isolated existence in a robotsonly housing complex in a not-toodistant future of Seoul, Korea. Tue-Sun. $10-85 alliancetheatre.org

Beyond The Pale Stand-Up Comedy Showcase: A monthly Saturday night stand-up comedy showcase featuring the finest of Atlanta’s funniest. Jan 1. $5. thelostdruid.com

Romeo And Juliet: The National Ballet Theatre of Odessa’s production is set to Sergei Prokofiev’s romantic and powerful

score with new choreography by Mikhail. Lavrovsky Jan 12. $45-80. foxtheatre.org

Salome: This ASO’s thriller is a twisted tale of a depraved tyrant, his bewitching stepdaughter, and her unholy infatuation with John the Baptist. Jan 25-Feb 2. $42137. atlantasymphony.org

Up on the roof

New mural at Peachtree Center creates optical illusion

Romance In The Winter: The Atlanta Musicians’ Orchestra presents a performance with a selection of romantic pieces from Elgar, Mascagni, Rachmanifnoff and more. Jan 19. $10. amorch.com

Ron White: A comedian that relays tales from his real-life ranging from growing up in a small town in Texas to sharing stories of his daily life. Jan 18. $45-82. foxtheatre.org

Salon Concert: Georgia State School of Music features various chamber ensembles conducted by MM students in Instrumental Conducting. Jan 38. Free. music.gsu.edu

▲Shen Yun: Audiences will be transported into the land of the divine, with neverbefore-seen stories and legends dusted off from the annals of history in this performance. Jan 3-12. $84-204. cobbenergycentre.com

The Glass Menagerie: Living with his controlling mother and introverted sister Laura, who lives in her own world of make-believe, Tom struggles as the pillar of his family in this play. Thu-Sun. $16-34. outofboxtheatre.com

Three Redneck Tenors: Don’t miss these Southerners belt out their versions of tunes from such favorite shows as ‘Phantom of the Opera,’ ‘The Sound of Music,’ ‘Annie,’ and more. Jan 11-12. $25-40. earlsmithstrand.org

Zoso – The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience: This tribute band is the most accurate and captivating Led Zeppelin live show since the real thing. Jan 10-11. $20. varietyplayhouse.com

1010 is well-known for his practice

obscure shapes underlined by amazing effects of optical illusion at locations around the world.

This is the third major art installation at Peachtree Center, which is also home to French street artist Hopare’s “Symphony,” the Southeast’s largest public art mural along Peachtree Center Avenue, and the suspended sculpture “Burst of Sunlight,” composed of bright yellow, paper-like material and designed by renowned Dutch artist, Peter Gentenaar. Peachtree Center encourages visitors to share their photos of the mural by using #ParadigmShiftATL on social media.

A new mural spanning the rooftop of Peachtree Center plaza in Downtown has become a conversation piece for occupants of the six office towers that surround it. Created by the German street artist known only as 1010 in partnership with International Corporate Art and Living Walls, the design of “Paradigm Shift” creates an optical illusion of a tunnel opening up on the rooftop to expose a series of purple and blue ribboned walls.

of creating

20 UNDER 20

Honoring students who give back to the community

With more than 80 nominations this year, narrowing down our 12th annual slate of 20 Under 20 honorees was more difficult than ever. But we think you’ll agree that this year’s honorees – along with 15 runners up – are doing extraordinary things to make Intown and the world a better place to live.

As in previous years, we asked public and private schools along with service organizations and the general public to nominate students who have been active volunteers in their communities. These 20 students have accumulated thousands of hours of volunteer time, traveled to other countries, created nonprofits and worked with the underprivileged as part of their service.

This year, we noticed a trend among many of the honorees – their interest and passion for the environment and social justice causes. Many of the students are actively working at school and in the community to combat climate change and homelessness as well as mentoring refugees and underserved minority communities around the city. There has been an incredible uptick of students creating nonprofits to help raise funds not only from the community, but from corporations as well.

We hope these uplifting stories will inspire you to find ways to give back to the community. And, as always, thanks to the businesses and schools whose advertising support makes this section possible every year.

The senior has served over 176 hours volunteering at school with his Spanish international church and missionary organizations. In Ohio, Atlanta, Tijuana and Guatemala, he has worked with homeless organizations. In Guatemala, Gabriel served with a ministry called Casas Por Cristo, building houses for the people of San Raymundo. More volunteer hours have been spent at Samaritan’s Purse, Salvation Army and the American Red Cross. Recently, Gabriel was recognized for his acting talent in “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” being named All-Star Cast and Best Leading Actor at the Georgia Theatre Conference and Regional One Act Competitions. “I have grown seeing lives driven by service and how those lives were rewarded with meaningful and eternal blessings,” Gabriel said. “For me, serving and volunteering helps me reflect Christ more and makes my heart whole and fills me with life, joy, light and happiness. And, that’s what I strive to give to others when volunteering.”

Mary and Sophia’s passion for debate and helping others has seen them return to their alma mater to coach and travel the Sequoia Middle School debate team for the entire season. The seniors also co-lead imPACT, the school’s volunteer club, which they have led since they were sophomores. They have taken the club from simply organizing a few small projects a year to a service leadership team that organizes both projects and events campus wide, including blood drives, a Thanksgiving canned food drive and food rescue program, a toy drive, a hygiene kit making project, a Hunger Walk Team and a community partner thank you project. As members of Paideia’s AltBreak program, Mary traveled to New Orleans to participate in a variety of service projects and Sophia recently returned from a four day trip to Clarkston that focused on the new American experience of refugees. Mary will lead a trip in February that focuses on service and water access on the Chattahoochee River. Both young women attended Title 1 schools as youths and said debate helped empower them. “The education system for low-income students does not provide students with the stable foundations they need to overcome the walls that society has built around them,” Mary said. “To combat this disparity, I want to help my students develop the confidence necessary for self-advocacy.” Sofia agreed: “Going to tournaments and seeing students earn their medals after hours of practice made me realize just how important it is to continue programs for students who don’t have access to opportunity,” she said.

At age 7, Selah launched her own nonprofit, Empowered Readers Literacy Project, which promotes literacy in kids by promoting reading at home and helping kids build their own home library. Selah has co-written “Penelope The Pirate Princess: The Search for the Magical Moon Pearl,” the first in a series of books for children that will benefit the nonprofit. Through Empowered Readers, she’s volunteered with Leap for Literacy, Boys and Girls Club, YMCA of Metro Atlanta and Atlanta Leadership Club. She was also recently recognized for her efforts by the Atlanta City Council. “It feels awesome to help other people!” Selah said. “I love making other people happy, and it’s been fun to do it with my parents, my sissy and friends.”

Mary He and Sophia Yang, 17 The Paideia School

Gabriel Uribe, 18 Greater Atlanta Christian School

Selah Thompson, 8 Parkside Elementary School

Kennedy is founder and CEO of Aid the Journey, a nonprofit she started with money from her tutoring work to provide medical supplies, hygiene kits and educational materials to refugees. She also made time to volunteer more than 100 hours at Emory St. Joseph Hospital and this summer Kennedy is participating in the Harvard Medical Science program and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Youth Leadership Institute at the University of Chicago. She also will participate in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Disease Detective Camp, and attend an Inspiring Girls Expedition for 12 days in Anchorage, Alaska. “Although I feel perpetually tired, every time I hand deliver one of my medical kits to a refugee I am energized,” Kennedy said. “Maya Angelou’s quote was right: ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’”

Congrats to Gabriel Uribe, Atlanta INtown 20 under 20

Kennedy Elise Walls, 17 Marist School

Neha is the founder of nonprofit ASA (Aspire, Serve, Achieve), an organization that helps support and raise funds for underprivileged children. Her inspiration for the organization came after a trip to India and discovered there were also exorbitant levels of child poverty in Georgia. The organization has grown to 100 ambassadors and chapters in Georgia, Texas, Michigan, and India. Currently, Neha is working to help a group of children in Michigan who are impacted by the Flint Water crisis as well as a school in India for blind children in need of Braille books. Local initiatives that ASA is currently organizing include a donation of food to the Community Assistance Center and support for the Sandy Springs Mission. At school, she developed the Riverwood United alliance to bridge the gap between students of distinct cultures. “My volunteer work has made me aware of the little things in life that make the biggest difference, the vitality of uniting a community to pursue a cause that makes a difference in peoples’ lives, and the significance of receiving emotions that can be cherished for a lifetime.”

After participating in a Covenant House “Sleep Out” to raise funds to combat youth homelessness, the seniors were so moved by what they witnessed, they applied for and were accepted into the organization’s Scholars in Service program. For four months, Spencyr and Maya learned about philanthropy, fundraising, conducting service projects and developing their voices to speak about homelessness. They approached local businesses and large corporations alike to educate others about youth homeless and solicit donations. In the end, they raised more than $50,000 for Covenant House Georgia, won the $2,500 Scholars in Service scholarship award, and presented one of CHGA’s college-bound youth with a matching $2,500 scholarship. Three weeks later, the girls reached out to say that they decided to donate their scholarships back to Covenant House to launch the Post-secondary Education Fund fulfilling a long time dream of CHGA’s program staff to have funds dedicated to helping young people overcome their barriers to accessing college. “No matter how big or insurmountable any problem seems, there is always something that can be done to help find a solution,” Spencyr said about her work as a volunteer. Maya echoed that sentiment: “Through my work with the Covenant House, I have seen how even a little bit of help can make a huge difference in someone’s life, from giving someone a roof over their head to providing them with the opportunity to access an education.”

A junior at Cristo Rey, Marely serves the homeless population in Downtown Atlanta every Thursday by providing a meal and fellowship through the Labre Ministry. When Marely first volunteered with Labre as a freshman, she encountered a man named Michael who shared his life story with her. “I was shocked by how vulnerable Michael and the others I met that day were,” she said. “I realized the dangers the city can possess for someone in such conditions and how powerful human connections can be.” Now as president of Labre, Marely leads weekly teams of students who go into the streets of Downtown to bring companionship and a meal to those in need. She also volunteers on Saturdays with Feed the Hungry, a group from St. Thomas the Apostle, which provides meals and forges relationships with the homeless. “The most valuable lesson I have learned from being in Labre is to never take things for granted. Michael gave us advice about staying in school as well as staying away from people and things that were toxic. After I reflected on this, I understood the impact that going out to help these people would do for them but also the impact it has done for me. That is why I am grateful that I met my friend Michael.”

The junior has created a project called Technology Opens Doors that addresses the technology needs of men transitioning out of homelessness with the guidance of GivingPoint’s Social Innovators Academy. After a visit to GeorgiaWorks! and observing men seeking employment, but without adequate technology, tools and training, George knew he could help. He surveyed the men at GeorgiaWorks!, met with the director and men to listen to their needs, but also to understand their capacity and skills they already possessed. Using this information, George started involving his peers, his school community and others to work with him to fulfill his project goals. George plans to apply for nonprofit status for Technology Opens Doors so that he can obtain funding and continue to provide assistance to those in need. He’s also found time to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army Bellwood Boys and Girls Club, and more. “Age is not a barrier when it comes to helping improve peoples’ lives,” George said. “I learned to always keep looking for different ways to find a solution. If your first idea does not work, approach it from a different angle but never give up.”

Neha Devineni, 17 Riverwood International Charter School

Spencyr Aronson and Maya Kaplan, 18 Pace Academy

Marely Rivera, 16 Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School

George Corbin, 17 The Westminster Schools

CONNECTING LEARNING TO LIFE AT EVERY LEVEL.

Every Friday, the eighth grader teaches children between the ages of 3-5 the concepts of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM). She also visits assisted living care facilities every month to spend time, read, and sing to the residents. Cyncere is part of the International Thespian Society; Ray of Hope Christian Church as a hospitality volunteer; School Safety Patrol; and an active member of Free Spirit Mentor Group. She also volunteers her time during the summer to work with struggling students who need tutoring. “The most valuable lesson that I have learned is to not be selfish, to give my time to benefit others as well as helping others with their needs.”

Maura O’Sullivan, 16 Grady High School

The junior is codeveloping a nonprofit, The Branch Out Initiative, focused on providing environmental education and outdoor recreation to kids with developmental disabilities and their families. Her passion and interest began when she was 12 and volunteered with FOCUS + Fragile Kids and the Ellis Center. She served as a one-on-one aide for campers at Ellis’ Camp ImpAACt, which serves kids and teens with multiple disabilities and complex communication needs. In freshman year, Maura began a service project focused on creating sensory-friendly events for kids with sensory processing disorder and related conditions and their families. The project, which was called SenseAbility, began through No Barriers’ Global Impact Challenge, which her team won. The team received a $5,000 grant and presented their project at the national No Barriers’ 2018 Summit. Through SenseAbility, Marua coordinated Maker Faires for special needs kids and their families at local schools and trained theater groups to make productions more sensory friendly. This experience inspired Maura to develop the nonprofit organization to address an unmet need in this community. “In my time working with nonverbal students, I’ve learned that language transcends words, and everyone has something to say,” she said.

Cyncere White, 14 DeKalb Academy of Technology & Environment

With Los Niños Primero (LNP), a kindergarten readiness program for Latinx preschoolers, the senior has logged over 300 hours of service. As a fluent Spanish speaker, she has been actively involved in the program for four years. She has been selected for three years as one of 10 Teen Ambassadors who reflect the values of LNP within the organization as well as in their community. As part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project, she created a campaign to address the issue of organ donation with teen drivers at Atlanta Girls’ School and beyond. “Through my volunteer work in and out of my local community I have developed empathy and respect for intellectual and cultural differences in regard to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status,” she said. “Throughout my time with Los Niños Primero, the students constantly show me the power of forgiveness and inclusion. Watching them put these practices into action at such a young age reminds me to employ them in my own everyday life, and gives me hope for the future.”

The junior is a dedicated member of Young Physicians Initiative (YPI) and has been volunteering at the Grace Village Clinic in Clarkston for two years. The clinic works to provide free healthcare for refugees and migrants in Clarkston. She is also a member of the school’s Amnesty International Chapter, where she organized the “Longer Table Dinner” for the migrant community in Clarkston. Emma joined Global Nomads Group during her 9th grade year and helped with a project to bring awareness to sex trafficking in Atlanta. She’s also vice president of the student council and a leading member of the Feminist Club. Most recently, Emma participated in a service trip to Ghana this month where she interviewed NGO workers who help trafficked girls escape poverty. “Knowing that everyone deserves preventative healthcare, no matter their background, is a lesson I want to take with me into my future career. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to volunteer at Grace Village Clinic, and for the opportunity to use my time helping others.”

Emma Krawczyk, 16 Academe of the Oaks

Caroline Sellers, 17 Atlanta Girls’ School

The senior’s focus on activism, sustainability, and citizenship has seen her serve as Georgia’s representative for the Student Worldwide Sustainability Protest, which organized last year’s Youth Climate Strike. Kendall also curated a nonprofit art gallery at the Center for Civil and Human Rights to unite performers, painters, sculptors, and poets to discourage the idea that young people need to be isolated from one another. She worked on this project for months in partnership with the City of Atlanta. In terms of future projects and endeavors, she is integrating her love of community gardens and sustainable initiatives with yet another partnership with Atlanta native musician and artist, Raury, to create a community garden and art center in Stone Mountain. This long-term project will inform her Lovett senior capstone project in the spring as well. “Through volunteering, I’ve learned the importance of showing up consistently. I’ve found strength in compassionately serving others and following through on my commitments, regardless of how tired I may be from school. I have learned to prioritize volunteer work and creating opportunities for people to come together. The service work that I have had the ability to do has exposed me to not only the realities and injustices of the world, but the solutions.”

The senior designed a video game called “Race,” creating the concept, characters and animations to highlight marginalized groups and promote inclusion in the video game industry. He was recognized for his achievements last spring when he received the Rochester Institute of Technology Creativity and Innovation Award. Along with his involvement at school, including serving on the Student Council and co-leading the Student Culture Club, Robert Luke initiated a project and has volunteered his time over the last year at Campbell-Stone Assisted Living Facility creating a fundraising calendar for the residents. “It may seem counterintuitive, but once you really become a dedicated volunteer towards a specific program or project, it can often take real patience and perseverance to make the difference you are committed to. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes, and the nuances to contributing to social change involve hard work, dedication, and resilience, inside of the honor of seeing a job through.”

In 2017, Julia founded Double Play ATL, a nonprofit organization developed to help underprivileged youth obtain the necessary equipment to play organized sports, which has since collected nearly 5,000 pieces of equipment and put 90 percent back into the community. Since then, Double Play has grown to involve sustainability projects as well. She’s also made time to volunteer her time at Threads, Atlanta Food Bank, Agape, L’Amistad, Atlanta Children’s Shelter, My Sister’s House and many more. As co-president of ECO (Westminster’s sustainability club) and partnering with Madewell, Blue Jeans Go Green and Nike, Julia helped her school and community by recycling jeans, athletic shoes and gear. She’s also a researcher at Georgia Tech with an interest in brain health whether it be concussions, mental health or wellness. “At the end of the day, service is about forming genuine connections with others through your work. I think that this kind of interconnectedness is what makes service so special and memorable.”

Ari Hawkins, 17 KIPP Collegiate High School

The senior credits her experience as an American Explorer, a leadership development program of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, as the engine that has propelled her philanthropic endeavors. In 2019, Ari received the Game Changer Youth Award for her philanthropic and community service activities and was the keynote speaker at the B’Fly Girl Scholarship Gala. In 2018, she was selected for the Atlanta Zoo Teen Volunteer program, where she served over 200 hours in teaching wildlife environment to visitors and worked with the Summer Safari Campers. Ari also uses her birthday as a fundraiser to feed the homeless. These events provide feminine hygiene products and personal care packages, and feed hundreds of homeless people in Woodruff Park. She’s also volunteered with Hosea Feed the Hungry, Trees Atlanta, Hands Across Atlanta, Impact Church and Urban Sprout. “I’ve learned three valuable lessons: to appreciate the small things, to love boldly and courageously, and to understand another person’s journey. We often get caught up in our lives, but giving back reminds me that the world is bigger than me.”

Robert Luke Joseph, 17 Atlanta International School

Kendall Greene, 17 The Lovett School

Julia Rhee, 16 The Westminster Schools

The sophomore began volunteering with the nonprofit W-Underdogs, whose mission is to lift up disadvantaged kids by helping rescue animals. James has been with W-Underdogs since he was 12 years old and has helped save hundreds of animals as well as mentoring other youth in the program. Every weekend when most teenagers are going out with their friends, James goes out to different neighborhoods to deliver food and doghouses to those who need help with their animals.

Emily began helping others in the 7th grade when she organized a clothing, book and toy drive for students at Lomas del Rio school while serving on a mission trip to Costa Rica. Since then, the junior has logged over 500 volunteer service hours as a tutor and mentor at Buckhead Church, Los Ninos Primavera, Camp All American and Woodson Park Academy. Emily participated in GivingPoint’s Social Innovators Academy, where she started a group called Smart Brown Girls at Woodson Park Academy. Through the club, she mentored a group of 5th grade African-American girls focusing on issues of self-esteem, self-image, leadership and challenges associated with living and learning in underserved communities. She also raised money to purchase clothes, toiletries, school supplies and backpacks for students at the Academy. She also recently organized a volunteer project with her volleyball team to raise money for St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital. For her volunteer work, Emily was recently awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award. “A person shouldn’t volunteer because they have to, but because they want to serve someone else in their community. The love to serve others makes the service more impactful and has a greater impact on the people or organization you are serving.”

A dedicated member of Woodward’s theater program since 9th grade and a longtime volunteer at the Jesse Draper Boys and Girls Club, Lexi began brainstorming ways to share her passion for theater with the kids she tutored. Last year, she created an after-school and summer theater program for kids ages 6 to 16, recruiting other Woodward students to help her teach improv and tech classes. Her program also promotes academic success, healthy lifestyles and leadership. The senior developed a framework for her program that will ensure it continues long after she graduates. Passionate about equal rights and criminal justice reform, Lexi landed an internship with Baltimore’s Department of Juvenile Services and wants to work for the Equal Justice Initiative after earning her degree. She honed her knowledge as a member of Woodward’s Service Leadership Board by investigating and offering solutions to the inequities and injustices present in the school community. “In order to be genuinely helpful to others, we must be ready and willing to provide service in response to the goals that the community has voiced, rather than believing that our way of problem-solving is the most effective.”

A busy senior at AJA, Tali’s list of volunteer initiatives and efforts would never fit this space, but highlights include sitting on the board of the Leadership Development Program for nonprofit Creating Connected Communities (CCC), which serves underprivileged children around Atlanta. Tali oversees CCC events including spring and fall festivals and afterschool programs. She’s also a member of the Teen Leadership Council for the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House (ARMH), where she raised enough money through school and synagogue fundaisers to host a family at the ARMH for an entire week. Tali also volunteers at the Childrens Hospital and at the Jewish Food Bank. She was selected to participate in the MLK ADL Summit, which educates high schoolers on tolerance, acceptance and non-violence. With plans to become a pediatric cardio-thorasic surgeon, Tali’s advice for others who want to volunteer is simple: “Even the smallest acts of kindness make the biggest difference.”

James Mathis, 16 Maynard Jackson High School

Emily Demps, 16 North Atlanta High School

Sarah Alexa “Lexi” Bortnick, 18 Woodward Academy

Tali Feen, 17 Atlanta Jewish Academy

20 UNDER 20 RUNNERSUP

TELISSA REYNOLDS, 17

An aspiring physician, the Westminster senior created an outreach program, Gene Shorts, that exposes inner city students to the field of genetics. “When the students see me, a black girl who’s excited about biology, they realize that they too can become the future doctors, nurses, and scientists of the world.”

SARAH STREET, 17

The Westminster junior has raised money and served more than 500 hours at organizations including LaAmistad, Operation Gratitude, Covenant House, Buckhead Christian Ministries, UNICEF, Changing Lives in Guatemala, PowerMyLearning, Hospice Atlanta, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and City of Refuge.

DEV JOSHI AND EMAAD DAYA, 16

The Westminster duo educate people on the environmental crisis through their social impact project called The Carbon-12 Project, which raises money for carbon capture technologies and a variety of climate projects that reduce carbon emissions.

BRIA BROWN, 17

As the founder of the Grady High School Pedestrian Safety Coalition, Bria led a group to mobilize and push the Atlanta City Council to improve the crosswalk and intersection of 10th and Monroe streets to make it safer for pedestrians.

FATIMA CHAUDHRY, 18

Since her sophomore year at Grady High School, she has headed the Muslim Student Association (MSA), a student club that helps bring awareness and camaraderie to an often overlooked student population.

SOPHIE LETTES, 17

Passionate about conservation and recycling, the Pace Academy senior serves on the ICGL Council, a student group that works to improve the school’s environmental practices where she led an initiative to transform the cafeteria into a composting facility, an effort that has redirected thousands of pounds of food waste from landfills.

MICHAEL FU, 16

As one of the top-rated chess players in state, the Pace Academy junior cofounded Scholarly Chess, a non-profit organization to promote chess and Continued on Page 50

Holy Spirit Prep embraces the traditions of Catholic education to form students of deep faith, advanced intellect, and heroic virtue.

COME VISIT RSVP for a weekly tour at holyspiritprep.org/visit.

At Galloway, students are inspired to be fearless learners, to embrace challenges, and to discover more about themselves and the world around them. Pre-K —Grade 12.

Schedule a tour today at gallowayschool.org/visit

An independent Catholic school in Chastain Park, forming students 6 months-12th grade. holyspiritprep.org

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20 Under 20 Runners Up

Continued from page 49

host regular chess tournaments. He also co-created VEMS, an app designed to help track student volunteer hours that received the LexisNexis championship award.

ROYCE MANN, 18

The Grady High senior went viral on YouTube with his poem “White Boy Privilege,” and he’s since become a noted activist with Amnesty International and March for Our Lives, as well as speaking at events like the Obama Foundation Summit, Global Citizens and serving as a Grand Marshall for the 2019 Atlanta Pride Parade.

TERRANCE WRIGHT AND JAHAD JOHNSON, 17

Wright, a senior at Booker T. Washington High, and Johnson, a junior at Frederick Douglass High, are both L.E.A.D. Ambassadors serving as mentors and baseball coaches to younger kids as well as fostering understanding and community between youth of different races.

ALYSSA MCCOLLUM, 8

A straight A student at West Manor Elementary School, Alyssa is a Peer Helper and also led two class projects for picking up litter on the campus and creating a composting bin.

ROBERT WEIR, 17

The St. Pius X Catholic High School senior has been a member of the school’s Young Men’s Service League, performing countless hours working with senior citizens, cancer patients, at-risk elementary school students and wheelchair bound teenagers.

CHARLIE EDWARD MCADOO III, 13

The Druid Hills Middle School 8th grader’s service includes student government president and superintendent’s advisory council as well as serving as an event coordinator in the Princeton Way Neighborhood Association and youth speaker/host at Impact Church.

KAELYN BANNON, 15

The Holy Spirit Prep School freshman collected almost 1,000 books, which were later donated to the Cobb County Juvenile Court System waiting room, and also, with her dad’s help, built bookcases to hold them.

RUSSELL WYATT, 14

Holy Spirit Prep School 8th grader volunteers every weekday after school at Jacob’s Ladder Neurodevelopmental School and Therapy Center. His sister, Mae, has cerebral palsy, and he’s helped her and other students with communicating their needs and expressing themselves through art and yoga.

Lear n. Lead. Serve.

Serving grades 7–12, Marist School provides an education where achievement exists within a spirit of humility and generosity. Students are challenged by an extensive college-preparatory curriculum while an array of extracurricular activities inspire exploration and uncover hidden talents. Through it all, students gain a unique strength of character and skill and a joy of serving others that prepares them to be compassionate, confident leaders.

Come visit

Learn more at marist.com

Grady Grows

High school set for $40m expansion, renovation

EDUCATION BRIEFS

Students in the Charles R. Drew Charter School junior academy (middle grades) won a total of 17 awards and honors at this year’s State BETA Club Convention in Savannah. Projects created by Drew students won first place in the following categories: Painting, Woodworking, Marketing and Communication, Campaign Skit, Portfolio, Color Photography, Living Literature and Recyclable Art. Additionally, seventh grader Melvin Hodges was named State BETA president, the third consecutive year a Drew Eagle has won that honor, and the school earned five invitations for students to attend the National BETA Convention, scheduled to be held in Texas in the summer of 2020. Also, Drew placed projects in the top five in Service Learning Showcase, Sculpture, TwoDimensional Design, Jewelry, Performing Art Group, Digital Art, Mixed Media and Drawing.

Grady High School in Midtown is set for a nearly $40 million renovation and expansion after the Atlanta School Board approved a $34.9 million construction management contract with Parrish Construction Group.

According to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the total project will cost $39.5 million, including design, construction and other costs.

Grady, located just across from Piedemont Park at the corner of 10th Street and Monroe Drive, was last renovated in 2005. The original building that faces Charles Allen Drive dates back to 1924 when the school was known as Boys High School.

Atlanta Public Schools officials said some of the main overcrowding issues are in the media center and cafeteria during peak hours.

The expansion will add new classroom space, while renovations will be made to the gym, auditorium, media center and cafeteria.

The project will be paid for by money from the one-cent special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) approved by voters in 2017. Work is expected to be complete on the expansion and renovations by summer 2021 in time for the next school year.

As work it set to begin at Grady, it continues on time at the former David T. Howard School in Old Fourth Ward, which is set to open next August. The more than $50 million project, also funded by the SPLOST, will revive Martin Luther King Jr.’s alma mater more than four decades after it closed.

Atlanta Public Schools will begin accepting Pre-K lottery applications for the 20202021 school year on Jan. 6 through Feb. 12. For more information, visit the Teaching and Learning page on the District’s website at atlantapublicschools.us.

Georgia Treasurer Lynne Riley is reminding residents to give the gift of learning by making a college savings contribution. Anyone can make a contribution to a beneficiary’s account in the state of Georgia’s Path2College 529 Plan. Gift givers can click on the “Give a Gift” section on Path2College529.com and download the certificate to show that you’ve made a contribution.

Business Engineering Science and Technology (B.E.S.T.) Academy has become the only all-male, grades 6-12 public school in the state of Georgia to earn a certification in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) or Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) curriculum. BEST Academy was accredited by Cognia, which cited the school for creating a family-like STEM environment for its students.

Continued from page 51

Atlanta–based nonprofit Leap Year was recently received the ascena Foundation’s Roslyn S. Jaffe Award of $100,000 for its innovative two-generation approach to education. High school graduates who are low-income or first in their family to pursue post-secondary education spend a gap year tutoring 2nd grade readers in the morning and preparing for college in the afternoon.

“I was on my honeymoon when I found out that we were the grand prize winner! We want to use it to build the foundation so we can expand in the future,” said Leap Year Founder and Executive Director Amber Scott.

Scott drew her inspiration for Leap Year from her family. Her maternal grandfather had 3rd grade education, but her mother was first in her family to go to college.

“My parents instilled in us the value of education where it was expected that my brother and I were going to college. I went on to grad school, then work in the nonprofit space. It kept bothering me that some 40 years later my parents’ story is still the anomaly,” Scott said.

One in four metro Atlanta high school graduates attain a postsecondary degree, while 60% of the jobs in Georgia will require one by 2025. And 40% of Atlanta Public School (APS) third graders read on grade level, which is a predictor for high school graduation.

“If you haven’t started out with strong reading, you’re less likely to take the ACT, to graduate high school and go onto college,” Scott said. She decided to tackle both literacy and college readiness.

“That’s how we put the model together – knowing that we wanted to help our Leap Year Fellows get into college but also see if we could try to change the path for the next generation so it’s not as hard,” Scott said.

In the fall, Fellows focus on the ACT and the ACCUPLACER to assess their readiness for a spring college course.

“We use the ACT as a tool. We are reviewing English, Math and Reading skills. How to take notes, how to listen actively, how to stay organized, and how to study for an exam,” Scott said.

On average, Leap Year students have increased their ACT score by three points.

“It helps boost their self esteem and academic growth. They know ‘if I grind, I’ll see results’,“ Scott said.

In the spring, Leap Year Fellows earn their first college credits at the Georgia State University Perimeter campus, while supported by a program manager to help with course content and time management.

“We are hoping to add a math class next year with GSU so our students experience English 1101 and Math 1101 with Leap Year so that it’s not as scary when they are on their own,” Scott said.

This is just half the story of Leap Year. Fellows spend their mornings tutoring 2nd graders at Deerwood Academy to

LEAPS AND BOUNDS

Nonprofit Leap Year offers two-generation approach to education

By Clare S. Richie

read, earning up to $550 per month. They act as a teacher’s helper but also work independently with a small group of students using Reading A-Z, an evidencedbased curriculum.

“Fellows who look like them, from schools in their neighborhood, being mentors in their class saying ‘reading is important, I’m going to college you should also go to college. You can.’ I think that’s so important,” Scott said.

Deerwood Academy teachers agree.

“The students are eager to participate with [Fellow] Mr. Roberson. They are engaged when he is tutoring them and enjoy reading and demonstrating their ability to comprehend the questions,” 2nd grade teacher Sylvia Coleman shared.

Principal Camisha Perry is also a fan. “Last year, over 85% of the students we worked with had growth in reading. And Principal Perry says this is some of the highest growth she’s seen in 2nd grade,” Scott said.

The 20182019 cohort of eight Fellows tutored 120 2nd graders and are now halfway through freshman year at GSU. After the gap year, Fellows can go to whichever school they choose but GSU makes a compelling case.

“GSU has the highest rate of graduating first generation students in the country. At the Perimeter campus, a student can earn their associate’s degree and Pell will cover it. Then you can transfer over to the Downtown campus to get your bachelors,” Scott said.

Even after moving on from the program, Leap Year does monthly checkins during a student’s freshmen year to see how’s it going, remind students about office hours and things other students might ask their parents.

“Leap Year meant a second chance to prepare for college. It also taught me the meaning of commitment. From Deerwood Academy, I learned that it is important to not only be the student but a teacher, too. Putting yourself in both places will help you value the importance of learning and how far it can take you,” Leap Year alumni Katy Gudino said.

“All of our students are so talented. It’s just about providing those extra supports – so they can reach the potential that we know they can. As a community, we can change the trajectory for our kids.” Scott said.

To learn more about Leap Year, visit theleapyear.org.

Clockwise from top left: Leap Year Fellow Destiny tutors second graders at Deerwood Academy; Leap Year Fellow Dentavius Roberson tutoring second graders at Deerwood; Leap Year Fellows hold books donated by Princeton Review for the ACT exam.

EDUCATION BRIEFS

Continued from page 51

Marist School presents the Marist Evening Series, three evenings of captivating courses for adults taught by the school’s faculty and staff on Mondays, Jan. 13, Jan. 27 and Feb. 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. Registration for the series is open now and class topics include: art history; religion and spirituality; history and culture; science; college planning; ceramics; drawing/painting; photography; film; writing. For more information and to register by Jan. 12, visit marist.com/eveningseries.

Sprint and the 1Million Project Foundation plans to give free devices and internet access to every eligible high schooler in Metro Atlanta who does not have reliable broadband service at home. The program has expanded locally from two districts to seven, and nearly doubled the number of Atlanta area student participants to a total of nearly 20,000. The 1Million Project Foundation also announced a partnership with 100 Black Men of America to support the program by providing mentoring to participating high school students. Participating Atlanta Metro school districts are receiving an in-kind donation of free service from Sprint valued at almost $7.6 million, and free mobile devices from the foundation valued at $2.1 million.

►Wellspring Living, a non-profit organization founded in 2001 to provide victims of domestic sex trafficking with recovery services, has presented Atlanta Public Schools with the 2019 HOPE Award. Wellspring Living recognized APS because of the innovative and transformative work being done through the district’s partnership with Wellspring Living at Phoenix Academy and Forrest Hill Academy. At Forrest Hill, the Women’s Academy

provides comprehensive services enabling women to move toward a pathway to living wage employment. At Phoenix Academy, a comprehensive model supports students by providing case management, therapy, and access to food and clothing. The school has its own food pantry and clothing boutique. Wellspring Living also hosts parent empowerment and healing circles at Dunbar Elementary. The organization estimates that the lives of over 300 individuals have been impacted as a result of this partnership.

Ground was recently broken in the Grove Park community for the future home of KIPP Woodson Park Academy, a YMCA Early Learning Center and a school-based health clinic. This $51 million investment in the Grove Park neighborhood is the result of a partnership between the community, Atlanta Public Schools, the Grove Park Foundation, KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools and the YMCA of Metro Atlanta. This represents the first major step in a series of investments in the health, arts and affordability in the Grove Park neighborhood intended to boost health, equity, affordability and economic mobility.

SunTrust has contributed $8.6 million to support the expansion of Atlanta Youth Academy’s pre-k – 8th grade private school campus, which will further provide high-quality primary education to low-income students across the Atlanta region. The 45,600 square foot expansion will allow Atlanta Youth Academy to serve more students, growing the current staff from 25 to 30 and enrollment from 150 to 225 students. In addition, the new campus will feature 15 classrooms, six breakout spaces, a renovated gymnasium and more.

ABOVE: INtown columnist and architect Melody Harclerode was recently awarded the prestigious Ivan Allen Sr. Trophy by the American Institute of Architects-Atlanta (AIA). The trophy is given to a member who has made a deep and lasting impact on peers, AIA and the built environment, and therefore sustained the highest ideals of the profession. Melody received her trophy from Chris Welty, AIA Atlanta President, and Jay Silverman, 2017 Ivan Alllen Sr. Trophy recipient.

TOP RIGHT: Prism: Winter Lights at Woodruff Park runs through February featuring light installations and sculptures by local artists in the Downtown greenspace.

BOTTOM RIGHT: The Dilweg Companies and partner BIG Outdoor have unveiled a large format digital display that wraps around the corner of the 101 Marietta Street building in Downtown. The signage is part of the Atlanta Arts & Entertainment District (AAED) initiative to merge digital media, public art and non-traditional advertising to fund cultural and public space programming in Atlanta’s city center.