Atlanta Intown - February 2024

Atlanta Intown 30th ANNIVERSARY

A

Publication

Downtown's New Buzz

A Special Section Inside | S1-20

FEBRUARY 2024 Vol. 30 No. 2 ■ RoughDraftAtlanta.com

Ken Covers’ Unmatched Expertise in the 2024 Real Estate Landscape The 2024 market has kicked off exceptionally well, featuring lower interest rates and ample inventory.

The Best Results Take Planning.

With over 20 years of residency and specialization in Morningside, Ken Covers stands out as one of the foremost REALTORS®. No other agent in the area has surpassed Ken Covers in selling homes above $1 million. His extraordinary knowledge, experience, and consistently outstanding results set him apart. It’s his unparalleled market insight, meticulous attention to detail, and track record of success that distinguish him from others in the field.

Call or Email Me so We Can Put a Winning Plan in Place for Your Home Sale!

9 Year Recipient of The 5 Star Real Estate Agent Award

Host of American Dream TV

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Emmy-nominated Television Series, Selling Atlanta

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5 Bed | 4 Bath | Offered at $1,395,000

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Morningside at its Very Best Describes This Custom Designed Brick Total Expansion & Modernization.

Just Sold 1302 Middlesex Avenue NE 5 Bed | 5.5 Bath | Sold for $1,970,000 Philip Pettit’s Outstanding Custom Home boasts a Spacious Dining Room, Gourmet Kitchen, Great Room, Screened Porch, & an Amazing Primary Suite.

This Residence is Truly Special.

Under Contract

Under Contract

Just Sold

936 Virginia Avenue NE 4 Bed | 3 Bath | Offered at $1,595,000 An Urban Gem—a Modernized Bungalow with an Open Floor Plan across 3 Levels. Featuring an Oversized Primary Suite, Media Room, and a Walk-Out Backyard Accessible from the Main Level.

to

887 Berkshire Road NE 4 Bed | 4.5 Bath | Sold for $1,600,000 Unique Morningside Custom Built Home: Soft Modern Design, Rare 4-Car Garage, High Ceilings, State-of-the- Art Kitchen, & Spacious Main-Level Primary Suite.

Ken Covers, Real Estate Advisor Engel & Völkers Atlanta 1411 North Highland Avenue | Atlanta | GA 30306 M +1 404.664.8280 O +1 404.845.7724 ken.covers@evatlanta.com | kencovers.evatlanta.com

Coming Soon to Morningside Stay tuned for more infomation!

Whether you’re curious about buying, selling, or the projected home values for Morningside in 2024, scan here to get started.

©2024 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your property is currently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing. Engel & Völkers and its independent license partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act. Source: FMLS 2024

2 | FEBRUARY 2024

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Contents FEBRUARY 2024 Editor's Note

4

Community Cop City Vandalism

6

News Roundup

8

May I Be Excused?

8

Sustainability Above the Waterline

10

Arts & Entertainment Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

12

Kendeda Playwright Award

13

Special Section Downtown Atlanta

S1-S20

Dining

12

The Vortex Sold

14

Six Feet Under Relocates

35

Women + Wine

36

In the Spirit

37

Real Estate Armour-Ottley Loop

38

The Goat Farm

40

Business Lee+White’s New Tenants

14

46

36

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Centennial Yards Company President Brian McGowan, center, talks with construction crew members at the site of the new 304-unit apartment building now being built at Centennial Yards, formerly known as The Gulch.

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FEBRUARY 2024 |

3

Why I’m bullish on Downtown

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I have a very distinct childhood memory of the first time I saw the City of Atlanta.

It was from the backseat of my parents’ car at age 5 as we approached from the south on I-85. The Westin Peachtree Plaza was nearing completion and it rose so tall over the surrounding buildings that it almost frightened me. It was like the apes discovering the towering monolith in “2001: A Space Odyssey.” It instilled in me EDITOR'S a sense of awe and wonder.

A year or so later, my first grade class took a questionable NOTE “field trip” to the grand old Rich’s Department Store to visit Santa Claus, ride the Pink Pig, and eat lunch at The Varsity.

And, again, I was agog at the sights and sounds of Downtown.

All these years later, it still gives me a little thrill to drive into that canyon of high-rises on Peachtree Street or come up the long escalator at Peachtree Center.

Collin Kelley Since my parents passed away, I have spent most holidays with friends. For Christmas lunch, we got reservations at By George located in the lobby of the former office building, which is now known as the Candler Hotel. It was a delicious meal and being Downtown (despite the dreary weather) for Christmas felt very chic and urbane.

Downtown catches a lot of flak – some of it warranted – for its acres of parking lots, lack of basic amenities for urban dwellers, and crime. The Downtown I remember – and that many folks of a certain age will too – is a place full of hustle and bustle both day and night. There were old movie palaces like the Loew's Grand Theatre and Paramount, Davison’s and Rich’s were thronged with customers, and restaurants and shops were destinations on the clanging streetcar system.

That Downtown is gone, but there is an opportunity to bring something even more exciting to the core of the city.

As you’ll see in our special section this month, we’ve partnered with Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) to showcase what’s next for Downtown. From a concerted effort to bring more arts and culture to the streets, to the revitalization of South Downtown into an entrepreneurial tech hub, and the rise of Centennial Yards on the long-derelict property adjacent to Mercedes-Benz Stadium – there is much to be bullish about.

The project that excites me most is the Stitch – the plan to cap the I-75/85 interstate with greenspace and new development opportunities. Atlanta was desecrated by the decision to run an interstate through its heart but the Stitch would reconnect some of the surface street grid and reunite both sides of Downtown.

The Stitch’s promise will have to be done with equity in mind: more affordable housing, more small business opportunities, and sustainability.

My hope is that CAP, city leaders, business owners, and residents who also love Downtown will make the Stitch and other ongoing projects a reality.

Downtown is on the cusp of being the vital place it used to be if we can retain some of that childhood awe and wonder.

Tell me what you think at collin@roughdraftatlanta.com.

A rendering of the Stitch in Downtown Atlanta.

Located in sought-after Druid Hills and just blocks from Emory Village and award-winning schools, this charming 1930 Tudor-style home offers an updated kitchen open to the family room, a main-level primary suite with a new primary bathroom and a screened porch overlooking the backyard.

Peggy Hibbert #1 Agent in Druid Hills + #1 Metro Brokerage

c. 404.444.0192 o. 404.874.0300 peggy@atlantafinehomes.com ©2024 Atlanta Fine Homes, LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. Source: FMLS. 1/1/21– 12/31/21. Druid Hills. All Property Types + Price Points. Intown Ranking: TrendGraphix. Top 5 Firms.

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JASON COOK c. 404.431.1384 | o. 404.480.4663 | JASON@ANSLEYRE.COM 9 5 2 PE ACH TREE ST. SUIT E 100, ATLAN TA, GA 3 03 0 9 | 4 04 .4 8 0 .4 6 6 3 | AN S LE Y R E .CO M All data believed to be accurate but not warranted. If you have any existing brokerage relationship, this is not intended as a solicitation. Equal housing opportunity.

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FEBRUARY 2024 |

5

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Great location across from Cheshire Square Shopping Center. Spacious unit with patio.

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6 | FEBRUARY 2024

COMMUNITY Police announce campaign to find training center ‘anarchists’

By Dyana Bagby Hundreds of billboards and digital marketing campaigns are now part of a national effort to arrest and convict violent “anarchists” suspected of attacks against the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, according to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum.

Schierbaum said at a Jan. 17 press conference that more than 450 billboards were put up in Atlanta and other major cities including Miami, Nashville, and New York. The billboards will advertise rewards of up to $200,000 for information in finding arson suspects protesting the training center, also known as “Cop City.”

The announcement came a day after activists set fire to construction equipment near the training center site and took credit for the action on a website, Schierbaum said.

“There is an effort underway by a very small group of individuals, anarchists, that want to impact the safety of Atlanta, Georgia,” Schierbaum said.

Attending the press conference with Schierbaum were Atlanta Deputy Fire Chief James McLemore, Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King and members of the FBI, ATF and the GBI. The chief ’s press conference was held before officials told members of the Atlanta City Council Finance Committee that the training center was more than 75% complete despite acts of vandalism, including arson. City officials said the vandalism has increased the estimated $90 million cost to build the complex by nearly $20 million.

In addition to billboards and digital marketing, geo-fencing campaigns will also be utilized in nine cities to advertise the cash reward for information leading to the arrest and convictions of those attacking the training center, according to a news release.

Geo-fencing was not discussed during the police chief ’s press conference. Atlanta Police did not respond to a request for comment about what specifically would be involved in the geo-fencing campaigns.

Geo-fencing is used to create a virtual geographic boundary around an area using GPS, Wi-Fi or cellular data technology.

Businesses use geo-fencing to target specific advertisements to someone’s cell phone, for example, when they walk into the virtual boundary.

Crime Stoppers in other states have used geo-fencing to get tips to solve crimes. However, some critics worry data compiled by police could be used to target innocent people. Some legal experts also say geo-fencing could be harmful to protesters and social activists.

The billboards and cash reward are being funded by Crime Stoppers of Greater Atlanta and private donations, Schierbaum said. Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta is managed by the Atlanta Police Foundation.

The Atlanta Police Foundation is in charge of building and managing the 85-acre public safety training center being built on city-owned property in the South River Forest in unincorporated DeKalb County.

Schierbaum also said Seth Brock Spigner was arrested in South Carolina and charged with arson for setting fire to construction equipment in a case related to Atlanta’s public safety training center.

Members of the city council’s finance committee were updated on the construction of the training center at their Jan. 17 meeting.

City officials said the training center is more than 75% complete “despite multiple acts of violence” over the past two years and is expected to be completed in December.

Deputy Chief Operating Officer LaChandra Burks told the finance committee that the frequency and intensity of the attacks in opposition to the training center have contributed to an increase in the estimated cost for the training center from $90 million to $109.6 million, according to a news release.

The increase includes $6 million for additional security and $400,000 for insurance increases. Atlanta taxpayers will not bear the burden of the $19.6 million in incremental costs, Burks said.

“We are moving forward as planned and not allowing distractions to deter us from improving the safety of Atlantans by completing the public safety training center,” Mayor Andre Dickens said in a news release.

In the news release, Dickens and city administrators also pushed back against the $67 million cost to taxpayers to build the training center.

“The City’s share of the training center construction cost, approved by the Atlanta City Council in June 2023, remains an allocation of $31 million,” according to the news release.

“The other Council-approved training center cost, which is a budget-neutral annual lease-back payment to the Atlanta Police Foundation (APF) of $1.2 million, is not an incremental, additional, or new expense for the city’s taxpayers.

“As outlined previously, the city currently pays $1.4 million annually for various leases for suboptimal training facilities around the city and metro area.

Once the new training center is built, the City will cancel those various leases and start making the $1.2 million leaseback payments to APF. The leaseback payments are a $200,000 annual savings or a $6 million savings over 30 years,” the news release said.

Opponents of the training center say building the complex would only lead to more police militarization and violence against Black and brown people. They also accuse the city of environmental racism for building the training center in a majority Black neighborhood.

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Chase Mizell #1 AGENT, ATLANTA REALTORS®, 2021 + 2022 c. 770.289.2780 o. 404.874.0300 chasemizell@atlantafinehomes.com • chasemizell.com © 2023 Sotheby’s International Realty. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a registered trademark and used with permission. Each Sotheby’s International Realty office is independently owned and operated, except those operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. This material is based upon information which we consider reliable but because it has been supplied by third parties, we cannot represent that it is accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. All offerings are subject to errors, omissions, changes including price or withdrawal without notice. Equal Housing Opportunity. #1 Agent Volume, 2020+ 2021, Atlanta REALTORS® Association.

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FEBRUARY 2024 |

7

News RoundUp

Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. Text DRAFT to 66866.

Dexter Scott King, the youngest son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, died Jan. 22 at the age of 62 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. King served as both chairman of The King Center on Auburn Avenue and president of The King Estate.

Atlanta City Councilmember Jason Dozier has introduced legislation that would ban right turns at red lights in Downtown, Midtown, and Castleberry Hill.

Peach Pass customers can now access E-ZPass tolling facilities in 10 additional states, bringing the total to 18. States include Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland and Rhode Island.

Anne Fauver, who served two terms on the Atlanta City Council and was a “trailblazer” for LGBTQ elected officials, has died. Fauver represented District 6 for two terms, from 2002 through 2010.

An afternoon party success story Does anyone else need to give themselves a pep talk before going out socially these days? Do people even want to do things anymore? I blame the quarantine scarring MAY I BE we all have from EXCUSED the pandemic – equal parts anxiety and introversion – but it probably has a little to do with aging as well.

I don’t think I’m Tim Sullivan alone. Some people hardly even want to

be asked to do social things anymore.

The holidays demand I step up my game though. Our big, fun family won’t stand for introversion. We had Christmas Eve at my brother’s, and Christmas at Kristen’s sister’s. Then the New Jersey cousins came to town and our house teemed over for five days or so. We hosted a gift exchange, took the kids shopping in Little Five Points, and ice skating in Atlantic Station. There were delicious meals, lots of laughs, and endless amounts of cookies and wine. Much quality family time was spent and I was a man in full, bloated even.

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We were both tired but Kristen must be a little less scarred and aged than me because she wanted to see friends, too.

She suggested we plan “something” for New Year’s. But getting dolled up and staying out past midnight sounded like torture. So how could we celebrate New Year’s Eve without dressing up or going out or staying up late? I’m certainly not one of those people who hosts brunch on New Year’s Day. Are they showing off or something? Maybe serving quiche at 10 a.m. on Jan. 1 is some sort of power move. But of all the things I don’t want to do, that is the one I don’t want to do the most.

Then I think to myself, well, you’re a wet blanket, aren’t you? Remember when you were a kid and your family threw these epic, open-house holiday parties? Whole families rolled up in their station wagons and had a blast. The place was packed with old friends, new friends, and if we were lucky, a couple beer-drinking nuns.

Nowadays whenever we do find the strength to pull off a party of this sort, my kids enjoy it.

The iPhones give way to actual, interpersonal interactions. If we teach them anything, it ought to be that connecting with friends is important, right?

And now you know the mental gymnastics I go through from the time Kristen says “I want to have a party” until the time I’m scrubbing the porch furniture.

Yet however touching that little change of heart paragraph was, I still wasn’t jazzed about hosting a fancy pants New Year’s Eve party. But if we wanted to do a little something, like jeans and sweater – something, on my couch in time to watch Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen embarrass themselves--something, what could that be? People – it’s all about the New Year’s Eve Early Bird Special.

The swiftness with which the positive Evite responses came back pretty much confirmed it was a brilliant plan. Come over in the afternoon. Bring a dish to share and just hang out. If you have a glitzy soiree to attend later that night, we are not competing with that notion. You can do either or both and we’re not stressing about it either way. If you want to say you did something for NYE but be in your pajamas by 8 p.m., well, you’ve found your party and your people.

John Manasso and his mother Jackie at the “Early Bird” New Year’s Eve party. (Photo

by Tim Sullivan)

At 55 degrees and sunny, it was a smashing success. We had some couples, some singles, and some whole families over like an old-school throw-down. Adults gabbed away in the kitchen and huddled around a fire outside while kids scattered to the far reaches of the house and yard.

There was food and drink and laughs and I was a man in full(er) for it. Most importantly, I was in my pajamas well before midnight. Maybe socializing isn’t so terrible, given a particular construct.

Atlanta Fine Homes, LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. *Represented buyer. **Co-listed.

8 | FEBRUARY 2024

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FEBRUARY 2024 |

9

SUSTAINABLITY

RiverLands: New outdoor access at revived Chattahoochee

Photos and renderings courtesy of the Trust for Public Lands

Revival is a beautiful, powerful word: a return to life, vigor, and strength. Over the past two decades, the river that flows through metro Atlanta, sustaining millions of Georgians with drinking water and more, is reviving from nearly a century of abuse and neglect.

Today, the Chattahoochee River between the city of Atlanta and West Point Lake – a 70-mile stretch with forested riverbanks, rocky shoals, rural communities, and cultural sites – is no longer regularly polluted with the city’s waste. Water quality data collected by Chattahoochee Riverkeeper confirms the river’s health has dramatically improved in this area. The organization’s 1995 lawsuit against the city resulted in a federal mandate and the investment of billions of dollars to overhaul its long-neglected sewer system to meet clean water standards.

Once considered offABOVE THE limits for recreation due to chronic WATER LINE sewage overflows and polluted storm runoff, this previously blighted section is on the cusp of becoming a major destination Sally Bethea for outdoor experiences. The transformation now underway will result in new parks, hiking paths, bike trails, a Camp + Paddle Trail, and improved access to historic and cultural sites. A bold vision developed over the past five years through a collaboration with nonprofit Trust for Public Land (TPL), Atlanta Regional Commission, city of Atlanta, Cobb County and eighty local partners is leading the way.

Called Chattahoochee RiverLands, the extensive plan will connect communities, parks, greenways, and trails along a 100mile extent of the river from Lake Lanier to Chattahoochee Bend State Park; its implementation is expected to take several

10 | FEBRUARY 2024

decades, as funding becomes available.

The upstream half of the RiverLands corridor already includes the much-loved Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area with its five-thousand-plus acres of riverfront parks and forty-eight miles of river.

“RiverLands will redefine our relationship with the Chattahoochee,” says TPL’s Chattahoochee Program Director Walt Ray. “It will stitch together local, state and federal partnerships to provide outdoor access for all in the region’s new defining public space.”

Cultural Connections I love to explore the river downstream of Atlanta – truly my favorite place to paddle – but I am particularly excited about the opportunities presented by RiverLands to interpret and connect the cultural resources in and along the Chattahoochee. I want to better understand the indigenous people who came before us, even more dependent on the river’s many benefits from drinking water and crop irrigation to fish, game, and transportation. Over the centuries, human dependence on the Chattahoochee has changed in many ways, but our reliance on its life-giving waters is never-ending.

The pre-colonial history of Georgia is largely the story of the Muscogee Indians: the indigenous people named Creeks by European colonists for their streamside settlements in the Southeast. During the colonial period, they outnumbered Europeans and enslaved Africans, occupying more land than the newcomers – until they were considered impediments to the expansion of plantation slavery and “removed” to Oklahoma in the early 1800s.

By that time, millions of acres of native Muscogee (Creek) land had been ceded to the Europeans through trickery, unfulfilled promises, and coercion.

On a windy, blue-sky day last November, I drove to the McIntosh Reserve, located at the downstream end of the RiverLands project, about an hour from my home in midtown Atlanta. Named for William

McIntosh, a controversial Muscogee chief in the early nineteenth century, it is the site of his plantation home and assassination—after he ceded all remaining Muscogee lands in present-day Georgia to the U.S. government for personal benefit.

Over the past thirty years, I’ve traveled to this park by car and kayak many times and camped on its riverbanks. This foreverprotected place never fails to take my breath away, especially on sparkling late-fall days when I’ve joined park supporters to talk about progress being made to revive our river. From Council Bluff, where our group gathered, the views of the Chattahoochee and a prehistoric fish weir or trap (visible when the water is low) were spectacular. We celebrated the river’s return and all that will come with a cleaner, safer river.

Major Investments A significant state grant and local county support are providing funds to double the size of McIntosh Reserve to nearly 1,000 acres. At upstream Standing Peachtree park – a former Muscogee village located at the confluence of Peachtree Creek and the river – a new kayak launch will be completed in May for the 48-mile Camp + Paddle Trail; the route will take paddlers through a previously inaccessible (and previously filthy) section of the Chattahoochee. A bike path along the river here and a bridge

over Peachtree Creek are also planned.

Connections to the Silver Comet Trail and the Atlanta Beltline are part of the vision.

At Buzzard Roost Island in south Fulton County, the beach and upland will be available for short stops and picnics, as paddlers make their way downstream. The island was once a crossing point for the Muscogees, part of the Sandtown Trail, said to be one of the oldest “roads” in the Southeast; native settlements were established on both sides of the Chattahoochee and the area has been described as archaeologically significant. Additional cultural sites will no doubt be found and interpreted as deserved attention is finally paid to this long-ignored section of the river.

To date, $250 million in public and private funds have been raised to build initial sections of the 100-mile river trail with TPL providing an impressive $20 million of that total. The speed in which the RiverLands vision will be realized depends on securing additional funds. Thirty years ago, this transformative project would not have been possible, given the health and safety risks associated with the river, especially downstream of Atlanta. Today, we celebrate the river’s revival and a new recreation destination for all!

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Subscribe to Scene, a newsletter about film. RoughDraftAtlanta.com/newsletters

Atlanta Jewish Film Fest hits theaters Feb. 13-26

By Sammie Purcell The 24th Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) will run Feb. 13-26 at various theaters across the metro Atlanta area.

This year’s festival includes more than 60 films from 20 different countries, according to a press release. After the initial run of the festival, the festival will offer a special streaming encore from Feb. 27-March 7 with 32 films available to watch online.

The first night of the festival will kick off with a screening of the film “Irena’s Vow,” based on the true story of a Nazi’s

housemaid who risked her life to save Polish Jews during World War II. The screening will take place at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, and actress Sophie Nelisse (“Yellowjackets”), actor Dougray Scott (“Ever After,” “Mission: Impossible 2”) and Irena’s daughter Jeannie are expected to attend.

In collaboration with The National Center for Jewish Film, the festival will also include a screening of a digitally restored silent film called “Breaking Home Ties” accompanied by its new score, according to the release.

The festival also features the U.S.

“Irena’s Vow” (Courtesy of AJFF)

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12 | FEBRUARY 2024

“Seven Blessings” (Courtesy of AJFF)

premiere of “Supernova: The Music Festival Massacre,” about the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, and a screening of Israels’ Oscar submission “Seven Blessings.” The festival will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of “Crown Heights.”

On Feb. 14, the musical comedy “Less than Kosher” will screen at the Tara Theatre for an event called Young Professionals Night by AJC ACCESS. “The Plot Against Harry” will screen at the Plaza Theatre on Feb. 15 for an event called Late Night at Plazadrome, in partnership with Videodrome.

On the last night of the festival, the documentary “Shari and Lamb Chop” about the artist who created the iconic puppet, will play at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center. Mallory Lewis, Shari’s daughter and the current Lamb

Chop puppeteer, is expected to attend.

Tickets for the festival go on sale on Jan. 31 at noon, but AJFF members can access a special pre-sale beginning Jan. 17 at noon. Tickets can be purchased at ajff. org.

Y'alla is a new, weekly newsletter for Atlanta's Jewish Community.

Scan to see the full schedule of AJFF films and special events.

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Alliance Theatre presents world premiere of ‘Furlough’s Paradise’

By Collin Kelley This year’s winner of the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition will have its world premiere on the Hertz Stage at Alliance Theatre this month.

The 20th competition winner, “Furlough’s Paradise” is written by a.k. payne, a graduate of the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. The production will run from Jan. 31 until March 3.

Opening night will be Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m.

“I am excited to be selected as the winner of the 20th annual Alliance/ Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition. I am grateful for any space to share work, to share work with audiences, and to have resources to fully actualize a dream,” said playwright a.k. payne in a press release. “I think a lot about plays as like blueprints imagining freedom, or blueprints for imagining worlds, and the invitation to gather people. I feel like, with this particular play, the blueprint for me is about how do we imagine space to be together. And how is that revolutionary?

So, I’m excited.”

“Furlough’s Paradise” follows Cousins Sade and Mina, raised like sisters but now leading very different lives, as they return to their childhood town for a funeral.

While Sade is on a three-day furlough from prison and Mina experiences a brief reprieve from her career and life on the West Coast, the two try to make sense of grief, home, love, and kinship. But traumas and resentments from the past, both real and surreal, threaten to pull

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a.k. payne

them apart, all as time ticks towards the correctional officer’s impending arrival.

“These characters are fighting for moments,” said payne. “Because it’s been taken from them, they are fighting for moments to be in the same room together.

A lot of the play is about being present and how we witness each other. How do we share space together. And so, my hope, for audiences, is the same – that they are invited into a chance to share; to share breath and to share air with people, I think that is really special.”

The Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition solicits plays from the leading MFA graduate programs in the United States and then conducts a rigorous selection process to find four finalists and one winning play.

The winner receives a full production as part of the Alliance Theatre’s regular season.

Past winners of the Alliance/ Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition have become some of today’s most exciting playwrights and writers, including Tarell Alvin McCraney, whose play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue” inspired the 2017 Academy Award-winning film “Moonlight,” and Marcus Gardley, who wrote the recent film adaptation of the musical, “The Color Purple.”

Tickets start at $25 and are available at the Alliance Theatre Box Office by calling (404) 733-4600. Tickets are available online at alliancetheatre.org.

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DINING

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Taco Mac owners acquire Atlanta bar and burger institution The Vortex

By Beth McKibben The team behind Taco Mac and Mary Mac’s Tea Room acquired The Vortex in Midtown and Little Five Points. Co-owner Michael Benoit says he and his two siblings were ready to move on from the Atlanta burger and bar institution they’ve run for over 30 years.

Bone Garden Cantina, the Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard Mexican restaurant

Benoit owns with his wife Kristen in Blandtown, and the Laughing Skull Lounge comedy club inside the Midtown location of the Vortex are not part of the deal.

"After more than 30 years in business, it started becoming clear to us that the bar and restaurant trade is really a younger person's game," Benoit says. “We’ve seen many bars and restaurants come The Vortex in and go over the years.

Midtown.

And we've witnessed associates in the business simply close up shop when their run was over. I have always found the sudden closure of any establishment that has become a real, tangible part of people’s lives, to be a sad and melancholy affair."

Rather than close permanently, Benoit says they began exploring options to keep the Vortex locations open and operating.

That opportunity presented itself through a chance meeting with Taco Mac CEO

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moving to Atlanta from Los Angeles. The Little Five Points location followed four years later. The Vortex is known for its 21 and up policy, divey atmosphere, and over-the-top burgers. The Triple Bypass burger comes with three beef patties, three fried eggs, 14 slices of American cheese, and ten slices of bacon. Two grilled cheese sandwiches serve as buns for the gargantuan burger.

"It goes without saying that we could never have accomplished all we have over the years without the help of our wonderful staff who have become like family to us," says Benoit. "When Harold assured us that his goal was to preserve what we had built, we were happy and relieved. That’s when we realized that selling to Harold might be a viable solution to assure the future of The Vortex."

The Vortex made news in 2019 when both locations became non-smoking. At the time, it was one of the few remaining restaurants in the city to allow smoking inside. Benoit conducted a month-long survey of 11,000 people regarding the Vortex’s smoking policy. Nearly 70% of the people polled were in favor of banning smoking inside. On February 1, 2019, the Vortex went non-smoking.

"Without [our fans'] continued support we simply could not have created the Atlanta institution that is The Vortex.

We’re happy that the camaraderie among our people will continue," Benoit adds.

"Over the years our fans have continuously suggested that we open a Vortex location where they live. While I can’t speak for the new owners, I suppose there could be a chance of additional Vortex locations opening in the future. Who knows? Only time will tell."

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Harold Martin, Jr. This isn’t the first time the group behind Taco Mac has acquired a restaurant institution in Atlanta. Martin., Michael and John Michael Bodnar, and Bryan Rand, part of Fresh Hospitality, purchased Mary Mac’s Tea Room in Midtown from John Ferrell four years ago. Little has changed at the iconic Southern restaurant known for its fried chicken, other than renaming a dining room in memory of longtime Mary Mac’s employee Ellen Frarley, who died in 2020.

Martin and the Bodnars acquired Taco Mac in 2018 from Dallas-based CIC Partners. Martin was a regular patron at Taco Mac and Mary Mac's before the purchases. He promised the Benoits that the legacy of the Vortex would be preserved, just as Martin and his partners had done with Mary Mac's. During several lunch meetings at Mary Mac's with Martin and his team, Benoit says he and his family were happy to find that the food, service, and atmosphere remained consistent after the restaurant's acquisition.

“The new owners, a local group of restaurateurs who also own Taco Mac and Mary Mac’s Tea Room, are committed to acquiring and preserving Atlanta’s most iconic restaurants. They have a deep appreciation for The Vortex’s rich history and look forward to stewarding this iconic brand for generations to come” a statement provided to Rough Draft reads. “Patrons can expect the same commitment to quality, consistency, creativity, and community that has defined The Vortex for decades. The transition of ownership has been seamless, with operations continuing without interruption.”

Benoit and his siblings, Hank and Suzanne, opened the Vortex in 1992 after

Protesters clash with police near the Cop City site. (Photo by Dyana Bagby) RoughDraftAtlanta.com

FEBRUARY 2024 ■ A SPECIAL SECTION

atlanta

Downtown’s New Buzz There is no denying that Downtown Atlanta is undergoing one of its biggest renaissances ever. Underground Atlanta is springing back to life as an arts and nightlife hub, South Downtown will soon be reimagined as a destination for tech entrepreneurs and the massive Centennial Yards mixed-use development is set to transform underutilized property into a

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thriving community.

Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District continue to work behind the scenes to create an urban core that meets the needs of businesses, residents, students, and visitors.

From art installations to greenery to dining and community events, Downtown

Atlanta is making strides to become a buzzing 24-hour destination.

And the Stitch, the interstate-capping project set to bring additional greenspace and opportunities, will reunite the heart of Downtown for the first time in more than 60 years.

You don’t want to miss a moment of what’s coming next to Downtown Atlanta.

FEBRUARY 2024 |

15

CENTRAL ATLANTA PROGRESS AND ATLANTA DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT

Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration

A New View Honoring the people, places, and businesses shaping Downtown’s exciting growth.

JANUARY 31, 2024 SIGNIA BY HILTON ATLANTA 11:00 AM CHECK-IN | 12:00 PM PROGRAM ATLANTADOWNTOWN.COM HONORING

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EVENT AND GET TICKETS

DAN AND TALLY SWEAT AWARD

MARCUS DOWNTOWN ECONOMIC IMPACT AWARD

WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD

Craig Jones

Georgia-Pacific

Bem Joiner

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

@DOWNTOWNATLANTA

Stay connected with CONNECT WITH C.A.P. Central Atlanta Progress ON LINKEDIN

Subscribe to our newsletters for updates about Downtown projects, news, and events: ATLANTADOWNTOWN.COM/SUBSCRIBE

S2 | FEBRUARY 2024

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There’s nowhere like Downtown Atlanta

by A.J. Robinson

President of Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District

The historic core of our beloved city is a place where the pulse of progress and rhythm of resilience beat in harmony.

Nestled within the heart of our vibrant metropolis, it’s a location where steel and concrete ascend towards the sky, representing the buoyant spirit of a community achieving unprecedented heights.

The air in Downtown Atlanta is charged with a palpable, invigorating energy—a lively current that crackles with the promise of new beginnings and exciting possibilities.

Meanwhile, the essence of our city’s rich, complex history is deeply woven into its urban fabric. Each brick, each street, and each building are silent storytellers, recounting the tales of years gone by. Every day, we add new chapters to this continuing

narrative, constructing a future that respects and builds upon the foundations of our past.

Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) are at the helm of this journey, steering the city center towards a brighter future. Downtown Atlanta, under our guidance, continues its transformation from a 9-to-5 hub for office workers into a vibrant neighborhood teeming with life. Now, it’s becoming a diverse community buzzing with residents and students, brimming with a unique blend of entertainment and art, and blossoming as the intersection of culture and trade.

Since we created it in 2017, the Downtown Master Plan has served as the guiding compass in CAP & ADID’s work.

This comprehensive blueprint sketches out our ambitious vision for the future, encompassing all facets of Downtown life— from housing and economic development to transportation, the arts, and beyond. The Master Plan imagines a resilient community with safe, bustling streets; healthy, lively citizens; and vibrant, welcoming public spaces.

These concerted efforts aim to elevate the Downtown experience to new heights.

They aim to transform our urban landscape with verdant greenery and enhance our public spaces. We’re committed to better accessibility and fostering an energetic,

Al fresco lunch along the Broad Street Boardwalk

Launch of the MLK Jr. Drive Protected Bike Lane

vibrant community.

Downtown is a place for everyone.

With its historic charm and modern vibrancy, the only thing more impressive than its skyline is its bright and promising future.

Music, Markets & Memories

Martina Sandiego Boardwalk Performance

CAP & ADID orchestrate hundreds of placemaking activations each year, including biweekly craft markets by Community Market ATL, showcasing LGBTQIA+ artists and vendors. These markets are a Downtown highlight, offering students and residents an array of quality goods at attractive prices, enriching the community's shopping experience.

Weekly lunchtime musical RoughDraftAtlanta.com

Community Market Atlanta vendor JaEunDesigns

performances on the Broad Street Boardwalk are a staple, while the summer months feature free yoga classes on Saturdays. Holidays are celebrated with an array of activations, from Valentine’s Day floral art pop-ups to a week-

Downtown Windows featuring Mike Stastny

long winter wonderland featuring faux snow and holiday-themed activities like ice sculpture carvings and wreath-making workshops.

In collaboration with Arts & Entertainment Atlanta, the Downtown Windows initiative brings even more magic into the neighborhood by transforming vacant storefronts into vibrant art installations.

FEBRUARY 2024 |

S3

Downtown Heroes Each year at their Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration, CAP and ADID honor the people, places, and businesses that are making an unparalleled impact on our central city.

Georgia-Pacific Marcus Downtown Economic Impact Award Georgia-Pacific was founded in 1927 as the Georgia Hardwood Lumber Company and has long been an advocate for environmental, social, and governance initiatives. Georgia-Pacific Center, the company’s corporate headquarters in Downtown Atlanta, was built in 1982 on the site of Loew’s Grand Theatre, where Gone with the Wind premiered in 1939.

At its 90th anniversary in 2017, GeorgiaPacific was one of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer products, building products, packaging, and pulp with tens of thousands of employees across the globe, including 7,500 in Georgia.

McDonald both displayed remarkable courage and composure during an active shooter situation. The officers performed various lifesaving measures and embodies what it means to serve and protect.

the Ambassador Force with excellence, including his participation in primary site visits and public safety pre-events for major conventions and conferences.

William Lawson Craig Jones

ADID Public Space Clean Employee of the Year

Dan & Tally Sweat Award

William has been an integral part of the Clean Team for over 14 years, demonstrating a remarkable commitment to his role. William consistently goes above and beyond the expectations of his role, taking great pride in his work and displaying outstanding leadership qualities.

Craig has been a leader in real estate development and civic engagement in Atlanta for more than 40 years. Beginning his career at King & Spalding, Craig soon harnessed his expertise to serve the Atlanta community, engaging with several nonprofits, including the historic Fox Theater, KIPP Schools, Central Atlanta Progress, and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District. He has served as Board Chair for ADID for twenty years and continues to advocate for Downtown Atlanta’s development and vibrancy.

Ayesha AbdulHakeem and Ariel McDonald APD Zone 5 Officers of the Year Officer Abdul-Hakeem and Officer

S4 | FEBRUARY 2024

Bem Joiner Warner Bros. Discovery Community Leadership Award Bem is an Atlanta native, is the city’s premier creative culture curator and co-founder of the civic-minded creative consultancy and brand Atlanta Influences Everything. From growing up in the Historic West Side to creating partnerships with Atlanta and the City of Stockholm, Bem’s love for Atlanta has led him to become a pioneer in cultural activation and celebration. Bem is beyond passionate about the city of Atlanta and its growth and continues giving back through a variety of grassroots initiatives.

Rodney Wolfe Homeless Outreach Employee of the Year Since joining ADID, Rodney has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to providing compassion and care to our unhoused neighbors within the District.

To learn more about CAP and ADID’s Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration, visit atlantadowntown.com/cap/about/ annual-meeting/2024-annual-meeting

Lorne Coleman

ADID Ambassador of the Year Lorne has consistently represented RoughDraftAtlanta.com

MARTA Congratulates CAP’s 2024 Award Winners

Coming Soon

Five Points Station Transformation A World-Class Transit Hub A vital transit connection for riders and vibrant destination for residents and millions of annual visitors.

Elevating your experience with modern renovation and design, ensuring a seamless journey, and reflecting the MARTA system of the future.

Learn more Scan the QR code to go to itsmarta.com/five-points-station-projects.aspx

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10x12.5 CAP Ad v4 - 2024.indd 1

FEBRUARY 2024 |

S5

1/19/24 4:56 PM

The Stitch makes strides

Often, the most transformative ideas are born out of necessity. This holds true for the Stitch, an innovative infrastructure project aimed at mending the physical divide in the heart of Atlanta. In the 1950s and 60s, our city center was intentionally severed by the Downtown Connector, leaving Atlantans disconnected from vital opportunities and each other. As Mayor Andre Dickens aptly put it, "Despite its name, the Connector cuts our city center in two. Now is the time for change."

The Stitch is that change. Once

complete, the ADID-led project will establish a 3⁄4-mile platform over the Connector, creating approximately 14 acres of new urban parks and public spaces, improvements to 11 connecting streets, and enhancements to the Civic Center MARTA station. This endeavor is designed to catalyze equitable redevelopment of the surrounding area, with a focus on affordable housing, lowcost transportation, job creation, and community resource accessibility.

In the past two years, local and federal

partners have committed $42.3 million to the project, with $12.5 million sourced from federal grants. ADID and the City of Atlanta are currently in the master planning stage and are working with a consultant team led by WSP, Inc. and Hargreaves Jones Landscape Architects.

As a part of this process, the Stitch team has already engaged with thousands of stakeholders and community members via in-person events and online engagement tools, fostering a collaborative process to shape the project’s future.

With master planning and early engineering fully funded and progressing on schedule, the team has transitioned to fundraising for the construction of the Stitch. In September 2023, CAP, the City of Atlanta, the Atlanta Regional Commission, and other partners applied for a $157 million discretionary grant via the United States Department of Transportation's Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods program. If the application is successful, this grant would completely fund Phase 1 of the Stitch, which includes the creation of up to 4.5 acres of interstate cap and park, rehabilitation, and upgrades of the Civic Center MARTA station (funded by the MARTA station rehab program), and improvements to the safety, operations, and aesthetics of streets in the project vicinity.

As the Stitch progresses from concept to reality, ADID invites you to sign up for the project’s newsletter at TheStitchATL.com.

Atlanta’s Downtown Connector ripped apart the city’s urban fabric.

Join the conversation to help stitch it back together.

Stitch.MySocialPinpoint.com Now through February 29th, 2024: Share your vision for a reconnected city! The portal has numerous activities for you to directly influence the master plan currently underway.

THE “CONNECTOR” TODAY

S6 | FEBRUARY 2024

AFTER THE STITCH

IMAGINATIVE RENDERING

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REVITALIZING THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN

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FEBRUARY 2024 |

S7

Rare Books, Art, State of the Art Technology and More …

The Central Library

The Central Library, located in downtown Atlanta, is the system headquarters and main library of the Fulton County Library System.

Central Library offers an array of services, programs and materials for residents of all ages, including: Daily programs for children and adults like storytime, ESL and GED testing Special Collections of rare books and artifacts, including the Margaret Mitchell collection Artist in residence spaces and various gallery spaces throughout the building State of the art computer lab, meeting spaces, study rooms and more Best Buy Teen Tech Center for teens looking to explore STEM equipment and activities

fulcolibrary.org/central-library S8 | FEBRUARY 2024

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Empowerment in Every Stride Paramount Consulting Group, LLC Celebrates Black History

Paving the Way for Excellence At Paramount Consulting Group LLC, we honor and celebrate the rich tapestry of Black history. Join us in recognizing the resilience, achievements, and contributions that have shaped our world.

Diverse Perspectives, Powerful Solutions

Our commitment to inclusivity drives innovative solutions for every client, every time.

Follow us on social media for inspiring stories, discussions, and opportunities.

This February, we commemorate trailblazers who’ve paved the way for progress like our hero Congressman John Lewis and so many more.

Paramount Consulting Groupv LLC stands alongside those who inspire change.

(404) 341-7272 paramountconsults.com

Looks good on the surface, right?

Yet underneath that surface lies the ultimate dilemma. Our beloved community tops the U.S. for lack of economic mobility and growing suburban poverty.

We can, and will, do better. Together.

Working with and through community, we champion equity. And we do it in collaboration with civic and business leaders, funding partners, and neighborhoods to improve equitable outcomes block-by-block throughout our region. Learn more at cfgreateratlanta.org/TogetherATL.

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FEBRUARY 2024 |

S9

COLLECTION OF SALES IN 2023

Thank you for your continued support as I celebrate another year of be

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S11

Stroll, Spin & Discover a Greener Urban Space Creating a safer, more accessible Downtown Atlanta

Parkway and Currier Street.

This project has drastically improved the walkability of this car-dominated road, making it safer and more accessible for everyone.

The second project was the creation of a new protected bicycle lane on M.L. King Jr. Drive.

Spanning five blocks from Forsyth Street to Capitol Avenue, this lane provides dedicated space for cyclists, contributing to slower vehicle speeds and ultimately, safer streets for everyone.

Downtown is on its way to becoming more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly with ongoing initiatives such as the South Downtown Transportation Plan, the Sweet Auburn Community Infrastructure Project, and the planned installation of further bike lanes. Through these efforts, we invite everyone to stroll, spin, and discover the beauty of a safer, more accessible city center.

Ceremonial tree planting at Underground Atlanta

Courtland St. sidewalk improvements

Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District continue our work to restore the urban canopy as part of the Downtown Urban Tree Planting Plan. Alongside Trees Atlanta and the City of Atlanta,

we commemorated the initiative with a ceremonial tree planting with Mayor Andre Dickens near Underground Atlanta and Five Points MARTA Station, further solidifying our vision for a greener, more beautiful city.

In the spirit of offering more transit options, CAP and ADID has committed to investing over $15 million over the next three years in transportation and public space improvements, aiming to reduce traffic congestion and dependency on automobiles.

Two key projects were recently completed through strong partnerships between CAP and ADID, ATLDOT, and local stakeholders. The first was the much-needed expansion of the sidewalks on Courtland Street between Renaissance

An Eye on Development

Take a glance at what’s new, what’s underway, and what’s on the horizon There’s no lack of recent developments in Downtown Atlanta, with the new Signia by Hilton Atlanta being one of the most noticeable. This 40-floor hotel boasts 975 rooms with unparalleled access to the Georgia World Congress Center and stunning views of Downtown’s skyline. Not far from the new hotel, two construction cranes rise above the Centennial Yards development, showing the first signs of the Gulch’s new hotel and apartment tower, while the Carrie Steele Logan Bridge showcases South Downtown’s walkability. The bridge connects the neighborhood to Castleberry Hill to the west, where 129 housing units have been added right next to the Mercedez-Benz Stadium. (Find out more on pages S14, S16 and S18.)

Further south, The Melody at 184 Forsyth Street will soon help transition people experiencing homelessness into permanent housing while giving them easy access to services and public transit.

Meanwhile, 2 Peachtree—with its 41 stories and almost 900,000 square feet of floorspace—is set to be one of the nation’s largest office tower conversions to affordable housing. Just blocks away, the recently completed Legacy at Centennial added 800 student residents right next to a

S12 | FEBRUARY 2024

2 Peachtree presentation at CAP & ADID Town Hall

stop on the Atlanta Streetcar.

Woodruff Park underwent a recent redesign to make it more open Woodruff Park renovations and inviting, with new pathways and clear lines of sight. Historic Sweet Auburn recently saw the completion the area’s superior walkability, Downtown’s of Thrive Sweet Auburn, which provides number of residents will only continue housing and employment to those in need. to grow. And those residents can look Plans to renovate the Price Hall Masons forward to 14 acres of greenspace once the Lodge, Odd Fellows Tower, and Front Stitch is complete. This massive project Porch are also in place. will repair the divide between Downtown To the north, the development of the and Midtown by covering the freeway Civic Center site is a once-in-a-generation and creating new spaces for development opportunity to add even more housing and community. And last but not least, units. With unmatched transit access and Courtland Street’s new sidewalk and

beautified streetscape make it safer for both pedestrians and drivers.

From towering high-rises to bike lanes and pathways, Downtown continues to become more vibrant and livable every day.

To learn more about recent investments in our city center, visit AtlantaDowntown. com/Investment.

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FEBRUARY 2024 |

S13

Arts & Entertainment Atlanta’s Dynamic Vision Unleashing the power of art, transforming the city

Fabian Williams’ artwork at Margaret Mitchell Square for A&E Atlanta’s “Local Stories” Performance by 2023 A&E Atlanta grantee Fly on a Wall

At the intersection of art and advertising is an ADID initiative that’s adding light and color to Downtown’s cityscape.

Arts & Entertainment Atlanta (A&E Atlanta), now in its fifth year, champions local arts and culture by spotlighting and uplifting local artists, most notably on large

digital signs on buildings like the Westin and AmericasMart. A&E Atlanta recently granted a record $198,000 to twenty-one artists and arts organizations that represent a diverse spectrum of creative talent. The grant funds will support vital operations and the development of multidisciplinary

projects and activations within Downtown.

A&E Atlanta self-funds its management and programming through revenue-sharing agreements with media companies within the district including Orange Barrel Media and BIG Outdoor.

With everything from public

installations and education to performances and films, Downtown's burgeoning arts community will only continue to grow.

Keep your eyes on the A&E Atlanta grantees; they’ll undoubtedly be behind some of our city’s most exciting projects. To learn more, visit aeatlanta.com.

Tech investors buy South Downtown properties for entrepreneurial district

By Dyana Bagby Atlanta Tech Village founder and entrepreneur David Cummings teamed up with technology investors to buy up acres of South Downtown properties that were set to be sold at foreclosure.

Cummings and Jon Birdsong of Atlanta Ventures announced in late December they teamed up to buy 53 parcels including 6 acres of parking lots from German developer Newport RE. The deal closed this month.

Plans are to transform the area into a vast entrepreneurial district and create a second site for Atlanta Tech Village.

Atlanta Tech Village in Buckhead is one of the country’s largest technology centers for entrepreneurs.

Creating more housing is a priority, Birdsong has said. This month, Atlanta Ventures opened a pop-up location at 170 Mitchell Street SW with workspaces in a shared community space, conference rooms and free parking.

Newport’s years-long plans to redevelop 10 blocks of the neglected Downtown area near the Five Points MARTA station into a thriving neighborhood dubbed “South DWNTN” collapsed last year when the company said it was forced to sell

S14 | FEBRUARY 2024

its portfolio after investor funding dried up.

Many of Newport’s properties were up for foreclosure after the company defaulted on loans after a deal fell through to sell its portfolio to Atlanta-based Braden Fellman.

Cummings and Birdsong announced their plans just before the new year to buy the entire Newport portfolio in a statement posted on the Atlanta Ventures website.

They also announced April Stammel of Newport is now a board member of Atlanta Ventures.

Cummings and Birdsong praised Newport’s “compelling vision” to revitalize

South Downtown. That vision deserves to be pursued, they said, to develop South Downtown into a potential hub for tech entrepreneurs. A larger plan for the property could be completed in the next year with plans for mixed-uses to be open in time for the 2026 World Cup. “Our first priority is listening and ensuring the mechanisms are in place to keep South Downtown in a state of progress,” the statement said. “Progress towards the continued combination of historic preservation and new construction, with a greater emphasis on creative doers and entrepreneurs from every corner of our city.”

“We, at Atlanta Ventures, will not let our city go backwards,” Cummings and Birdsong said.

“Innovation, progress, and risk-taking are in our blood. It’s why we choose to call this city home. It’s why we named our firm after our city.”

Cummings and Birdsong said the investment in South Downtown is an opportunity to create a safe, walkable, and livable neighborhood in the “once forgotten ‘heart of the city’.”

“Every great city in the world has a vibrant downtown, it’s Atlanta’s turn,” they said.

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S15

Centennial Yards construction ‘full steam ahead’ to fill hole in the heart of Downtown

A rendering of the buildings under construction at Centennial Yards.

(Courtesy Centennial Yards Company)

By Dyana Bagby Brian McGowan said he believes 2024 will be a “really big year” for Centennial Yards, the $5 billion development that promises to transform the gaping hole in the heart of Downtown Atlanta into a vibrant entertainment district and regional attraction.

“We’re full steam ahead, despite the current economic conditions, which we actually believe are improving,” said McGowan, president of Centennial Yards Company, an affiliate of Los Angeles-based CIM Group.

“The big takeaway is that things are going very well. We're on track. As far as the timeline, this is going to be a really big year for us.”

For decades, city leaders tried to redevelop The Gulch, considered an eyesore. In 2018, the city selected Los Angeles-based CIM Group to redevelop the 50 acres in a deal that included $1.9 billion in public subsidies. When the project is complete over the next decade, it will include 4 million square feet of retail, hotels, and office space and another 4 million square feet of apartments.

For four years, massive amounts of infrastructure work to create street grids to develop about 12 to 15 new city blocks have been taking place.

“We're actually building a city within a city,” McGowan said. “Everything from water, power, sewer, IT infrastructure for Wi-Fi and internet access – all of those things.

“And it is a very complicated site

S16 | FEBRUARY 2024

boutique hotel on a sliver of land across the street from the former Elliott Street Pub, he said, and a groundbreaking for that project could happen next year.

But financing construction of office buildings has slowed as the work-fromhome trend continues, impacting some plans for Centennial Yards.

The Lofts at Centennial Yard South with 162 apartments at 125 Ted Turner Drive SW has been open for a couple of years and remains fully leased, McGowan said. The second part of the building, called the 99 building, was planned for office space. But now negotiations are underway to turn the space into a boutique hotel, McGowan said.

Original plans for Centennial Yards also included tearing down the old Atlanta Journal-Constitution printing press building between Fairlie Street and Centennial Olympic Park Drive to build a 520-square-foot office building named One City Plaza. But this plan is now on hold for at least two years, McGowan said.

“We think that this building is a great place to film for movies, so we're marketing that we can rent the building out for

Cranes rise over The Gulcch property, which is being transformed into the mixed-use Centennial Yards in Downtown.

(Photos by Dyana Bagby)

because there are sewer lines running through it, there are gas lines running through it, there's a MARTA line running through it, one of the busiest rail lines in America runs through it,” he said.

“I think it’s important to point out that this couldn't have happened without the public-private partnership that was brought together, meaning the incentives that were layered upon the site.”

Now, two massive cranes, one standing 276 feet tall and the other standing 325 feet high, stretch up high into the sky from The Gulch, far above the elevated streets surrounding it. They are constructing the first two ground-up 18-story buildings at Centennial Yards.

In January, construction of the 300unit apartment building reached street level along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive,

marking a milestone for the project. The foundation of the 290-room hotel is finished, and its construction is expected to rise to street level in about three months.

There is also roughly 30,000 square feet of retail space at the base of the buildings for coffee shops, restaurants, and other stores.

Both towers are expected to be completed by 2025, a year before the FIFA World Cup comes to Atlanta.

McGowan said there is more than 3 million square feet of retail interest in Centennial Yards. Negotiations continue and announcements on tenants are expected to be announced later this year.

A 230-unit apartment building with 5,000 square feet of retail as part of the Spring Street phase of the project is expected to break ground in six months, he added. There is interest for another

events, or movie or TV production in the meantime before we tear the AJC building down,” he said.

McGowan said Centennial Yards would include up to 4,000 apartments as well as all the retail and hotels and plazas for sporting events and other live events.

“We're creating Atlanta's newest, coolest, most visible neighborhood, and it will have a very unique feel to it, he said.

“It’s going to be big and flashy and fancy and visible. This is going to be a place where you can experience Atlanta culture,” he said.

“We want to make sure that the mix of retail and art and music and things that you are sensing when you're in the district really leave you with a sense of who we are as a people.”

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S17

Signia by Hilton hotel opens adjacent to the World Congress Center

By Collin Kelley

State and local officials at the ribbon-cutting for the Signia by Hilton hotel.

(Photo by Keith Pepper)

The new 42-story, 976-room Signia by Hilton Atlanta – the city’s largest hotel in 40 years – officially opened on Thursday with a ribbon-cutting attended by state and local officials.

The hotel is owned by Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) and forms part of the authority’s “Championship Campus,” which includes Georgia World Congress Center, MercedesBenz Stadium and Centennial Olympic Park.

Built on the repurposed foundation of the Georgia Dome, the hotel features eight food and beverage experiences; a spa, beauty bar, rooftop pool and fitness center; more than 100,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including the largest hotel ballroom in Georgia; a grand outdoor event deck and lawn; and Club Signia.

The culinary offerings include Capolinea, an Italian-inspired kitchen; Nest on Four, an upscale sports bar; Homespun, a Southern breakfast destination; and Highball, a pool bar featuring craft cocktails and Southern picnic favorites.

“Signia by Hilton offers the world’s best meetings and events, a vibrant atmosphere,

exceptional amenities and personalized service catered to the needs of today’s global traveler,” said Chris Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton, in a press release.

“We are excited to introduce this brand to our extensive portfolio in Atlanta, a dynamic destination that continues to play an important role in Hilton’s growth, and are proud of the positive impact this hotel will have on the community through local job creation partnerships and incremental convention and leisure business.”

“Signia by Hilton Atlanta complements our vision for a compact and connected campus featuring a package of facilities unrivaled in any city in the United States,” said Frank Poe, executive director of Georgia World Congress Center Authority.

“More importantly, it is a cornerstone of a strategy centered on aligning GWCCA with the evolving needs of its customers while putting Atlanta on the shortlist for the most prestigious live events the industry has to offer.”

The hotel was developed by Bostonbased Drew Company, with Gensler as the architect and interior designer, and a joint venture between Skanska and SG Contracting as the general contractor.

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S19

SOUTH DOWNTOWN’S NEXT CHAPTER BEGINS NOW A L E T T ER TO AT LANTA

O

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ur first priority is listening and ensuring the mechanisms are in place to keep South Downtown in a state of progress. Progress towards the continued combination of historic preservation and new construction, with a

greater emphasis on creative doers and entrepreneurs from every corner of our city.

The next chapter of South Downtown is one being written by local Atlantans...and we, at Atlanta Ventures, will not let our city go backwards.

An opportunity to create a safe, walkable, and livable neighborhood in the once forgotten “heart of the city” is right in

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E V E RY G R E AT C I T Y I N T H E WORL D H A S A V I BR A NT DOWN TOW N .

I T ’ S ATL A NTA’S TUR N. Over the next year, we’ll be listening, learning, and designing towards a larger plan – while balancing the time constraints as the world awaits to enter our doorstep for the World Cup in the summer of 2026.

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DINING Six Feet Under relocates from Home Park to Cheshire Bridge The new location of Six Feet Under on Cheshire Bridge Road.

CURRENT LISTINGS

Victory Coffee and Calamity, the DeKalb Avenue coffee shop adjacent to LLoyd’s pizzeria, is now Stereo coffee and listening bar. People will still find the Inman Park shop serving coffee and gas station-style biscuits during the day, but soon, Stereo will open at night for cocktails and music.

The latest rebrand of the space (remember DeKalb Athletic Club?) merges the coffee shop with a vinyl listening bar serving Japanese whisky cocktails and highballs.

Victory Brands co-owner Ian Jones equates Stereo to hanging out in your best friend’s living room. His longtime friend and business partner, Caleb Wheelus, RoughDraftAtlanta.com

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might be at the two turntables a few nights a week. Wheelus’s extensive vinyl collection ranges from smooth jazz and seven-inch punk records to Steely Dan albums and Turkish funk from the 1960s.

His records serve as the musical backbone for Stereo.

The menu from bartender Nik Soukavong will feature Japanese whisky cocktails and highballs, along with stirred drinks. They’re installing a Japanese highball machine for custom sodas and making sparkling coffee drinks.

Food at Stereo in the evenings will lean into dishes easily assembled behind the bar, like charcuterie and cheese.

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Six Feet Under is now open on Cheshire Bridge Road in Atlanta for lunch and dinner daily. The seafood restaurant and bar relocated from its longtime 11th Street location in Home Park to the former Roxx Tavern space.

The Cheshire Bridge Road restaurant joins the original location of Six Feet Under in Grant Park, which includes a popular rooftop patio overlooking the historic Oakland Cemetery along Memorial Drive. Six Feet Under serves seafood platters and sandwiches, like beerbattered fish and chips, fried catfish and shrimp, and steamed shellfish selections.

According to Urbanize Atlanta, the old Six Feet Under property on 11th Street will become part of a new mixed-use development just east of Star Metals on Howell Mill Road. The sprawling 11th Street complex will feature apartments, offices, and retail spaces.

Owner Dean Chronopoulos permanently closed the Roxx Tavern on Cheshire Bridge Road two years ago. He temporarily closed the restaurant in 2021 after a gas line ruptured under the nearby bridge, causing a fire to burn for hours.

As of result of the fire, the bridge was torn down and replaced.

“They said it would be a year, it’s already past a year now. Food costs were skyrocketing, the labor issue was happening, and I thought it would be a good time to take a sabbatical from the norm of 22 years,” Chronopoulos told the Georgia Voice in 2022 of the closure.

Chronopoulos said he received multiple offers to take over the Cheshire Bridge Road property and settled on the one he felt best fit the community and neighborhood.

“I think it’ll strengthen the neighborhood,” he said.

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35

Wine told as a love story

31 Phil Long

The best wines aren't just a beverage to be consumed socially; they are narratives in a bottle.

There's an undeniable charm in gathering around the dinner table, uncorking a bottle, and diving into the rich history behind the wine's creation.

For wine retailers and restaurant sommeliers, the ultimate satisfaction comes from guiding consumers toward discovering these stories and introducing them to new and undiscovered wines. At times, these stories date back centuries, while others are epic narratives in the making. And then some are just beautiful love stories that deserve to be shared.

When Debra and Phil Long moved to Northern California, they immediately caught the wine bug and started making wine in their garage. What started as a hobby turned into a passion project,

WOMEN + WINE

Katie Rice & Sarah Pierre and then progressed into a full-time job.

After years of visiting winery tasting rooms, they realized something was missing– a welcoming and inclusive wine experience.

In 2008, winemakers Phil and Debra bet on themselves and opened a tasting room in Livermore Valley. Phil wanted to call the brand Long Family Wines, but Debra objected, jokingly pointing out that none of the "family" was present to help clean the winery. Debra suggested Longevity Wines as a play on their last name, as well as representing their love for one another and wine. So, at that moment, Longevity Wine was born – a family-owned, urban winery and certified minority-owned business.

Similar to how the wine name Longevity symbolizes their mutual

36 | FEBRUARY 2024

affection, the label equally reflects this love. Phil designed the eye-catching heart label that contains hearts, grapevines, and grape leaves. Hearts became symbolic of their bond, as Phil gifted Debra ornamental glass hearts each Valentine's Day, leading to a substantial collection over time. This ultimately inspired the iconic Longevity wine bottle label.

The Longevity brand rapidly gained popularity, with people enjoying their visits to their fun, casual, barn-themed tasting room. It was a true Livermore destination. However, in 2016, the unforeseen happened when Debra was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She was able to witness the initial growth phases of their cherished business but sadly lost her battle in 2019. Shortly before Debra passed away, Phil honored their deep love with a very large tattoo of their heart logo on his arm, symbolizing that she would always be with him.

Even through tragedy, Longevity lived on. Longevity was named Livermore Valley’s Winery of the Year just a few days before Debra passed away and is now Livermore Valley’s third-largest wine brand. Phil Long is not only a winemaker and co-founder, but he also currently serves as the president of the Association of African American Vintners (AAAV).

Longevity has made appearances on dozens of television shows and even on the Rachael Ray Show with Geoffrey Zakarian cooking with Longevity Cabernet making braised short ribs.

The tasting room offers a large selection of wines to sample including their standout GSM “Genuine Soul Mate” which is their take on the French Rhone Valley style Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre’ blend and a more structured Bordeaux-style blend called “philosophy”. Next time you are out shopping for a bottle of wine, keep an eye out for the Longevity Sparkling Wine, or Phil’s versatile, crowd-pleasing Longevity Cabernet. And always remember, these wines are a love story in a bottle.

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Winter warmers to lift your spirits

By Cory Atkinson, Kristina Ferdinand, and Stephanie Saputo I’m sure we don’t have to remind you that it's been cold, and dark and our proverbial spirits are low.

We're on the WITH ELEMENTAL cusp of breaking SPIRITS out of the short winter we have here in Georgia, but we've got a few more weeks and we need a bit of a push.

This time of year, we like to still get fancy and make cocktails at home, but we like to vary up some of the classics to make more "winterized" versions. Here are a couple riffs on our favorites that are enhanced with spice and complexity that pair well with early sunsets and roaring fire happy hours.

IN THE SPIRIT

Snow in the Desert Ok, so this is a margarita riff. We love margaritas pretty much year-round, but there's something about a margarita on the rocks in your hand right now.... just brrrr. So, let's put it in a coupe! This riff uses mezcal (which you should totally be

using in your margaritas anyway) and egg white for a frothy, more elevated cocktail.

And hold by the stem so your hands don't get cold.

ice. Stir for 30 seconds and strain into a rocks glass with a rock cube or neat. Garnish with a citrus peel.

Chai Hot Toddy Of course, we'd be remiss not to mention the Toddy – one of the first true "cocktails'' with origins over 150 years ago.

A simple combination of sugar, spirit and hot water was extremely common in bars during winter, especially before central heating. Best part is it’s also lower in alcohol content so you can have a couple by the fire. This version combines a little more spice with the addition of Chai tea instead of hot water. It gives the drink an aroma that you'll certainly risk burning your nose for.

1 oz of Mezcal 0.5 oz of Reposado Tequila 0.5 oz of Orange Liqueur 1 oz of Lime Juice 1 Egg White 0.25 oz of 1:1 Simple Syrup Pinch of salt Combine all ingredients into a shaker.

Perform a "dry shake" (no ice) for 30 seconds.

Then add ice and shake for an additional 30 seconds, double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a dried lime slice.

Bitter Negroni This isn't necessarily one cocktail but an endless array of cocktail possibilities.

The Negroni is not only one of our favorite cocktails in-house, but also one that is so versatile using the 1:1:1 ratio of Spirit:Bitter:Vermouth. Swap in the spirit for something heavier like bourbon or rye to make a Boulvardier. Swap in some more bitter amari or aperitivi for traditional Campari and you get something more biting and complex. Swap in some herbal or alpine vermouths and you get

something dry with a sharp, earthy finish.

Don’t be afraid to find what combination works best for you. Take your jigger and get "jiggy" with it (sorry, we couldn't resist).

1 oz. Spirit (Gin is classic, try mezcal or even barrel-rested gin) 1 oz. Bitter Aperitivo (Cynar, or Bruto Americano or go French with Bonal. Try out a couple, bitter is better!)

1 oz. Sweet Vermouth (go classic or try something a little more bitter and herbal) Combine ingredients into a mixing glass with

0.5 oz Bourbon (try Cognac as a fruitier variation) 0.5 oz Fresh Lemon juice 1 barspoon of honey 4 oz fresh made chai tea Combine the first 3 ingredients into a warmed mug and top with tea. Serve with a lemon wheel and/or cinnamon stick.

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FEBRUARY 2024 |

37

REAL ESTATE

BeltLine spurs Armour-Ottley Loop’s evolution to entertainment district The Painted Pickle is located in the Armour-Ottley Loop offfers pickleball, games and food. (Photo by Dyana Bagby)

By Dyana Bagby Justin Amick knew immediately the massive warehouse at 279 Ottley Drive was the perfect spot for his company's new "compeatery" venture, The Painted Pickle, slated to open in January.

The site is located in what is known as the Armour-Ottley Loop, an industrial, office and retail pocket in southern Buckhead along Interstate 85 and active Norfolk Southern railroad tracks and MARTA tracks.

Investors for years have been attracted to the area for its adaptive reuse of the industrial and warehouse buildings into office and creative use spaces.

Now they are eyeing what the future could be when the Atlanta BeltLine extends to the area and the promise of a new entertainment and hospitality district.

"When I saw that the warehouse was the first building on the left on Ottley Drive and then figured out that that's where the BeltLine was going to connect in a couple years, it was it was a no brainer," Amick said of picking the site.

Amick is president and CEO of Painted Hospitality, the company he owns with William Stallworth. They operate the Painted Pin in Buckhead, Painted Duck in West Midtown and will soon open Painted Park in Inman Park. Known as "eatertainment" venues, the businesses offer patrons a place to compete in a variety of games while sipping on signature cocktails and noshing on woodfired pizzas or pulled pork sliders.

Amick and Stallworth started playing pickleball, one of the fastest-growing sports in America, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amick said he and Stallworth noticed pickleball had what they called "that

38 | FEBRUARY 2024

social X factor," a game that could be played with drinks before, during, or after a game.

"And that goes hand-in-hand with social gathering spots and other forms of entertainment and social amenities," he said.

It was this experience that inspired them to

develop and open the Painted Pickle.

"To me, pickleball is not just a sport itself," Amick said. "It's a lifestyle and we definitely want to curate that lifestyle for the city of Atlanta."

The Armour-Ottley Loop has mostly

been an industrial neighborhood, but is rapidly attracting more food and beverage businesses, such as Atlanta Spirit and Capella Cheese, Amick said.

Sweetwater Brewing Company, East Pole Coffee, Fox Bro.’s Bar-B-Que, the Atlanta Track Club and Indie Studios are just some of the businesses housed in the area where a segment of the Atlanta Beltline is planned to be built over the next few years.

A recent $25 million federal grant will boost construction of the Beltline and connector trails including Peachtree Creek and PATH 400 trails in the Armour-Ottley business district and residential areas between Midtown and Buckhead. The funding will also go toward the BeltLine’s first connection to MARTA at Lindbergh Center.

The industrial warehouse at 279 Ottley Drive provides the nearly 33,000 square feet needed for the Painted Pickle's eight indoor courts and an outdoor court. There is also plenty of room for a restaurant, bar and stage for live entertainment.

"The beauty of the Painted Pickled space is it has great indoor and outdoor space and is located directly on the future connection point of the Atlanta BeltLine," Amick said.

"Atlanta obviously doesn't have a body of water; we don't have a beach," he said.

"The Beltline is like our boardwalk that goes behind our space and connects all of these intown neighborhoods throughout the city."

David Minnix was an early investor in the Armour-Ottley Loop more than a decade ago. He founded Indie Studios at 190 Ottley Drive, which was developed by Gene Kansas. He co-founded CineMassive at 150 Ottley Drive, which was recently acquired

by Haivision Systems Inc. He also owns the property where Open Hand Atlanta is located at 181 Armour Drive.

"I've been there for the whole transformation of the neighborhood over the last 12 years and it's gone from almost exclusively industrial users to what I would say now it's primarily office users," he said.

The transformation of the ArmourOttley Loop from mostly industrial use to a variety of uses makes sense, Minnix said, because of its central location between Buckhead and Midtown and access to I-85.

The coming of the BeltLine is also increasing more development.

"It was a cool undiscovered space and I really enjoyed that period, but it was inevitable that people would come along and want to develop it," he said.

The Armour-Ottley Loop becoming a small entertainment and hospitality district is probably the best and highest use of the land, Minnix said, and will be a "net positive for everybody."

"This little piece of Atlanta is great because it's both historic and modern at the same time, and you just don't get that in a lot of other places in Atlanta," Minnix said.

"It's just this special little cove in Atlanta and I'm excited to see the BeltLine come to the area," he said.

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#1 in Morningside • #1 in Midtown • Highest Priced Home Sale Most Closed Sales Source: FMLS 2022

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976 Memorial Walk SE 4 Bed | 4.5 Bath Offered at $950,000

211 La France Walk NE 4 Bed | 2.5 Bath Offered at $920,000

320 Peters Street SW Residence #15 2 Bed | 2 Bath Offered at $660,000

1029 Piedmont Avenue NE Residence #404 1 Bed | 1 Bath Offered at $335,000

Listing Agent: Jenea Kennedy 404.304.8964

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Listing Agent: Leah Robinson-Christian 404.490.0630

Listing Agent: David Hollingshead 212.851.6393

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855 Peachtree Street NE Residence #1201 1 Bed | 1 Bath Offered at $380,000

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396 Pratt Drive Residence #1923 2 Bed | 2 Bath Offered at $509,900

Listing Agent: David Hollingshead 212.851.6393

Listing Agent: Matt LaMarsh 678.687.4397

Listing Agent: Sacha Rady 607.592.7557

Listing Agent: Erik Dowdy 678.361.1207

Downing Park

40 West 12th

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1585 S Ponce De Leon Avenue #MH2 6 Bed | 6.5 Bath Offered at $2,425,000

40 12th Street NE Residence #1906 4 Bed | 3.5 Bath Offered at $2,651,991

775 Juniper Street NE Residence #405 2 Bed | 2 Bath Offered at $659,900

270 17th Street NW Residence #4107 2 Bed | 2.5 Bath Offered at $799,900

Listing Agent: Robbie Roberts 404.925.9100

Listing Agent: Susie Proffitt 404.915.9367

Listing Agent: Tyler Russell 404.510.2246

Listing Agent: Michael McLeod 404.606.0962

Brookwood Place

Morningside

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North Atlanta

1745 Peachtree Street NW Atlanta, Georgia 30309

1141 North Highland Avenue NE Atlanta, Georgia 30306

6681 Roswell Road Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328

2610 Old Milton Parkway

Engel & Völkers Atlanta

Alpharetta, Georgia 30009

evatlanta.com | 404.845.7724 ©2024 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your property is currently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing. Engel & Völkers and its independent license partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

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FEBRUARY 2024 |

39

REAL ESTATE Goat Farm campus to reopen in phases beginning this spring

COMING SOON

Courtesy The Goat Farm

ANSLEY PARK

205 PEACHTREE CIRCLE JUST LISTED

ANSLEY PARK

400 BEVERLY ROAD UNDER CONTRACT

ANSLEY PARK

300 THE PRADO

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ERIN YABROUDY WHERE LUXURY MEETS heart

REALTOR ® C. 404.504.7955 | O. 404.233.4142 Erin.Yabroudy@HarryNorman.com @Erin.Sells.Atlanta | ErinYabroudy.com THE BUCKHEAD OFFICE | 2827 PEACHTREE ROAD, SUITE 200 | ATLANTA, GA 30305 | HARRYNORMAN.COM

Information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted. Offers subject to errors, changes, omissions, prior sales, and withdrawals without notice.

40 | FEBRUARY 2024

By Dyana Bagby The Goat Farm in West Midtown announced Tuesday its 12-acre campus will begin reopening in phases this spring.

The multi-disciplinary cultural center unveiled plans for its mixed-use expansion plan in 2019. According to a news release, the campus at 1200 Foster St. NW will include about 500,000 square feet of art studios, living spaces, creative offices, and multidisciplinary venues and exhibition areas. The various spaces will be built across 12 existing historic structures and three newly built structures. Plans also include a restaurant and bar, a cafe, and an art bookshop.

According to the release, this campus expansion aims to help advance The Goat Farm's goal of exploring how places can better support and fund art and culture.

The Goat Farm model uses rent from the real estate to generate arts funding and support on an ongoing basis with a focus on presenting new genres and experimental artistic works.

The first phase of art studios, totaling 60,000 square feet, is already 98% preleased, according to the release. The art studio waitlist sits at 1,218 practitioners and creative businesses.

Pre-leasing for phase one of more than 200 living spaces has begun.

Announcements about pre-leasing creative offices, including another phase of art studios, are expected to be made in the coming months.

The architectural director of design for the overall project is the New Yorkbased interdisciplinary studio, Bureau V Architecture (BVA). According to the release, BVA's clients include the Brooklyn Public Library, National Sawdust and the San Francisco Opera. BVA’s work has also appeared in many institutions including the Centre Pompidou, the Guggenheim Museum and MOMA PS1.

Arts programming at The Goat Farm is expected to resume in 2025.

The campus will also have a collection of permanent and rotating public art installations from local artists such as In

Kyoung Choi Chun, Sara Santamaria, Jane Foley and multidisciplinary design studio/ artist collective Zoo as Zoo. "There will be a mix of sculpture, large scale works, interactive new media, and an annual juried collection of small installations all meant to become a free campus-wide public space gallery as the collection grows over time," the news release said.

Some of the already selected works are from Atlanta artists such as Carley Rickles, Antonio Darden, Nikki Starz, Crystal Jin Kim and Branden Collins.

The new campus will house the artistin-studio residency programs for both The Creatives Project, a nonprofit that supports creatives through affordable housing programs, and Tila Studios, a co-working and community space for Black women artists. The Goat Farm is also reviving its performance-based residency program with the movement platform glo, founded by choreographer Lauri Stallings.

The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA GA) is in the final stages of its capital campaign and finalizing the architectural design for its new 26,000-square-foot permanent home, which is in The Goat Farm's campus expansion plans, according to the release.

The museum is being designed by awardwinning Atlanta-based firm Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects. Construction of the museum is expected to begin in 2024.

“Placing a collecting museum amongst hundreds of local practitioners within a nexus of arts programming spaces and curators is a first in Atlanta," said Anthony Harper, the original founder of The Goat Farm, in the news release. "MOCA GA is already community-oriented so the net result will be interesting to watch unfold over time."

The overall project redevelopment and expansion plan is a collaboration between The Goat Farm and Atlantabased real estate development firm Tribridge Residential. The joint venture partnership is also co-developing the vertical construction and renovation of the campus.

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Ask your doctor for more information or visit northside.com/Midtown-locations

Northside Hospital Center for Perinatal Medicine 1110 W Peachtree St. NW Suite 1000 Atlanta, GA 30309 404-898-2550

GYN Surgical Specialists 1110 W Peachtree St. NW Suite 1050 Atlanta, GA 30309 404-303-3157 gynsurgicalspecialists.com

Midtown Medical Associates 1110 West Peachtree St. NW Suite 1040 Atlanta, GA 30309 404-215-6525 midtownmed.com

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Summer Camps Josh Powell Camp has been getting kids active in the great outdoors every summer since 1972.

Great SUMMER activities: swimming, archery, canoeing, arts and crafts, fort building, gaga ball, and more!

Registration Open February 15th at Noon for ages 5 - 9

Sutton Middle School on Northside Drive and Kairos Church at I-285 and Riverside

Seasonal Camps  February 19 - 23  March 25 - 29  April 1 - 5 Summer Sessions 1. May 28 - May 31 (4) 2. June 3 - June 7 3. June 10 - June 14 4. June 17 - June 21 5. June 24 - June 28 6. July 8 - July 12 7. July 15 - July 19 8. July 22 - July 26 9. July 29 - August 2 10. August 5 - August 9

5242 Wade Green Road, Acworth, GA 30312 (678) 369-0780 (call or text) Hey@JoshPowellCamp.com

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See what’s next at the Alliance Theatre...

JAN 31– MAR 3 2024

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Winner of the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition

Eight actors play over fifty characters in this powerful world premiere adaptation of the Dickens classic.

A poignant new play on the dynamics that lead us to our home.

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By a.k. payne Direction by TINASHE KAJESEBOLDEN

Tickets and memberships at alliancetheatre.org 1280 PEACHTREE ST NE // ATLANTA, GA 30309

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©2023 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

Continued on page 34 RoughDraftAtlanta.com

FEBRUARY 2024 |

45

BUSINESS Triumph Motorcycles, KIPP Public Charter Schools join Lee + White

By Collin Kelley Triumph Motorcycles and KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools are the latest businesses to join the mixed-use community Lee + White in Atlanta’s West End. The iconic U.K.-based motorcycle company will relocate its North American headquarters to Lee + White, opening 15,000 square feet of offices, collaborative space, and a showroom in Building 1070.

KIPP, a non-profit network of free, public charter schools, will occupy 7,767 square feet of collaborative office space in Building 1050.

“Lee + White is gaining attention from both global and local users looking for unique space that fosters innovation and inspiration,” said Jeff Small, CEO of MDH Partners, in a press release.

“With proximity to the BeltLine, access to diverse talent in the West End, ample greenspace and unique amenities, there’s nothing else quite like it in the market.

Lee + White is proof that there is a healthy appetite for creative space where employees and people want to be.”

Triumph Motorcycles is relocating its headquarters to Lee + White from 100 Hartsfield Center Parkway in Atlanta. The

refurbished warehouse space in Building 1070 will include 13,600 square feet of office and collaborative space and a 1,400-square-foot showroom spotlighting Triumph’s history and motorcycle product lines.

“Triumph is super excited to move our North American Headquarters to the Lee + White community,” said Rod Lopusnak, President of North America and Don Carleo, CFO of North America for Triumph, in the release. “The Triumph Vision is to be the Premium lifestyle Motorcycle Brand, so everything we do strives to be distinctive, cool, authentic

and premium. This park exudes all those attributes, and we fully plan to not only utilize the space in our marketing and training events, but also add to the park’s “coolness factor” with motorcycle and apparel displays.”

KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools is a network of 11 public charter schools and educates more than 5,500 metro Atlanta K-12 students. Their mission to create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare scholars with the skills to pursue the paths they choose, college, career, and beyond. KIPP’s space at Lee + White will be a collaborative office with space to host

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stakeholders, donors, parents, and staff.

Lee + White has become a popular destination for its breweries, restaurants and retailers. In the current phase of the redevelopment, investment partners have added a 19-vendor food hall, more than 200,000 square feet of creative offices, and the “Great Lawn” event space.

Providing BeltLine access via four direct entrances, Lee + White is located just 0.4 miles from the West End MARTA station and is convenient to all of metro Atlanta’s major interstates, I-20, I-75, I-85 and I-285.

Lee + White

RoughDraftAtlanta.com

FEBRUARY 2024 |

47

Intown & Beyond

539 EAST AVENUE NE Atlanta $1,100,000

109 NOTTAWAY LANE Alpharetta $800,000

2254 TILSON CIRCLE Decatur $474,900

437 CHAPPELL ROAD NW Atlanta $365,000

Jeanne Morgan 404-384-4264

Gary Silverman 770-617-5658

Cyndie Fenn 770-378-4872

Bru Krebs 404-984-0243

75 14TH STREET NE, #3740 Atlanta $580,000

811 FIREFLY COURT Griffin $399,000

2726 ELKHORN DRIVE Decatur $289,900

222 12TH STREET NE, #1801 Atlanta FOR LEASE $2,595

Jessica Li 404-754-6555

Shirley Simmons 404-379-9814

Cyndie Fenn 770-378-4872

Kirsten Conover 404-386-1103

1129 OAK KNOLL TERRACE SE Atlanta $344,999

2767 MEMORIAL DRIVE SE Atlanta $765,000

3235 ROSWELL ROAD NE,#615 Atlanta $399,900

845 SPRING ST #515 Atlanta $475,000

Renee Giles 404-808-4405

Nkosi Leary 404-849-5412

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W E LC O M E TO O U R M I DTOW N T E A M

Valerie Levin

MANAGING BROKER 404-266-8100 Valerie.Levin@bhhsgeorgia.com

Tyler Moore

Vicente Fernandez Joanne Fernandez

Va l e rie. Levin@ B H H SGeorg ia . com

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M idtown .BHHSG eorgia.com

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1 1 63 West Peach re e St , Suite 200, At lant a 30309

©2024 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Equal Housing Opportunity. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted and subject to errors, omissions, changes, or withdrawal without prior notice. If your home is currently listed this is not intended as solicitation.