From WABE Local News:

The Metro Atlanta Chamber estimates the FIFA World Cup could spur more than $500 million in economic impact. Some businesses around the airport are preparing a year ahead. Atlanta will […]

From WABE Local News:

On a recent Sunday afternoon, a handful of amateur comedians ran through a final practice before a first performance at a venue attached to an Atlanta brewery. Delivering their sets […]

From WABE Politics News:

New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker held the Senate floor with a marathon speech that lasted all night and through Tuesday morning in a feat of endurance to show Democrats’ […]

Arts Atlanta:

Racism, colonialism and moral superiority shape the physical athletic ideal in Western dance, Ramsey-Borunov says. Her work Disform challenges the concept of an ideal body for dance; it will be presented as part of Beacon Dance’s program at The B-Complex April 4 through April 6. :: Contemporary American dance artist Liz Lerman famously and persistently...

From WABE Local News:

Georgia Tech has sent admission offers to more than 8,500 students for the fall 2025 semester after a record-breaking number of applications. The school announced on Monday that it received […]

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

Since 1973, John Snyder has spent his career deeply embedded in the music industry. He has produced well over 700 albums, been nominated for 32 Grammys and won five. For […]

Mayor on light-rail funding; Buckhead Beltline complaints; more Josh Green Tue, 04/01/2025 - 15:11 **CITYWIDE—**For Beltline rail supporters feeling down-and-out following the city’s recent pivot away from light-rail transit on the Eastside Trail, there could be light at the end of that long, proverbial tunnel. 

Mayor Andre Dickens told a gathering of reporters at the Atlanta Press Club on Thursday the Beltline Tax Allocation District—that wellspring of redevelopment funding for building trails and amenities—could be extended beyond its mythical, current sunset date in 2030. Doing so could provide a funding source for transit and affordable housing, per the mayor, as the AJC relays in an in-depth report. 

Light-rail operations and potential look of a stop shown near Pittsburgh Yards on the Southside Trail. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Skeptics don’t seem convinced that measure alone would pay for a project with costs expected to climb into the billions. But on a positive note, in the shorter term, Dickens said funding from the half-penny transit sales tax approved in 2016, More MARTA, would be used to build light-rail on the Southside Trail portion of the Beltline, per the newspaper. Dickens said the city wants to accomplish that without federal assistance, and that adequate funding is already in place to get moving. 

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BUCKHEAD—Living in Atlanta means construction noise is a fact of life. But residents of one Buckhead apartment community have been experiencing Atlanta Beltline growing pains to the umpteenth degree, as some residents tell WSB-TV. 

Since construction on the Beltline’s Northside Trail Segment 1 kicked off last fall, renters at Peachtree Park Apartment Homes near Peachtree Road have been enduring loud noise disturbances in their backyards, construction equipment blocking parking spots, and even water outages and in-home flooding, the news station reports. Some are asking apartment ownership for financial compensation.

Planned look of a suspension bridge over Peachtree Creek as part of Northwest Trail Segment 1. PATH Foundation/Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Beltline officials responded that all measures are being taken to minimize impacts (workers could start noisy construction at 7 a.m. but hold off until an hour later, and wrap up at 6 p.m., for example), and they've worked with apartment management to send text-based alerts and other notifications. Work on that segment is scheduled to finish in summer 2026. 

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STONE MOUNTAIN—Heads up, MARTA riders: The transit agency sends word the bus loop at Indian Creek station will be temporarily closed for six weeks, starting Wednesday, as part of ongoing station improvement work at the Stone Mountain facility. All buses in the meantime will be relocated to the Kiss & Ride area, but beyond that, bus and rail service will operate as scheduled. Find updates on the Indian Creek Station Rehabilitation Project here. 

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• Census: Atlanta drops two spots on biggest metros list (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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ATL News Roundup Southside Trail Northside Trail Northeast Trail Beltline Atlanta BeltLine Buckhead News Atlanta Light Rail Light Rail BeltLine Rail Atlanta Press Club Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens Mayor Andre Dickens MARTA Indian Creek MARTA Station

Subtitle Real estate, architecture, and urban planning news from around Atlanta

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From WABE Local News:

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens recently appointed Judge LaDawn Blackett to be Atlanta’s interim inspector general. Her appointment comes in the aftermath of Shannon Manigault’s resignation over alleged interference and harassment. […]

Images: How trailside community (now rentals) turned out Josh Green Tue, 04/01/2025 - 13:09 A recent study by national real estate listing portal Point2Homes.com found that metro Atlanta ranks third in the country for the number of build-to-rent houses and townhomes in the pipeline, trailing only metro Phoenix and Dallas, respectively. 

The trend is hardly limited to denser intown neighborhoods and far-flung suburbs, as an infill Avondale Estates project in lease-up mode now illustrates. 

Henley, a 33-townhome BTR project by Cushman & Wakefield, hosted its grand opening a year ago and has fully finished construction today. Access to the outdoors is a primary selling point. 

The townhomes front a curving section of the Stone Mountain Trail, a scenic, multi-use greenway the PATH Foundation began installing as a connection between downtown Atlanta and the popular DeKalb County tourist attraction in the 1990s.

Available Henley floorplans have either three or four bedrooms, three and ½ bathrooms, and between 2,048 and 2,109 square feet. 

Listed rents start from $3,050 to $3,250 per month.

Sections of the 33-unit Henley project in Avondale Estates overlook the Stone Mountain Trail. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Layout for a Henley living room. Henley/Cushman & Wakefield

According to marketing materials, Henley perks include two-car garages, EV chargers, eat-in kitchens, “sumptuous" granite countertops, “elegant” patios/balconies, and fireplaces described as “majestic,” among other features.  

National homebuilder Toll Brothers originally planned to develop the community but changed course and sold the property in 2023 after site work had begun.

Toll Brothers’ plans called for each unit being for sale, with prices starting in the high $500,000s. When the Henley was announced two years ago, no other new-construction, for-sale townhomes were on the market in Avondale Estates, or in nearby neighborhoods Lake Claire and East Lake. 

The Henley project’s 3039 Wells St. site, located near Avondale Estates’ eastern border, had been an empty field for years.

The Henley's 33-townhome site plan.Henley/Cushman & Wakefield

How the interior section of the BTR townhome project came together. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The tucked-away location was marketed during development phases as being both quiet and conveniently close to downtown Decatur. It’s located about 1/3 of a mile from Avondale Estates’ Tudor-style downtown, with the popular Your DeKalb Farmers Market about a mile to the north.

The townhomes are zoned for Avondale Elementary, Druid Hills Middle, and Druid Hills High schools.

Find a closer look around the trailside infill community in the gallery above. 

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• Avondale Estates news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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3039 Wells Street Henley Henley by Toll Brothers Avondale Estates Toll Brothers Atlanta Townhomes Atlanta Construction Townhomes for sale PATH Foundation Stone Mountain Trail Decatur Your DeKalb Farmers Market Downtown Avondale Estates Scottdale Cushman & Wakefield Cushman and Wakefield BTR Build to Rent BTR Townhomes Rental Townhomes Townhomes to Rent Atlanta Infill Infill Infill Development

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The Henley project's location at the eastern edge of the City of Avondale Estates. Google Maps

Avondale Estates landmarks in the area near the townhome site. Toll Brothers

Sections of the 33-unit Henley project in Avondale Estates overlook the Stone Mountain Trail. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Trail respite area near the Henley community's western flank. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the interior section of the BTR townhome project came together. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Facades along Hobbs Street in Avondale Estates. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Henley/Cushman & Wakefield

Example of a kitchen and dining space at Henley. Henley/Cushman & Wakefield

Henley/Cushman & Wakefield

Henley/Cushman & Wakefield

Layout for a Henley living room. Henley/Cushman & Wakefield

Henley/Cushman & Wakefield

The Henley's 33-townhome site plan.Henley/Cushman & Wakefield

The Hillmont floorplan. Henley/Cushman & Wakefield

The four-bedroom Kourtney floorplan. Henley/Cushman & Wakefield

Subtitle Henley project initially slated to be rare, for-sale new townhomes in Avondale Estates

Neighborhood Avondale Estates

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Arts Atlanta:

Audiences familiar with Ken Ludwig fare such as Lend Me A Tenor and Moon Over Buffalo will more than likely know exactly what they’re getting themselves into with Aurora Theatre’s The Gods of Comedy. Sophisticated, cutting-edge theater it’s not — instead, it’s a monumentally silly show that doesn’t take itself too seriously and only wants...

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Recipients of Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities, the Ballethnic dance company astonished audience members with their spectacular stage show at Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center by Roz Edward Atlanta’s premier Black dance company’s recent performance of All The Way Live at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center has the markings of an award-winning … Continued

The post BRAVO Ballethnic ‘All The Way Live’ is An Electrifying Show with Stellar Performances appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

When thinking about travel expert and public broadcasting host Rick Steves, we may picture him on a hilltop overlooking the city of Florence, inside the Basilica of St. Peter’s in […]

From WABE Politics News:

As the deadline to strike a deal over TikTok approaches this week, President Donald Trump has signaled that he is confident his administration can broker an agreement with ByteDance, the […]

From WABE Local News:

Employees across the massive U.S. Health and Human Services Department began receiving notices of dismissal on Tuesday in an overhaul ultimately expected to lay off up to 10,000 people. The […]

From the Saporta Report:

Along with hundreds of industry leaders, Star-C attended last week’s Georgia Affordable Housing Coalition Conference, where a key theme for project success was how to overcome NIMBYism—the resistance that often arises when affordable housing is proposed in growing communities.  At Star-C, we’ve learned that resistance softens when neighbors and community institutions feel seen, heard, and […]

The post Overcoming NIMBYism with Partnership and Proof appeared first on SaportaReport.

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

Nick Turbo Benson is an Atlanta-based artist who paints murals of dinosaurs, birds, banjo-playing frogs and other creatures. He is also an illustrator who has created illustrations for books such […]

From the Atlanta Tribune:

Evidence-based program Intercept now offered for families in Georgia Youth Villages, a national nonprofit leader in children’s mental and behavioral health services, today announced a pilot contract with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities to expand its evidenced-based Intercept program to Douglas, Paulding and Rockdale counties, bringing access to in-home prevention care […]

The post Youth Villages Georgia Expands In-home Program to Douglas, Paulding and Rockdale Counties appeared first on Atlanta Tribune.

From WABE Local News:

Three of the U.S. Army soldiers who went missing in Lithuania have been found dead in their armored vehicle that was pulled from a swampy area early Monday, according to […]

From the New York Times:

El fármaco se ha convertido en una especie de símbolo de resistencia a lo que algunos en el movimiento MAGA describen como una élite corrupta.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

The City of Atlanta, in collaboration with Invest Atlanta – the City’s economic development agency – announced the upcoming launch of the city’s first legacy business program aimed at supporting businesses that have been in operation for 30 years or longer. This notable initiative is designed to recognize, promote and sustain vital businesses within the … Continued

The post City of Atlanta Launches Program to Support and Recognize Legacy Businesses appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Arts Atlanta:

Early in 2024, new media artist and musician Ryoji Ikeda opened a solo exhibition in Tartu, Estonia, one of three cities designated by the EU that year as a European Capital of Culture. The show included the critical paths (2024), an installation using the DNA information of 100,000 Estonians presented in a data river that...

From WABE Politics News:

A federal judge has declined to block the use of Georgia’s electronic voting system in a long-running lawsuit that alleged that the system is vulnerable to attack and has operational […]

From WABE Local News:

Hooters, the Atlanta-based restaurant chain known for chicken wings and “Hooters Girls” skimpy wait-staff outfits, has filed for bankruptcy protection. HOA Restaurant Group filed the motion for Chapter 11 protection […]

Atlanta plans public art tributes to ‘struggles of wealthy men’ Josh Green Tue, 04/01/2025 - 08:25 BUCKHEAD—A newly formed coalition of influential Atlantans is banding together in hopes of shining a special light on a demographic they call underserved in the public arts space: wealthy male businesspeople. 

Earlier this month, the Buckhead Improvement Council for Enhanced Public-realm Prestige, or BICEPP, officially launched a $23-million fundraising campaign. If successful, the drive would cover the cost of statues up to 25-feet tall, Hollywood Walk of Fame-style sidewalk enhancements, and AI-powered digital signage that would all pay homage to “Big Peach Elites.” 

The installations are planned for available right-of-way, unused street corners, and portions of bike lanes throughout Atlanta, though most would rise along Peachtree Street and Peachtree Road. 

BICEPP leaders this week justified the campaign—and the group’s very existence—by pointing out that Atlanta’s rich men in particular deal with complex problems and stresses not often recognized by the general public. One potential solution: an 18-foot bronze rendition of Arthur Blank and Tyler Perry hugging each other, after a long week, at the vacant northeast corner of Peachtree Road and Sylvester Drive. 

Another proposal calls for a 24-foot-tall “Tuxedo Park everyman” in a “The Thinker”-style position, only wearing a bespoke Hermès suit and visibly crying.   

“Do you understand how difficult it is to keep registration paperwork current on six or more vehicles at a time?” Dewey Lax, BICEPP’s interim spokesperson, told Urbanize Atlanta on Monday. “Or how expensive it is to keep a staff of, you know, smaller folks at the ready, just to ensure all those cars stay clean? During pollen season, no less.”

Proposed anatomy and dour countenance of Fabrizio Caliente's "It's Hard Out Here For a Mogul." Shutterstock

According to Lax, the “north star” guiding BICEPP’s mission is to build “reasonable, permanent installations of compassion” along prominent Atlanta thoroughfares where regular citizens can’t possibly avoid them. 

That new push by the coalition toward more reasonable installations means that two daring, earlier concepts have been canceled. 

One of those would have been a concrete statue of Ted Turner riding a buffalo shirtless (and crying), a bottle of Evan Williams Bourbon in one hand and Xanax in the other. The other concept, a digital work, would have shown AI-generated scenes of local CEOs “on tight deadlines and saddled with outrageous alimony” nonetheless finding time to visit hospitalized children.  

Approximate location of BICEPP's proposed 24-foot-tall "Facepalm Man" installation. (Alternate title: "Falcons Fan.") Shutterstock/Google Maps/UA

BICEPP’s efforts have proven controversial in a city notorious for income disparities, food deserts, leaky water infrastructure, and potholes occasionally requiring search parties. 

Jesse Robinson, head of Citizens for Logical ATL Spending, or CLAS, recently put it bluntly: “Anyone who contributes to this campaign should be tied down and shocked with battery probes,” said Robinson. “And then spanked, fraternity-style!”

Lax countered that BICEPP’s naysayers are simply jealous and have never even attempted an 80-hour workweek at three jobs simultaneously. “They call us the 1 percent for a reason,” Lax said. “And it’s not because we can actually do math.” 

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• Other April 1 indecent proposals (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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Indecent Proposals Buckhead Art Buckhead News Atlanta Public Art April Fools Small Folks Public Art Smaller Folks Peachtree Street BICEPP Buckhead Improvement Council for Enhanced Public-realm Prestige HaHa Chauvinist Art 1 Percent Griping Underclass Peachtree Road Plebe Jokes Street Art Buckhead

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Proposed anatomy and dour countenance of Fabrizio Caliente's "It's Hard Out Here For a Mogul." Shutterstock

Approximate location of BICEPP's proposed 24-foot-tall "Facepalm Man" installation. (Alternate title: "Falcons Fan.") Shutterstock/Google Maps/UA

Subtitle $23M campaign calls for “reasonable, permanent installations of compassion” along main city streets

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