Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency.
-
Paperwork recently filed with the city of Atlanta shows that a new project is planned for the old Norfolk Southern building overlooking “The Gulch,” the multi-acre site under Philips Arena.
Two structures on the site will be transformed into nearly 250 one- and two-bedroom residential units, according to Curbed Atlanta. The plan also includes retail space, 90 studios, 108 one-bedroom units, and 48 two-bedroom units.
The company that initiated the filing is CIM, according to news reports. Much has been made about viable land in downtown Atlanta that would be suitable for Amazon’s second world headquarters. The Gulch is a prime parcel, although CIM reportedly says their plans are independent of Amazon’s.
Atlanta joins cities such as Austin, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Toronto and Washington, D.C. on the Seattle company’s shortlist for #H2Q, which is slated to be announced sometime later this year.
-
Just when you thought Underground Atlanta was a relic from the late 1990s that people used to congregate to after the Olympics, the city cornerstone is showing signs of new life.
Developer WRS is in the process of revitalizing the development a four-block section of the redevelopment, including the Kenny’s Alley section.
The project, called Block 3, should be ready in about a year, according to Curbed Atlanta, who got their hands on the renderings.
From the looks of the drawings, crowds will be able to mix between office space, retail and communal living, the likes of which has made Midtown Atlanta a mecca in the last few years.
The City of Atlanta has a great stake in Underground’s success. In 2017, the city presided over the sale of the development to a South Carolina developer. Then, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed referred to the $34.6 million sale of the underground mall “another milestone in the revitalization of South Downtown Atlanta.”
With much of the city’s revenue being siphoned to newer developments like The Battery Atlanta and The Avalon in Alpharetta, many downtown lovers are waiting for that to happen.
-
The Atlanta Beltline winds through some of the most picturesque areas of the city. And no wonder, since it is one of the most celebrated civic projects in the nation. And it’s about to get a lot more beautiful.
The Beltline is currently requesting proposals for Art on the Atlanta BeltLine’s ninth year. Artists are asked to submit to have their work displayed in the annual temporary exhibition along the Beltline’s many parks and trails.
Read more: MARTA seeks muralists for big project
Signaling a deeper commitment to the community, this year’s exhibition will have a more local flavor.
“The vision for Art on the Atlanta BeltLine 2018 will break with the traditional template of prior exhibitions,” Miranda Kyle, Beltline Arts and Culture program manager, said in a statement. “We intend to be responsive to our Atlanta BeltLine communities, building on the strength of Atlanta’s rich history and culture and reflecting the intersectionality of Atlanta’s diverse art scene.”
Artists, professionals and collectives are encouraged to submit works that are well-researched and relevant. Here are the components of the exhibition open to artists, as written by the Beltline:
- Atlanta BeltLine Walls – A two-week-long mural festival at the beginning of August. Artists will work on their walls side by side for the duration of the festival, culminating in a grand reveal and community celebration at the end of the festival.
- Performance Series – Artists are invited to perform along the Atlanta BeltLine corridor throughout the timeframe of the exhibition. These performances are not limited in number of times the performances may occur, nor are they subject to any specific dates on which performances must occur. These are designed to act as a pop-up style events to creatively activate and celebrate the corridor in many locations.
- Atlanta BeltLine Concert Series – Unlike its pop-up style counterpart, these may take place in several BeltLine parks including Historic Fourth Ward Park, Gordon White Park, the multipurpose field at Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark, and Piedmont Park. The Concert Series provides opportunities for artists that have technical requirements, and those who need a fixed location. The dates for these will be: August 18th and 25th, 2018.
- Inertia – Artists and Professionals are invited to submit proposals for this year’s sculpture exhibition along the Atlanta BeltLine corridor. Sculptures may simultaneously function as a bench, pavilion, or other infrastructural component.
- Lecture Series – Artists and Professionals are invited to submit proposals for panel or individual discussion to address topics related to Arts & Culture, Ethics & Responsibility, Equity, Affordability, Science & Education, and Transit.
- Special Projects – We invite Atlanta arts and culture organizations to submit proposals that use the Atlanta BeltLine to show your work/project, host a pop-up event, and many other exciting ideas.
Proposals are due March 16, 2018. Submissions will be accepted via art.beltline.org through callforentry.org. The complete proposal and more information is available at art.beltline.org.
-
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms preached unity as she addressed a room of influential Wednesday, Jan. 31 at the Buckhead Coalition’s annual meeting.
“We now that when Buckhead is strong, we know that the South Side is strong. We know that when the South Side is strong, we know that the North Side is strong.”
“I am committed to making sure that we continue to work together to make sure that our entire city is as strong as it can possibly be,” she said to a room packed with Atlanta’s elite. “It’s so incredibly important that we remember we really are one Atlanta,”
The theme of the invitation-only event was “Atlanta Together.”
Bottoms’ speech was a salve for business leaders looking for guidance from the new mayor as the city courts Amazon for arguably its biggest power move since the Olympics. Bottoms said that she was all on-board to lure Amazon, but cautioned that there were smaller players she had to cater to as well.
After the event, she tweeted: “t was my pleasure to deliver the keynote address at the 2018 #BuckheadCoalition Annual Luncheon. A reminder that we need all of our diverse communities to come together and move forward as #oneAtlanta to ensure our collective success. Thank you for having me.”
Led by former Mayor Sam Massell, the Buckhead Coalition is a powerful business group made up of the region’s movers and shakers.
-
Atlanta’s Fort McPherson has been undergoing redevelopment since being sold in 2011 to filmmaker Tyler Perry, who plans to make a film and TV studio. The former military installation is being developed by Macauley Investments, who is charged with developing about 145 acres of the land, according to the AJC.
The project has been met with significant community resistance by some who say that the city of Atlanta undervalued the property in its sale to Perry. After getting input from local residents, the redevelopment authority is ready to offer a “sneak peak” of the master plan, the AJC reports.
The project is the result of the Oakland City/Fort McPherson Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) study update and master plan, which came about after extensive community outreach.
Fort Mac LRA will reveal some of the details at a community engagement subcommittee meeting Wednesday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 1794 Walker Ave. SW.
-
Big-time white collar jobs are coming to the Atlanta area as AtlantaFi has learned that Fulton County is getting a new world headquarters. Gov. Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced plans Tuesday for Groupe PSA, the French automaker that brought the world the Peugeot and Opel, to build its new North American headquarters in Fulton County.
“We are thrilled that Groupe PSA, the second-largest carmaker in Europe and one of the top mobility providers in the world, has picked Atlanta for its new North American home,” said Deal. “Groupe PSA joins a growing family of innovative automotive manufacturers and suppliers operating here in Georgia. This announcement is a great win for our state and yet another testament to the strength of our business environment and infrastructure.”
Groupe PSA, known for its prestigious line of cars and motorcycles, is the second-largest automaker in Europe.
“We looked at every aspect of the Atlanta community and found it to be the most suitable location for us,” said Larry Dominique, president of PSA North America. “While the overall business environment, tandard of living and university system played an important part in our decision, our unique needs in terms of technology, mobility innovation and car culture ultimately identified Atlanta as our perfect choice.”
The move comes as Atlanta recently made the shortlist for Amazon’s second world headquarters.
-
This week Chick-fil-A is opening a new restaurant on North Decatur Road in Decatur and giving customers a chance to win free food for a year. The new location at 650 Decatur Village Way will bring about 90 jobs to the corridor and join a thriving food scene anchored by strong retail development just off Interstate 285.
To celebrate, all participating Atlanta-area Chick-fil-A restaurants are giving away a free chicken biscuit during breakfast hours up to 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 23. There is no purchase necessary, one per customer.
At the new Decatur location, the first 100 eligible adults in line when the doors open on Thursday, Jan. 25 will win free Chick-fil-A — 52 meals made up of a Chicken Sandwich, medium Waffle Potato Fries and a medium drink — for a whole year. The new eatery is the brainchild of franchise owner Rodney Johnson, who will also ask that patrons donate children’s books to a local youth organization during the festivities.
The location is expecting people to arrive a day or so in advance, so they are providing organized games, prizes, and a block party in the evening with lip sync battle and more activities.
The North Decatur Chick-fil-A restaurant is the last of four local locations to open in the first month o f 2018. On Jan. 11, the North Druid Hills restaurant reopened, along with Braselton’s first location and just last week on Jan. 18, a Vine City location opened near Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Combined, the four restaurants awarded to customers more than $120,000 in free food and have brought upwards of 400 new jobs to the metro area.
In February, a Northridge restaurant is going to reopen as well. The expansion is part of an effort to build 140 stand-alone Chick-fil-A restaurants around the United States.
-
If you ever wanted to open up your own restaurant and bar, this one in the Smyrna Vinings Area comes with a patio. It’s a short drive away from the Atlanta Braves new stadium, SunTrust Park as well as Cumberland Market.
The listing says it is 3,600 square feet and has a “Stunning $850,000 Buildout with high ceilings.” The full-service kitchen is up to code and the dining room sits about 100 guests.
The spot is available for a long-term lease with options to renew at $8,200 all in per month. Sales from 2016, the most recent data available, shows that revenue hit nearly $2 million and paid management staff almost $150,000.
For more information check out Shumacher.com.
-
Hodgepodge Coffeehouse, a popular East Atlanta establishment, has announced plans to open a second location in the Summerhill neighborhood near downtown Atlanta.
The coffee shop will be located on Georgia Avenue near area landmarks such as the Atlanta Zoo and the Georgia State University stadium. The shop will also be a hub for community artists, it said in a press release.
“Along with serving coffee, one of the major focuses of Hodgepodge coffee is to promote local artists by providing them with a clean, well-lit space to display their work,” according to area developer Carter.
The Summerhill area is the site of intense development since Turner Field’s redevelopment, which has made way for a slew of GSU properties.
opening a concept at the Summerhill redevelopment called Wood’s Chapel BBQ. It’ll take 5,200 square feet in the 85 Georgia Avenue slot, with a goal of opening later this year.
-
Calling all artists: The Midtown Alliance is seeking all those talented with a brush or pen to submit for a mural at Midtown MARTA Station along the Peachtree Place façade. The $20,000 project will include artist fees, installation, and transportation needs.
Artists are asked to submit an itemized line-item budget to justify their price. A selection committee made up of senior art and design professionals will review the submissions. Three shortlisted artists will then be asked to provide a detailed concept for the mural. “Each shortlisted artist will be given a $500 honorarium,” a summary of the project says.
Read more: Atlanta Beltline seeks artists for exhibitions
All credentials must be submitted by email to art@midtownatl.com by 12:00 pm EST on Monday, February 2, 2018.