1376
Atlanta News
427 readers
33 users here now
News about Atlanta, auto-sourced from RSS feeds of local and regional media. User names indicate the news source.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
1377
2
From the Atlanta Daily World: Dr. Jamal Bryant Partners with 16 Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Award More Than $2 Million in Scholarships to 400 Metro Atlanta Graduates
(atlantadailyworld.com)
In a bold and inspiring investment in the next generation, Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, announced the award of more than $2 million in scholarships to 400 recent high school graduates during the church’s Sunday service on June 29. Recipients included students from the New Birth congregation as … Continued
The post Dr. Jamal Bryant Partners with 16 Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Award More Than $2 Million in Scholarships to 400 Metro Atlanta Graduates appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
#Atlanta #AtlantaDailyWorld #AtlantaNews #theATLBot
1378
3
From the Atlanta Daily World: Jury In Diddys Criminal Trial Reaches Verdict On All Counts
(atlantadailyworld.com)
Tony M. Centeno On Tuesday, July 2, all 12 jurors unanimously decided on a verdict on the charges Combs is facing. The Bad Boy Records CEO is charged with five offenses including one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs was found guilty … Continued
The post Jury In Diddy’s Criminal Trial Reaches Verdict On All Counts appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
#Atlanta #AtlantaDailyWorld #AtlantaNews #theATLBot
1379
1380
1381
Poll: Downtown's huge 'Forge' site goes under contract. Will it happen? Josh Green Wed, 07/02/2025 - 10:36
A technology firm with a growing interest in Sunbelt real estate says it has placed a sprawling downtown Atlanta site under contract, enlisted a global architecture company, and modified plans for a mixed-use district of transformative scale.
In May, officials with an LLC called Forge Atlanta Asset Management signed a Letter of Intent to buy and redevelop the massive Forge Atlanta project where downtown’s underutilized, industrial southernmost blocks meet Castleberry Hill. That LLC is 80 percent owned by Webstar Technology Group, which describes itself as a pioneer in the “tokenization of real estate assets” with a goal of redeveloping “urban and resort landscapes through smart design, community focus, and cutting-edge technology.”
Webstar has now officially put The Forge site under contract, according to a Monday announcement. A potential purchase price for the 10-acre property wasn’t specified.
The acreage is immediately south of the former Gulch property where CIM Group’s Centennial Yards has beguntransforming a 50-acre slice of downtown with new ground-up development. Atlanta Ventures’ South Downtown holdings and renovation endeavors are just north of the site, and other walkable attractions in the area include Underground Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, State Farm Arena, and the Reverb by Hard Rock Hotel.
According to Webstar, the site is already fully entitled and zoned to allow for up to 15 million square feet of development density. An earlier proposal by Urbantec, which bought the property for $26 million in 2021 and lost it to foreclosure two years later, called for roughly 3 million square feet of development.
How the 10-acre Forge Atlanta project would lord over I-20, as seen looking west, toward West End, according to early renderings. Courtesy of Urbantec Development Partners
Webstar has partnered with architecture firm Nelson Worldwide—the designers behind Johns Creek’s Medley district and Coal Mountain Town Center in Forsyth County, among other sizable projects in the metro—for a revised The Forge masterplan.
According to Webstar’s announcement this week, that plan will include: a mix of luxury and middle-income housing; an entertainment complex; a conference center; boutique and luxury hotel options; office and flex spaces; a public plaza and greenspace; and restaurants and retail, among other uses.
Webstar points to more than 50 projects underway downtown—including the $5 billion in public and private investment at Centennial Yards—as proof of downtown’s economic vitality and demand. The Forge, per Webstar, could be a major contributor to the city’s transformation.
“The Forge is positioned to become a next-generation smart city hub—fusing lifestyle, innovation, and connectivity," said Webstar CEO Ricardo Haynes in a prepared statement. “Our mission is to create a sustainable, high-density urban district that sets a new benchmark for placemaking in the Southeast.”
The 10-acre site where Ted Turner Drive meets Whitehall Street in the broader context of downtown. Courtesy of SSG Realty Partners
Cancelled plans for Forge Atlanta, looking east toward Summerhill.
Courtesy of Urbantec Development Partners
Webstar is pursuing what it calls a “broad-based capital strategy” that includes “a combination of institutional financing, digital asset tokenization, and a forthcoming stock offering” to finance The Forge vision. Officials have promised more announcements detailing “funding milestones,” groundbreaking timelines, and tenant partnerships as the development process moves forward.
No visuals detailing revised The Forge plans have been released.
According to earlier site plans, Forge Atlanta would have erected seven buildings around a central plaza, with a potential pedestrian bridge spanning active railroad lines to Castleberry Hill. The site was formerly the distribution center for Gourmet Foods International, which relocated to a larger facility in Decatur several years ago,
The Forge isn’t Webstar’s first big idea in Georgia this year.
The company in February also picked Nelson Worldwide to lead architectural designs of a $650-million concept called Bear Village Resort in Commerce, about 65 miles northeast of Atlanta off I-85.
In September, Atlanta-based investment firm SSG Realty Partners listed for sale The Forge’s site (asking price: $86 per square foot) at the intersection of Ted Turner Drive and Whitehall Street. SSG called the area downtown’s “Ring of Fire” and “one of the most dynamic development corridors in the Southeastern U.S.,” in that it’s undergoing more than $10 billion in investment, per the sellers’ estimates.
Forge Atlanta's former site plan, illustrating possible building arrangements, uses, and a potential "Highline" pedestrian bridge link to Castleberry Hill. Urbantec Development Partners; designs, Nelson Wakefield Beasley & Associates; via Office of Zoning and Development/submitted
Along with the Bear Village Resort concept, Webstar’s website mentions a Nevada gold-mining and potential resort endeavor but shows no completed projects.
Across Atlanta, projects of much smaller scale have struggled to get off the ground in the face of post-pandemic inflation and other headwinds. In real estate terms, downtown might be hotter than at any time since the Olympics (if not the middle of last century), but it all begs the question …
...
Follow us on social media:
Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram
• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)
Tags
Ted Turner Drive at Whitehall Street
Nelson Wakefield Beasley & Associates
Images
Location of the 10 acres where Forge Atlanta's cluster of high-rises is proposed. Google Maps
Closer look at the acreage in question, just north of Interstate 20. Courtesy of SSG Realty Partners
Cancelled plans for Forge Atlanta, looking east toward Summerhill.
Courtesy of Urbantec Development Partners
How the 10-acre Forge Atlanta project would lord over I-20, as seen looking west, toward West End, according to early renderings. Courtesy of Urbantec Development Partners
Forge Atlanta's former site plan, illustrating possible building arrangements, uses, and a potential "Highline" pedestrian bridge link to Castleberry Hill. Urbantec Development Partners; designs, Nelson Wakefield Beasley & Associates; via Office of Zoning and Development/submitted
The Forge Atlanta proposal as seen from over Interstate 20. Urbantec Development Partners; designs, Nelson Wakefield Beasley & Associates; via Office of Zoning and Development/submitted
Subtitle
Tech firm Webstar Technology Group envisions "smart city hub" for 10-acre proposal
Neighborhood
Background Image
Image
Associated Project
Before/After Images
Sponsored Post
Off
#Atlanta #UrbanizeAtlanta #theATLBot
1382
1
From the Saporta Report: Atlanta Medical Center demolition kicks off with a bang
(saportareport.com)
The Atlanta Medical Center is officially coming down. On June 30, Wellstar Health System and Integral Group kicked off exterior demolition of the long-standing hospital with a “symbolic” teardown of the Parkway Drive NE entrance. At the end of a public ceremony the crowd waved flags to kick off the work of an excavator and […]
The post Atlanta Medical Center demolition kicks off with a bang appeared first on SaportaReport.
#Atlanta #AtlantaJournalConstitution #AJC #AtlantaPolitics #theATLBot
1383
0
From the Atlanta Daily World: Woman Evolve Powers a New Economic Engine as Atlanta Hosts Sold-Out Conference Led by Sarah Jakes Roberts
(atlantadailyworld.com)
Sold-out Atlanta experience centers “Freedom” as women across the globe gather for faith, business, and generational change Sarah Jakes Roberts is healing the nation one woman at a time. The powerhouse preacher, author, businesswoman, fashion influencer and everyone’s favorite bestie is bringing Woman Evolve, presented by Wells Fargo, to State Farm Arena in Atlanta from July … Continued
The post Woman Evolve Powers a New Economic Engine as Atlanta Hosts Sold-Out Conference Led by Sarah Jakes Roberts appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
#Atlanta #AtlantaDailyWorld #AtlantaNews #theATLBot
1384
1385
3
From the Atlanta Daily World: 3 Million Dollars in Scholarships Awarded to Students and Job Seekers in Atlanta and Texas
(atlantadailyworld.com)
A record-breaking donation from a privately held company aims to offset the cost of higher education for students, under- and unemployed persons in three of the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. 1-800-TruckWreck, powered by Witherite Law Group, announced that for the third consecutive year it has made a record-breaking donation from a privately held company … Continued
The post 3 Million Dollars in Scholarships Awarded to Students and Job Seekers in Atlanta and Texas appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
#Atlanta #AtlantaDailyWorld #AtlantaNews #theATLBot
1386
1387
1388
1389
1
From the Atlanta Daily World: TSA expects over 18.5 million people to travel by air over busy Fourth of July holiday
(atlantadailyworld.com)
Offers family-friendly travel tips and customer service options WASHINGTON, June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is staffed and ready to screen over 18.5 million travelers at the nation’s airport security checkpoints during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday. This year’s projection includes Tuesday, July 1, through Monday, July 7, with the highest passenger volume – … Continued
The post TSA expects over 18.5 million people to travel by air over busy Fourth of July holiday appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
#Atlanta #AtlantaDailyWorld #AtlantaNews #theATLBot
1390
1391
Black skin ages differently than lighter complexions, largely due to its higher melanin content, which offers some advantages—but there are also unique challenges. Here’s a breakdown of how skin aging differs: Advantages of Black Skin in Aging: More Melanin = Better UV ProtectionMelanin helps shield the skin from UV radiation, which is a major cause … Continued
The post Black Don’t Crack, But Does It Burn? appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
#Atlanta #AtlantaDailyWorld #AtlantaNews #theATLBot
1392
4
From the Atlanta Daily World: Mayor Bottoms Slams GOP for Slashing Medicaid & SNAP While Adding TRILLIONS to the Deficit
(atlantadailyworld.com)
Keisha Lance Bottoms, former Mayor of Atlanta and Democratic candidate for Governor of Georgia, issued the following statement after Senate Republicans passed their plan to slash taxes for billionaires while gutting health care, despite bipartisan opposition: “Donald Trump and Republicans are cutting healthcare for more than 11 million Americans and slashing food benefits, just to … Continued
The post Mayor Bottoms Slams GOP for Slashing Medicaid & SNAP While Adding TRILLIONS to the Deficit appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
#Atlanta #AtlantaDailyWorld #AtlantaNews #theATLBot
1393
Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA. A federally funded study exploring why Black babies in Detroit are disproportionately born prematurely has been abruptly terminated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as part of a wider effort by the federal government to eliminate research tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The study, which focused on … Continued
The post NIH pulls plug on Black infant health study appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
#Atlanta #AtlantaDailyWorld #AtlantaNews #theATLBot
1394
1
From the Atlanta Daily World: The Carr Report: Trending personal finance stories that hit your pockets
(atlantadailyworld.com)
Every week, I keep my ear to the streets and my eyes on the money. I sift through the financial noise and break down what’s really impacting your wallet. This week’s roundup? It’s a mix of policy shifts, economic red flags, and future price tags that’ll make you clutch your budget. Let’s get into it—Damon … Continued
The post The Carr Report: Trending personal finance stories that hit your pockets appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.
#Atlanta #AtlantaDailyWorld #AtlantaNews #theATLBot
1395
1396
1
From the Georgia Recorder: Regulators approve temporary Georgia Power rate freeze
(georgiarecorder.com)
1397
3
From Atlanta Capital B NewsHistory Beneath Our Feet: Atlantas Gentrifying Neighborhoods Hold Haunting Stories of 24 Murdered Black Women
(atlanta.capitalbnews.org)
On a quiet stretch of White and Lawton streets, in southwest Atlanta, there’s no marker. No sign. Just a patch of sidewalk, cars passing, and weeds curling from a cracked curb that offers no clues to its past. But in the summer of 1911, this is where Lizzie Watts was found — her throat slashed, […]
The post History Beneath Our Feet: Atlanta’s Gentrifying Neighborhoods Hold Haunting Stories of 24 Murdered Black Women appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
#Atlanta #CapitalBNews
1398
1
From Atlanta Capital B News10 Super Black Events to Enjoy July 4th Weekend in Atlanta
(atlanta.capitalbnews.org)
Frederick Douglass delivered his historic speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” in 1852, calling out the hypocrisy of the holiday designated to celebrate America’s freedom. For some of us, this message still resonates today. So with the long weekend coming up, Capital B Atlanta rounded up some super Black events to […]
The post 10 Super Black Events to Enjoy July 4th Weekend in Atlanta appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
#Atlanta #CapitalBNews
1399
3
From Atlanta Capital B NewsProposed Adrianas Law Would Override Georgias Abortion Ban
(atlanta.capitalbnews.org)
Over the weekend, 30-year-old Adriana Smith was finally laid to rest after months on life support. Family and friends celebrated the young mother’s life at Fairfield Baptist Church in Lithonia by sharing memories of Smith’s kind spirit, while also expressing concerns about the circumstances surrounding her medical care. “It’s awful what’s happened to this family,” […]
The post Proposed ‘Adriana’s Law’ Would Override Georgia’s Abortion Ban appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
#Atlanta #CapitalBNews
1400
Beside Atlanta's largest park, more than 130 new homes underway Josh Green Tue, 07/01/2025 - 10:07
New housing options at the doorstep of Atlanta’s largest greenspace are set to increase soon.
Another section of the West Highlands neighborhood—a project started in the 1990s that’s already one of the largest master-planned communities in the City of Atlanta—is fully underway with site development next to the main entrance of Shirley Clarke Franklin Park (formerly Westside Park).
The next flank of West Highlands, a collaboration between homebuilder Brock Built Homes and Atlanta Housing, calls for 137 units total in the Rockdale neighborhood west of Midtown.
According to reps with Brock Built, a prominent developer in the area for decades, the current park-adjacent project along Johnson Road will include 103 townhomes and 24 flats/stacks, all of them for sale and not rent.
Construction progress on West Highlands' next phase along Johnson Road, as seen from over Shirley Clarke Franklin Park last month. Urbanize Atlanta
Construction next to the park's "dinosaur ribcage" entrance last month. Urbanize Atlanta
Townhomes will range from 1,300 to 2,600 square feet in three product lines (15, 21, and 24-feet wide). The condos will all have two bedrooms and one bathroom.
The collaboration with Atlanta Housing means that 20 percent of homes will be reserved at rates deemed affordable for families earning at or below 80 percent of the area median income, according to the housing agency.
Development of the site—formerly woods between Johnson Road and Proctor Creek Greenway—kicked off several months ago, and vertical construction is scheduled to begin before the end of 2025, according to Brock Built.
Renderings for the project are still being finalized, per company reps.
Overview of Shirley Clarke Franklin Park and location of new West Highlands construction, prior to tree-removal on site. Google Maps
Location of new home construction (at right) in relation to a main park entrance, as seen in March. Google Maps
Another new section of West Highlands with 65 for-sale townhomes is under construction on the flipside of the community, on property that formerly housed the 1950s Perry Homes housing projects. West Highlands counts more than 1,300 apartments and standalone homes today.
The new housing will join the growing, 300-home townhouse project Park Vue as neighbors to Atlanta’s biggest park space, which opened its initial phase in 2021 and could see development of a unique bike park kick off later this year, as Beltline officials recently told Urbanize Atlanta.
Find more context and recent drone perspectives in the gallery above.
...
Follow us on social media:
Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram
• Photos: How big neighborhood next to Atlanta's largest park is turning out(Urbanize Atlanta)
Tags
Images
Overview of Shirley Clarke Franklin Park and location of new West Highlands construction, prior to tree-removal on site. Google Maps
Construction progress on West Highlands' next phase along Johnson Road, as seen from over Shirley Clarke Franklin Park last month. Urbanize Atlanta
Location of new home construction (at right) in relation to a main park entrance, as seen in March. Google Maps
Construction next to the park's "dinosaur ribcage" entrance last month. Urbanize Atlanta
The new Park Vue by Ashton Woods townhome community (center) across the street from the park. Urbanize Atlanta
The construction site in relation to a main parking area. Urbanize Atlanta
Urbanize Atlanta
Totality of the West Highlands project, with under-construction new sections shown at far left and, along Johnson Road, at right. Atlanta Housing
Subtitle
It’s a collaboration between Brock Built, Atlanta Housing at Shirley Clarke Franklin Park’s doorstep
Neighborhood
Background Image
Image
Before/After Images
Sponsored Post
Off
#Atlanta #UrbanizeAtlanta #theATLBot