Atlanta News

From WABE Politics News:

The second part of Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s top priority to limit lawsuits and large verdicts won approval Thursday from the House. The full package, also called tort reform, is set […]

From WABE Local News:

An 11-year-old DeKalb County student is experiencing the “sweet spell of success” for the second consecutive year. Sarv Dharavane was among 20 students competing in the 64th Annual Georgia Association […]

From the Saporta Report:

It seems as if we might have to pay more attention to things that can’t be said in certain spaces. Again.  Because if you live in the American South or know anything about its history, you know we’ve been here before. We mucked through it then, though it cost us dearly in spilled blood, lost […]

The post Now and then, there are things that can’t be said in newspapers appeared first on SaportaReport.

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

WABE’s H. Johnson has been a fixture on 90.1 FM since 1978. As host of both “Blues Classics” and “Jazz Classics,” Johnson continually educates and entertains WABE listeners every Friday and Saturday […]

From the Saporta Report:

Out of Hand Theater Announces New Shows in Homes Season Out of Hand Theater recently announced the opening weekend of How to Make a Home, a compelling one-act play showing March 7 to May 18, 2025. Presented in partnership with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Partners for HOME, this groundbreaking production explores the realities of […]

The post Reporter’s Notebook: New shows, events, open house; Students honored, leadership changes; New housing at KSU appeared first on SaportaReport.

Arts Atlanta:

Technical prowess is on show in Atlanta. Across three recently opened exhibitions, artists are showcasing their ability to manipulate materials with finesse and mastery. At Marcia Wood Gallery, New Work by Featured Artists (through May 3) sounds like an innocuous exhibition, a simple roundup of gallery artists, but it is alive with some unexpected, good...

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

In the world of Muppets, mischief abounds. The finer points of Muppet misbehavior will enjoy a thorough examination in “Affection Anarchy: Muppet Prank Culture,” a live discussion on April 1 […]

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

The Ain’t Sisters is a folk, eclectic, Atlanta-based band comprised of Arrie Bozeman and Barb Carbon. Established in 2012, they are known for their high-energetic performances and diverse discography. “I […]

Arts Atlanta:

After decades of collaborating in food and in theater, these friends can’t wait to work together again on the Synchronicity stage. :: Mitchell Anderson and Jennifer “Jenny” Levison aren’t just longtime best friends — their lives are strongly parallel. After many years in Hollywood, appearing in series’ such as Doogie Howser, M.D. and Party of...

Arts Atlanta:

The Atlanta Jazz Festival returns to Piedmont Park this Memorial Day weekend with a lineup packed with talent, both local and national. As always, the outdoor music celebration is free. Bassist and composer Derrick Hodge tops the bill on the first night of the festival on May 24. The two-time Grammy winner has forged a...

From WABE Politics News:

President Donald Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social that he wants Republican State Sen. Brandon Beach of Alpharetta to be the next treasurer of the United States. […]

From WABE Local News:

Once a premier commercial hub of Alpharetta, the aging North Point corridor received a new redevelopment plan on Monday, the latest in more than a decade-long effort to revive the […]

Arts Atlanta:

Angela Harris, executive artistic director of Dance Canvas, has supported dance in Atlanta through thick and thin. Last weekend’s annual 2025 Performance Series, presented at Georgia State University’s Rialto Center for the Arts, was a reminder of the drop in contemporary dance presentations in Atlanta during the past few years. The Rialto, once a hub...

From WABE Local News:

NATO on Wednesday clarified comments that Secretary-General Mark Rutte made earlier in the day, when he suggested that four U.S. soldiers who went missing while training in Lithuania had died, […]

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

Georgia’s next generation of filmmakers will strut their stuff on March 29 and 30 at the Backlight Student Film Festival, returning for its fifth year. Screenings from the finalists will […]

First look: Old Fourth Ward affordable housing launches construction Josh Green Thu, 03/27/2025 - 08:13 A development set to transform nearly a full city block and inject affordable housing options into one of Atlanta’s hottest real estate submarkets is full speed ahead. 

The project, City Lights North Block, broke ground with site work and demolition in recent weeks at 633 Parkway Drive. The site is between North Avenue and Ponce de Leon Avenue, roughly four blocks directly west of Ponce City Market. 

A portion of the Old Fourth Ward project will also have frontage along Boulevard, near its intersection with Ponce de Leon Avenue. 

A row of low-rise housing was demolished several years ago at the site, and a two-story brick structure where Parkway Drive meets North Avenue was also taken down this month. 

A shuttered brick structure where Parkway Drive meets North Avenue this month, prior to demolition. Contributed

The same site along Parkway Drive today. Contributed

Directly across the street stands The Views at O4W, a cove of modern-style townhomes built prior to, and during, the COVID-19 pandemic. 

North Block marks the fifth phase of City Lights, which is Massachusetts developer Wingate’s masterplanned redevelopment of Bedford Pines, a cluster of HUD Section 8 multifamily buildings along and near Boulevard. 

Plans call for 187 apartments capped at rates deemed affordable, in a wide variety of sizes. 

North Block is also set to include amenities such as an after-school program, a business center with computers, a community room, fitness center, a central laundry facility on each floor, and a private courtyard. Access to public transportation is also cited by project officials as a perk. 

The 187-unit North Block project's Boulevard frontage, near a Wendy's. Geheber Lewis Associates, via Invest Atlanta

City Lights North Block's location at 633 Parkway Drive.Google Maps

An Invest Atlanta rep tells Urbanize Atlanta the economic development agency contributed a $35-million tax exempt loan to the project that closed in January, paving the way for construction to begin. A revised construction period of 18 months means the building is expected to open sometime later next year. 

The total cost of the project is $78.9 million, according to Invest Atlanta’s tabulations. 

The building is being reserved for tenants earning 60 percent of the area median income or less. According to Invest Atlanta, the project is supported by a Housing Assistance Payment Contract with HUD, and residents will not pay more than 30 percent of their income.

Otherwise, listed rents for the building start at $1,400 monthly for studios with 536 square feet. 

The bulk of apartments (84 total) will be two-bedroom units asking $2,150 for 975 square feet. 

At the high end, a single four-bedroom apartment will be offered in the building at $2,900 monthly for 1,302 square feet. 

Site plan for North Block, with Parkway Drive shown at left and Boulevard at right. Wingate/City of Atlanta

Once North Block finishes, just one more phase of Wingate’s City Lights public housing makeover will remain. That’s called City Lights South. 

Another component of the masterplan, Boulevard North, is under construction now about a block away. 

In the gallery above, find more context and images for the North Block project. 

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Images

City Lights North Block's location at 633 Parkway Drive.Google Maps

Courtesy of Invest Atlanta

Various aspects of the site prior to construction. Courtesy of Invest Atlanta

The 187-unit North Block project's Boulevard frontage, near a Wendy's. Geheber Lewis Associates, via Invest Atlanta

A shuttered brick structure where Parkway Drive meets North Avenue this month, prior to demolition. Contributed

The same site along Parkway Drive today. Contributed

Site plan for North Block, with Parkway Drive shown at left and Boulevard at right. Wingate/City of Atlanta

Breakdown of expected rents at the North Block project. Courtesy of Invest Atlanta

Subtitle Parkway Drive project is transforming block near North Avenue, Ponce City Market

Neighborhood Old Fourth Ward

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From WABE Politics News:

A Georgia bill that prohibits schools from expelling chronically absent students will now head to the governor’s desk for a final signature. The bill defines “chronically absent” as those missing […]

From WABE Politics News:

A bill before a Georgia Senate committee Wednesday could allow a Donald Trump-aligned state board to strike thousands of challenged voters from the state’s rolls and would require polling officials […]

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Staff turnover at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues as the United States faces several public health threats. by Jennifer Porter Gore By Tuesday afternoon, it was clear that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was having a tough week.  Already dealing with domestic outbreaks of measles and tuberculosis as well as … Continued

The post As Upheaval Continues, CDC Loses its Equity Chief appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

One of the largest FREE jazz festivals in the country, the Atlanta Jazz Festival is an annual celebration of culture, community, and the art of jazz. This year’s festival is presented by Design Essentials. Returning to Piedmont Park, in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, the festival will take place from Saturday, May 24 through Monday, … Continued

The post Atlanta Jazz Festival 2025 Announces Schedule in Piedmont Park for Memorial Day Weekend: May 24-26 appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

The shocking revelation that top national security officials in President Donald Trump’s administration texted military strike plans in a group chat that included a journalist has led one Illinois congressman to call for sweeping resignations. “The careless mishandling of sensitive information has not only compromised national security but also put the lives of U.S. service … Continued

The post Rep. Jonathan Jackson Demands Defense Secretary Resign After Signal App Leak of U.S. Military Plans appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From WABE Local News:

The American Society of Civil Engineers has released its 2025 report on U.S. infrastructure, awarding the nation its highest grade yet — a C. This is an improvement from the […]

From WABE Local News:

Following President Donald Trump’s executive order to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, teacher and student organizations in Georgia are figuring out how to move forward. The president’s March […]

From WABE Politics News:

A crowd of abortion-rights opponents and advocates flooded a windowless Georgia Capitol hallway on Wednesday with chants and signs as lawmakers held a hearing on a bill that would ban […]

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

Malaika Jabali acknowledges that nowadays, people are working multiple jobs, but they are making less money. She says many younger Americans are delaying major milestones such as buying a home, […]