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Arts Atlanta:

An offbeat comedy with an uncommonly sober ending, Love’s Labour’s Lost has the capacity to both delight and move audiences with its clever wit and emotional agility. However, the production running through January 26 at the Shakespeare Tavern seems unaware of these virtues. Despite a couple of standout moments, this staging is unseasoned, boilerplate Shakespeare...

Arts Atlanta:

Like many of the blues and rock trailblazers who preceded him, guitarist Skyler Saufley had no formal music training — but that didn’t stop him. Inspired by the likes of T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters and Jerry Lee Lewis, he is shaping his own unique sound. :: Without today’s technical wizardry, mid-20th century music was nothing...

From the Atlanta Daily World:

For the first time in 2025, the Atlanta Hawks got a taste of some home cooking. After a brutal west coast road trip that began at the end of December and lasted until Jan. 10, the Hawks returned to State Farm Arena in Atlanta to take on the Phoenix Suns.  The Hawks entered the game … Continued

The post Trae Young Scores 43, Leads Hawks To Victory Over Kevin Durant’s Phoenix Suns appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From WABE Local News:

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. He chose that location in part to […]

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Photo: Getty Images Although, the civil rights leader was born on Jan. 15 the official national observance is on Monday, Jan. 20 Bernice King, the youngest child of Martin Luther King Jr., has revealed that she’s “glad” President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration is occurring on the same day as MLK’s holiday.  According to The Independent, Bernice … Continued

The post Today, Wednesday Jan. 20 is MLK’s Birthday; Bernice King ‘Glad’ Trump’s Inauguration Is on MLK Day appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

In 2021, I received an inbox message from a friend. She informed me about a “Saving Challenge” she was inspired to do.  In 2022, on New Year’s Day, she inboxed me again saying Happy New Year. She included a photo of a pile of cash that was at least three-feet high. She said she had … Continued

The post The Carr Report: Saving Challenge 2025 appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

South Side Chicagoan and former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. The Office of Barack and Michelle Obama confirmed her decision but did not provide a reason. “Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,” … Continued

The post Michelle Obama to Skip Trump’s Inauguration appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From WABE Politics News:

Who: Pete Hegseth Hegseth, 44, served in the infantry and was deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. He was awarded two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman Badge. Nominated for: U.S […]

From WABE Politics News:

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday ordered that flags at the U.S. Capitol be raised to their full height on Inauguration Day, pausing a 30-day flag-lowering order following the death of former President Jimmy Carter. […]

Arts Atlanta:

100 decorated pianos were placed in public spaces around Atlanta. Wherever the instruments end up, Pianos for Peace pays for them to be tuned and maintained. Jandali was born in Germany of Syrian parents. When Jandali was 5, his father, a prominent physician, returned to Syria with his family to start a private hospital. Jandali...

From WABE Politics News:

Monday marked the start of the 2025 Georgia legislative session. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp also held a press conference, announcing legislative priorities, proposing an additional $50 million in school safety […]

7 months after tenant pick, it's still crickets at Grant Park Gateway Josh Green Tue, 01/14/2025 - 13:09 This month marks four years since a Grant Park project described as “iconic” by city officials debuted, but still its modern jewel box of a retail and restaurant space remains oddly empty.

According to concerned neighbors, that shows no signs of changing soon.

Back in June, the City of Atlanta’s Departments of Procurement and Parks and Recreation selected Savi Provisions, a local gourmet market and grocery chain known for its wine selection and organic foods, to fill the entire, 7,000-square-foot Grant Park Gateway retail space. The distinctive building overlooks a new 2.5-acre park atop a parking garage next to Zoo Atlanta.

That selection process was competitive, and it called for Savi to open in roughly 180 days, or sometime around December last year.

Seven months later, the space remains vacant, with no signs of work starting soon.

The distinctive Grant Park Gateway building in 2021. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where Savi’s Gateway project stands—or if it’s still viable—isn’t clear. Inquiries this month to City of Atlanta press officials and to City Council member Jason Winston’s office haven’t been returned. Winston’s District 1 covers Grant Park, and he helped lead the Gateway tenant selection process.

Multiple inquiries to Savi leadership have not been returned. Savi’s website makes no mention of a forthcoming Grant Park location.

Perhaps more troubling for neighbors eager for fresh grocery and market options is that building permit records show no activity related to Savi’s buildout at the Gateway building.

The city’s Department of Procurement still lists the Grant Park Gateway tenant solicitation process as having been closed since April.

Aerial of the Gateway illustrating its proximity to the zoo's elephant habitat and downtown. City of Atlanta Parks and Recreation Department; via Epsten Group

Founded in 2009, Savi counts locations in North Carolina and 16 stores in metro Atlanta, spanning from the airport to Howell Mill Road, Decatur, and Brookhaven to the Crabapple district in Milton.

The nearest Savi outpost to Grant Park remains the original one in Inman Park, roughly two and ½ miles away.

Savi, one of three finalists vying for the Gateway space, is expected to “boost the area’s diversity of food options and convenience, acting as a central gathering place for both residents and visitors,” read a June announcement from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ office, following Savi's selection. 

The $48-million Gateway project replaced a parking lot with the park-topped garage, officially opening in January 2021. The following year, it earned the Atlanta Urban Design Commission’s Award of Excellence for sustainable design, but the process of filling the cavernous retail component has not been a walk in the park.

The spacious interior of the Gateway building, as seen in early 2021, looks largely the same today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

City officials took ownership of the Gateway space from the Atlanta and Fulton County Recreation Authority two years after it had opened—a key first step in getting it leased and occupied, per city officials.

But the city’s first Request for Proposals issued in February 2023 didn’t attract a single bid from prospective tenants.

The city’s Department of Procurement, charged with helping lead the tenant search, concluded that rising construction costs spurred by inflation, combined with increased interest rates, contributed to the initial lack of bids.

The city later partnered with Invest Atlanta to offer an unspecified amount of financial assistance to the right operator.  

Issued in February, the second stab at an RFP was an improved pitch to businesses that could fill such a large space. It provided drone footage, set up tours for potential tenants, and specified how large the shell space is: 7,056 square feet. It called for a single enterprise to create a Gateway concept that would “increase the property value of the neighborhood, improve the area’s livability, serve as a convenience to neighborhood residents and visitors, and continue Atlanta's forward progress.” 

The 2.5-acre park space in relation to the restaurant structure. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Another finalist for the retail space was a concept called “Gateway Park and Market.”

That idea was put together by a team that included Terminus Commercial Real Estate Partners, an Atlanta-based CRE firm, alongside Kraig Torres, owner of alcohol purveyor Hopcity, and Mike Walbert, a longtime Atlanta event curator. It called for a micro food hall “foodie destination” and “cultural experience” that would have leaned heavily into public programming and capitalized on proximity to Zoo Atlanta, as its creators told Urbanize Atlanta last year. 

The third finalist was Rease Group Holdings Inc., an Atlanta-based company led by CEO Andy Rease and founded in 2010. 

Find more context—and a refresher on what the Grant Park Gateway is today—in the gallery above.

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• Grant Park news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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759 Boulevard SE 537 Park Avenue SE Zoo Atlanta Atlanta Parks Grant Park Grant Park Gateway Parks and Recreation HGOR Smith Dalia Architects Epsten Group Winter Johnson Group Boulevard Jason Winston Savi Provision Terminus Commercial Real Estate Partners The Rease Group Holdings Mike Walbert Kraig Torres Hopcity Gateway Park & Market

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The distinctive Grant Park Gateway building in 2021. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The spacious interior of the Gateway building, as seen in early 2021, looks largely the same today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The underside of the patio's roof comes to life with lighting at night. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where the south facade of the restaurant building meets stacked parking. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Aerial of the Gateway illustrating its proximity to the zoo's elephant habitat and downtown. City of Atlanta Parks and Recreation Department; via Epsten Group

Screenshot from drone footage distributed by the City of Atlanta to promote the Grant Park Greenway space. City of Atlanta

The patio area has become a popular destination for roller skaters. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The patio/pavilion area, looking west to Zoo Atlanta. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Screenshot from drone footage distributed by the City of Atlanta to promote the Grant Park Gateway space. City of Atlanta

Subtitle Market and grocer Savi Provisions was supposed to be gearing up for opening now. What gives?

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Arts Atlanta:

As a college sophomore during quarantine, Derett Boyd Jr. worked on a comedy TV series touching on themes in his life. This March, a pilot of the series will premiere to the public. :: In seventh grade, Derett Boyd Jr. wrote his first screenplay and never looked back. After getting his feet wet with short...

From the Atlanta Tribune:

There’s a new BIATCH in town! BIATCH Tequila, by Boss Babes Brands Inc., a woman-owned company with an all-female C-Suite, is now available to order online on biatch.com in 43 states and can be found in local stores in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, New Jersey, New York, California, Texas, Louisiana, and Washington D.C. BIATCH is […]

The post Biatch, The New Unapologetic Woman’s Premium Tequila Is Now Available in Atlanta appeared first on Atlanta Tribune.

From the Atlanta Tribune:

The Martin Luther King III Foundation and Legacy+ today announced “My Legacy,” a groundbreaking new iHeartPodcast series that will offer listeners an intimate look into the stories behind the personas of beloved public figures and influential leaders. Hosted by Martin Luther King III, human rights activist Arndrea Waters King, Legacy+ Founder Craig Kielburger and social entrepreneur Marc Kielburger, “My […]

The post Martin Luther King III Foundation, iHeartPodcasts Announces ‘My Legacy’ Podcast appeared first on Atlanta Tribune.

From the Atlanta Tribune:

Photo: Getty Images NAACP President Derrick Johnson is urging President Joe Biden to deliver on “critical promises” before the end of his administration. On Wednesday (January 8), theGrio released an op-ed by Johnson in which he called on Biden to take action on key promises, including police accountability, clemency for drug offenders, and eliminating student […]

The post NAACP Urges Biden To Deliver On ‘Critical Promises’ Before Leaving Office appeared first on Atlanta Tribune.

From the Atlanta Tribune:

In September 2024, BRP Companies and The Prusik Group revealed plans to redevelop Mall West End into One West End Atlanta, with the mall set to officially close at the end of January. The development team has been actively collaborating with legacy tenants to ensure that the unique essence of the West End is preserved […]

The post BRP Companies and The Prusik Group Create Temporary Space for Mall West End Tenants During Construction appeared first on Atlanta Tribune.

From the Atlanta Tribune:

Photo: Getty Images Tyler Perry is calling out insurance companies that canceled policies for thousands of homeowners ahead of the Los Angeles wildfires. In an Instagram post on Sunday (January 12), Perry spoke out about the “appalling” situation after learning about reports of a woman who stayed in a mandatory evacuation zone to try to […]

The post Tyler Perry Slams Insurance Companies for Canceling Policies Amid LA Fires appeared first on Atlanta Tribune.

From WABE Local News:

Known for its inclusive atmosphere, eclectic music and lack of pretension, MJQ has been a staple of Atlanta’s nightlife since its founding in 1994. Now, the dance club is moving […]

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

“Electric,” “beautifully portrayed,” and “coolly furious” – are a few of the descriptions critics have written about Atlanta actor and film star Danielle Deadwyler in “The Piano Lesson.” The film […]

From WABE Politics News:

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has prioritized limiting lawsuit verdicts but the plans he outlined before business leaders Tuesday were all about investing in infrastructure and education. The Republican governor told […]

From WABE Local News:

LIBERTY COUNTY, Ga. — Ask almost any shopper outside this sprawling Walmart southeast of Savannah, and they’ll tell you about rising prices. “The meat is going up. Milk, eggs, everything […]

Arts Atlanta:

Pasquale, aka Erik Thurmond, is a budding pop star with an origin story.  Thurmond was adopted as a baby and grew up just outside of Atlanta. In 2016, he met his biological parents for the first time. They told him that, instead of having “a nameless child,” they always referred to him by his great-grandfather’s...

From WABE Local News:

The first Senate bill of the 2025 Georgia legislative session aims to keep transgender girls out of girls’ sports in middle and high schools as well as colleges. The bill […]

Third new hotel in Atlanta's former Gulch moves forward Josh Green Tue, 01/14/2025 - 08:09 A clearer picture has emerged for the next facet of downtown megaproject Centennial Yards as it begins the development process at the doorstep of historic Castleberry Hill. 

Centennial Yards Company has filed plans with the city for a Special Use Permit to start building a 127-room hotel and retail space at 88 Elliott St., part of the former Gulch’s western boundary in the shadow of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The 68,300-square-foot hotel proposal came before the Atlanta City Council Zoning Committee this week, with filings that shed new light on the project’s potential functionality and scope.

Should it move forward as planned, the mixed-use building would mark the third new Centennial Yards hotel to start sprouting from previously vacant land to date, with much more in the offing. The site is a long, slender parcel situated between active rail lines and Castleberry Hill, across the street from the former Elliott Street Pub and Atlanta Fire Station No. 1.

According to hotel plans filed with the city, an area reserved for outdoor dining will be placed at the Nelson Street pedestrian plaza, where the pedestrians-only Steele Bridge links to Castleberry Hill. Around the corner, two retail spaces are planned at ground level along Elliott Street.

Meanwhile, at the project’s northern end along Mitchell Street, a smaller outdoor seating area would be connected to the hotel’s ground-floor bar and lobby.

Proposed layout for the 88 Elliott St. project, with retail spaces at bottom. The ground floor would be bookended by patios, with the larger one (at right) adjacent to the pedestrian bridge next door. Praxis3

Given the site’s proximity to a “high-capacity transit stop,” no parking is required, but blueprints do call for nine spaces within the building.

Plans also call for more public space—an 8,689-square-foot green area near the curb—than what zoning requires, per the filings.

The property is currently zoned MRC-2-C, which allows for mixed residential and commercial uses, though new buildings at the site are capped at 52 feet tall or less.

As a next step, the hotel project is scheduled to come before the Atlanta City Council at its regular meeting Tuesday.

The 88 Elliott St. property in question in June, across from the former Elliott Street Pub and Atlanta Fire Station No. 1. Google Maps

How the previous residential proposal would have met Elliott Street as part of Centennial Yards. [Note: This does not reflect designs for the proposed hotel, but project leaders have said it's similar.] Rendering by Praxis3

Centennial Yards officials initially submitted the project to the city as a multifamily residential building standing a maximum of roughly five stories, crowned with rooftop decks.

Project leaders have said no timeline for hotel construction will be available until the SUP and Site Approval Process are completed with city authorities. No updated renderings for the hotel were filed with the city this week, but the design and scope of the hotel aren’t expected to drastically change from the earlier residential proposal.

Just north of the planned hotel site, Centennial Yards’ first ground-up new residential tower, the 304-unit The Mitchell, topped out in August.

Across the street, The Mitchell’s sibling project, the 292-key Hotel Phoenix, officially topped out last month, with a goal of opening sometime this summer.

Both towers broke ground two years ago and now mark the $5-billion megaproject’s first ground-up new construction to stand at max height.

The 88 Elliott St. parcel in relation to the pedestrian Steele Bridge and other Centennial Yards development sites. Google Maps

East facade of the previous residential proposal on site, overlooking the former Gulch and active rail. [Note: This does not reflect designs for the proposed hotel, but project leaders have said it's similar.]Rendering by Praxis3

East of those buildings, Centennial Yards Company has also broken ground on an 8-acre, mixed-use entertainment hub anchored by a Cosm entertainment dome with a mid-rise hotel and fan plaza at the center.

Those buildings are scheduled to be finished in time for eight FIFA World Cup matches set to be played in Atlanta, beginning in June 2026, officials have said.

Current plans for Centennial Yards call for more than 2,600 residential units to eventually be built, with 20 percent of those reserved as affordable housing. Elsewhere will be almost 3,000 hotel rooms in projects ranging from boutique to full-service, alongside more than 900,000 square feet of entertainment and retail space, according to an update last year.

The 50-acre remake of the former Gulch has been called by its financial backers one of the largest public-private partnerships in the U.S. right now.

Centennial Yards’ infrastructure designs call for creating a dozen city blocks downtown, with a police mini precinct, a new fire station, and public greenspaces tucked among them. The project is considered a partnership between the Atlanta Development Authority, the City of Atlanta, and Los Angeles-based developer CIM Group, among other stakeholders. 

Scope of the site in question, with Mercedes-Benz Stadium depicted at top left. City of Atlanta Department of City Planning

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• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

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88 Elliott Street SW Centennial Yards Atlanta Fire Station No. 1 Steele Bridge Elliott Street Pub Downtown Development downtown construction Atlanta Hotels Hotels Gulch The Gulch CIM Group Praxis3 Mercedes-Benz Stadium

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Proposed layout for the 88 Elliott St. project, with retail spaces at bottom. The ground floor would be bookended by patios, with the larger one (at right) adjacent to the pedestrian bridge next door. Praxis3

Scope of the site in question, with Mercedes-Benz Stadium depicted at top left. City of Atlanta Department of City Planning

The 88 Elliott St. parcel in relation to the pedestrian Steele Bridge and other Centennial Yards development sites. Google Maps

The 88 Elliott St. property in question in June, across from the former Elliott Street Pub and Atlanta Fire Station No. 1. Google Maps

How the previous residential proposal would have met Elliott Street as part of Centennial Yards. [Note: This does not reflect designs for the proposed hotel, but project leaders have said it's similar.] Rendering by Praxis3

East facade of the previous residential proposal on site, overlooking the former Gulch and active rail. [Note: This does not reflect designs for the proposed hotel, but project leaders have said it's similar.]Rendering by Praxis3

Subtitle Fresh details come to light for next Centennial Yards facet along Elliott Street

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