Atlanta News

From WABE Local News:

Sam Cooper had just trekked 7 miles (11 kilometers) through a rain-sodden stretch of the Appalachian Trail when he sat down outside a little country store in Pennsylvania to take […]

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The post Immigration in Atlanta – various locations and dates appeared first on SaportaReport.

From the Saporta Report:

One of Atlanta’s greatest selling points is that MARTA has a station inside Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Collie Greenwood, MARTA’s general manager, touted the service in a recent press release discussing preparations for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup matches. “MARTA is one of the only transit systems in the world that offers direct access to the […]

The post Atlanta can improve connectivity between airport’s International Terminal and MARTA appeared first on SaportaReport.

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

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From the Saporta Report:

Watching the Stories of Atlanta, one might be tempted to think that Atlanta’s history unfolded in a smooth, orderly fashion…one event after another in a precise and predictable manner, much like the hands on a clock. One should resist that temptation. The history of Atlanta was marked by challenges, setbacks, unexpected results and, as with […]

The post Drinking, Gambling, & Unruly Behavior appeared first on SaportaReport.

From WABE Local News:

A metro Atlanta educator is one of several nationwide that is scheduled to join The National Teachers Hall of Fame on Friday. Dr. Valerie Camille Jones Ford, the head of […]

From the Saporta Report:

A group of recently fired College Park employees are questioning not only the circumstances of their dismissals but also the city’s handling of vendor contracts and internal staffing decisions leading up to the terminations. Last Friday, SaportaReport met with five former city employees. Dr. Emmanuel Adediran, former city manager; Rose Stewart, former director of human […]

The post Fired staffers scrutinize city manager’s past role, payments by College Park appeared first on SaportaReport.

From the Saporta Report:

By Rosalyn Merrick, President and CEO, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity  I grew up celebrating Juneteenth as a little girl visiting my maternal grandmother’s  hometown of Thomaston, a small town in middle Georgia with fewer than 10,000 residents. Each summer, my cousins and I made the return voyage to Granny’s neighborhood for a few days to enjoy […]

The post Homeownership is Liberation appeared first on SaportaReport.

From the Saporta Report:

Across the country, family homelessness is rising at an alarming rate. In 2024 alone, the number of people in families with children experiencing homelessness surged by 39%—the largest increase of any demographic group. Here in Atlanta, the number of families experiencing homelessness rose by 14%, even as chronic homelessness declined. These aren’t just numbers—they’re mothers […]

The post From Crisis to Hope: How Place-Based Strategies Can Reverse the Rise in Family Homelessness appeared first on SaportaReport.

Images: Multi-block South Downtown streetscape overhaul in works Josh Green Mon, 06/16/2025 - 15:00

Significant, pre-World Cup changes to South Downtown blocks could extend beyond glittery new buildings and historic rehabs soon. 

According to Invest Atlanta, an initiative called the Historic Broad Streetscape project is in the works that would reimagine three city blocks of South Broad Street, stretching for about 3,000 linear feet between two MARTA hubs. 

Plans generally call for an “active, safe, and inviting public realm” with fresh landscaping, bicycle infrastructure, elements that can be customized to suit large gatherings, and other features between MARTA’s Five Points station and Garnett station plaza. 

The goal is to develop a “cohesive public realm” along all South Broad Street blocks in question, according to a recent Invest Atlanta project summary. 

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District initiative is expected to cost roughly $6 million. Invest Atlanta is considering authorizing an Eastside Tax Allocation District grant of up to $3 million to help finance the work. 

The infrastructure project is estimated to take six months to complete. According to Invest Atlanta, work would begin sometime this fall. 

At the south end of the project’s scope, Garnett Plaza upgrades would include new seating areas, custom paving patterns, and landscaping designed to integrate with MARTA’s transit infrastructure. 

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Pedestrian and bicycling enhancements would include ADA-compliant sidewalk adjustments and curb ramps, dedicated bike parking, new bike intersection markings to boost connectivity, and installation of rectangular rapid flashing beacons, or RRFBs, at high-traffic intersections, per Invest Atlanta.

Moveable planters included in the project scope would allow for occasional street closures for events and festivals. 

Other elements would include street furniture, new sidewalk paving patterns and curb alignments, more streetlights, additional trees, and planting beds and bioswales to improve drainage and cut back on runoff, according to the recap. 

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Along the South Broad Street route, development currently underway includes 100,000 square feet of new office and retail spaces, 30 residential units, and a 1-acre park near the intersection of Broad and Mitchell streets. Restaurants El Tesoro and Broad Street BBQ plan to open alongside that town square-style greenspace prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Atlanta, which begins next June. 

If executed as planned, the Historic Broad Streetscape project will create an “activity center supportive of community activities and large-scale events, driving business revenues and opportunities for small local businesses,” per the summary. 

Sound like a plan?  

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

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Historic Broad Streetscape project Invest Atlanta Eastside TAD Eastside Tax Allocation District Atlanta Downtown Improvement District Atlanta Downtown Improvement South Broad Street 2026 FIFA World Cup Atlanta World Cup South Downtown development Atlanta Ventures World Cup FIFA World Cup Alternate Transportation Alternative Transit MARTA Five Points Garnett MARTA station

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Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Atlanta Development Authority; via Invest Atlanta

Subtitle $6M Historic Broad Streetscape project calls for upgrades between MARTA hubs before World Cup

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From the Saporta Report:

I’ve been thinking a lot about change this summer — what it looks like, who drives it and how cities can listen better. As a Gen Z Atlantan and a graduate student in urban studies, I’ve spent time studying the systems that shape our cities. But I’ve also been talking to the people who live […]

The post ‘Hear our voices’: What Gen Z wants from our city appeared first on SaportaReport.

From the Saporta Report:

Bill Crane, a longtime political analyst and the crisis communications consultant for the city of College Park is stepping down from his role, citing internal conflicts and a shifting environment within the city government. Crane, who was hired in the summer of 2024, has submitted his resignation effective June 30. His firm, CSI Crane, which […]

The post College Park spokesman, crisis advisor resigns citing city hall turmoil appeared first on SaportaReport.

From the Saporta Report:

By Hannah E. Jones, Park Pride’s Marketing & Communications Manager  As we all head into summer, Park Pride is also entering a new season! We are thrilled to announce a few changes to the way we do things.   Teri Nye, who had previously served in Park Pride’s Park Visioning Program, has rejoined the organization after […]

The post Meet Park Pride’s Design Trio appeared first on SaportaReport.

From the Saporta Report:

The tech space in Atlanta, an evergrowing industry for the region anchored by dozens of colleges both in and around the city, saw enthusiasm for the growing space on full display last week. Atlanta Tech Week, which ran from June 8 through 13, wrapped up its programming on Friday for its third year filled with […]

The post Atlanta’s tech scene has a big week with Atlanta Tech Week and Render ATL appeared first on SaportaReport.

Arts Atlanta:

In this series, ArtsATL asks a member of the Atlanta arts community to share 11 things on their mind. We hope you enjoy getting to know these people better. :: Courtney Brooks wears many hats. She’s a multidiscplinary artist, a curator, a muralist, and now, a gallerist. She opened CBROOKS Gallery on June 12 following a decade...

From WABE Local News:

On a sunless Wednesday morning, a few cars drive up and down Tara Boulevard in Jonesboro. Just along the stretch, facing the road, is a motel with a dozen or […]

From WABE Local News:

Thousands of demonstrators marched in cities throughout Coastal Georgia Saturday in protest of the Trump administration’s policies. The “No Kings” gatherings nationwide were part of a mass mobilization effort timed for the […]

Fresh images: Decatur’s Village at Legacy phase two officially a go Josh Green Mon, 06/16/2025 - 14:47

Another batch of relatively attainable housing is bound for increasingly pricey Decatur. 

Decatur Housing and longtime partners Preserving Affordable Housing Inc. have scheduled a groundbreaking Wednesday morning for the second phase of Village at Legacy, a unique project melding affordable housing and greenspace near the city’s southern limits.  

Village at Legacy marks the first ground-up, new attainable housing community geared toward Decatur families in decades, though Decatur Housing and PAHI have redeveloped and acquired more than 630 units elsewhere in the city over the past 15 years, according to officials. 

Phase one is finishing construction and preparing for first move-ins later this year where South Columbia Drive meets Katie Kerr Drive, at the southernmost tip of 77-acre Legacy Park.

It calls for 66 housing units—duplexes and garden-style apartments—to be reserved for qualifying, low-income families, Decatur Housing officials have said. 

Current Village at Legacy rents start at $1,000 monthly for a one-bedroom, one-bathroom floorplan in 658 square feet. 

Rents top out at $1,800 per month, which gets three bedrooms and two bathrooms in 1,263 square feet. 

Example of a phase two facade planned for Village at Legacy. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./Decatur Housing

Breakdown of phase one and two components at Legacy Park's southernmost edge, with South Columbia Drive shown at left. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./Decatur Housing

Site plans for phases one and two show 11 residential buildings situated around a greenspace commons and U-shaped parking lot, with a community center in the middle. All but three of the new residential structures stand three stories, the others two stories. 

Once phase two is complete, Village at Legacy will offer 132 townhomes and apartments total, ranging from one to three bedrooms, spread across roughly 6 acres of the park site. 

Dignitaries scheduled to attend Wednesday’s phase-two groundbreaking include Decatur Mayor Patti Garrett, DeKalb County CEO Lorrain Cochran-Johnson, and Decatur Housing CEO and executive director Larry H. Padilla, among others. 

Planned look of an onsite community center. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./Decatur Housing

Example of three-story, garden-style apartments at the Decatur project. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./Decatur Housing

The Village at Legacy project has been more than seven years in the making, created as home prices in Decatur have climbed to prohibitively expensive heights for many families. (The median sales price of Decatur homes was $685,000 in May, a rise of nearly 10 percent since last year, according to Redfin analytics.)

The City of Decatur bought the park (the former United Methodist Children's Home property) in 2017 and launched a planning process that resulted in a master plan and affordable housing goals for Village at Legacy in late 2019.

Two years later, following the COVID-19 pandemic, Decatur leaders brought on Decatur Housing and its nonprofit housing developer, PAHI, to see the project through. 

That Intergovernmental Agreement calls for Decatur Housing and PAHI to develop, own, and operate the South Housing Village’s affordable housing. Meanwhile, the city will continue to own Village at Legacy’s land.

Beyond access to Decatur schools, jobs, and health services, perks of the project will include a running track, orchard, community garden, inclusive playground, and new greenspaces, per site plans. 

Decatur Housing plans to implement its services program to help all residents as well.

Overview of full scope of changes planned at Legacy Park and existing perks such as passive greenspace and walking trails. A future phase called North Housing Village is shown at top left.Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./DHA

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs awarded the project Low Income Housing Tax Credits to help bring all phases to fruition, with additional financing sourced from the city and Decatur Housing.

As another perk of the location, the PATH Foundation’s 1.2-mile East Decatur Greenway trail runs alongside the phase one and two site. That provides an off-street link to the Avondale MARTA station on College Avenue.

Find more Village at Legacy context and fresh renderings in the gallery above. 

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500 S. Columbia Drive Village at Legacy Decatur Housing Authority Preserving Affordable Housing Inc. PATH Foundation PATH Trails Lubin Enterprises Lubin Construction Company United Methodist Children's Home Low Income Housing Tax Credits Georgia Department of Community Affairs Affordable Housing Decatur Development Decatur Construction South Columbia Drive Decatur Legacy Park Legacy Park Hudson Housing Capital Advantage Capital Bank of America

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Location of Legacy Park at 500 S. Columbia Drive in relation to downtown Decatur and Avondale Estates. Google Maps

Example of a phase two facade planned for Village at Legacy. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./Decatur Housing

Breakdown of phase one and two components at Legacy Park's southernmost edge, with South Columbia Drive shown at left. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./Decatur Housing

Planned look of an onsite community center. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./Decatur Housing

Example of three-story, garden-style apartments at the Decatur project. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./Decatur Housing

Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./Decatur Housing

Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./Decatur Housing

Overview of full scope of changes planned at Legacy Park and existing perks such as passive greenspace and walking trails. A future phase called North Housing Village is shown at top left.Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./DHA

How the Village at Legacy community center will meet the central green. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./DHA

Subtitle Project marks first ground-up, attainable housing community for local families in decades, officials say

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From WABE Local News:

Gwinnett County announced several polling location changes for a statewide special primary election for the Georgia Public Service Commission. County officials on Monday released a list of 13 updated polling […]

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

The Atlanta Opera’s 96-Hour Opera Festival is an annual, rigorous competition that challenges participants to conceive, compose, produce, and stage an opera in just four short days. The 2023 winners, […]

Arts Atlanta:

Pop Quiz: Which Atlanta neighborhood has the highest incidence of llama sightings? If you guessed East Atlanta, you would be correct!  East Atlanta is not only home to a llama preserve, you can also find llama pub crawls, llamas featured in the annual neighborhood parade, and the animal has also been adopted as one of...

From the Saporta Report:

At Georgia State University, instilling the skills and competencies that employers value is baked into its DNA. And just as Georgia State pioneered the tools and techniques that have made it a national leader in getting students from all backgrounds to graduation day at equal high rates, it’s also focused on ensuring those graduates are […]

The post Georgia State University Is Ensuring Tomorrow’s Workforce Is Career-Ready appeared first on SaportaReport.

Arts Atlanta:

Life doesn’t always turn on what happens but on what doesn’t happen: missed opportunities, unspoken feelings, the things we wished we’d said.  That sense of inertia, slow erosion and helpless waiting runs deep through Anton Chekhov’s master work Uncle Vanya, and it’s captured with clarity and restraint in an intimate new production by Authenticity Theater,...

From WABE Local News:

All 50 states as well as the District of Columbia and U.S. territories have approved a $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma, maker of Oxycontin, over the company’s improper marketing […]

Landmark Atlanta tower plans new 'front porch' in advance of World Cup Josh Green Mon, 06/16/2025 - 11:02

One of the tallest and most distinctive buildings on Atlanta’s skyline could see significant changes both inside and out soon. 

Banyan Street Capital today announced a $4.5-million upgrade for downtown’s 50-story 191 Peachtree tower that designers say will soon create a new “front porch” for the landmark building, blending modern and timeless aesthetics. 

Meanwhile, for the first time in the tower’s three-decade history, the owners are offering the possibility of placing signage atop the building for the right tenant.  

The changes are being made in advance of Atlanta’s month of 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, which kick off a year from now, as post-pandemic interest in amenitized office space continues to show positive momentum, according to Banyan officials.  

Renovation plans call for upgrading 191 Peachtree’s seven-story atrium lobby and dining spaces—while keeping original architectural features in place from Philip Johnson/Burgee Architects, such as the Rosa Dante granite and tinted glass—to more fully integrate public spaces with the building’s food and beverage offerings and Ritz-Carlton hotel.  

Renovation plans in store for 191 Peachtree's seven-story atrium lobby. Banyan Street Capital; designs, The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry

Banyan Street Capital; designs, The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry

Above that, on the 22nd floor, Banyan plans to build five new spec office suites totaling 24,337 square feet. Oaktree Capital Management is a capital partner in both aspects of the renovation. 

191 Peachtree’s grand lobby will see reimagined gathering areas, with a new bar patio for fine-dining Mexican restaurant Alma Cocina. Entrances into the restaurant and hotel will be overhauled, while a facelift is also in store for the lobby’s coffee bar, Land of a Thousand Hills.  

Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of this summer and wrap next spring, according to project reps. A longtime building tenant, Cooper Carry’s The Johnson Studio, is leading lobby and dining space designs. 

Finished in 1992 at 770 feet tall, 191 Peachtree stands as the fourth tallest building in Atlanta today. 

Courtesy of Banyan Street Capital

Banyan Street Capital; designs, The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry

Banyan’s spec suite program—which has delivered nearly 75,000 square feet and leasing successes at 191 Peachtree in recent years—will bring to market a large block of space near the building’s double-crown top soon. That would allow a “large user” to top the building with signage or rename it for the first time ever, according to Banyan officials. 

Other notable Atlanta high-rises—including Midtown’s 1180 Peachtree building and the former SunTrust Plaza building downtown, the city’s second tallest—have added tenant branding near their distinctive top floors over the past few years. 

Today the 191 Peachtree tower is home to major Atlanta companies and agencies such as The Woodruff Foundation, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Grady Foundation, along with dozens of law firms, nonprofits, and community foundations. Investments in the building are meant to continue momentum from sporting events like the World Cup and other major projects nearby, such as Centennial Yards, according to officials. 

“While it’s no secret [downtown] has faced some recent challenges, we believe the pendulum is swinging back, and we want to ensure this incredible asset remains the most accessible luxury office experience in Atlanta,” Zac Gruber, Banyan’s president of the office division, said in today’s announcement. 

“The data shows positive tailwinds in the leasing market,” Gruber continued. “[T]ours are up, proposal activity is picking up, and there is renewed interest in downtown from tenants seeking trophy space, as the availability of new trophy product leases up and tenants look to upgrade to higher quality space.” 

CBRE has been hired to oversee 191 Peachtree leasing efforts. 

Courtesy of Banyan Street Capital

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191 Peachtree Banyan Street Capital Oaktree Capital Management Coxe Curry Tull Charitable Foundation Daspit Law Durham Law Group Mones Law Integral CBRE Atlanta Offices Atlanta Office Space Office Space Atlanta Office Market Cooper Carry(16664) The Johnson Studio 2026 FIFA World Cup Atlanta World Cup World Cup 2026 World Cup

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Renovation plans in store for 191 Peachtree's seven-story atrium lobby. Banyan Street Capital; designs, The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry

Banyan Street Capital; designs, The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry

Banyan Street Capital; designs, The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry

Banyan Street Capital; designs, The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry

Subtitle Lobby upgrades, possible signage atop building in store for downtown’s 191 Peachtree

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