Atlanta News

Urbanize editor pens 'wickedly funny' Atlanta gentrification novel Josh Green Tue, 06/03/2025 - 15:22

Just in time for pool and beach-reading season comes a novel about scandalous Atlanta developers, raging NIMBYs, irreplaceable neighborhood history, gentrification run amok, and insanely dangerous snakes!

Of course, right? 

Inspired by more than a decade of covering Atlanta real estate development, neighborhoods from West End to Oakhurst, and actual local mishaps involving escaped reptiles, Goodbye, Sweetberry Park is the second novel and third fiction book from Urbanize Atlanta editor Josh Green. 

Work on the book—with a tongue-in-cheek subtitle “A Novel of City Life, Creeping Gentrification and Flesh-eating Snakes”—began back in the days of Curbed Atlanta (RIP). The story very much carries the spirit of that popular city website. 

Green, the founding editor of Urbanize’s second city site to launch, studied creative writing (along with journalism) in college and graduate school. His first novel Secrets of Ash (2023) was nominated for Georgia Book of the Year, earned runner-up honors at the Hollywood Book Festival, and won an international competition, the IndieReader Discovery Awards for Literary Fiction, among other accolades. 

The Sager Group; cover design, Siori Kitajima

Beneath its dark-comedy surface, Goodbye, Sweetberry Park is about the power of a diverse neighborhood coming together—in the face of a sweltering summer, a zoo fiasco, and gentrification pressures from invasive, shady real estate professionals who might sound quite familiar to Atlanta development watchers. 

In recent weeks, the book has been the subject of coverage in Atlanta Business Chronicle, a WABE radio news segment, the Serene Stories podcast, and book club features, with more on the way. Its Amazon and Goodreads ratings are both 4.9 of 5 stars to date. 

Here’s a sampling of what critics and other outlets are saying: 

“The issues Green’s tale touches upon—housing, race, migration, grief, and the changing face of cities—are familiar all over... [It's a] big-hearted consideration of gentrification and the erosion of time."  —Kirkus Reviews (verdict: “GET IT”)

“There’s no shortage of drama in this fast-paced, comic thriller full of snappy dialogue and big, colorful characters.”—Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Wickedly funny.”  —Gwinnett Daily Post

“What happens when you mix together Atlanta gentrification, escaped venomous snakes, and a drunk narrator nicknamed God? Anarchy that borders on being a little too real.”—Atlanta magazine Q&A

Goodbye, Sweetberry Park is available in ebook and paperback via Amazon and all other online outlets. 

The first (free) public reading event for the book happens this Thursday evening in Sweet Auburn. 

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Atlanta stories Gentrification Goodbye Sweetberry Park Urbanize Atlanta Kirkwood Grant Park Jeff Fuqua Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction NIMBY Oakhurst Decatur Atlanta Books Atlanta Novels God Johnson Genteel Briggs ATL Nimbyism NIMBYs West End ATL Stories Serenbe Serenbe Stories Displacement Atlanta Housing Atlanta Housing Market Atlanta home prices The Sager Group Siori Kitajima

Subtitle "Goodbye, Sweetberry Park" inspired by city's real estate trends, neighborhoods, actual developers

Guest Author(s) God Johnson

Neighborhood Citywide

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Arts Atlanta:

This past weekend marked the fourth annual WigWag Art and Music Festival at the Globe Arts Center in Avondale Estates. Presented by Robert Lee of Methane Studios working in partnership with Taylor Means of Globe Arts Center, the event is supported by the efforts of a number of local organizations including Little Tree Art Studios...

From the Atlanta Tribune:

In his bid for re-election, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has earned the endorsement of The Collective PAC, the nation’s largest political action committee dedicated to increasing Black political representation across all levels of government. Mayor Dickens secured this national endorsement while participating in the opening session of The Collective PAC’s 5th Annual Black Leadership Summit at […]

The post Mayor Dickens Earns Endorsement From The Collective PAC at Black Leadership Summit in Atlanta appeared first on Atlanta Tribune.

Georgia Tech unveils sweeping vision for 'Creative Quarter' district Josh Green Tue, 06/03/2025 - 12:30

Georgia Tech has officially unveiled its ambitious plans for continued, multifaceted westward expansion in blocks just north of downtown Atlanta. 

The 665 Marietta St. district, dubbed “Creative Quarter,” could include high-rise residential, hotel, and academic buildings, along with greenspaces and an adaptive-reuse food hall, among other uses, according to a Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill-designed rendering released by Georgia Tech. 

Creative Quarter would replace the former Randall Brothers Construction Materials headquarters, a century-old complex situated near the western fringes of campus where North Avenue meets Marietta Street, a few steps north of downtown and directly west of Bobby Dodd Stadium. 

Like Tech Square and the growing Science Square districts before it, Creative Quarter would aim to expand the campus and link existing portions together, but with a focus on arts and entertainment. 

Another component would be the student-designed Westside Community Connector Bridge, a link over active railroad lines between the new district, Science Square, and the Westside, according to drawings. 

Overview of long-term Creative Quarter redevelopment plans at 665 Marietta St. NW near the western fringes of Georgia Tech. Courtesy of Georgia Tech; designs, Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill

Specific uses at the creative hub call for “modern and collaborative facilities, spaces, and technology for performance and rehearsal, recording and filming, virtual reality and AI, makerspaces and studios, and more,” per Georgia Tech’s announcement. The broader goal would be to boost the region’s “reputation as a creative hub in the world of film, television, music, gaming, and the visual and performing arts.”

A Georgia Tech spokesperson tells Urbanize Atlanta no timeline for development of any Creative Quarter component has been set. 

The vision is described as long-term and one that would rely on public-private partnerships to include retail, dining, hotel, offices, and residential uses alongside the core buildings, per the university. 

Georgia Tech

Northernmost section of the 665 Marietta St. site, as seen in September. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Earlier, predevelopment activity razed most buildings at the expansive Marietta Street property. 

According to city filings in September, Georgia Tech was seeking a Special Use Permit to eventually build a hotel and dormitory buildings on the 7.3-acre site, which also counts 294 feet of frontage on North Avenue near Coca-Cola’s headquarters.

Creative Quarter would continue Georgia Tech’s growth spurt on the western rim of campus and beyond, where the university’s first new student housing since 2005 is fully under construction and the latest phases of the Science Square project debuted last year.

For now, the Marietta Street site is empty and idle, home to large concrete slabs and one old brick structure that was mothballed for future adaptive-reuse purposes. (According to new visuals, that use would be the Creative Quarter food hall component.) Eight commercial buildings totaling 101,000 square feet were razed in 2023.

Randall Brothers initially put the Marietta Street property up for sale in early 2018, citing the area’s post-Olympics boom and rise in property value during Atlanta’s long current development cycle. 

Eastward views from the site to Midtown. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

General overview of how ongoing redevelopment projects in the area west of Georgia Tech's main campus could come together in coming years. Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech Foundation paid $36 million for the property in November that year, noting that its bones and adaptive-reuse potential echoed two success stories on the flipside of downtown: Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market.

After selling the Marietta Street property, Randall Brothers relocated its Atlanta facility to an overhauled headquarters building overlooking Atlanta Road near Interstate 285.

Find more context, imagery, and current site photos in the gallery above.

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• Photos: Georgia Tech installs shimmering landmark as ode to female alum(Urbanize Atlanta)

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665 Marietta Street NW Creative Quarter Randall Brothers Construction Materials Randall Brothers Development Georgia Tech Georgia Institute of Technology Adaptive-Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Adaptive Reuse Marietta Street Downtown Atlanta Hotels Atlanta Development Troutman Pepper Troutman Pepper Hamilton Atlanta Mixed-Use Mixed-Use Development Skidmore Owings & Merrill Skidmore Owings & Merrill

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Overview of long-term Creative Quarter redevelopment plans at 665 Marietta St. NW near the western fringes of Georgia Tech. Courtesy of Georgia Tech; designs, Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill

Georgia Tech

How the 7-acre property long owned by Randall Brothers Construction Materials related to Marietta Street, Coca-Cola's complex, and campus.Google Maps

The 665 Marietta St. warehouse site in relation to Georgia Tech, the downtown Connector, and other landmarks. Google Maps

General overview of how ongoing redevelopment projects in the area west of Georgia Tech's main campus could come together in coming years. Georgia Tech

Prior to demolition, the 7-acre cluster of warehouses, at left, with downtown ahead in the distance. Google Maps

Northernmost section of the 665 Marietta St. site, as seen in September. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Looking north, the lone century-old structure that remains standing at the former Randall Brothers Construction Materials headquarters. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Eastward views from the site to Midtown. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle Marrietta Street development aims to echo Tech Square, Science Square, help connect campus

Neighborhood Georgia Tech

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Arts Atlanta:

After playwright Laura King lost her partner in 2019, she found herself reading books – and realizing their power to emotionally heal.  :: Though it’s commonly accepted that people can get lost in a good book, the characters in playwright Laura King’s Uncovered: A Mostly Monologue Play About Women and Books, instead find themselves while...

From WABE Politics News:

The federal Bureau of Prisons must continue providing hormone therapy and social accommodations to hundreds of transgender inmates following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that led to a disruption […]

Arts Atlanta:

Wrapped in the bustle of sightseers snapping pictures, blaring car horns and workers on their lunch break, a collection of unique figures stand peacefully — and playfully — in the center of the city. The sculptures compose Memory in the Material, a collection of works by Olu Amoda presented as part of the Art in...

From WABE Arts and Culture News:

Tyler Perry Studios announced Monday its newest cohort for the TPS Dreamers, a seven-week full-time paid internship for students interested in pursuing a career in the film and television industry. The […]

Images: City kicks off search for ‘Pink Store’ property developers Josh Green Tue, 06/03/2025 - 10:58

New life and adaptive-reuse development could be bound for a corner in the Pittsburgh neighborhood with historical significance that had devolved into a sore spot of violence and crime. 

Invest Atlanta, Mayor Andre Dickens' office, and the city’s Housing Innovation Lab have released a Request for Proposals in hopes of finding a developer to turn Pittsburgh’s city-owned “Pink Store” site into a hub of activity and affordable housing that boosts the neighborhood. 

Situated in the heart of historic Pittsburgh, the 1029 McDaniel St. site has been vacant since the city acquired the corner property in 2017—an effort to put the kibosh on problems around the former convenience store. (The AJConce coined the Pink Store property Atlanta’s “corner of death,” following a string of violent tragedies.) Before all of that, the site operated as a pharmacy, according to city officials.

The 1029 McDaniel St. corner property in question, as seen in February. Google Maps

An architect’s depiction of the site with new uses allowed by rezoning, including affordable housing, a farmers market, and small-scale retail. Invest Atlanta

In an announcement today, project officials call the RFP a significant milestone that follows a collaboration process between the Housing Innovation Lab and Invest Atlanta that spanned several years. Those efforts included community meetings, having the property rezoned for mixed uses and missing-middle housing, and other due diligence. The broad goal is now to turn the vacant property into uses both community-centered and equitable, per officials.  

Specifically, the RFP calls for adaptive reuse of the former Pink Store building (possibly with neighborhood retail at the base level and offices or community space above), with new construction for affordable housing behind it on the deep lot. 

Priorities include retaining the Pink Store building’s character, long-term housing for low and moderate-income families, services and retail that suit local needs, and “public gathering space that anchors the development in community life,” per the RFP announcement. 

Formerly two parcels and uses, the Pittsburgh site is now a single parcel, according to Invest Atlanta. Invest Atlanta

How an adaptively reused portion of the former Pink Store property could look. Invest Atlanta

Perks of the location include proximity to Pittsburgh Yards and the Beltline’s Southside Trail corridor, both situated a few blocks to the south. 

The corner property “has a deep legacy in Pittsburgh and deserves to be honored with thoughtful, inclusive reinvestment,” said Dickens, who also serves as Invest Atlanta’s Board Chair, in a prepared statement. 

Added Dr. Eloisa Klementich, Invest Atlanta president and CEO: “The 1029 McDaniel project represents a chance to uplift the historic significance of an important property through a community-led vision centered on affordable housing, small business activation, and neighborhood character.”

RFP submissions are due by June 20. Find more info and instructions here. 

Breakdown of potential uses at the 1029 McDaniel St. site. Invest Atlanta

The Pittsburgh site in the context of downtown (top) and the Beltline's Southside and Westside Trail corridors (bottom). Google Maps

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• Pittsburgh ATL news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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1029 McDaniel St. Pink Store Southside Beltline Southside Trail Pittsburgh Yards Atlanta Infill Infill Development Atlanta History Invest Atlanta Housing Innovation Lab Requests for Proposals RFP RFPs Affordable Housing affordable housing Adaptive-Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Adaptive Reuse Atlanta Adaptive-Reuse

Images

The Pittsburgh site in the context of downtown (top) and the Beltline's Southside and Westside Trail corridors (bottom). Google Maps

The 1029 McDaniel St. corner property in question, as seen in February. Google Maps

Formerly two parcels and uses, the Pittsburgh site is now a single parcel, according to Invest Atlanta. Invest Atlanta

An architect’s depiction of the site with new uses allowed by rezoning, including affordable housing, a farmers market, and small-scale retail. Invest Atlanta

How an adaptively reused portion of the former Pink Store property could look. Invest Atlanta

Breakdown of potential uses at the 1029 McDaniel St. site. Invest Atlanta

Subtitle Troubled, shuttered, but historic Pittsburgh corner seeks neighborhood-boosting new life

Neighborhood Pittsburgh

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From the Atlanta Daily World:

Atlanta Fashion Week (ATLFW) is proud to announce the return of BMW as its Official Automotive Partner through an exclusive two-year agreement with the Atlanta Area BMW Dealers. This partnership is designed to celebrate the intersection of fashion, craftsmanship, and forward-thinking design. The renewed partnership delivers a series of bold, high-touch activations that reflect BMW’s longstanding commitment to the arts … Continued

The post BMW Returns to Atlanta Fashion Week with Two-Year Partnership Focused on Design, Innovation, and Cultural Impact appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From WABE Local News:

A “magnificently soulful” life is how the award-winning playwright and hip-hop storyteller, Psalmayene 24, describes the subject of his latest play, “Young John Lewis.” This Atlanta world premiere traces the […]

From the Atlanta Daily World:

The City of South Fulton Municipal Court will conduct Amnesty Week from Monday, June 2, through Friday, June 6, 2025, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily. During this period, eligible individuals may resolve outstanding cases, reschedule missed court dates, and clear active bench warrants without incurring Failure to Appear (FTA) fees or additional penalties. … Continued

The post City of South Fulton Holds Municipal Court Amnesty Week Notification appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

  By Eunice Moseley   “I studied Michael Jackson as a kid,” said R&B’s John Alex Gatsby about his ability to dance when I asked him. “I’m really attracted to up-tempo music to be honest. I see myself as an up-tempo artist.”   However, Gatsby still sings of romance and heartbreak. On his new single “Maneater,” from his recently … Continued

The post The Pulse of Entertainment: R&B’s John Alex Gatsby Releases New Single ‘Maneater’ Off His Debut ‘Mayday’ appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

The 2025 Otis Music Camp runs June 2nd – 21st     The Otis Redding Foundation celebrates Otis Redding’s ongoing legacy with the Otis Redding Statue, a life-size bronze sculpture that pays tribute to the King of Soul and his multi-platinum, international classic hit “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” With June marking Black Music … Continued

The post Otis Redding Foundation Celebrates Ongoing Legacy With Statue And New Generations of Artists With Annual Otis Music Camp appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From WABE Local News:

Democratic State Rep. Jasmine Clark has entered the race for Georgia’s 13th Congressional District to challenge U.S. Rep. David Scott, the longtime Democratic incumbent who has said he is seeking reelection.  […]

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Calls for Georgia to Invest in Job Training, Following Trump Administration’s Decision to Close  ATLANTA — Two Job Corps Centers in Albany and Brunswick will likely close their doors by June 30th, after President Donald Trump’s Department of Labor announced its plan Friday to close down Job Corps centers around the country. These Job … Continued

The post Trump Adminstration Closes Job Corps Centers in Albany and Brunswick, Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Calls for Georgia to Invest in Job Training appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu recently died at the age of 71. He was best known for his 1980s series Countering the Conspiracy to Destroy Black Boys. Kunjufu identified a problem he labeled “fourth grade failure syndrome.” Black boys appear to perform well in primary grades (1-3) but don’t transition well into the intermediate grades (4-5). Beginning … Continued

The post J. Pharoah Doss: Has the conspiracy to destroy Black boys been countered? appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Atlanta Daily World:

In his bid for re-election, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has earned the endorsement of The Collective PAC, the nation’s largest political action committee dedicated to increasing Black political representation across all levels of government. Mayor Dickens secured this national endorsement while participating in the opening session of The Collective PAC’s 5th Annual Black Leadership Summit at … Continued

The post Mayor Dickens Earns Endorsement From The Collective PAC at Black Leadership Summit in Atlanta appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

From the Saporta Report:

Suppose that in answer to a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration’s drive to take over Greenland, Denmark launched a surprise attack on the United States.

The post Turns out, the Ukrainians had some cards to play appeared first on SaportaReport.

From WABE Politics News:

The Trump administration has released new details of its vision to wind down the U.S. Department of Education. The budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 calls for a 15% funding cut to […]

From the Saporta Report:

It is maddening to be a tree lover in Atlanta. Everyone in leadership claims to want to protect Atlanta’s trees. But when it comes time to take a stand and actually pass a new tree protection ordinance, leaders respond by delaying or diluting a proposed tree ordinance. This is not new. Since 2014, Atlanta has […]

The post Enough already! We need to preserve our city’s trees appeared first on SaportaReport.

From the Saporta Report:

To see fuller versions of the photos, click on any image and swipe right or left.

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

From the Saporta Report:

What kind of city elects a saloon owner as its first mayor? In this episode of Stories of Atlanta, part of our Iron and Ambition series, we travel back to 1848—the year Atlanta held its very first city election. Fueled by fistfights, whiskey, and political passions, this raucous vote set the tone for the kind […]

The post The First Election appeared first on SaportaReport.

Federal cuts threaten to kill Atlanta's highway-capping Stitch project Josh Green Mon, 06/02/2025 - 16:00

A tax bill recently proposed in Washington D.C. could permanently defund a transformative greenspace and infrastructure project in downtown Atlanta that’s finally nearing construction.

According to representatives with U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock’s office, Atlanta’s highway-capping the Stitch stands to lose a crucial $157.5 million in funding for its initial phase as part of $3.8 trillion in spending and cuts dubbed by President Donald Trump’s administration the “Big Beautiful Bill.” 

Funding earmarked for the Stitch in spring 2024 that appeared to green-light the project’s first phase of construction would instead join roughly $4 billion rescinded from infrastructure projects across the country as part of Trump’s tax and spending bill.  

The Stitch would lose its funding if the Senate passes House legislation as it currently stands, “effectively gutting the [Atlanta] project before it can even begin,” as John Parker III, Warnock’s deputy communications director, wrote in an email to Urbanize Atlanta. 

The Stitch was initially proposed back in 2016 but had been gathering momentum over the past year like never before, with plans to break ground on the first phase in 2026. 

Components of phase 1, as currently planned. Project leaders' schedule calls for breaking ground on this section in 2026. Courtesy of Atlanta Downtown Improvement District

Stitch’s initial phase (now envisioned as 5.7 acres) appeared to have secure about $200 million needed to build it, mostly from a federal Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant approved by the previous administration. It calls for capping the highway between Peachtree and Courtland streets and upgrading connections to existing street corridors, helping to stitch Midtown and downtown back together across the Connector’s gouge. 

Warnock’s office says killing the Stitch would have broader economic implications across Georgia’s economy. 

“The Stitch is an economic development catalyst, much like the Beltline, that will create thousands of permanent and construction jobs and a rare opportunity for new residential and retail development in the heart of Atlanta,” Parker wrote.  

Planned connectivity for the Stitch's first phase. Courtesy of Atlanta Downtown Improvement District

“What’s more, the Stitch will create new mobility options across I-75/85, reducing commutes and connecting Atlantans to popular destinations on both sides of the highway,” Park continued. “This transformational investment in our city’s infrastructure would help Atlanta continue to be one of the premier destinations in the world for global events for decades to come. Unfortunately, partisan fighting has led to this project becoming a political issue, instead of the economic revitalization opportunity that it is.”

Warnock’s office noted the Atlanta City Council approved in April a new tax system to fund the Stitch project—plans the federal rollback could disrupt.  

“At a time when many Georgians are struggling to make ends meet—and good jobs are hard to come by—taking away jobs from people looking for work is not the answer,” wrote Parker.  

Project spearheads Central Atlanta Progress and Atlanta Downtown Improvement District released a master plan for the Stitch project in December, following 18 months of public meetings and input from more than 6,000 stakeholders. It lays out a roadmap for three phases of the Stitch, including land-use policies, key development sites (to include affordable housing), and both short and long-term transportation upgrades.

The first phase is envisioned as the green heart of the project, with pathways, native gardens, a plaza, shade structures, pavilions, a playground, restrooms, and other features where the gash in downtown’s urban landscape exists today.

Phases two and three, tentatively scheduled to begin construction in 2029 and 2033, respectively, would require a variety of additional funding sources. Those could include state and federal grants, commitments from the City of Atlanta, philanthropy, and “real estate value capture,” project leaders have said.

Overview of the three-phase Stitch proposal and potential related development sites. The area has the capacity to handle 16,000 new housing units at a variety of income levels, project leaders have said. Courtesy of Atlanta Downtown Improvement District

The most recent Stitch projections called for 14 acres of new public space eventually being created over the downtown Connector—finishing in roughly 11 years, or sometime in 2036, pending funding.

Another highway-capping proposal, the Connector Park concept in Midtown, officially bowed out of the running for local, federal, and philanthropic funding in July. Meanwhile, design and fundraising work for Buckhead’s highway-topping HUB404 project is ongoing. 

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• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

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Stitch The Stitch U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock Beltline Atlanta BeltLine Southside Trail Multi-use Trails Southside Downtown Connector Downtown Atlanta Parks and Recreation Atlanta Regional Commission Central Atlanta Progress Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act Flint River Trail Stitch Donald Trump President Donald Trump

Subtitle Legislation could pull $157M from long-planned park, infrastructure initiative, Warnock’s office warns

Neighborhood Downtown

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From WABE Local News:

According to the latest data from Feeding America, 1 in 7 people in Georgia are facing hunger. With looming potential cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and surging […]