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Hey, Buckhead! This week: a $68 million jail sale hits the brakes while a plan for 315 apartments on Maple Drive would replace a police precinct in Buckhead Village. We've also got Linton Hopkins' comeback plans for The Buttery, a packed weekend of concerts and exhibits, and the Fulton property tax rate that isn't final yet.

- News — Atlanta's $68 million sale of its city detention center is on hold, Middleburg Communities wants to build six stories and 315 apartments where a police precinct now sits, and two Lenox Road projects, including Atlanta's first multi-lane roundabout, are finished.
- Business — Chef Linton Hopkins is bringing The Buttery back alongside a new bar and grill called Linton's in the old Brio space, and Corso Atlanta is planning an 11-story tower on Howell Mill Road.
- Events — Band-Maid and Celtic Thunder take over Buckhead Theatre, Turnpike Troubadours and Dermot Kennedy light up Chastain Park, and Wednesday brings mahjong and cocktails at Gypsy Kitchen.
- Government — Fulton County held its millage rate hearing without setting a rate, Atlanta City Council committees moved the jail sale and a slate of zoning and utility items, and NPU-B and the Fulton commissioners meet this week.
- Construction — A 10-bed unit is planned on the 6th floor at 1968 Peachtree Road, I-75 lighting work is underway, and pothole and traffic signal reports are piling up around Peachtree Battle and Peachtree Road.

Let's dive in.

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Plans: Buckhead Village development to replace police precinct, more
Middleburg Communities plans a six-story building at 3110 Maple Drive with 315 apartments and about 7,100 square feet of street-level retail. The project would replace two buildings, including the one at 3120 Maple Drive that houses Atlanta Police Department Zone 2's precinct, and the plans were set for an initial review by Buckhead's SPI-9 Development Review Committee.

Buckhead projects improving walkability, circulation declared finished
The Buckhead Community Improvement District reports that a $4 million roundabout at Wieuca Road and Phipps Boulevard, described as Atlanta's first multi-lane roundabout, is finished, along with the $15.6 million, 0.44-mile Lenox Boardwalk. A second Lenox Road phase of roughly $10 million is in final engineering, with groundbreaking anticipated next year.

Charter school near the Governor's Mansion embarks on $40 million modernization
Atlanta Classical Academy has begun a $40 million project to renovate and expand its campus along Northside Drive. The public charter school is marking 12 years of operation.

Galerie Living's upcoming $300 million Buckhead tower demonstrates senior housing tailwinds
Galerie Living has begun work on the $300 million second phase of its Corso Atlanta senior community along Howell Mill Road. The expansion adds a new residential tower and extended care facilities to the Paris-inspired campus.

Citing unanswered questions, City Council delays vote to sell Atlanta's lockup
The Atlanta City Council's Finance Committee delayed approving the proposed $68 million sale of the Atlanta City Detention Center to Fulton County, citing questions about funding, proposed renovations and the future of the city's 182 corrections employees. The city spends about $30 million a year on corrections, and negotiations with county officials are still underway.

BUSINESS

The Buttery and Linton's planning Spring 2027 opening on Peachtree Road in Buckhead — Chef Linton Hopkins plans to reopen the bakery and cafe The Buttery, which closed its Manchester Street location in 2024, alongside a connected full-service bar and grill called Linton's in the former Brio Tuscan Grille space on Peachtree Road in Buckhead, with the opening slated for March or April 2027.

Corso Atlanta announces 11-story residential tower expansion on Howell Mill Road — Senior living community Corso Atlanta plans to add an 11-story tower with 110 private residences, new amenities and restaurants at 3200 Howell Mill Road in Buckhead, with the expansion expected to open in Spring 2028.

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Tuesday, October 6
- NPU-B Public Safety + General Board | Livable Buckhead Events

Wednesday, October 7
- Toddler Storytime: Dinosaur, Dino-roar! | Atlanta History Center
- Development Review Committee: SPI-9 | Livable Buckhead Events
- Aiken Lecture featuring Bobby J. Smith II | Atlanta History Center
- Development Review Committee Meeting: SPI-12 | Livable Buckhead Events
- Band-Maid World Tour 2026 | Buckhead Theatre
- Bam After Dark: Wednesday Mahjong & Cocktails in Buckhead | Livable Buckhead Events

Thursday, October 8
- Celtic Thunder | Buckhead Theatre
- Dine Chastain | Farm Chastain
- Centennial Conversations: Two Atlanta Museums at 100 | Atlanta History Center
- Sip & Spin at Brush Sushi | Buckhead Village District
- BUCKHEAD COUNCIL OF NEIGHBORHOODS Monthly Meeting | Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods

Friday, October 9
- Turnpike Troubadours | Chastain Park
- Bethel Music 2026 Tour | Charlie Loudermouth Park
- Transcultural Gaze - Wole Lagunju Opening Exhibition | Alan Avery Art Company

Saturday, October 10
- Dermot Kennedy: The Weight of the Woods Tour | Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park
- Wildlife Photography with Atlanta School of Photography | Blue Heron Nature Preserve
- Gallery Exhibition on the Preserve | Blue Heron Nature Preserve
- The Art of Hatmaking | Buckhead Village District
- Saturday Vinyasa Yoga Classes with Highland Yoga | Buckhead Village

Sunday, October 11
- BD Stellmacher in Harlem Nights: Unsung Heroes | 3063 Bolling Way NE
- The Americano Dinner Series: Bubbles and Blades | The Americano
- Ryan Goodcase | The Punchline
- Sewing Workshop at Todd Patrick | Buckhead Village District

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Note: our information comes from posted meetings documents (agendas and minutes when available) — latest source document hyperlinked to each meeting.

Past Week Roundup

Fulton County Board of Commissioners
Commissioners held a quick, eight-minute special meeting on September 30 to conduct the required public hearing on the 2026 General Fund millage rate. Two residents spoke by Zoom, and the board took no vote on setting the rate. That means your property tax rate isn't final yet, so watch for a later meeting where commissioners adopt it. The board also voted 4-0 to pull two contract items from the agenda, a renewal with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield for county employee and retiree health plans and the 2027 premium rates that went with it. Two commissioners were absent for the vote.

Atlanta City Council
Most of the week's action came out of committees, and the full council takes up the approved items on October 5. As covered in today's news section, the Finance/Executive Committee held the $68 million sale of the city detention center to Fulton County, and the committee also advanced a $325,000 donation to the Gateway Center for homelessness services. The Transportation Committee approved a string of Hartsfield-Jackson contracts, including $4.9 million to extend rental car center maintenance and $640,000 for parking deck design, while holding several street abandonment proposals and the BeltLine bike lane measure. At the City Utilities Committee, the agenda included protections for residents hit by sudden water bill spikes, a $17.5 million transfer for the North Fork storage tank and pump station, and proposed limits on data centers using drinking water for cooling. The Zoning Committee took up a citywide requirement for a special permit for new self-storage facilities and Councilmember Mary Norwood's proposed rewrite of the entire zoning code. The Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee had citywide surveillance technology oversight and higher fire inspection and liquor license fees on its agenda, and the Community Development/Human Services Committee had stronger tree protections and a $7.75 million federal lead paint grant on its list. Minutes aren't yet published for some of these meetings, so for those you're seeing what was on the agenda, not final outcomes.

Atlanta Public Schools
The APS Student Advisory Council met September 30 at the Center for Learning and Leadership. The agenda centered on the district's "Forward 2040" long-term plan, efforts to strengthen the core instructional curriculum, and updates from student standing committees. No votes or formal actions were recorded. The session didn't involve any rezoning, contracts, or tax decisions. If you're following where the district is headed, "Forward 2040" is the plan to keep an eye on.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council
- Atlanta Memorial Park — The committee considered an ordinance to set aside up to $1,000,000 in water and wastewater funds to assist the Atlanta Memorial Park Conservancy, contingent on the group securing a state grant.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta Public Schools — Board of Education | Oct-05 | key topics: FY2027 property tax levy adoption, school facility improvements, and surplus school property leases
- Atlanta City Council — Committee on Council | Oct-05, 11:30 AM | key topics: police presence at recreation center polling sites, public comment speaking order rules, and city board appointments
- Atlanta City Council | Oct-05, 1:00 PM | key topics: special use permits for self-storage facilities, parkland purchases, and mixed-use industrial rezonings
- Atlanta NPU — NPU-C | Oct-06, 6:45 PM | key topics: BeltLine Subarea 7 Master Plan updates, Peachtree Battle Avenue residential variances, and Northside Parkway alcohol licenses
- Atlanta NPU — NPU-B | Oct-06, 7:00 PM | key topics: BeltLine Subarea 7 Master Plan, an East Paces Ferry fitness center permit, residential variances, and restaurant alcohol licenses
- Fulton County Board of Commissioners | Oct-07, 10:00 AM | key topics: 2026 property tax millage rate adoption, senior transportation funding, wastewater facility maintenance, and deed theft prevention

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- 1968 Peachtree Rd NW: Two commercial alteration permits are under review for the 6th floor of the existing medical building. One renovates the patient care area to create a 10-bed unit. The other covers storage and support space. Together they add patient capacity.
- 3500 Lenox Rd NE: An issued permit covers new interior finishes for the 8th floor corridor of an existing building, plus updated life safety systems. Expect some contractor traffic, but the work stays indoors.
- 761 Sidney Marcus Blvd NE: A food service renovation is under review. The plan relocates equipment and adds a new reach-in freezer and fryer in the full-service counter area. It points to a kitchen upgrade at an existing spot.
- 3206 N Wood Valley Rd NW: A residential alteration is under review to finish an unfinished basement. It adds a kitchenette, bathroom, gym, office and family room. That's a lot of new living space underground.
- 2391 Peachtree Rd NE: Two issued permits cover plumbing for a water heater, toilet and sink, and added and relocated sprinkler heads to meet code. It looks like a tenant space getting brought up to standard.

You'll also see a few routine filings. Fire sprinkler heads are being relocated at 3655 Roswell Rd NE, and two fire alarm permits were reissued at 479 E Paces Ferry Rd NE.

Road Work

Under Construction
- I-75 from Musket Ridge Drive to I-85 - Lighting — Crews are swapping the old high-pressure sodium lights along this stretch for energy-efficient LEDs, and may also replace poles, conduit and wiring.
- SR 400 @ Justin C Martin Building - Tunnel Bridge Rehab — Rehabilitation of the tunnel under the Justin C. Martin Building over SR 400, including spall repairs to beams and roof slabs, fire and electrical system repairs, and a new monitoring system.
- SR 9 Fm SR 3 to N of Paces Ferry Rd &Sr 9 So Fm SR 9 to SR 9 — Resurfacing of SR 9 to improve the road's low pavement condition score.

Service Requests
- Potholes: You'll find 10 reports, with several clustered around Peachtree Battle Ave and Howell Mill Rd. Others came in from Moores Mill Rd and Peachtree Battle Ave, and two on Piedmont Rd. Five more locations round out the list.
- Non-Emergency Traffic Signal Repair: Ten reports came in, and Peachtree Rd and Peachtree Hills Ave drew three of them. Others cover Peachtree Rd and Shadowlawn Ave, Peachtree Rd NE, Kingsboro Rd NE and Roxboro Rd NE, and Lenox Rd NE. Three more locations also made the list.
- Right of Way Overgrowth and Visibility: Five reports flag blocked sightlines at Peachtree Rd and Peachtree Memorial Dr, Lindbergh Way and Lindbergh Dr, W Wesley Rd NW, Northside Pkwy and Howell Mill Rd, and Lindbergh Dr and Adina Dr.
- Sign Repair, Replacement, or Installation: Four requests cover Oak Valley Rd and Peachtree Rd, Kenry Ct, Peachtree Hills Ave and Peachtree Rd, and Fairhaven Cir NE and Peachtree Rd NE.
- Downed Trees: You'll see reports on Piedmont Rd and N Stratford Rd NE.
- Litter Removal: Two reports cover Peachtree Rd and Peachtree Memorial Dr, plus Peachtree Rd and Junction Ave.
- Emergency Traffic Signal Repair: One Level 1 report came in at Paces Ferry Rd and W Paces Ferry Rd NW.

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Until next week,
Buckhead Busybody

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