Buckhead: Chastain Park's $13M project and a World Cup–Ready Buckhead

Hey Buckhead — stories on multiple fronts this week. The Chastain Park Conservancy is close to locking in its full $13 million for the Palisades project, with a November groundbreaking on the horizon, and we've got the details on what that transformation actually means for the park. Meanwhile, emergency road work is headed for one of our busier corridors, World Cup fever has fully taken hold, and your city council has been quietly busy.

- News — The Chastain Park Palisades project is nearly fully funded with groundbreaking set for November, plus emergency road work is coming to a busy Buckhead corridor — plan your alternate routes now.
- Business — Luxury Box ATL, a custom apparel brand with serious style ambitions, is setting up shop at Lenox Square this fall.
- Events — It's a stacked week: World Cup watch parties are lighting up the neighborhood from Fadó to CT Cantina, Yebba kicks things off Monday night at Buckhead Theatre, and Corinne Bailey Rae closes out the week on Friday.
- Government — The Atlanta City Council approved $1.26 billion in water and wastewater bonds, a Buckhead rezoning at W. Paces Ferry and W. Wesley roads hits the Zoning Committee Monday, and the FY2027 city budget and your property tax rates are headed back to committee for another look.
- Construction — A mystery restaurant is coming to Piedmont Road, someone just pulled a permit for a home golf simulator, emergency utility closures are active on Paces Ferry and Peachtree, and residents filed 29 pothole reports this week alone.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

Chastain Park Conservancy nearing fundraising completion for new greenspace project
The Chastain Park Conservancy is within striking distance of its $13 million goal for the "Palisades" project, a sweeping transformation of 30 acres of parkland featuring a one-mile trail system, scenic overlooks, and natural play areas. Groundbreaking is slated for November, meaning Buckhead's most beloved green anchor is about to get a serious upgrade.

Where to watch the World Cup around Atlanta
The wait is over; the World Cup has arrived, and Atlanta is officially a host city, which means the energy in this town right now is something else entirely. Whether you're a die-hard supporter or just looking for a reason to be somewhere with a crowd and a cold drink, this guide has you covered on where to catch the action across the city.

Emergency roadwork set to close busy part of Buckhead road
Emergency construction is coming for one of Buckhead's busier corridors, and the timing isn't going to be anyone's favorite. Residents in Tuxedo Park, Chastain Park, and Buckhead Village should build some extra buffer into their commutes and start scouting alternate routes now, before the closure catches them off guard.

Fulton County election: Pitts and Ivory clash at Atlanta forum
Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts and challenger Natalie Ivory went head-to-head at a recent candidate forum, trading sharp exchanges over county budgets and infrastructure priorities. This race is one worth watching closely. Whoever holds that seat shapes the local services and governance decisions that land directly in our backyard.

The Olympics Born in Buckhead: The Sunday Morning Idea That Gave the World Atlanta
With the World Cup putting Atlanta back on the global stage, it's a fitting moment to revisit how this city first made its mark, and it started right here in Buckhead, over a Sunday morning conversation that somehow became the 1996 Olympic Games. For residents of Tuxedo Park and Peachtree Heights West, it's a proud piece of local history that's easy to forget and worth remembering.

BUSINESS

Luxury Box ATL - opening - The custom apparel brand is bringing a full luxury retail experience to Lenox Square this fall, marking a significant step up from its roots and a stylish addition to one of Buckhead's most iconic shopping destinations.

EVENTS | Presented by

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The FIFA World Cup 2026 has arrived, and Buckhead is fully in the game. Watch parties, elevated viewing experiences, and soccer-themed pop-ups are popping up across the neighborhood all week, so plan your routes accordingly and expect some lively crowds at local hotspots.

Monday, June 8
- Yebba: Jean Tour | Buckhead Theatre
- GHCA Board Meeting | Garden Hills Neighborhood Association
- Money & Mindset Mixer | Buckhead Club
- Astyn Turr | Buckhead Theatre
- Trivia Night | Johnny's Hideaway

Tuesday, June 9
- Sidney Isenberg Lecture Series featuring Bruce Feiler | Atlanta History Center

Wednesday, June 10
- Madre Selva's Summer of Fútbol Event Series | Madre Selva

Thursday, June 11
- Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods Monthly Meeting | Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods
- The World Plays Here – at Fadó | Buckhead Village District
- Under Pressure Pop-up at Brush Sushi | Buckhead Village District
- Welcome to Game Day, Elevated | The Americano (Intercontinental Buckhead)
- Mexico vs S. Africa Watch Party | CT Cantina
- KOKOROKO | Buckhead Theatre

Friday, June 12
- Like a Star: Celebrating 20 Years of Corinne Bailey Rae | Buckhead Theatre
- Summer Kick Off at Shops Around Lenox | Shops Around Lenox
- Summer Fridays | Buckhead Village District
- "Local Three Bourbon & Burgers Series" – Unsukay Private Barrel Selection Tasting | Local Three Kitchen & Bar
- Ghost Gaming and Skillshot Watch Party | Uptown Atlanta

Saturday, June 13
- Odyssey Quest Run 5K | The Westminster Schools
- YUNGBLUD: IDOLS - THE WORLD TOUR | Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park
- WOLFMOTHER - 20th Anniversary Tour | Buckhead Theatre
- Pizza Making Class – Farmer's Market Seasonal Ingredients | Buckhead Village District
- Saturday Vinyasa Yoga Classes with Highland Yoga | Buckhead Village
- Summer Yoga Series with Sabi Haus of Stillness at Grand Hyatt Atlanta | Grand Hyatt Atlanta
- High Notes (ATL) ROSE WEEKND By Fine Wine Series | Rose and Rye
- World Caip Watch Party | Bar Fogo
- Audiobook Walking Club | All The Tropes

Sunday, June 14
- Basque in the Sun at Gypsy Kitchen | Buckhead Village District
- 3 Guys Burgers & Buys – Sunday Nights at L3 | Local Three Kitchen & Bar

GOVERNMENT

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

Note: Only the agenda is available for this meeting — outcomes below reflect what was scheduled; items may have been tabled, deferred, or otherwise not acted upon. The board's biggest-ticket item was a proposed eight-year, $15.5 million non-competitive contract with Motorola Solutions to upgrade and maintain Fulton County's ASTRO P25 digital radio system — the backbone of public safety communications for police, fire, and emergency responders countywide — though Chairman Robert Pitts was listed as dissenting on the award. Also on the agenda: a $12.6 million renewal with Grady Health System to expand operations at the Fulton County Behavioral Health Crisis Center, and a $1.5 million increase in ride-sharing services for residents 60 and older through provider Common Courtesy. Three grant proposals championed by Commissioner Dana Barrett — targeting affordable housing conversions in Downtown Atlanta, a new 20-unit affordable development in English Avenue, and historic preservation of the civil rights-era George Towns and Grace Towns Hamilton Homes — were deferred at the sponsor's request and did not advance. Rounding out the agenda were a $1.6 million water meter procurement, a $360,000 contract for environmental maintenance at the Morgan Falls Landfill, and a technical correction to the county's 0.75% local sales tax authorization.

Atlanta City Council

The full Council and its Committee on Council both met June 1, and minutes confirm a busy day of consequential action. The Council's most sweeping fiscal move was approving over $1.26 billion in water and wastewater capital bonds alongside $20 million for sanitary sewer repairs and $8.52 million for street paving — investments that will touch infrastructure across the city over the coming years. On land use, the Council unanimously voted to ban new self-storage facilities within the Beltline Overlay District, a policy aimed at reserving scarce land along the corridor for active, mixed-use development rather than low-employment storage warehouses. The Council also approved $735,000 in reprogrammed federal HOME funds to secure affordable units at the Sweet Auburn Grande development and a $1.05 million contract renewal with Atlanta Beltline, Inc. for park and greenspace maintenance. Meanwhile, the proposed FY2027 city budget and property tax millage rates were sent back to the Finance/Executive Committee for further review, meaning residents won't yet know their tax outlook for the coming year. Over in the Committee on Council, members unanimously approved reforms to public comment procedures and added real-time timer displays for ceremonial presentations, while deferring a resolution that would have placed certified law enforcement officers at recreation-center polling sites and holding an independent investigation request involving city contractor Foris Webb, III.

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education

Minutes are posted for the June 1 APS Board of Education meeting, though the underlying data was presented in agenda form — verify specific vote outcomes against the posted minutes. The headline item was a scheduled final vote on adopting the district's FY2027 budget, covering the General Fund, Special Revenue Fund, SPLOST Fund, Nutrition Fund, and Student Activity Fund — the document that sets school funding levels and directly shapes how property tax dollars flow to classrooms. The board also took up a proposal to purchase Yondr cell-phone pouches, signaling a potential district-wide move to lock student devices during the school day, a policy that has gained traction in districts nationally. On the infrastructure side, Construction Management at Risk contracts for building and site improvements at Midtown High School and Maynard Jackson High School were on the table, alongside fleet purchases including 22 new school buses and 13 service vehicles for facilities, transportation, and safety departments. A Public Safety Band Signal Enhancement purchase was also proposed to ensure reliable first-responder radio communication inside school buildings — a campus safety upgrade with direct implications for emergency response.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council
- 3012 Arden Road NW — The council approved a Landmark Building/Site designation for New Hope AME Church, rezoning the property from R-3 to R-3/LBS to recognize its historic significance.
- 3012, 3030 & 3031 Arden Road NW — A zoning action involving these Arden Road parcels was heard by the council at its June 1 meeting.
- 1950 W. Paces Ferry Road / 2518 W. Wesley Road NW — A zoning matter affecting these two Buckhead properties was on the council's agenda and acted upon at the June 1 meeting.
- 2745 Ridgewood Road NW — A development item for this North Buckhead property was considered by the council at its June 1 meeting.
- 2970 Howell Mill Road NW — An infrastructure item related to this Buckhead corridor address was on the council's June 1 agenda.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee — Monday, June 8 at 11:00 AM
The committee is scheduled to take up a wide range of zoning cases, including large industrial-to-residential conversions, a city-wide text amendment to regulate medical cannabis dispensaries, and several single-family to duplex rezoning requests. In Buckhead, a rezoning proposal at 1950 W. Paces Ferry Road NW and 2518 W. Wesley Road NW — seeking to shift from R-1 to Planned Development Housing — is on the agenda, along with a Metropolitan River Protection Act certificate for a new single-family home at 2745 Ridgewood Road NW and a sign ordinance waiver at 2525 Piedmont Road NE.

- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee — Monday, June 8 at 1:00 PM
The committee is scheduled to consider a $3.5 million counter-drone detection system for the Atlanta Police Department, a proposed blight tax penalty for a neglected Midtown property, and a $500,000 civil lawsuit settlement.

- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Special Called Meeting — Tuesday, June 9 at 10:00 AM
Commissioners are convening specifically to discuss the county's Service Delivery Strategy — the state-mandated agreement governing how Fulton County and its cities divide responsibility and funding for services like water, sewer, fire, and parks. The outcome could have downstream effects on property tax structures across the county.

- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee — Tuesday, June 9 at 10:00 AM
Solid waste rate adjustments, green infrastructure incentives for developers, and a proposed $1.88 million land acquisition for the "Valley of the Hawks" constructed wetlands stormwater project are all scheduled for consideration.

- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee — Tuesday, June 9 at 1:30 PM
The committee is scheduled to consider a proposal to acquire nearly 30 acres of forested land along Randall Mill Road NW for permanent tree protection, funded at up to $7.85 million. Also on the agenda is a funding correction for a $4.5 million donation to build a new gym at Chastain Park.

- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee — Wednesday, June 10 at 10:00 AM
The committee is set to take up a proposed ordinance banning heavy commercial truck cut-throughs in the Cabbagetown Landmark District, a new mandate requiring temporary pedestrian walkways when construction blocks city sidewalks, and over $9.3 million in road resurfacing contracts. A $43.8 million modernization program for the Hartsfield-Jackson SkyTrain is also scheduled for a vote.

- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee — Wednesday, June 10 at 1:30 PM
The proposed Fiscal Year 2027 city budget and property tax rates — including the general levy, parks levy, and BeltLine and Atlanta Stitch special service district levies — are scheduled for consideration. The committee is also set to review a new consumer protection ordinance targeting predatory parking lot practices and three separate annexation proposals that would bring unincorporated properties into Atlanta city limits and the Atlanta Public Schools district.

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

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Permits

- 3060 Peachtree Rd NW — Commercial interior alteration filed for an existing shell office space. Someone's finally fitting out a vacant suite — worth watching to see what tenant moves in.
- 3420 Piedmont Rd NE — New restaurant tenant permit in review for a 1,560 SF ground-floor suite, designed for 43 diners. A fresh face is coming to that ground-floor space — no name attached yet, but the buildout is in motion.
- 3525 Piedmont Rd NE — Office consolidation underway in Building 5, Suite 435 — 3,353 SF of existing office space being reconfigured. Routine reshuffling of commercial tenants in the Piedmont corridor.
- 3167 Peachtree Rd NE — Electrical work issued, including demo of existing electrical and installation of 27 floor boxes with power connections. The scope suggests a significant interior overhaul is underway.
- 3445 Peachtree Rd NE — Multiple permits issued covering electrical, plumbing, and HVAC for what appears to be a tenant refresh — 50 LED fixtures being swapped out and 40 new receptacles added across the space.
- Elliott Cir NE — Ambitious residential addition in review: new staircase, storage room, theater room, bedroom with bath, office, and a golf simulator. Someone is going all-in on the home upgrade.
- 136 Peachtree Memorial Dr NW — Tree removal permit in review for a multi-family property, with roots damaging a patio near the foundation. Neighbors nearby may see some crew activity.

Beyond these highlights, the area logged over 100 additional permits this week — dominated by residential HVAC replacements (23), home additions (16), interior alterations (16), and electrical upgrades (13). The usual hum of a neighborhood in constant upkeep.

Road Work

Under Construction
- I-75 Lighting Upgrade (Fulton County) — GDOT is swapping out aging high-pressure sodium fixtures for LED lighting along I-75 between Musket Ridge Drive and I-85, about 1.7 miles from Buckhead. No lane changes to your route, but expect nighttime work zones and temporary lighting disruptions along this stretch.
- SR 400 Tunnel Bridge Rehab at the Justin C. Martin Building (Fulton County) — Active rehabilitation work is underway on the SR 400 tunnel, about 1.9 miles out. Work includes spall repair on transfer beams and roof slabs, fire system repairs, and structural upgrades. If SR 400 is part of your daily routine, keep an eye on lane advisories as this one moves forward.
- SR 9 Resurfacing from SR 3 to North of Paces Ferry Road (Fulton County) — Paces Ferry Road commuters, take note: GDOT is resurfacing SR 9 (Peachtree Road) along this corridor to address a low pavement condition score. Expect active paving operations and possible lane restrictions. This runs close enough to Buckhead's western edge to affect cut-through routes — worth building in a few extra minutes.

Pre-Construction
- SR 9/SR 237/Habersham Road Intersection Study (Fulton County) — A scoping study is underway for operational improvements at three interconnected intersections: Piedmont Road at Roswell Road, Piedmont Road at Habersham Road, and Roswell Road at Habersham Road. No construction yet, but this triangle of intersections is one of Buckhead's most congested — worth watching as plans take shape.
- SR 141 Connector, Lenox Road Streetscape & Trail — Phase III (Fulton County) — Streetscape improvements and a shared-use path are planned along Lenox Road between Piedmont Road and Phipps Boulevard, connecting residential, office, and commercial areas. Good news for pedestrians and cyclists in the Lenox corridor once work begins.
- I-75 Northbound Ramps at Moores Mill Road — Roundabout (Fulton County) — A two-lane roundabout is planned at the I-75 NB on/off ramps at Moores Mill Road. The design aims to improve traffic flow and separate turning movements — a significant change for anyone using this interchange near the Buckhead/Vinings edge.
- SR 9/US 19 Bridge over CSX Railroad (Fulton County) — The existing bridge carrying Peachtree Road over the CSX rail line is slated for full replacement. The corridor carries three 11-ft inside lanes and two 12-ft outside lanes — expect notable disruption to one of Buckhead's main arteries when this moves to active construction.
- SR 400 @ Atlanta Financial Center Tunnel — LED Lighting Upgrade (Fulton County) — LED lighting is coming to the SR 400 tunnel at the Atlanta Financial Center. A straightforward but welcome safety improvement for a stretch drivers pass through daily.
- SR 400 Resurfacing, I-85 to south of Johnson Ferry Road (Fulton County) — Pavement resurfacing is funded and queued up for a long stretch of SR 400. No start date yet, but lane closures will be hard to avoid when work kicks off on this heavily traveled corridor.
- SR 3 Resurfacing, I-75 to Cobb County Line (Fulton County) — Northside Parkway/SR 3 is in line for resurfacing between I-75 and the Cobb County line, touching the northwestern edge of Buckhead near Paces and West Paces Ferry.
- SR 3 at West Paces Ferry Road — Restriping (Fulton County) — Restriping is planned at the Northside Parkway/SR 3 intersection with West Paces Ferry Road to add dual left-turn lanes in both directions on SR 3 and improve eastbound through-lane capacity under the I-75 overpass. A targeted fix for a notoriously tangled interchange.

Utility Work

Atlanta Watershed
- Emergency Lane Closure on Peachtree Road NW for Sewer Repair — A lane closure is in effect at 2964 Peachtree Road NW between Pharr Road NE and surrounding cross streets for an emergency sewer lateral repair. Expect traffic delays in the area.

Service Requests

Buckhead residents filed 49 service requests this week, with road and signal issues dominating the list.

- Potholes — 29 reports filed across the area, with the heaviest activity on E Beechwood Dr NW (3 reports), Piedmont Rd NE, W Wesley Rd NW, Peachtree Hills Ave NE, and Raintree Ln NW (2 each), plus 16 additional locations.
- Traffic Signal Repairs — 10 non-emergency signal repairs requested at Lenox Rd & Phipps Blvd (2 reports), Northside Pkwy & Mount Paran Rd, Ivy Rd & Wieuca Rd, Lenox Rd & Alliance Center Dr, Northside Dr & Peachtree Battle Ave, and four other intersections. Three emergency-level signal repairs were also filed at Mt Paran Rd & Northside Pkwy, Old Ivy Rd & Wieuca Rd, and Peachtree Rd & Piedmont Rd.
- Overgrowth & Visibility — Six right-of-way maintenance requests cited obstructed sightlines at Peachtree Dunwoody Rd & W Club Dr (2 reports), Woods Cir NE, Lindbergh Way & Lindbergh Dr, Peachtree Hills Ave & Peachtree Rd, and along Peachtree Dunwoody Rd NE.
- Downed Tree — One report on Sentinel Post Rd NW.