Edgewood / Kirkwood / East Lake: Edgewood's Food District Is Taking Shape

Hey Edgewood, Kirkwood, and East Lake! The neighborhood food and beverage district is visibly coming together, Juneteenth weekend is packed with events worth planning around, and there's a lot happening at City Hall and in DeKalb County that directly affects how this corner of Atlanta grows. Read on — there's plenty to dig into.

- News — Edgewood's food district is adding a pizza anchor as construction rolls forward, DeKalb extends its data center pause through September, and ALT3R's drag queens are about to make Little 5 Points ghost tours a thing.
- Business — Florida-based Foxtail Coffee has opened near the Edgewood MARTA station, adding another caffeine option to a transit corridor that keeps quietly gaining momentum.
- Events — Juneteenth Friday anchors a packed week, with Oakland Cemetery hosting two distinct celebrations and block parties, ghost tours, and a Father's Day cookout rounding out the weekend.
- Government — The full Atlanta City Council votes Monday on the FY2027 budget and property tax millage rates, the Edgewood Corridor alcohol moratorium is back on the table June 15, and DeKalb is eyeing a $233 million water plant overhaul at Thursday's committee meeting.
- Construction — I-20 is getting LED lighting and a concrete overhaul, new pedestrian beacons are going in along SR-260, and a commercial conversion permit on Memorial Drive is worth keeping an eye on.

Let's dive in.

Want to tell our ~5k readers about your business? Let us know here

Have a local story you think we should write about? Let us know here

Have some feedback on the newsletter? Submit here

Want to promote an event? Submit here

Want to alter your neighborhood selections? Submit here

NEWS

Where Edgewood's budding food, beverage district stands now
Construction is moving along on the dining and retail corridor that's slowly reshaping Edgewood into the walkable neighborhood hub it's long had the bones to become. The latest update includes a new pizza restaurant in the mix, which is exactly the kind of anchor a budding food district needs.

DeKalb County Commission extends data center moratorium
DeKalb commissioners have pushed their pause on new data center development through September 30, buying more time to grapple with what these energy- and water-hungry facilities actually mean for local infrastructure. It's a slow-moving debate with real consequences for how the county grows and who bears the costs.

DeKalb, EPA to rewrite multi-decade sewage lawsuit agreement
DeKalb County and the EPA are renegotiating a federal consent decree that has governed sewer upgrades for decades, with the goal of restructuring how the county tackles its aging, leak-prone system. For neighborhoods that have lived with the consequences of those failures, the outcome of these talks is anything but abstract.

ALT3R drag queens to host ghost tours through Little 5 Points
The award-winning drag troupe ALT3R is bringing something genuinely new to the neighborhood entertainment calendar: ghost tours of Little 5 Points every Friday and Saturday from June 19 through July 18, led by performers Hera Kane, Katrina Prowess, and Minty. Expect local legends, neighborhood history, and a level of theatricality that your standard haunted walking tour simply cannot compete with.

World Cup Atlanta: Additional watch parties in metro Atlanta
Atlanta's World Cup summer keeps expanding, and so does the list of places to watch the action with a crowd. If your living room is starting to feel too small for the occasion, here's where to find your people.

BUSINESS

Foxtail Coffee - opening - The Florida-based coffee chain has planted a flag in the Edgewood corridor near the MARTA station, adding a fresh caffeine option to a stretch of transit-oriented retail that keeps quietly growing.

EVENTS | Presented by

Peace of Mind Recycling is your one stop shop for a convenient and affordable way to make sure your recyclables actually get… recycled! With Atlanta’s city recycling services your guess is as good as ours in regards to what actually gets recycled. We document where we take your glass, metal, electronics & everything else so you can rest assured it’s going to the good place 100% of the time.

Monday, June 15
- Monday FUNday - Half-Priced Cocktails | Wild Heaven Beer
- Toddler Storytime | Decatur Library
- Garden to Table Summer Camp | Oakland Cemetery

Tuesday, June 16
- ONE Monthly Meeting | Our Neighborhood Edgewood
- Cowboy Junkies - Celebrating 40 Years and Beyond | Variety Playhouse
- BeltATL June Meet-Up: Eastside Beltline | Pour Taproom-Beltline
- $5 Beer Trivia Tuesdays in Avondale | Wild Heaven Beer
- Tony Jupiter | The Earl

Wednesday, June 17
- CBF26 Coan Park Urban Air | Coan Park Theraputic Recreation Center
- CBF26 - Zoo Atlanta Bessie Branham Field Trip | Bessie Branham Recreation Center
- Pilates for Alignment | Sati Yoga & Wellness
- Amy Grant | Eddie's Attic
- Volunteer Project | Woodlands Garden
- Wednesday Walk & Talk | Woodlands Garden

Thursday, June 18
- Stormwater Management Workshop | Legacy Park, Hawkins Hall
- Summer Solstice Artwalk | Downtown Decatur
- Cabbagetown Concert Series | Cabbagetown Neighborhood Improvement Association
- Singing Workshop in the Pavilion – June | Woodlands Garden
- Boozy Bingo | The Reading Room
- Sean Patton | The Earl

Friday, June 19
- KERNEL | Moving In The Spirit
- Juneteenth at Finally, Friday | Oakland Cemetery
- We Shall All Be Free: A Spirited Juneteenth Tour | Oakland Cemetery
- Juneteenth Block Party at Marcus Bar & Grille | Marcus Bar & Grille
- National Martini Day | Republic Social House

Saturday, June 20
- Pullman Yards' That 70's Experience | Pullman Yards
- JUICY MVMNT: Root & Rise Reset Series | Sati Yoga & Wellness

- Old Fourth Ward Spring Arts Festival | Historic Fourth Ward Park
- Pullman Yards to Premiere Never-Before-Seen Footage from Historic International Pop Festival | Pullman Yards

Sunday, June 21
- ANNUAL ATL FATHERS DAY COOK-OUT & COMPETITION | Coan Park Recreation Center

GOVERNMENT

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

Past Week Roundup

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners

The Board met on June 9 and voted to extend the county's moratorium on new data centers by 100 days — through September 30 — buying planners more time to finalize new zoning rules before the temporary ban expired on June 23. On the pocketbook front, proposed increases to stormwater utility fees and sanitation and landfill rates were both deferred to June 23 for a final vote, though the Board is scheduled to hold a separate Town Hall on June 10 to present those fee proposals and take public comment — residents who want to weigh in should bring a speaker card. Commissioners also approved formal support for state-designed roundabouts at key intersections on Ponce de Leon Avenue and Clairmont Road, moves aimed at improving safety and traffic flow at those corridors. A $3.7 million SPLOST-funded contract for roof repairs at multiple county public buildings — including the Kirkwood Mental Health facility — was approved, as was a fiscal year 2026 budget amendment to reallocate capital funding across county operations. Meanwhile, a District 3 ordinance targeting public camping and vagrancy and a sweeping overhaul of the county's noise regulations were both deferred, the latter pushed all the way to July 7.

Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee

The Zoning Committee's June 8 meeting was heavy on industrial-to-residential conversion proposals, reflecting a citywide push to reimagine Atlanta's older warehouse districts as mixed-use neighborhoods. Among the most significant items on the agenda were a proposal to rezone a 12.5-acre industrial tract on White Street SW to high-density mixed residential and commercial use along the BeltLine corridor, and a separate push to convert more than 8 acres on Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard in the Upper Westside from heavy industrial to mixed residential and commercial — along with nearly two dozen parcels along Logan Circle and Chattahoochee Avenue in the same area. A contested 13.87-acre rezoning on Sylvan Road and Cox Avenue also came before the committee: despite neighborhood support, both city staff and the Zoning Review Board recommended denial, setting up a potential conflict. The committee also took up a citywide text amendment that would create a special use permit requirement for medical cannabis dispensaries, with strict buffer zones from residential areas and existing facilities. Because no minutes are posted for this meeting, it is not confirmed which items were acted upon versus tabled, deferred, or withdrawn — treat all of the above as scheduled for consideration rather than decided.

Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee

At its June 8 meeting, the Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee approved a nearly $3.5 million contract amendment with Axon Enterprise to equip the Atlanta Police Department with a counter-drone system capable of detecting, tracking, and neutralizing unauthorized drones — a notable escalation in the city's public safety technology. The committee also signed off on a $500,000 settlement in a pending Fulton County lawsuit and approved a resolution directing the city to explore ways to reduce detention of low-level, non-violent misdemeanor offenders, citing jail overcrowding and safety concerns. A resolution calling for a blight tax penalty on the owners of a neglected Midtown property was approved and forwarded to the Community Development committee for dual consideration. Two high-profile local items were deferred to June 15: a proposed 180-day moratorium on new alcohol license applications in the Edgewood Corridor — held at the sponsor's request — and a proposal to lease space from a church on Hosea Williams Drive for a new APD Zone 6 precinct at $102,000 per year.

Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee

The City Utilities Committee approved several infrastructure contracts at its June 9 meeting, including an $822,567 funding boost and 280-day extension for the Greensferry Stream and Floodplain Restoration project, and a $2 million, nine-month extension of the city's contract with Salmons Dredging Corporation for on-call underwater diving services — work that keeps the city's water system infrastructure operational and inspected. A month-to-month software support contract for the city's solid waste billing system was also extended for up to 12 months at a cost not to exceed $364,000. The committee held two consequential items for future action: a proposed ordinance that would adjust solid waste taxes and service fees — including clarifying who qualifies for backyard collection exemptions — was deferred to allow a public hearing, and a separate measure to restore green infrastructure and stormwater retention requirements that were stripped from city code in 2020 was held for further review. Residents interested in weighing in on the solid waste fee changes should watch for the public hearing date.

Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee

The Community Development/Human Services Committee moved a wide-ranging agenda on June 9, with land preservation, neighborhood planning, and blight enforcement all front and center. In the meeting's largest single expenditure, the committee unanimously approved the city's acquisition of nearly 30 acres on Randall Mill Road NW for $7.86 million, with the land to be permanently protected as urban forest — funded through the Tree Trust Fund and park millage. The committee also voted 7-0 to update the city's Comprehensive Development Plan with four newly adopted master plans, including the Edgewood Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan and the Atlanta BeltLine Subarea 8 Master Plan, giving those areas official planning frameworks that guide future development decisions. Properties on Sylvan Road and Cox Avenue were redesignated from industrial to high-density mixed use, clearing the path for denser, walkable development there, while a blight tax resolution targeting a neglected Midtown high-rise was approved and dual-referred alongside the Public Safety committee. A proposal to create a formal Office of Short-Term Rentals — with mandatory permitting and a rental registry — was deferred at the sponsor's request, as were several rezoning requests pushed to a June 15 hearing.

Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee

The Transportation Committee had a productive June 10 session, approving a package of measures that together improve safety and infrastructure across the city. In a direct win for pedestrians, the committee unanimously approved a new ordinance requiring the city to establish mandatory temporary walkways whenever construction blocks an existing sidewalk — a measure that fills a longstanding gap in how construction sites manage foot traffic. A commercial truck ban was approved for streets within the historic Cabbagetown district, blocking cut-through freight traffic on Estoria, Tenelle, and Carroll streets, and new residential-only parking restrictions were approved for Lakeview Avenue NE. On the funding side, the committee approved more than $6 million in GDOT street resurfacing grants and a $3.28 million resurfacing contract with Blount Construction, while also greenlighting over $300 million in combined airport infrastructure investments at Hartsfield-Jackson. Two high-profile items remained stalled: a $3.6 million Peachtree Street corridor improvement grant and a proposal to add dedicated bike lanes along the Atlanta BeltLine were both held in committee for further review.

Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee

The Finance/Executive Committee's June 10 meeting covered some of the most consequential items on the city's annual calendar, starting with a 6-0 vote to recommend approval of the Fiscal Year 2027 city budget alongside the ad valorem millage rates that will determine what Atlanta property owners pay in city taxes next year — including rates for general operations, parks, bonds, and special districts like the Atlanta BeltLine. The committee also unanimously advanced a sweeping Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative framework that would extend the lifespan of select Tax Allocation Districts and channel those funds into a new trust dedicated to affordable housing, community stabilization, and small business support. An annexation of multiple properties on Woodland Avenue NE into the city limits was approved, bringing those parcels into the Atlanta school district, while proposed annexations near Glynn Drive SE and properties connected to the Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam were held for further review. The committee forwarded new consumer protection rules for parking garages to the full council without a formal recommendation, meaning the full council will decide the question without a committee endorsement. A previously proposed $2.29 million contract for water tank services with Davis Water Service was officially killed — filed by the committee and removed from consideration.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee
- 2025 Hosea Williams Dr SE (Israel Missionary Baptist Church) — A proposal to lease 9,000 sq. ft. of office space here for the APD Zone 6 Main Precinct at $102,000 per year was held in committee and deferred for further review until June 15, 2026.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Committee on Council — Monday, June 15, 2026 at 11:30 AM
The committee is scheduled to consider a resolution requesting certified law enforcement officers be stationed at all city recreation centers used as polling sites during major elections, along with a proposed ordinance that would modify public comment procedures at council meetings. Appointments to the BeltLine TAD Advisory Committee, the Atlanta Citizen Review Board, and the city's Housing Commission are also on the agenda.

- Atlanta City Council — Monday, June 15, 2026 at 1:00 PM
The full council is scheduled to vote on adopting the Fiscal Year 2027 city budget and setting property tax millage rates, along with a proposed ordinance that would require mandatory pedestrian detour routes whenever sidewalks are blocked by construction. A $7.85 million purchase of nearly 30 acres on Randall Mill Road NW for permanent forest preservation is also on the agenda, as are several rezoning cases and a proposed commercial truck ban on streets in the Cabbagetown neighborhood.

- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole — Thursday, June 18, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Public hearings on the 2026 county property tax millage rates are on the agenda, alongside a proposed $233.8 million design-build contract to overhaul the Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant and a $325.5 million multi-year contract for on-call water and sewer repairs. The committee is also scheduled to take up new zoning rules and a development moratorium targeting data centers, plus design contracts for Phase VI of the South River Trail and a new segment of the North Fork Peachtree Creek Trail.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- 1550 Hosea L Williams Dr SE — Atlanta Public Schools filed to expand parking at the Coan Building, with mill-and-overlay work on existing pavement. Pending approval, but expect construction activity near the school site when it moves forward.
- 1450 La France St NE — A commercial pool area is getting a serious upgrade: custom grill station, pavers, landscaping, lighting, railing, and an outdoor fire feature. Permit is pending, but someone is investing real money in an outdoor hospitality space.
- 2411 Memorial Dr SE — A commercial conversion permit was filed June 9. No description on file yet, but a conversion permit on Memorial Drive is worth watching — it signals a change in how the space is being used.
- 1275 Caroline St NE — Minor electrical work issued for a commercial space: three new receptacles and LED fixture replacements.

Beyond those, the week brought the usual mix of 35 residential permits — HVAC installs, plumbing, electrical, and small alterations — nothing dramatic, but steady activity that reflects a neighborhood where people are putting money into their homes.

Road Work

Under Construction
- I-20 Lighting Upgrade (DeKalb & Fulton Counties) — The stretch of I-20 from Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Road is getting its lighting overhauled, swapping out old HPS fixtures for LED. Expect lane disruptions during overnight work windows along this well-traveled corridor.
- I-20 Concrete Rehab (DeKalb & Fulton Counties) — Active resurfacing work is underway on I-20 from west of Hill St (Fulton side) to west of Columbia Dr (DeKalb side). This one's been flagged for a low pavement condition score, so the work is overdue — but that means construction impact now. If I-20 is part of your daily routine, give yourself extra time.
- SR-260 Pedestrian Safety Upgrades — Multiple Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon (RRFB) crosswalk signals are being installed along SR-260 at several intersections: Haas Ave, Eastside Ave, Brownwood Ave, and Joseph Ave. These are pedestrian-focused improvements, so expect some localized disruption around each crossing during installation. Good news for walkers once it's done.

Pre-Construction
- SR 154/Memorial Drive Sidewalk Improvements (DeKalb County) — New and rebuilt sidewalks along Memorial Drive between Moreland Avenue and Candler Road. Pedestrian infrastructure upgrade that will eventually improve walkability along one of the area's main corridors, though expect some temporary disruption once shovels hit the ground.
- Atlanta Traffic Signal Enhancements – Phase II (DeKalb & Fulton Counties) — Signal equipment upgrades, improved detection, ADA ramp improvements, fiber/4G communications installations, and retimed signals at intersections across both counties. This one's close — 0.4 miles out — so nearby intersections could see improvements (and short-term headaches during installation).
- SR 8/Ponce De Leon Ave Drainage Improvements (DeKalb County) — Drainage work along Ponce De Leon between South Ponce De Leon Ave and Ridgecrest Road. This stretch is a designated MPO corridor, so the fixes are overdue — but construction will add friction to an already busy route.
- SR 8 Roundabouts at East Lake & North Ponce (DeKalb County) — Two roundabouts are planned along the Ponce de Leon corridor: one at SR 8 and East Lake, and one at SR 8 at North Ponce/West Parkwood/East Parkwood. This will meaningfully reshape how traffic moves through intersections that directly affect East Lake residents — worth watching closely as it moves toward construction.

Service Requests

Residents filed 17 service requests in the area recently, covering roads, trees, signals, and overgrowth.

- Potholes — Reported on Alston Dr SE, Rogers St NE, Carlyle Park Dr NE, and Candler Rd SE.
- Downed Trees — Flagged on E Lake Dr SE (two locations), Hosea L Williams Dr SE, and Mayson Ave NE.
- Traffic Signal Repairs — Three signals in need of attention at Caroline St NE, Hosea L Williams Dr at Howard St, and Candler Rd SE at Hosea Williams Dr.
- Overgrowth/Visibility Issues — Right-of-way vegetation complaints on Arizona Ave NE, Ashburton Ave SE, and Glenwood Ave.
- Sign Repair — One sign flagged on Arizona Ave NE.
- Litter Removal — A right-of-way cleanup request on Spence Ave SE, now resolved.