Memorial Drive Corridor

Hey, Memorial Drive Corridor! This week: the Olympic Cauldron relocation fight keeps churning, City Council cut some big checks (airport bonds, stadium refinancing, a $57M trash contract), and new pedestrian beacons are going in along Glenwood Ave. Plus, the Tour Championship tees off at East Lake, townhomes keep sprouting along Memorial Drive, and a boutique cigar lounge is set to light up East Atlanta Village.

- News — The Olympic Cauldron tug-of-war intensifies, Atlanta weighs stricter data center rules, and East Lake's long-awaited intersection fix finally gets moving.
- Business — Big Al's Cigar Shop is rolling into East Atlanta Village with a late-September opening.
- Events — The Tour Championship takes over East Lake all week, Oakland Cemetery's tours run daily, and a gold-obsessed immersive show debuts at Pullman Yards.
- Government — Council approved $1.3B in airport bonds, a stadium refinancing deal, and a $57M trash contract, while a data center task force got sent back to committee.
- Construction — New townhome plumbing is going in along Memorial Drive and Gibson Street, while Glenwood Ave gets fresh pedestrian beacons and Moreland braces for a turn-restriction redo.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

Olympic cauldron relocation debate heats up, plus data center rules and an East Lake intersection fix

AU Room Show premieres at Pullman Yards on Aug. 27
An immersive new production, the AU Room Show, makes its Atlanta premiere at Kirkwood's historic Pullman Yards starting Thursday, August 27. Running through October 11, the multi-sensory show explores humanity's historical fascination with gold.

Atlanta Legacy 96 moves forward with plan to relocate Olympic cauldron
Efforts to relocate the 1996 Olympic Cauldron from Capitol Avenue to Centennial Olympic Park are proceeding despite pushback from Mayor Andre Dickens and neighboring communities. Local residents and advocates continue to lobby to keep the historic monument at its original site.

East Lake, Parkwood intersection improvements finally coming
Long-anticipated infrastructure and safety upgrades are moving forward at the intersection of East Lake and Parkwood. The project aims to improve traffic flow, pedestrian accessibility, and intersection safety for neighboring residents and commuters.

Atlanta eyes new rules for data centers amid community concerns
Atlanta City Council members have introduced legislation to impose stricter regulations and roll back tax incentives for new data centers. The proposals follow growing resident concerns regarding heavy energy usage, water demand, and environmental impacts across intown neighborhoods.

DeKalb launches 'The Cows Are Coming' public art project
DeKalb County is launching a countywide public art campaign honoring its heritage as the historic "Dairy Capital of Georgia." The initiative will place decorated, life-sized fiberglass cow sculptures in communities across the county.

BUSINESS

A boutique cigar lounge lights up East Atlanta Village

Big Al's Cigar Shop opening in East Atlanta Village — The boutique cigar shop and lounge is targeting a late September opening at 530 Flat Shoals Ave. SE in East Atlanta Village.

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TOUR Championship tees off, an immersive gold-themed show debuts, and Oakland Cemetery tours return

Monday, August 24
- Side Quest x Mushi Ni | Mushi Ni

Tuesday, August 25
- The Living Storybook: Real Stories Behind the Stones | Oakland Cemetery
- Terrible Two at Trad'r Gene's | Gene's BBQ

Wednesday, August 26
- TOUR Championship – Wednesday | East Lake Golf Club
- Keeper for a Day: Reptiles and Amphibians | Zoo Atlanta
- Silent Book Club at Atlanta Dairies | Atlanta Dairies
- Billy Strings Listening Party | Criminal Records
- Narcotic Wasteland | 529 Bar
- Emmanuel "Chops" Smith: Amanda Joy and The Noise | Southern Feed Store

Saturday, August 29
- TOUR Championship – Saturday | East Lake Golf Club
- The Psychedelic Furs & Living Colour | The Eastern
- Electronics Recycling Event | Zoo Atlanta
- Play the Animal Way | Zoo Atlanta
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery
- Behind the Stones: Preservation Tour | Oakland Cemetery
- Lemur Wild Encounter | Zoo Atlanta
- WKND eBikes Pop-Up + Test Rides at Huckleberry's Corner Store | Huckleberry's Corner Store
- Lilakk | 529 EAV
- Warthog Wild Encounter | Zoo Atlanta
- Elephant Wild Encounter | Zoo Atlanta
- Sunset Social Silent Auction Benefitting Cabbagetown Park | Cabbagetown Neighborhood Improvement Association
- Petting Zoo Painters Wild Encounter | Zoo Atlanta
- Ultra Lights | The Earl

Sunday, August 30
- TOUR Championship – Sunday | East Lake Golf Club
- History, Mystery, and Mayhem | Oakland Cemetery

GOVERNMENT

Council approves $1.3B airport bonds and stadium refinancing, plus a $57M trash deal

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

Past Week Roundup

Atlanta City Council
The full council approved up to $1.3 billion in airport revenue bonds for ongoing capital improvements at Hartsfield-Jackson and a $200 million refinancing package for Mercedes-Benz Stadium designed to lower its annual debt payments. Council members also voted 12-1 to update solid waste fees and backyard collection rules, then awarded a three-year, $57.2 million trash collection contract to Waste Management of Georgia, alongside a $99 million fund for small street and transit repairs and a $25 million drinking water system upgrade contract. As covered in today's news section, a proposal to create a data center task force got sent back to committee on a 13-1 vote rather than moving forward. Separately, the Committee on Council advanced two mayoral board appointments but held several reform proposals in place, including a charter change requiring a named sponsor on every bill, a push for an independent investigation into city contracts tied to Foris Webb III, and a proposed council civility pledge. None of those held items got a final vote, so they'll stay pending for now.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners
Commissioners voted 5-0 to start negotiations with MARTA over funding and possibly operating the county's Senior Transportation Program, a move that could reshape how seniors get around if it goes through. The board also approved a bond deal with the Fulton DeKalb Hospital Authority to build a new Behavioral Health Crisis Center for residents who can't afford care, and it approved a grant to stabilize the historic St. Mark AME Church before it deteriorates further. In a 4-1 vote, commissioners abolished two court technology funds and folded their money into the county's general fund, centralizing how that tech gets managed. The board also renewed a $2.4 million countywide landscaping contract and approved $1.6 million to modernize elevators at the Juvenile Justice Center, and it reappointed the county manager, county attorney, auditor, and clerk to new terms with set salaries.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
The Committee of the Whole took up a packed agenda, though minutes aren't posted yet so outcomes aren't confirmed. The biggest ticket item was a proposed $233.8 million contract to overhaul the Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant, paired with an $18.2 million boost to an on-call water and sewer repair contract. Pedestrian projects on the table included $3.2 million for new sidewalks and a protected crossing on Flat Shoals Parkway and $4.1 million to extend the Michelle Obama Trail toward Flakes Mill Road. The agenda also included several quality-of-life ordinances worth watching, covering noise limits, a gas-to-electric lawn equipment rebate, restrictions on street racing and public camping, and a requirement for an independent health study before lifting the county's data center moratorium. Meanwhile, the Special Called Meeting that day was purely procedural, with commissioners voting only to enter and exit executive session and review upcoming agendas.

Atlanta NPU-W
Minutes aren't posted yet, so only the agenda is confirmed, but this meeting covered a lot of ground. A developer presented plans seeking $24 million in Invest Atlanta funding for a project on Trestletree Court, and the NPU took up a citywide zoning change that would require special permits for new self-storage facilities, heading to a Zoning Review Board hearing in September. Members also reviewed a setback variance on Ormond Street and two new alcohol license applications for a restaurant on Gresham Avenue. Several festival permits came up for review too, including the ATL Vegan Festival, an amended ATL Dessert Festival date, a scaled-back Caribbean Roots Festival, and the Chomp & Stomp festival planned for Cabbagetown in November.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council
- SR 42 / Moreland Avenue SE — The Atlanta City Council approved a contract agreement with GDOT to adjust municipal water valve boxes along Moreland Avenue from the Clayton County line to south of Key Road.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee | Aug-24, 11:00 AM | key topics: industrial-to-mixed-use rezonings in the Upper Westside, Ponce de Leon and Decatur Street rezonings, Peachtree Circle historic district, self-storage special use permits
- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee | Aug-24, 1:00 PM | key topics: $40 million police camera expansion, 7th APD patrol zone study, alcohol license application fee increases, blight remediation contracts
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners | Aug-25, 9:00 AM | key topics: $233.8 million water treatment plant contract, Michelle Obama Trail extension, data center environmental study, car drifting and noise ordinances, retail pet sale bans
- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee | Aug-25, 10:00 AM | key topics: data center water cooling restrictions, Data Center Task Force creation, Chastain Park stream restoration, electric municipal vehicle fleet purchases
- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee | Aug-25, 1:30 PM | key topics: Comprehensive Development Plan amendments on Ponce de Leon and Decatur Street, Westside blight condemnation proceedings, EV chargers at Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark
- Atlanta NPU — NPU-O | Aug-25, 6:30 PM | key topics: 3-lot subdivision on Alston Drive, Memorial Drive retaining wall exception, citywide self-storage special use permit rules
- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee | Aug-26, 10:00 AM | key topics: $7 million grant funding for BeltLine Southside Trail Segment 6, Buckhead street resurfacing, traffic calming on Wieuca Road, dockless mobility permit extensions
- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee | Aug-26, 1:30 PM | key topics: tax delinquency restrictions for data centers, water and sewer bill refunds, FY2027 property tax rates, Old Fire Station 22 lease

CONSTRUCTION

Townhomes rise on Memorial Drive as new pedestrian beacons hit SR 260

Permits
- 1800 Memorial Dr SE — Commercial alteration permit filed. No dollar figure listed yet, but any work on Memorial Drive itself is worth watching for traffic impact.
- 1110 Hill St SW — Georgia Power installed a new metered service point for Atlanta Beltline devices. This one's tied to Beltline infrastructure, so expect some utility work in the area.
- Glenwood Ave SE — Two permits here. One covers a bathroom renovation with new doorways cut into non-load-bearing walls. The other adds a Tesla Wall Connector EV charger in the garage, though it's stuck needing additional materials before it moves forward.
- 2015 Memorial Dr SE — New single-family townhome getting its plumbing installed. Another sign of the townhome construction pushing along the Memorial Drive corridor.
- 193 Gibson St SE — Plumbing permit issued for a 3.5-bathroom townhouse. More new residential density coming online.
- 1205 Caroline St NE — Mechanical HVAC alteration filed, currently held up pending additional materials.
- 477 Flat Shoals Ave SE — Small commercial plumbing permit for a drinking fountain and bottle filler station. Routine, but it points to some kind of public-facing renovation at this address.
- 390 Stovall St SE and 1344 La France St NE — Both routine HVAC service and equipment swaps, issued without much fanfare.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 260 @ Haas Ave & @ Eastside Ave, Install RRFB — Crews are installing rectangular rapid flashing beacons for pedestrians at these two crossings.
- SR 260 @ Brownwood Ave & @ Joseph Ave, Install RRFB — Another RRFB pedestrian crossing upgrade, this one at Brownwood Ave and Joseph Ave along SR 260.
- SR 42 / Moreland Avenue @ SR 154 & Arkwright Place — GDOT is converting this intersection to right-in/right-out only, adding a median that blocks all left turns.
- I-20 from Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Road, Lighting — Crews are swapping out old high-pressure sodium lighting for energy-efficient LED fixtures along this stretch, with possible pole and conduit replacement. This one spans DeKalb and Fulton counties.
- SR 154 / Memorial Drive, VRU Safety Improvements — This project adds a mid-block pedestrian crossing, a right-in/right-out, and a restricted crossing U-turn between Hill Street and Pearl Street. It covers multiple locations across DeKalb and Fulton counties.
- I-20 from west of Hill St/Fulton to west of Columbia Dr/DeKalb — GDOT is resurfacing this section of SR 402 to fix its low pavement condition score. The work spans DeKalb and Fulton counties.

Service Requests
- Visibility/Overgrowth Complaints — Crews have logged 20 reports across the corridor, with clusters on Woodland Ave SE, Dunwoody St NE, Ashburton Ave & Glenwood Ave, Wylie St & Weatherby St, and Gaskill St SE. Most are already in progress or resolved.
- Potholes — 10 reports are in the queue, hitting Moreland Ave SE, Blvd & Carroll St, Wade St & Moreland Ave, and Norwood Ave NE, among other spots. All are still being worked.
- Litter in the Right of Way — 8 cleanup requests cover Maynard Ter SE, Wyman St SE, Ormewood Ave & Palatine Ave, E Pharr Rd NE, and Bouldercrest Dr & Fayetteville Rd. The city's already knocked out most of these.
- Traffic Signal Repairs — 5 non-emergency signal issues are active along Memorial Dr, at Hill St, Connally St, and Fraser St, plus Clifton Rd & Clifton Way and Hosea L Williams Dr & Woodbine Ave. One's closed, the rest are in progress.
- Downed Trees — Hosea L Williams Dr SE and Whitefoord Ave NE each had two reports come in. Two are closed and one got canceled as a duplicate.
- Graffiti Removal — A right-of-way graffiti report on Memorial Dr SE is in progress.
- Sign Repair — A damaged or missing sign at Wade St NE & Clifton St NE is being addressed.

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Until next week,
Memorial Drive Corridor Busybody

Disclaimer: We use advanced data retrieval and analysis techniques across hundreds of sources, and may be prone to occasional error. Independently verify information with a secondary source, and please let us know if we got anything wrong via the feedback form.

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