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Hey y’all, before we get into it, two quick things: 1. Did you know if you have any questions or feedback you can just reply to this email? We read and reply to pretty much everything. 2. Next week we’ll be publishing Tuesday morning due to some staff vacation time, but then we’ll be back to our normal Monday morning routine.

Hey, Memorial Drive Corridor! This week: Brasiliana Pizza is building a sit-down spot at The Beacon in Grant Park, with a hoped-for opening in February 2027, and the Atlanta City Council narrowly voted 8-7 to sell the city detention center to Fulton County. Add a packed Halloween weekend, from Oakland Cemetery tours to shows at The EARL, and you've got plenty to plan around.

- News — The council's 8-7 vote on the $68 million jail sale leads the way, alongside the finished I-285/I-20 interchange work, DeKalb's E-SPLOST VII ballot question, and a deferred vote on expanding the county's non-discrimination ordinance.
- Business — Brasiliana Pizza started construction on a 2,500-square-foot restaurant at The Beacon, while Mariah Carey's holiday bar pop-up is set to launch Nov. 19 at Pullman Yards.
- Events — Iron and Wine and Futurebirds play The Eastern, Halloween weekend brings the Beltline pup parade and Oakland Cemetery's Fifty Ways to Die tour, and the Halloween Trap and Paint Party runs Oct. 31–Nov. 1.
- Government — Atlanta's council agenda included a proposed Memorial Drive Greenway land purchase, Fulton approved a three-month senior ride bridge contract, and this week's meetings include NPU-O weighing a Memorial Drive lot split.
- Construction — GDOT has a right-in/right-out conversion under construction at Moreland Avenue and Arkwright Place, plus I-20 LED lighting work, and permits are in for a Crew St duplex and Yan KTV signage.

Let's dive in.

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Atlanta City Council votes to sell detention center to Fulton County for $68 million
The council authorized the sale of the Atlanta City Detention Center in an 8-7 vote at its Oct. 19 meeting. The target closing date is Dec. 2, and if negotiations run past that date the city will pay $150 per detainee daily.

I-285/I-20 interchange project wraps up on Atlanta's east side
In a video report, 11Alive Traffic's Doug Turnbull explains what changed at the I-285/I-20 interchange on the east side. The report also covers how the changes could help traffic move more smoothly.

Education sales tax renewal is on the ballot this November in DeKalb County: Here's what it would do
The one-cent E-SPLOST supports the DeKalb County School District, Atlanta Public Schools, and City Schools of Decatur, and approval would make this the E-SPLOST VII round. E-SPLOST VI passed with 81 percent of the vote in November 2021, and the district has said it owed APS $2.9 million and CSD a little more than $9 million from that round due to a missing certificate of distribution; both have since been paid.

Proposed DeKalb County amendment seeks to expand LGBTQ+ non-discrimination laws
The amendment, sponsored by commissioners Robert Patrick, Michelle Long Spears, and Ted Terry, would extend the county's 2023 non-discrimination ordinance to cover housing and non-county employment. The Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee deferred its Oct. 20 discussion to a meeting on Nov. 5 at 9 a.m., which can be streamed on DCTV Channel 23.

BUSINESS

Brasiliana Pizza expanding to The Beacon in Grant Park — Brasiliana Pizza, a Brazilian-Italian pizzeria with existing food court locations at Emory and East Atlanta Village, began construction this month on a 2,500-square-foot restaurant at 1039 Grant St SE #100 in The Beacon and hopes to open in February 2027.

Mariah Carey holiday bar pop-up debuting at Pullman Yards — The 21-and-over "Mariah Carey's Holiday Bar" pop-up, organized through Bucket Listers, is set to launch Nov. 19 at Pullman Yards, 225 Rogers Street in Kirkwood, as the Atlanta stop of an eight-city rollout.

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Monday, October 26
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery
- Guerilla Toss | The EARL

Tuesday, October 27
- Colors of Change: An Autumn Art Exploration at Oakland | Oakland Cemetery
- Taper's Choice | The EARL
- Magic Movement | Grant Park- Greenspace F
- Futurebirds | The Eastern
- The Reynoldstown Yoga Reset | Lang-Carson Park

Wednesday, October 28
- Iron and Wine | The Eastern
- Pentagram String Band | 529 EAV

Thursday, October 29
- Glen Iris | The EARL
- Smoochyface & Hot Wives & Eureka Failure | 529 Bar
- Atlanta Beltline Thursday Run Club | Buteco

Friday, October 30
- Sammy Rae and The Friends & Melt – Atlanta | The Eastern
- Fall-O-Ween | Journal & Craft Night | Halfway Crooks Brewery
- Halloween Book Club: Florescentia | All The Tropes (Kirkwood)
- Innerspace Presents: Gas Hound, Kelly Romo, & More | Halfway Crooks Brewery
- Genitorturers & Nathan James | 529 Bar
- The Haunted Haus Big BOOty Bash | Hippin' Hops Brewery
- Boots on the Beltline Dance | Terminal South/Switchman Hall
- Panther Prowl Tailgate Party | Center Parc Stadium
- Covered In Blood Night 2 | The Earl

Saturday, October 31
- Georgia State Panthers Football vs Coastal Carolina Football | Georgia State Stadium
- The Lord of the Rings Halloween Watch Party | La Semilla
- Halloween Trap and Paint Party (Oct. 31–Nov. 1) | Paint Sip Socialize
- Howl-O-Ween Pup Parade & Beltline Crawl | Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trl
- Zumba/Hip Hop Cardio | Terminal South/Switchman Hall
- Fifty Ways to Die | Oakland Cemetery
- Actus Reus | 529 Bar
- Clavicle | The Earl

Sunday, November 1
- Día de Muertos | Oakland Cemetery
- Connor Cristi & DAMAG3 & $leazy EZ | 529 Bar

Neil Hediger Real Estate combines more than 35 years of living in Atlanta with 23+ years of real estate experience and a deep background in marketing. As an Atlanta Board Top Producer, Neil knows Atlanta — its neighborhoods, its properties and the nuances that can make the difference in a successful sale or purchase. He brings creative strategy, seasoned guidance and a highly personal approach to every client. Whether you’re buying or selling, contact Neil Hediger today to put that experience to work for you.

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
As covered in today's news section, the council took up the sale of the city detention center to Fulton County at its Oct. 19 meeting. The full council's agenda also included a plan to buy land to expand the Memorial Drive Greenway, a $2 million federal grant for downtown street improvements, and a proposed ban on using city drinking water to cool data centers. It also listed a ban on septic tanks for new commercial buildings and new rules to protect you from sudden water bill spikes. Minutes aren't yet published for these meetings, so outcomes aren't confirmed here. Earlier that day, the Committee on Council had on its agenda a request for certified police officers at every recreation center used as a polling site, plus competing changes to how you sign up and speak during public comment. It also looked at an independent legal review of city payments to Foris Webb, III, and a charter change requiring every piece of legislation to name a councilmember sponsor.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners
Commissioners unanimously approved county participation in Alpharetta's North Point Mall tax allocation district, but only after striking language that would have let county tax money pay for buying real estate. Two resolutions from Commissioner Dana Barrett failed, one to lift the 5% cap on department budget requests for 2027 and one urging limits on corporate ownership of medical practices. The board held a proposed $9.59 million, 12-month senior transportation contract with Transdev. Instead, it approved a $1.06 million, three-month bridge with Common Courtesy, so ride-sharing for residents 60 and older continues through March 31, 2027. Commissioners also approved $3 million in standby water system construction contracts, which keeps emergency repairs on track through the end of 2027.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
At its Committee of the Whole meeting on Oct. 20, commissioners set the agenda for the next full board meeting. They removed a proposed $153,800 contract to move election equipment, and they advanced land-taking declarations for two properties tied to the Constitution Road freight corridor project. Several relief items moved to the consent agenda, including $225,000 in federal pandemic-relief interest funds for eviction and utility assistance and $100,000 for mental health services. Two contracts, each worth about $55 million, went to standing committees for review, one for general construction and one for watershed work. A separate special called meeting was held the same morning, but no documents are available to say what it covered.

Atlanta Public Schools
The Policy Review Committee met Oct. 21 and discussed a new policy on how students and teachers can use artificial intelligence in classrooms. Members also reviewed draft 2027 legislative priorities, which set out what the district will ask state lawmakers to support. The committee took no votes, so nothing changes in your child's school yet. Both items must go to the full board before anything takes effect. A separate board meeting the same day shows only a standard agenda outline, with no recorded decisions.

NPU-W
The neighborhood planning unit met virtually Oct. 21, and its agenda centered on the proposed annexation of several properties from unincorporated DeKalb County, with single-family zoning. Residents also had a lot split and two requests to reduce required yard setbacks on the agenda, which can change how close new construction sits to the street and neighbors. A new restaurant alcohol license for a gamebar in the East Atlanta Village area was up for review. So were permits for two large Grant Park events, a winter festival in December and a cookout in June 2027. Georgia Power was also slated to give a briefing on local utility work, and the agenda doesn't show how any item was resolved.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta NPU
- Joystick Gamebar (485 Flat Shoals Avenue SE) — An application for a new restaurant alcohol license for Joystick Gamebar in East Atlanta Village is on the agenda.
- Grant Park (840 Cherokee Avenue SE) — Permit applications for two major multi-day festivals in Grant Park, including Atlanta Winter Wonderland in the Park and the Black Ass Cookout, are up for neighborhood review.

Atlanta City Council
- 264 Memorial Drive SE — Legislation is being proposed authorizing the City of Atlanta to acquire 0.32 acres for up to $1.59 million to expand the Memorial Drive Greenway park corridor.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee | Oct-26, 11:00 AM | key topics: 21-acre Cleveland Avenue parking facility, self-storage moratorium extension, BeltLine industrial-to-mixed-use rezonings, and municipal zoning code overhaul
- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee | Oct-26, 1:00 PM | key topics: housing code amendments on anonymous complaints, $6.5 million E911 network upgrade, and package alcohol distance exemptions
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners | Oct-27, 9:00 AM | key topics: Snapfinger Road YMCA acquisition, Gresham Road mixed residential rezoning, HUD park improvement grants, and freight corridor property condemnations
- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee | Oct-27, 10:00 AM | key topics: commercial septic tank ban, $25 million water distribution rehabilitation, storm sewer contracts, and Monument Avenue stream restoration
- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee | Oct-27, 1:30 PM | key topics: Murphy Crossing to Blandtown BeltLine TAD funding, Cascade Road grocery store tree fee waiver, and $24 million in HUD housing grants
- Atlanta NPU — NPU-O | Oct-27, 6:30 PM | key topics: 2696 Memorial Drive lot split, setback variances on Whitefoord and Sisson avenues, Rogers Street theater alcohol license, and 2027 officer elections
- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee | Oct-28, 10:00 AM | key topics: Buckhead roundabout agreement, Faith Avenue traffic calming, MLK Jr. Drive pedestrian safety, and public street abandonment hearings
- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee | Oct-28, 1:30 PM | key topics: Glynn Drive SE annexation and APS boundary expansion, $3.33 million Trees Atlanta agreement, and youth development grants

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

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Permits
- Crew St SW. A new three-story duplex with a front porch, rear balconies and attached garages is in the pipeline. The city wants additional materials before it moves forward, so construction isn't imminent. If it gets approved, you'll see new building noise on the block.
- 777 Memorial Dr SE. Exterior work for Yan KTV is under review, including custom LED lettering on the north-facing front. The city wants more materials first. When the work is done, the karaoke spot will be easier to spot from the road.
- 1039 Grant St SE. Interior wiring is permitted for a restaurant. The permit is issued, so work can start now. Keep an eye out for a new place to eat.
- 2575 Alston Dr SE. An electrical permit is issued to run a 20-amp circuit to the guard shack by the first tee box at the golf club. It's a small job and will draw little attention.
- 947 Violet St SE. Three separate commercial electrical permits were filed on the same day, all for branch circuits on an existing panel. That much activity at one address suggests a buildout or upgrade is underway.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 42/Us 23 @ SR 154 & @ Arkwright Place — Crews are building a median at Moreland Avenue and Arkwright Place that limits Arkwright to right-in/right-out turns. A signalized pedestrian crossing is part of the project.
- I-20 from Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Road - Lighting — LED fixtures are replacing the old sodium lights along I-20 from Capitol Avenue to Flat Shoals Road.
- SR 42 @ Cs 2199/United Ave & Cs 2935/Skyhaven Road - Vru — Skyhaven Road is being realigned to meet United Avenue at Moreland Avenue. Moreland is also getting left-turn lanes in both directions, plus sidewalks and lighting.
- SR 154 @ 7 Locs in Dekalb & 1 Loc in Fulton - Vru — New mid-block crosswalks and restricted turns are going in along Memorial Drive, between Hill and Pearl streets and at several spots from Moreland Avenue to Candler Road.
- SR 3 & SR 42 @ 6 Locs in Clayton & Fulton - Vru — Pedestrian hybrid beacons are being installed at four Moreland Avenue crossings between Faith Avenue and Isa Drive. Restricted U-turn crossings are going in at Woodstock Road and at Camelot Parkway/Patton Road.

Service Requests
- Overgrown Right of Way — Reported on Glenwood Ave SE (two reports), United Ave SE, Hardee St at Kensington St, Atlanta Ave SE, and Maynard Ter SE. Crews have already cleared four of the six.
- Non-Emergency Traffic Signal Repairs — Reported at Hosea L. Williams Dr and 2nd Ave (three reports, counting the variant spelling), Blvd Dr NE, Glenwood Ave SE, and Ralph David Abernathy Blvd at Pollard Blvd. Half are closed. If you drive through Hosea Williams and 2nd, you know why that intersection keeps coming up.
- Potholes — Reported on Howard St NE (two reports), Hill St SE, and Richmond St SE. Crews found no problem at one of the four.
- Litter Removal — Reported on Cleveland St SE, Russell St NE, and Hosea L. Williams Dr SE.
- Emergency Traffic Signal Repairs — Reported at Hosea L. Williams Dr and 2nd Ave, and at Moreland Ave SE and Memorial Dr SE. Both are closed. The 2nd Ave intersection has now drawn emergency and routine signal reports in the same week.
- Graffiti Removal — Reported on Flat Shoals Ave SE.
- Sign Repair or Installation — Reported at Martin St and Tuskegee St.

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Until next week,
Memorial Drive Corridor Busybody

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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.