Presented by Rally Built Homes

Good morning, Memorial Drive Corridor! This week: Jovita Moore mural is back, “Cabbagetown ‘76” exhibit is running and worth checking out, Councilman Antonio Lewis wants a formal registry of Southeast Atlanta's dirt roads (most may be South of us, but still worth a note), NPU-O is weighing a major annexation near Fayetteville Road, and Memorial Drive itself is sprouting new apartments and a mystery commercial tenant.

- News — A councilman's push to catalog dirt roads, a three-lot subdivision near East Lake Golf Club, and DeKalb's $75 million bet on affordable housing all made headlines this week.
- Business — East Atlanta Village is getting a permanent home for the beloved Filipino pop-up Zarate Tiki Co.
- Events — The Artlanta Festival of Culture takes over Piedmont Park north of here Friday, plus there’s a full week of 5Ks, live music, and Zoo Atlanta programming to plan around.
- Government — NPU-O's agenda is loaded, from a Fayetteville Road annexation to new dispensary rules near schools, while Fulton commissioners tangle with the mayor over tax districts and jail funding.
- Construction — Two new permits confirm apartments and a mystery tenant are landing on Memorial Drive, while potholes and overgrowth top this week's service requests around the corridor.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Atlanta City Council to consider resolution targeting unpaved city streets
Atlanta City Councilman Antonio Lewis introduced a three-step legislative initiative to create an official registry of uncured, unpaved dirt roads across Southeast Atlanta, with the goal of systematically identifying and repairing the hazards.

Subdivision in works at cusp of historic Atlanta golf course
Developer Spencer-Love Homes has filed plans to split a 0.64-acre corner lot at 2830 Alston Drive SE in East Lake into three residential parcels, situated just steps from the East Lake Golf Club.

'Cabbagetown '76' exhibit illuminates iconic neighborhood's transition
The exhibition draws on historic imagery and archives to document Cabbagetown's community character during a pivotal era for the historic mill village.

Decide DeKalb approves $75 million for major housing bond program
Decide DeKalb Development Authority issued a $75 million taxable revenue bond as part of its larger $155 million Housing Investment Bond Program, directing the funds toward workforce and affordable housing projects across DeKalb County.

Jovita Moore mural returns in Grant Park
A public mural honoring late news anchor Jovita Moore has been reinstalled in Grant Park following community uproar over the coffee shop tenant taking down the prior Jovita Moore mural.

Atlanta Mayor Blasts Fulton Commission Over Tax Allocation Districts and $1.3B Jail Plan
Mayor Andre Dickens criticized the Fulton County Board of Commissioners for rejecting an extension of six tax allocation districts while the board simultaneously approved a $1.3 billion financing plan for jail renovations.

BUSINESS

Zarate Tiki Co. - opening - Filipino food and beverage pop-up Zarate Tiki Co. is opening its first brick-and-mortar location in East Atlanta Village at 493 Flat Shoals Ave SE.

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EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, August 3
- ONE Zoning Committee Meeting | Our Neighborhood Edgewood
- Casket Cassette | The Earl
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

Tuesday, August 4
- Zoh Amba | The Earl
- Ten02 | 529 EAV

Wednesday, August 5
- Trainer for a Day: World of Wild Theater | Zoo Atlanta

Thursday, August 6
- NINE VICIOUS - A TOUR | The Eastern
- National IPA Day | Republic Social House
- Lowtown | The Earl
- Collective Dust | 529 Bar
- Keeper for a Day: Elephants | Zoo Atlanta

Friday, August 7
- Finally, Friday: Back to School | Oakland Cemetery
- 500 Songs For Kids XIX...90's Edition! - PAY WHAT YOU CAN | The Earl
- Punk Rock Karaoke | 529 Bar
- Camp Poncey-Hi Skyline Social | Hotel Clermont
- Artlanta Festival of Culture | Piedmont Park

Saturday, August 8
- Run for East Lake 5K & Fun Run | Charles R. Drew Charter School
- Molly Santana X North West | The Eastern
- 500 Songs For Kids XIX...80's Edition! - PAY WHAT YOU CAN | The Earl
- Kids Night Out | Zoo Atlanta
- Epitaphs: The Immortality of Words | Oakland Cemetery
- Violence System | 529 Bar

Sunday, August 9
- The Jewish Grounds of Oakland | Oakland Cemetery
- Plant Bingo | 529 EAV
- Lee Bains | The Earl

GOVERNMENT

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

Past Week Roundup

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education held its Student Advisory Council orientation this week, welcoming new student representatives for the 2026-27 school year. Students met with the Atlanta Board of Education and the Superintendent, and the group held officer elections before breaking into committees. This was a kickoff session rather than a policy meeting, so there were no votes on budgets, zoning matters, or contracts to report. It's still worth keeping an eye on this group throughout the year, since student advisory councils increasingly shape how the district communicates decisions back to families.

NPU-O had a packed agenda this week, starting with a major annexation and rezoning proposal that would pull several parcels into the City of Atlanta and split them into commercial, single-family, and office-institutional zoning categories, a change that could reshape development along a key corridor. Also up for discussion was a city-wide ordinance that would adjust solid waste taxes and service fees and clarify who qualifies for exemptions from backyard trash pickup charges. A separate proposal would require state-licensed medical cannabis dispensaries to get a special use permit before opening, keeping them a set distance from schools and parks. There was also an update on the charter renewal process for Charles R. Drew Charter School, a topic that matters to families across the district. Keep in mind that none of this is final. Every item on this agenda could still be tabled, amended, or pulled before any vote happens.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta NPU - NPU-O
- 1963 Hosea Williams Drive (Jolene Jolene) — The restaurant is seeking NPU support for a change of ownership on its alcohol license, with no operational changes expected.
- 560 & 562 Fayetteville Road SE — These properties are on the agenda for annexation into Atlanta and rezoning to C-1 commercial, which would allow shops or mixed-use buildings on parcels currently outside city limits.

Meetings This Week
- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Special Called Meeting | Aug-03, 10:00 AM | key topics: 2026 TSPLOST ballot referendum & IGA, Service Delivery Strategy negotiations update, economic development update
- Atlanta City Council | Aug-03, 1:00 PM | key topics: 2028 DNC host agreements, Jesse Hill Jr. Drive pedestrian plaza near Grady, private parking garage/lot consumer protections, 708 Kirkwood Ave SE land use change (Kirkwood)
- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners | Aug-05, 10:00 AM | key topics: opposition to data center tax abatements, Westside affordable commercial space funding, November 2026 ESPLOST ballot agreement, Budget Commission re-establishment

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

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Permits
- 920 Glenwood Ave SE — The Atlanta Beltline Southside Trail Segment 6 Phase A is moving forward, adding about 0.2 miles of new 14-foot shared-use path. If you walk or bike this stretch, expect construction activity and detours for a while.
- 997 Memorial Dr SE — A new multi-family building just got permitted. Another apartment complex is on its way to Memorial Drive.
- 777 Memorial Dr SE — This address has two permits moving at once. One approves an interior build-out for a commercial tenant, new walls, finishes, the works. The other covers a heat pump swap on an existing unit. Put together, they point to a business getting ready to open here.
- 2411 Memorial Dr SE — A certificate of occupancy is under review for an existing tenant space. No construction or renovation involved, so keep an eye out for a new business moving into a space that's already built out.
- 218 Powell St SE — A new concrete driveway is going in at this duplex. You'll likely see equipment and hear some noise on the street while the crew works.
- 791 Wylie St SE — Nine windows are getting swapped out, like for like, at this multi-family building. No structural work, so this one's quick and low-impact.

Beyond these, 73 smaller residential permits came through this week, totaling about $39,000 in value. Most are routine, HVAC replacements, dead tree removals, minor electrical work, and a handful of demolitions. Nothing there should disrupt your block in a major way.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 260 Pedestrian Upgrades (Haas Ave & Eastside Ave) — Crews are installing RRFB pedestrian signals at these two intersections in DeKalb County. Expect minor slowdowns if you're crossing or driving through this stretch.
- SR 260 Pedestrian Upgrades (Brownwood Ave & Joseph Ave) — Another round of RRFB installations is underway nearby, also in DeKalb County. These signals will make crossing safer once complete, but give yourself extra time in the work zone for now.
- SR 42/Moreland Ave at Arkwright Place (Fulton County) — GDOT is converting this intersection to right-in/right-out only, adding a median that blocks left turns.
- I-20 Lighting Upgrade (Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Rd) — This DeKalb and Fulton project is swapping out old HPS lighting for energy-efficient LED fixtures along I-20, with possible pole and conduit replacement too. Nighttime drivers should watch for lane restrictions as crews work overhead.
- SR 154 Pedestrian Safety Project (Multiple DeKalb and Fulton locations) — This project spans seven locations in DeKalb and one in Fulton, adding a mid-block crossing, a right-in/right-out, and a restricted U-turn near Hill Street and Pearl Street.
- I-20 Resurfacing (Hill St/Fulton to Columbia Dr/DeKalb) — GDOT is resurfacing this section of I-20 to fix a low pavement quality score. The work spans both Fulton and DeKalb counties, so plan for lane shifts if you take I-20 through this area.

Service Requests

Crews are working through 33 open requests around the corridor this week, and overgrowth and potholes top the list.

Visibility and Overgrowth — 9 reports came in on Mayson Ave NE (2 spots), Arkwright Pl SE, Atlanta Ave SE, Maynard Ter SE, Eva Davis Way SE, and three other locations. The city's already marked 7 as solved, with 2 still in progress.

Potholes — 9 reports are in progress on La France St NE (3 separate spots), E Lake Dr & 3rd Ave, Pickett St SE, Lakeview Dr NE, Memorial Dr SE, and two other locations. None are closed out yet.

Traffic Signal Repairs — You'll find 6 non-emergency signal issues at Hosea L Williams Dr & Whitefoord Ave (2 reports), SR 42 (Moreland Ave) & Constitution Rd, Pearl St SE, E Lake Dr & Paden Cir, and Hosea Williams Dr & E Lake Dr. Half remain in progress, and the rest closed out with mixed outcomes, including one flagged as outside city limits. Two more urgent, emergency-level signal repairs are underway at Flat Shoals Ave & Metropolitan Ave and Hosea L Williams Dr & Whitefoord Ave.

Downed Trees — Reports came in for Wylie St & Weatherby St, Bryan St SE, and Bryan St & Loomis Ave. Two are already cleared, and one's still in progress.

Litter Removal — Crews are addressing right of way litter on Leland Ter NE and at Blvd & Decatur St. One's solved, one's still pending.

Other Requests — You'll also see a graffiti removal in progress on Memorial Dr SE and a sign repair or replacement moving forward on Gresham Ave SE.

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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.