Memorial Drive Corridor: Grady's Parking Problem and East Lake Takes a Loss

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The people have spoken, and the East Atlanta and Edgewood / Kirkwood East Lake newsletters have been combined! We think this has yielded a much richer, more local-feeling newsletter (if you disagree you can let us know in the poll at the bottom). While the “one big Eastside” newsletter did get a lot of support, this felt like the right first step and we can certainly re-evaluate in the future. Hope you enjoy!

One more exciting announcement: We just launched a cross-neighborhood “week in review” edition that highlights the most important stories across all our neighborhoods, and are launching in the near future a “Downtown” edition and a “Southwest Beltline” edition! Re-choose your neighborhoods here if you want to sign up for any of those three.

Happy Fourth of July week, Memorial Drive Corridor! America turns 250, and the neighborhood has plenty of its own news to chew on before the fireworks fly. Grady Memorial Hospital is drawing real pushback over a parking-heavy redevelopment plan in Cabbagetown, and a 43-unit townhome project just filed permits on Memorial Drive. Plenty to dig into below.

- News — Grady's car-heavy Cabbagetown plan is facing community resistance, East Lake loses the Tour Championship after 2027, and the long-delayed Beltline trail connection is finally showing progress.
- Business — Joystick Game Bar (a tad Northwest of here on Edgewood Ave), one of Atlanta's most beloved arcade bars, is closing for good after 14 years.
- Events — The Peachtree Road Race runs its 57th edition this Fourth of July, while at the same time a House festival takes over Grant Park.
- Government — Atlanta's Zoning Committee blocked a major Buckhead housing project and voted to pause new self-storage permits citywide, while DeKalb killed data center zoning and a 12-home subdivision.
- Construction — A 43-unit townhome development is moving through permits on Memorial Drive, a new median at Moreland and Arkwright will eliminate left turns, and a sewer repair on Moreland will cause lane closures today and tomorrow.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

In Cabbagetown, Grady unveils parking-heavy redevelopment plans
Grady Memorial Hospital has revealed plans to redevelop a long-vacant corner lot in Cabbagetown, and the design is raising eyebrows. Residents and urban planners are pushing back hard on a proposal they say prioritizes cars over people, a frustrating choice for a neighborhood that's worked hard to define its own walkable character.

East Lake out as permanent host for Tour Championship after 2027
The PGA Tour is ending its long-standing tradition of calling East Lake Golf Club home for the Tour Championship. After 2027, the tournament moves to a rotating host model. It's a significant shift for a neighborhood that has built real identity around the event, and a quiet closing of a chapter that felt permanent for a long time.

Cabbagetown revives park by Atlanta graffiti tunnel
The beloved green space next to Krog Street Tunnel is getting some long-overdue attention, with community-led efforts pushing to restore and improve the park for the people who actually use it. For a spot that sees constant foot traffic from one of Atlanta's most iconic cultural landmarks, the upgrade is a welcome one.

Photos: In Reynoldstown, unique double-dose of ADUs pops up
A single corner in Reynoldstown now hosts a duplex where each unit comes with its own built-in accessory dwelling unit. It's a small project with a big idea inside it, and a sign of how creatively some developers are responding to the neighborhood's growth pressure.

Despite slow construction, Beltline connection's completion on horizon
The long-delayed trail extension linking the Trolley Line Trail to the Atlanta Beltline is finally showing signs of life, with progress reported on the critical intersection upgrade at its heart. When it's done, pedestrians will have a safer, more connected route.

10 spectacular things to do this Fourth of July weekend in Atlanta
America turns 250 this weekend, and Atlanta is not taking the occasion lightly. Expect packed streets, the Peachtree Road Race, and celebrations spread across the metro. If you're staying local, there's no shortage of ways to mark the moment.

BUSINESS

Joystick Game Bar - closing - After 14 years as one of Atlanta's most beloved arcade bars, Joystick Game Bar is powering down for good. It’s a real loss for anyone who ever fed a quarter into a cabinet here and called it a night well spent.

EVENTS | Presented by

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The Peachtree Road Race is back for its 57th running this Fourth of July, drawing tens of thousands of participants from Lenox Road down to Piedmont Park. It’s one of the largest (and hottest) 10K races around and an Atlanta tradition unlike any other. If you're anywhere near Buckhead or Midtown on the morning of July 4th, plan your route accordingly, and if you're not racing, find a good spot on the course and cheer someone on.

Monday, June 29
- CNIA - Grady Community Benefits Agreement Review | Cabbagetown Neighborhood Improvement Association
- Future Earth Engineers Summer Camp | Oakland Cemetery
- Summer Safari Camp at Zoo Atlanta | Zoo Atlanta
- Dylan Walshe | Grant Central Pizza East
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

Tuesday, June 30
- CBF26 Urban Air Grant Park Trip | Grant Park Recreation Center
- The SoapGirls | The Earl
- Sammy Brasher | 529 Bar
- KING 810 | 529 Bar
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

Wednesday, July 1
- Keeper for a Day: Reptiles and Amphibians | Zoo Atlanta
- LIHEAP Cooling Program Starts July 1st | Fulton Atlanta Community Action Authority Resource Center
- Drosera | 529 Bar
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

Thursday, July 2
- Unarmed Civilians | The Earl
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

Friday, July 3
- Silk Daisys | The Earl
- Spencer Scott Smith & The Cherokee Roses | 529 Bar
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

Saturday, July 4
- 9th Annual ATLANTA HOUSE HEADS PICNIC | Grant Park Atlanta (Pavillion II)
- Stars, Stripes, and Sips at Vesper | Vesper Atlanta
- Heroes For Ghosts | 529 Bar
- Peachtree Road Race | Lenox to Piedmont Park
- Fourth of July Family Day | Jimmy Carter Presidential Library
- Rooftop Rodeo | Ponce City Market
- Fourth of July in Downtown Decatur | Downtown Decatur

Sunday, July 5
- We Shall Overcome: African American Stories from Civil War to Civil Rights | Oakland Cemetery
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery

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

At its June 23 meeting — for which minutes are posted — the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners rejected two significant development proposals: a county-wide text amendment that would have established zoning standards and regulatory guidelines for data centers in industrial and office districts, and a rezoning request that would have allowed a new 12-home subdivision on Kelly Lake Road. On a more positive note, commissioners approved an update to the county code levying an excise tax on short-term rentals and clarifying related zoning rules, with planning staff directed to report back with further recommendations in six months. A separate vote green-lit a $1.2 million contract with Trusted Hands Senior Care to help seniors with daily living needs, along with an implementation plan for a North DeKalb day center supporting residents experiencing homelessness. However, several high-stakes items were punted to committee: a decision on 2026 property tax millage rates and budget revisions was deferred to July 7, proposed hikes to residential sanitation and stormwater fees were also pushed to July 7, and more than $4 million in trail design contracts — including $3.12 million for South River Trail Phase VI and nearly $1 million for the North Fork Peachtree Creek Trail — were deferred to the Public Works & Infrastructure Committee until July 14. A June 26 Committee of the Whole also met, but no agenda or minutes are available for that session, so outcomes from it are unknown.

Atlanta City Council

The full Atlanta City Council convened for a brief special called meeting on June 24 — minutes are posted — and moved quickly, passing four ordinances unanimously 9-0 in just 17 minutes to authorize $8 million in new General Obligation bonds split evenly between fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Both tranches will be placed directly with Huntington National Bank, with each $4 million issuance paired with $150,000 to cover bond issuance costs. No residents spoke during public comment, and all items were sent to the Mayor for immediate signature. While the bond proceeds' specific end uses were not detailed in the meeting record, GO bonds of this type typically fund capital infrastructure projects across the city — meaning the money is likely headed toward facilities, roads, or other public assets residents use daily.

Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee

The Transportation Committee met June 24 with minutes now posted, and the agenda covered a wide range of street-level changes affecting drivers, pedestrians, and transit riders citywide. The committee took up a proposed ordinance to regulate private parking lots and garages with new consumer protections — including mandatory rate disclosures, payment accessibility rules, and dispute resolution procedures — that would give drivers more recourse against surprise charges or wrongful towing. A separate proposal would permanently close a block of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE near Grady Hospital to vehicles, converting it into a landscaped pedestrian plaza in partnership with Grady Health System. On the transit front, the committee considered a resolution formally asking the Mayor to renegotiate the "More MARTA" Intergovernmental Agreement to better reflect current funding realities and neighborhood priorities — a significant move given how much the original agreement shaped transit expansion plans across the city. Rounding out the session were a $2.63 million engineering contract for the Pryor Street and Central Avenue Safe Streets Project, an $824,096 pedestrian improvement contract for Campbellton Road, and a proposed $3.6 million state grant acceptance for Peachtree Street road and safety upgrades.

Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee

The Finance/Executive Committee met June 24 — minutes are posted — and considered a resolution calling on Fulton County to commit $200 million toward a healthcare partnership with Morehouse School of Medicine to expand hospital facilities on Atlanta's Southside and Westside, a proposal with major implications for medically underserved communities. The committee also took up a held ordinance to set the city's FY2027 ad valorem property tax rates across the general levy, school tax, parks, BeltLine Special Service District, and Atlanta Stitch Special Service District — a critical step that will determine what homeowners owe next year. On the consumer side, an ordinance was on the table to authorize the CFO to impose surcharges on certain electronic payments to the city, which could raise the cost of paying city bills online. Additional items included a $63 million special procurement agreement with Delta Air Lines for enabling work on a new lounge at Hartsfield-Jackson, a proposed ordinance to establish competitive pay scales for Atlanta Fire Rescue, free summer camp programming for all city youth at Camp Best Friends, and a $75,000 donation to HouseProud Atlanta to fund zero-cost home repairs for low-income seniors.

Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee

The Community Development/Human Services Committee met June 23 — minutes are posted — and took up a broad mix of housing, recreation, and land-use proposals. A proposed ordinance would codify a policy of free admission at all city pools and indoor swim facilities, while a separate 20-year agreement with L.E.A.D., Inc. would allow the nonprofit to build and operate a new community center near Center Hill Park on city-owned land. On the housing front, the committee considered a $539,850 federal grant to fund Section 8 rental subsidies for 28 low-income families, as well as a $250,000 Livable Centers Initiative study focused on transit-oriented development around the Ashby MARTA Station. Two companion ordinances proposing to reclassify dozens of properties along Logan Circle and Chattahoochee Avenue NW from heavy industrial to Industrial Flex zoning — a shift that would open the door to creative offices, maker-spaces, and retail — remained on hold pending a public hearing. A previously introduced ordinance to create a formal Office of Short-Term Rentals, complete with a mandatory registry and platform verification requirements, also remained under committee consideration.

Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee

The City Utilities Committee met June 23 — minutes are posted — with a heavy infrastructure agenda affecting Atlanta's water, sewer, and trash systems. A substitute ordinance was on the table to restructure solid waste fees and clarify which residents qualify for an exemption from paid backyard trash collection, a change that could shift costs for a significant number of households. The committee also considered transferring $2 million from completed watershed projects to fund stream stabilization and restoration work at Chastain Park's golf course, alongside a nearly $1.9 million land acquisition to build a new constructed wetland for stormwater management. On the regulatory side, proposals were reviewed to establish clearer criteria for when property owners must connect to the public sewer system and to restore green infrastructure stormwater requirements that were stripped from city code in 2020. Rounding out the meeting were two major contract renewals — totaling more than $36 million — to keep up with emergency mechanical repairs across Atlanta's aging water and sewer infrastructure, as well as a $15.5 million budget amendment for upgrades at the Flint River Pump Station.

Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee

The Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee met June 22 — minutes are posted — and approved a $3.39 million land purchase from MARTA to build a new EMS and fire station in the Lindbergh City Center, unanimously 6-0. In a closer 3-2 vote, the committee passed a controversial ordinance giving the city's CFO authority to require alcohol-licensed businesses to submit receipts, financial records, and books for forensic auditing when APD is conducting criminal or regulatory investigations — a measure two councilmembers opposed and one abstained from. A retroactive lease was also approved 6-0 to keep the APD Zone 6 precinct operating in its current 9,000-square-foot location through August 2027 at $102,000 annually. Two items drew significant interest but were ultimately held in committee: an ordinance to create a public transparency process for surveillance technologies used to monitor public rights-of-way, and a resolution requesting a 180-day moratorium on new alcohol license applications along the Edgewood Corridor, which remains pending for future discussion.

Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee

The Atlanta Zoning Committee met June 22 — minutes are posted — and delivered a unanimous 7-0 recommendation to deny a proposed rezoning of an 11.185-acre Buckhead property at West Paces Ferry and West Wesley Roads from single-family residential to a custom Planned Development Housing designation, effectively blocking a large-scale housing project in one of the city's most established neighborhoods. The committee also unanimously backed a citywide 180-day moratorium on new permits for self-storage and secure-storage facilities, a measure introduced by Councilmember Dustin Hillis that gives the city time to reassess where these uses should be allowed. On the approval side, a special use permit for the Ansley Golf Club on 52 acres was cleared as amended, and a rezoning at a Kirkwood property from one landmark district subarea to another was approved. A dozen additional cases — spanning duplex conversions, multi-family rezonings, and industrial-to-mixed-use transitions across multiple districts — were unanimously referred back to committee for further review, putting those proposals on pause for now.

NPU-O

Neighborhood Planning Unit O — which represents East Lake, Kirkwood, and Edgewood — held its monthly meeting virtually on June 23, but because no minutes have been posted yet, this summary is based solely on the published agenda; items may have been tabled, deferred, or voted down without public record. On the agenda was an amended site plan for BrooklynDay Atlanta 2026, an outdoor festival at East Lake Park scheduled for June 27, which NPU-O had previously supported in April but was asked to re-review given plan updates. Two alcohol license change-of-ownership requests were also on the docket — one for a local restaurant on Hosea Williams Drive and one for a convenience store just across NPU-O's boundary on Moreland Avenue. Rounding out the agenda were two residential zoning variance requests affecting properties on Marion Place NE and Hosea L. Williams Drive NE, both of which have separate public hearings scheduled before the Board of Zoning Adjustment in early July — so residents still have opportunities to weigh in directly on those cases.

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education

The Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education met June 23 — minutes are listed as available, but the official record contains no detailed vote outcomes or discussion notes — so specific decisions from this meeting cannot be confirmed. The agenda included a draft Electronic Payments and Funds Transfer Policy scheduled for approval, a discussion of student technology use and instructional materials policies, and a review of the district's approach to facility repurposing and community asset stewardship. That last item is one residents in neighborhoods with underutilized or vacant school buildings should follow closely, as it governs how the district decides what to do with those assets. Because no substantive minutes are on record, it remains unclear whether any of these items were formally adopted or sent back for further review.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee
- 560 & 562 Fayetteville Road SE — A land-use redesignation proposal (26-O-1350) was considered that would shift these two properties to Low Density Mixed Use (LDMU), allowing small-scale retail alongside low-density townhomes or apartments.
- 708 Kirkwood Avenue SE — A proposed land-use change (26-O-1323) was considered to shift this property from Low Density Residential (LDR) to Low Density Mixed Use (LDMU), opening the door for small-scale commercial activity alongside housing.

Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee
- 2025 Hosea Williams Drive SE — The committee unanimously approved a retroactive lease with Israel Missionary Baptist Church for 9,000 square feet of office space to serve as the APD Zone Six main precinct, running August 2025 through August 2027 at $102,000 per year.

Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee
- 708 Kirkwood Avenue SE — The committee unanimously approved a rezoning from Cabbagetown Landmark District Subarea 3 to Subarea 4, adjusting the property's historic zoning parameters.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

2015 Memorial Dr SE — A major townhome development is taking shape here, with permits filed for multiple 3-story buildings totaling at least 43 units across seven separate permit applications. All share the same land disturbance and site approval numbers, so this is one coordinated project moving through the pipeline in stages. Expect noise and construction traffic on this stretch of Memorial for a while.
- 437 Memorial Dr SE — HVAC renovation with a new rooftop unit and ductwork modifications filed. Commercial space getting a mechanical upgrade.
- 390 Stovall St SE — Replacement heat pump unit permitted and issued. Routine commercial HVAC swap, nothing dramatic.
- 560 Fayetteville Rd SE — Plumbing fixtures installation pending. Minor commercial work.

Beyond the headliners, the week brought 33 additional commercial permits ($230K combined) spread across HVAC, plumbing, and multi-family alteration work throughout the corridor — the usual churn of maintenance and upgrades keeping older commercial stock functional. Another 81 residential permits rounded out the week, mostly electrical, plumbing, and HVAC calls on the home side.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 42/US 23 @ Moreland Ave & Arkwright Place (Fulton County) — A new median is going in at the Moreland Avenue and Arkwright Place intersection to convert it to a right-in/right-out only. Left turns will be eliminated, so rethink your approach to this intersection now.
- I-20 Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Road — Lighting Upgrade (Fulton & DeKalb Counties) — Crews are swapping out old high-pressure sodium fixtures for LED lighting along this stretch of I-20. Expect lane activity through the corridor; the upgrade spans both Fulton and DeKalb counties.
- SR 154 — Pedestrian Crossing Improvements (Fulton & DeKalb Counties) — Work is underway along SR 154/Memorial Drive to add a mid-block pedestrian crossing, a right-in/right-out, and a restricted crossing U-turn between Hill Street and Pearl Street. Watch for shifting traffic patterns as this one reshapes how pedestrians and drivers move through the corridor.
- I-20 West of Hill St to West of Columbia Dr — Concrete Rehab (Fulton & DeKalb Counties) — Resurfacing is active on SR 402/I-20 between Hill Street and Columbia Drive. This is a low OCI score fix — meaning the pavement needed attention — so expect construction activity along this heavily traveled section of the interstate.

Utility Work

Atlanta Watershed
- Sewer Lateral Repair on Moreland Avenue SE — Emergency lane closure on Moreland Ave SE for a sewer lateral repair today and tomorrow from 8-3.

Service Requests

Residents filed 35 service requests across the corridor this week, covering everything from crumbling pavement to downed trees.

- Potholes — Ten reports filed along Pickett St SE, Glenwood Ave at Lomita Rd, Glenwood Ave SE, Boulevard SE, DeKalb Ave, and five additional locations.
- Overgrowth & Visibility Issues — Seven right-of-way maintenance requests flagged vegetation obstructions at Murray Hill Ave NE (two reports), Glenwood Ave SE (two reports), Inman Park MARTA & PATH, Sydney St at Kelly St, and Grant St SE.
- Downed Trees — Six reports across Clifton St SE (two), Woodbine Ave SE (two), Woodland Ave SE, and Wylie St at Ericson St — likely fallout from recent storms moving through the area.
- Traffic Signal Problems — Six non-emergency repair requests at Boulevard & Memorial Dr (two reports), Hosea Williams & Whitefoord, Memorial Dr SE & Boulevard SE, Moreland Ave & Arkwright Pl, and Memorial Dr & Gibson St. Two additional emergency-level signal repairs were reported — and closed — at Memorial Dr & Boulevard and Hardy St & Moreland Ave.
- ROW Litter Removal — Four requests along Moreland Ave SE (two reports), Bouldercrest Dr SE, and Quillian 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.

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