Hey, Memorial Drive Corridor! As if mosquitos couldn’t get any worse this time of year, now some of them have been confirmed as carrying West Nile Virus in the area. On the bright side, there’s a new food hall opened in East Lake and new neighborhood tennis courts courtesy of Coco Gauff.

- News — West Nile Virus is confirmed near your neighborhood and Coco Gauff just upgraded East Atlanta's youth courts.
- Business — The Vela Park food hall is officially open, Barnes & Noble is returning to East Atlanta, and a new mixed-use project called Gemini is breaking ground on a former Reynoldstown church site.
- Events — Kurt Vile hits The Eastern on Friday, Band of Horses and Dinosaur Jr. follow Saturday, and a DIY zine-making workshop midweek rounds out a strong week for live music and local programming.
- Government — Atlanta City Council voted unanimously to freeze all new self-storage permits for 180 days, E-SPLOST heads to a November ballot, and DeKalb commissioners approved the county's biggest-ever affordable housing investment — with more meetings this week that could affect your street and your tax bill.
- Construction — Townhomes and a mixed-use building are filed along Memorial Drive, and the Beltline Southside Trail picks up another 0.2 miles.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

Grant Park Residents on Alert After Mosquitoes Test Positive for West Nile Virus
Health officials have confirmed West Nile Virus in mosquito samples trapped in the area, and Fulton County is responding with increased larvicide spraying and expanded trapping. You'll want to dump any standing water around your property now, whether it's in a flower pot, a bird bath, or a clogged gutter.

Tennis star Coco Gauff's donation renovates courts at East Atlanta Kids Club
The East Atlanta Kids Club has unveiled freshly renovated tennis and basketball courts, made possible by a donation from tennis champion Coco Gauff. It's a meaningful investment in local youth, and kids in the area now have significantly better facilities to use.

New mile markers on Atlanta Beltline aim to minimize emergency response times
The Atlanta Beltline has installed new mile markers along its trails, giving first responders a reliable way to pinpoint exactly where an emergency is happening. If you've ever wondered how 911 dispatchers locate someone who collapses mid-run on a trail with no street address, this is the fix.

New Atlanta Beltline volunteer portal makes it easier for Atlantans to give back
The Atlanta Beltline has launched a new online volunteer portal, making it simpler than ever to find and sign up for opportunities to help maintain the trails and green spaces you use every week.

DeKalb leaders approve county's largest-ever housing investment as federal assistance declines
DeKalb County commissioners have signed off on the biggest local affordable housing funding package in the county's history $15M annually to fund creating or preserving 15,000 homes. The decision puts real local money behind housing development at a time when federal support is drying up.

BUSINESS

Vela Park Food Hall - opening - The centerpiece food hall at Vela Park is officially open. The $200 million mixed-use development rose on the former Bag Factory site in East Lake.

Barnes & Noble - opening - The bookseller is coming back to Edgewood, giving the area a brick-and-mortar spot to browse again.

The Nest Nursery School - opening - The nursery school is signing on as the next tenant at Terminal South in the neighborhood, adding a childcare option to the development's growing roster.

Reynoldstown Gemini - opening - A new development called Gemini is getting underway on a former church site in the area. You'll find a first-look at what's coming in the full story.

EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, July 13
- Culinary Creators Summer Camp | Oakland Cemetery
- Summer Safari Camp at Zoo Atlanta | Zoo Atlanta

Wednesday, July 15
- Historic Preservation Land Use (HPLU) Meeting | Cabbagetown Neighborhood Improvement Association
- Sound Bath & Social | Cabbagetown Neighborhood Improvement Association
- Cody Bolden & The Roadhands | 529 Bar
- DIY Zine-Making Workshop | The Bakery
- Road Trip: Improv Based on Real Stories
- Trainer for a Day: World of Wild Theater | Zoo Atlanta
- Open Mic Night | New Realm Brewing

Thursday, July 16
- OT The Real | 529 Bar
- JD Pinkus Triptych | The Earl
- Adventure Cubs | Zoo Atlanta

Friday, July 17
- Kurt Vile and the Violators | The Eastern
- Palaces | 529 Bar
- Solid State Radio | The Earl

Saturday, July 18
- Savanna Nights at Zoo Atlanta | Zoo Atlanta
- Band of Horses & Dinosaur Jr. | The Eastern
- Tree Tour: Trees, Trails, History, and Architecture of Grant Park | Grant Park
- Hot Girls Heal Too ✨ A Restorative Yoga & Sound Bath Experience | Seviin Yoga
- Arabia Reads At Barnes & Noble - Images of America: Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area | Barnes & Noble Edgewood
- Psychic Death / Grocer (Philly) / Deady (Louisville) / Johnny Falloon | The EARL
- Echolalia | 529 Bar
- GROWN & VIBIN | Park Studios 101
- Keeper for a Day: Elephants | Zoo Atlanta
- Art & Architecture Tour | Oakland Cemetery
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery
- Atlanta Summer Halal Food Fest – A Global Culinary & Cultural Experience | Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark

Sunday, July 19
- Buck Meek | The Earl
- BAE | 529 Bar
- Behind the Stones: Preservation Tour | Oakland Cemetery
- Oakland Tour | Oakland Cemetery
- FIFA Watch Party | Piedmont Park

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 City Council

The council's biggest move this week was a unanimous 180-day moratorium on all new self-storage facilities across the city, hitting pause on permits and rezonings while the city takes a fresh look at its storage guidelines. The full council also approved a retroactive lease on Hosea Williams Drive for the APD Zone 6 precinct, locking in 9,000 square feet of space at Israel Missionary Baptist Church through August 2027 at $102,000 a year. On the ballot front, the Committee on Council unanimously cleared the way for a November 3 special election on whether to renew Fulton County's 1% educational sales tax (E-SPLOST), so you'll have a direct say on that one in the fall. A $62.9 million contract for Delta One Lounge work at Hartsfield-Jackson and a $1.75 million Amazon Web Services cloud contract were both approved, along with a rezone at a Cabbagetown property on Kirkwood Avenue that passed despite a prior denial recommendation from the local planning unit. Two significant items are still in limbo: a proposal to create a formal short-term rental registry and enforcement office was held in committee, and a new policy that would let the city's CFO order forensic audits of alcohol license holders was deferred for further review.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners

As covered in today's news section, the Board approved the county's largest-ever affordable housing investment this week. Beyond that headline, the Board approved the 2026 property tax millage rates and budget revisions, meaning your tax bill reflects those decisions, and it also signed off on fee increases for stormwater utilities and residential sanitation services, so expect those monthly costs to tick up. A $20.5 million contract with Arcadis U.S., Inc. for expansion work at the Snapfinger Wastewater Treatment Facility also cleared, a major infrastructure investment in regional water capacity. The Board extended its moratorium on new data center applications in Districts 1 and 5, giving the county more time to weigh those land-use impacts near residential areas. Several items didn't make it across the finish line, including a proposed blasting safety ordinance, noise ordinance updates, and a pet shop sales restriction on dogs, cats, and rabbits, all of which were deferred to committee and are scheduled to return as soon as July 14.

DeKalb County Planning Commission

The Planning Commission wrapped up a busy session with a mix of approvals and denials that set the table for the Board of Commissioners' final zoning hearing on August 13. The biggest residential vote was a 7-1 recommendation to approve a new townhome community on Chamblee-Tucker Road, with conditions attached including a 25% rental cap and a rear buffer fence to address neighbor concerns. On the other side of the ledger, the commission unanimously recommended denying a proposed package store on Covington Highway and rejected two companion rezoning requests from Eisenhower Services to build single-family subdivisions on Henrico Road. Home-based daycare permits fared better, with two new facilities and a personal care home renewal all receiving recommended approvals, each tied to strict distance verification and fencing requirements. Keep in mind these are advisory recommendations, not final decisions, so the Board of Commissioners gets the last word next month.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council
- 708 Kirkwood Ave SE — The council voted 15-0 to approve a rezoning from Cabbagetown Landmark District Subarea 3 to Subarea 4, overriding a prior denial recommendation from the local Neighborhood Planning Unit to allow modified land use conditions on the property.
- 2025 Hosea Williams Dr SE — The council approved a retroactive lease with Israel Missionary Baptist Church for 9,000 square feet of office space to serve as the Atlanta Police Department's Zone 6 Main Precinct, at $102,000 per year through August 2027.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee | Jul-13, 11:00 AM | key topics: Upper Westside industrial-to-mixed-use rezonings, 60-acre truck terminal SUP proposed for Jonesboro Road, Peachtree Circle Historic District designation, citywide self-storage SUP requirement
- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee | Jul-13, 1:00 PM | key topics: alcohol license fee increases, forensic audits of licensed establishments, $51K+ in city infrastructure damage claims, federal emergency preparedness grants
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Regular Meeting | Jul-14, 9:00 AM | key topics: $233M Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant overhaul, data center environmental review moratorium, Michelle Obama Trail and South River Trail design contracts, nuisance property and anti-drifting ordinances
- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee | Jul-14, 10:00 AM | key topics: $1.77M Roswell Road utility prep for GDOT resurfacing, $2M Chastain Park stream restoration, $15.57M Flint River Pump Station upgrade, solid waste fee adjustments
- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee | Jul-14, 1:30 PM | key topics: free public pools ordinance, $1M park security contract, new youth center at Center Hill Park, land use change at 708 Kirkwood Ave SE is on the agenda
- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee | Jul-15, 10:00 AM | key topics: Jesse Hill Jr. Drive pedestrian plaza near Grady Hospital, $2.89M unpaved roads paving contract, Beecher Road sidewalk easement acquisitions, PATH 400 trail funding adjustment
- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — First Regular Meeting | Jul-15, 10:00 AM | key topics: 2026 property tax collection resolution, $9.48M North Fulton behavioral health center grant, Roswell Road and SR-141 utility adjustments for GDOT resurfacing, Helene S. Mills Senior Facility HVAC replacement
- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee | Jul-15, 1:30 PM | key topics: FY 2027 property tax rate setting, 2028 Democratic National Convention bid agreements, DeKalb County annexations including 2341 Glynn Drive SE, lobbying and marketing restrictions on special city funds
- Atlanta NPU-W — General Meeting | Jul-15, 7:00 PM | key topics: 2341 Glynn Drive SE annexation and R-4 zoning, variances at 659 Stokeswood Ave SE and 1516 Pontiac Place SE, special exception at 1530 Marbut Ave SE, fall festival permits for Grant Park and Oakland Cemetery venues

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

New construction is moving on Memorial Drive. A 7-unit, 3-story townhome building with attached garages and balconies has been permitted at 2015 Memorial Dr SE, and a 4-story mixed-use building with a concrete podium and wood-frame residential above is filed at 1976 Hosea L Williams Dr NE.

- 920 Glenwood Ave SE — Beltline Southside Trail Segment 6 work is underway. About 0.2 miles of new 14-foot shared-use path is being added to the network.
- 327 Memorial Dr SE — A new raised deck addition is permitted for this commercial property. No interior work, just outdoor construction.
- 290 Ormond St SE — A second floor is going on top of an existing one-story wood frame home. Expect some noise while that work happens.
- 1015 Blvd SE — Fire alarm system going in for a new tenant build-out. Someone's getting ready to open.
- 1631 La France St NE — ADA ramp and accessible sidewalk permitted at the main entrance.

Beyond those, the area logged 88 residential and minor permits this week, mostly electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and small alterations.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 42/US 23 at Moreland Ave and Arkwright Place (Fulton County) Work crews are converting this intersection into a right-in/right-out configuration by building a new median that blocks left turns.
- I-20 Lighting Upgrade, Capitol Ave to Flat Shoals Road (Fulton and DeKalb Counties) GDOT is swapping out old high-pressure sodium fixtures for LED lighting along this stretch of I-20.
- SR 154 Pedestrian Crossing Improvements (Fulton and DeKalb Counties) Active work is underway at multiple locations along SR 154, including a new mid-block pedestrian crossing, a right-in/right-out restriction, and a restricted crossing U-turn between Hill Street and Pearl Street.
- SR 260 Pedestrian Safety Upgrades at Haas Ave, Eastside Ave, Brownwood Ave, and Joseph Ave (DeKalb County) Crews are installing Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons at several crossings along SR 260. These are the flashing pedestrian signals designed to get drivers' attention.
- I-20 Concrete Rehab, Hill Street to Columbia Drive (Fulton and DeKalb Counties) Resurfacing is underway on this section of I-20 to bring the roadway's condition score back up.

Utility Work

Atlanta Watershed
- Stormwater Improvements Closing Lanes on Martin Street SE — Temporary lane closures are in place on Martin Street SE between Little Street SE and nearby cross streets for stormwater infrastructure work until July 24th. Plan extra time if you're driving through.

Service Requests

- Right of Way Overgrowth — A dozen visibility and overgrowth complaints came in at Mortimer St & Arkwright Pl SE, Warren St SE near Memorial Dr, Douglas St & Memorial Dr, Oakview Rd SE, Hutchinson St NE, and several other spots. Most are in progress or resolved.
- Downed Trees — Seven reports across the area, with trees down on Hosea L. Williams Dr NE (two separate reports), Memorial Dr SE, Merlin Ave SE, Douglas St & Memorial Dr, and Mortimer St SE & Arkwright Pl. A handful are closed out, two are still being worked.
- Potholes — Seven reports filed at Mortimer St & Arkwright Pl SE, Gracewood Ave & Gresham Ave, Oakview Rd, Arkwright Pl SE, and two other locations. Four are in progress.
- Litter Removal — Four right-of-way litter complaints at Blvd & Decatur St (two reports), Vinson Dr & Meridian St, and Cleveland St SE. All four are in progress.
- Traffic Signal Repairs — Three emergency-level signal issues reported at DeKalb Ave & Moreland Ave, Hosea L. Williams Dr & Chevelle Ln, and Glenwood Ave SE & I-20 E. Two non-emergency repairs were also filed on Glenwood Ave SE and at Candler Rd SE & Hosea Williams Dr, both now resolved.

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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.