Midtown: A Blight Tax and a Big Upset

Before we get into it, just a heads up that we’re making some neighborhood changes across the board, and this area may be impacted. The change we’re considering is combining this newsletter with our “VaHi / Morningside” edition. We know that Midtown is news-heavy, but we think these neighborhoods are natural fits as the “Piedmont Park-adjacent” neighborhoods. We’re confident we can do this and still continue to get you the same rich local Midtown content you’re used to. If you’re vehemently opposed to that, however, let us know below:

Hey Midtown! It's been a consequential week. The Atlanta City Council put Dewberry Group on notice with a formal blight tax vote targeting the long-stalled Campanile site at 14th and Peachtree, and over in Fulton County politics, Mo Ivory pulled off a primary runoff upset that almost nobody saw coming at that margin. Keep reading as there's a lot more worth knowing before the week gets away from you.

- News — The Campanile building finally faces consequences, Mo Ivory unseats Robb Pitts, and local teens rally at Piedmont Park after the 404 Day shooting.
- Business — Pinnacle Financial has chosen Midtown as its new HQ, and a U.S. Air Force veteran and former firefighter has launched a mobile flooring franchise in Midtown, bringing the showroom to your doorstep.
- Events — St. Vincent performs with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday, E.T. screens at SCADshow Wednesday, and the week closes out with cocktails, art, and an HBCU 5K.
- Government — The City Council passed the FY2027 budget and locked in a $7.85 million forest land purchase, while a packed week of committee meetings ahead will tackle everything from a self-storage moratorium to a $3.6 million Peachtree Street grant.
- Construction — SR-13 is still getting resurfaced, a lobby-level structural renovation is underway at 817 W Peachtree, and six traffic signal repairs are active along the Peachtree corridor.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

Atlanta City Council votes to enact blight tax on prominent Midtown property
The Campanile building at 14th and Peachtree has been a thorn in Midtown's side for years — a stalled construction site that pedestrians navigate around, not through. Now the City Council has approved a punishing blight tax against Dewberry Group, sending a clear message that the neighborhood's patience has run out.

Mo Ivory Unseats Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts
Robb Pitts has led the Fulton County Commission for years, and now he won't as challenger Mo Ivory pulled off a Democratic primary runoff victory that few saw coming with this margin. The leadership change will ripple through county administration, touching everything from property tax policy to the delivery of public services across Atlanta.

Atlanta to require walkways for construction projects
If you've ever been redirected into a parking lane because a developer simply roped off the sidewalk, this one's for you. The Atlanta City Council is moving to mandate safe, temporary pedestrian walkways around active construction sites — a long-overdue shift in a city where cranes and orange barrels are practically a permanent fixture.

Atlanta, Decatur schools owed millions in sales tax funds after paperwork error
A bureaucratic paperwork error has left both Atlanta Public Schools and City Schools of Decatur waiting on millions in E-SPLOST funds that got sent to DeKalb Schools in error. Until the funding gap is resolved, capital projects and day-to-day operations could feel the squeeze in ways that reach well beyond the administrative offices.

Teens Gather at Piedmont Park to Promote Peace
In the wake of the 404 Day shooting, local youth took it upon themselves to show up at Piedmont Park in solidarity. The rally was a reminder that some of the most powerful voices calling for a safer neighborhood belong to the people who have the most years left to enjoy it.

BUSINESS

Pinnacle Financial - opening - Pinnacle Financial Partners has chosen Ten Twenty Spring as its new corporate headquarters, locking in a 165,000-square-foot lease that gives the freshly built Portman tower a serious anchor tenant. It's the kind of deal that signals continued confidence in Midtown's office market.

Floor Coverings International - opening - A U.S. Air Force veteran and former firefighter/EMT has launched a Floor Coverings International mobile showroom franchise serving Midtown, bringing the shop-at-home flooring concept to your doorstep — which, fittingly, he'll help you cover.

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Monday, June 22
- Educator Appreciation Evening | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- BASURA | Alliance Theatre

Tuesday, June 23
- License and Permits Committee Meeting | Midtown Neighbors Association
- St. Vincent Live With The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra | Atlanta Symphony Hall
- Shaken & Stirred Mixology Class Returns to Bar Margot | Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta
- The Southern Appalachian Mountains: The Apothecary of North America | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Weekly Walking Club | Piedmont Park
- Yoga in the Park | Piedmont Park
- Garden Playtime | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Wednesday, June 24
- SCADshow Summer Series: E.T. | SCADshow
- Storybook & Sensory Bin Time | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Thursday, June 25
- Midtown Community Meeting | Midtown Neighbors Association
- Cocktails in the Garden | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Garden Mixology | Piedmont Park
- Struggle Jennings | Center Stage Theater

Friday, June 26
- VIP Nights | Amy Sherald: American Sublime | High Museum of Art
- Wines Around the World Dinner | Epicurean Atlanta
- Civic Engagement and Our Shared Future | The Temple
- Joe Jackson | Center Stage Theatre
- Pollinator Party | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Shows for Seedlings: Jammin Junebugs with Alyssa Easterly Miller | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Saturday, June 27
- HBCU 5K Run Walk | Piedmont Park
- Green Market | Piedmont Park
- Georgia Grown Summer Fruits Celebration | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Greenhouse and Nursery Tour | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Plant. Eat. Repeat. Workshop Series | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- In The Wild Turns Two! | Park Tavern
- Kenny Mason | Center Stage Theater
- The World Improv Cup | Whole World Improv Theatre

Sunday, June 28
- Guided tasting of two of our award-winning whiskeys | ASW Distillery

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 full Atlanta City Council met on June 15 and approved several consequential items — minutes are posted, so these outcomes are confirmed. The council voted on the city's Fiscal Year 2027 budget and set new ad valorem property tax rates covering general operations, debt service, parks, education, and special districts including the Atlanta BeltLine and the Stitch — decisions that directly affect what Atlanta homeowners and renters pay and what services the city can fund. The council also took up a proposed ordinance that would require mandatory, safe pedestrian detour routes whenever sidewalk construction blocks foot traffic, a practical change for anyone who walks through active construction zones. A $7.85 million acquisition of nearly 30 acres of forested land was on the agenda for permanent greenspace preservation, funded primarily through the Tree Trust Fund and development impact fees. The Committee on Council, which met earlier that same morning, considered a resolution requesting certified law enforcement officers be stationed at every city recreation center used as a polling site during major elections, along with proposed changes to how residents sign up to deliver public comments at council meetings — a procedural shift that could affect how accessible City Hall feels to ordinary residents. The committee also reviewed appointments to the BeltLine Tax Allocation District Advisory Committee and the Atlanta Citizen Review Board, the independent body that oversees police conduct.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners held its second regular meeting of June on June 17 — note that only the agenda is available, so the following items were scheduled but may have been tabled, deferred, or withdrawn before any vote was taken. Affordable housing was a central theme: the board was scheduled to consider grants to convert 66 market-rate apartments in Downtown Atlanta into deed-restricted affordable units and to fund a new 20-unit affordable development in English Avenue, moves that matter as Fulton County continues grappling with housing affordability pressures. Also on the agenda was funding to restore and preserve the George Towns and Grace Towns Hamilton Homes, two historic properties tied to Atlanta's Civil Rights history. On the technology side, the board was set to consider over $5.2 million in contracts for cybersecurity upgrades — including replacement of internal firewall equipment — and countywide telecommunications services with AT&T and Comcast, infrastructure investments that affect the county's ability to protect sensitive resident data. Notably, a proposed $8.96 million contract for temporary election staffing was removed from the agenda before the meeting, leaving that procurement unresolved heading into the general election cycle.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council
- 1155 Peachtree Street NE — The council voted on a resolution to impose a heavy blight tax penalty on this Midtown property, targeting it under the city's program designed to pressure owners of neglected buildings that negatively affect surrounding neighborhoods.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee — Monday, June 22, 2026 at 11:00 AM
A packed zoning agenda is scheduled to include a proposed 180-day city-wide moratorium on new self-storage facilities, rezoning of large industrial sites along the Beltline for mixed-use development, and multiple single-family to duplex conversions across several neighborhoods. A Special Use Permit for Ansley Golf Club at 196 Montgomery Ferry Drive NE is on the agenda, recommended for conditional approval by city staff, the neighborhood planning unit, and the Zoning Review Board.

- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee — Monday, June 22, 2026 at 1:00 PM
The committee is scheduled to consider a $3.39 million land purchase from MARTA to build a new EMS and fire station at Lindbergh City Center, a proposed ordinance allowing forensic audits of alcohol-licensed businesses under police investigation, and a new surveillance technology transparency measure. Two lawsuit settlements totaling $520,000 are also on the agenda for a vote.

- Atlanta Public Schools — Board of Education — Tuesday, June 23, 2026
The board is scheduled to take up a draft Electronic Payments and Funds Transfer Policy for approval, along with discussions on student technology use guidelines and a policy governing the repurposing of underutilized school district facilities.

- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee — Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 10:00 AM
The committee is scheduled to consider proposed changes to solid waste fees and backyard trash collection eligibility, a $2 million transfer to fund stream stabilization at Chastain Park Golf Course, and more than $36 million in contract renewals for emergency water and sewer repairs across the city. A proposal to restore green infrastructure stormwater requirements removed from city code in 2020 is also on the agenda.

- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee — Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 1:30 PM
The committee is scheduled to hear a proposed ordinance that would codify free admission at all city pools and indoor natatoria, consider a 20-year agreement with L.E.A.D., Inc. to build a new community center near Center Hill Park, and review a $250,000 transit-oriented redevelopment study focused on the Ashby MARTA Station area. A previously held ordinance to establish a formal Office of Short-Term Rentals is also scheduled to be considered.

- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee — Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at 10:00 AM
The committee is scheduled to consider permanently closing a portion of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE near Grady Hospital to create a pedestrian plaza, adopting new consumer protections for private parking lots, and accepting a $3.6 million state grant for improvements along Peachtree Street from North Avenue to West Peachtree Street. A resolution formally requesting the Mayor to renegotiate the "More MARTA" transit agreement is also on the agenda.

- Atlanta City Council — Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at 12:30 PM
- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee — Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at 1:30 PM
The committee is scheduled to consider a resolution requesting Fulton County commit $200 million toward healthcare expansion on Atlanta's Southside and Westside, set FY2027 property tax rates affecting homeowners across the city, and authorize free summer camp programming for Atlanta youth. A resolution requesting a written explanation from the Fulton County Chief Assessor regarding a property tax break for a long-stalled construction site at 1155 Peachtree Street is also on the agenda.

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Permits

- 1375 Peachtree St NE — Multiple low-voltage permits issued for the installation of nearly 240 data drops and 21 card readers across two separate scopes of work, plus additional fire alarm control modules pending. A significant tech/security infrastructure buildout is happening inside this building.
- 1180 W Peachtree St NE — A commercial suite is being split into two separate spaces, with electrical work issued and HVAC confirmed as existing-to-remain. A landlord carving up square footage usually means new tenants are in the pipeline.
- 817 W Peachtree St NE — Lobby-level interior alteration pending that involves opening the existing floor in three central column bays. Sounds like a structural renovation — expect some disruption in and around this building's entrance.
- 715 Peachtree St NE — Fire sprinkler system additions and relocations filed at Century, per NFPA 13 code. Routine life-safety upgrade, but suggests interior reconfiguration is also in the works.
- 1589 Peachtree St NE — A range and vent hood are being added to a staff breakroom, with architectural, mechanical, and electrical work all bundled into the permit. Minor in scope, but signals an active office or commercial tenant settling in.

On the residential side, six arborist permits were filed — notable in aggregate for a neighborhood with as much mature tree canopy as this one.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 13 Resurfacing (Fulton County) — Paving work is underway on SR 13 from SR 9 north to Peachtree Creek. This stretch hasn't been resurfaced since 2012, so the work is overdue — but expect lane disruptions along one of Midtown's busiest corridors while it's happening.
- SR 3/Northside Drive Intersection Improvements at 14th Street & Hemphill Ave (Fulton County) — Active construction is reshaping the notoriously complicated intersection cluster where Northside Drive, 14th Street, and Hemphill Avenue converge. The goal is simplified signal timing and added flexibility for traffic flow. If you're cutting through this corner regularly, build in extra time and watch for shifting lane configurations.
- Buford Spring Connector Tunnel Lighting Upgrade (Fulton County) — Crews are upgrading tunnel lighting from old high-pressure sodium fixtures to LED along the Buford Spring Connector near I-85. Work may also include conduit and wiring replacement. Expect intermittent activity near the tunnel entrance.
- I-75 Tunnel Lighting Upgrades at Ralph McGill Blvd & Baker Street (Fulton County) — LED lighting upgrades are active in the I-75 tunnels at both Ralph McGill Boulevard and Baker Street. Work can mean reduced lanes or overnight closures in and around the tunnels — worth knowing if I-75 is part of your daily route into or out of Midtown.

Pre-Construction

- Peachtree Street Reconstruction (North Ave to West Peachtree St) — GDOT plans to rebuild this 0.3-mile stretch with one 10-foot travel lane in each direction. If you navigate this block regularly, expect significant changes to the lane configuration once this gets underway.
- SR 9 / 14th Street Realignment (Howell Mill Rd to W Peachtree St) — A full road transformation is planned along 14th Street and SR 9. This corridor sees heavy cross-neighborhood traffic, so the eventual construction phase will be one to watch.
- SR 9 Utility Relocation (north toward Windsor Pkwy) — Underground utility work is in the pipeline along SR 9, a necessary precursor to larger roadway improvements in the area.
- Williams Street Scoping Study (I-85 SB Ramp to North Ave) — GDOT is conducting a scoping study on a 0.28-mile section of Williams Street as part of the broader I-75/I-85 Downtown Connector Study. No construction yet, but this signals longer-term changes to a key connector at the southern edge of Midtown.
- Atlanta Traffic Signal Enhancement Program – Phase I — Signal upgrades are planned at intersections along Atlanta's High Injury Network, with mast arm replacements and full signal overhauls. Midtown intersections are among those targeted.

Service Requests

Six traffic signal repairs are underway or recently resolved across Midtown, with issues flagged at W Peachtree St & 4th St, Peachtree St & John Portman Blvd, Peachtree St & 5th St, 8th St & Monroe Dr, and several other intersections along the Peachtree corridor. Three potholes have been reported on 12th St NE, Juniper St & 11th St NE, and Doncaster Dr & Robin Hood Rd. A downed tree on 10th St NE has been addressed, and litter removal along the right of way on Lakeview Ave NE is in progress.