Good morning, Midtown! This week: a new 4-acre park across from the Four Seasons is nearly ready to open, and a local attorney is floating a bold plan to finally do something with the long-dead Dewberry site. Add in a busy Piedmont Park Arts Festival weekend and a Fulton County vote against data center tax breaks, and you've got plenty to catch up on.

- News — A stalled skyscraper site is becoming green space next month, and a Midtown attorney wants to turn the Dewberry lot into a pedestrian boulevard.
- Events — The Piedmont Park Arts Festival takes over Saturday and Sunday, with Eagles of Death Metal, Noname, and a full week of yoga, markets, and live music in between.
- Government — Fulton commissioners voted down data center tax breaks and teed up a November TSPLOST vote, while NPU-E weighs a new historic district and the Arts Festival's revised layout.
- Construction — Demolition is underway at 1422 W Peachtree, a full-floor buildout lands at 1100 Peachtree, and Northside Drive drivers should brace for intersection work.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

In heart of Midtown, new greenspace set to welcome public soon
A 4-acre site across 14th Street from the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta, formerly slated for the No2 Opus Place skyscraper, is being transformed into an interim public park set to open next month. Crews cleared nearly 800 dump-truck loads of dirt to fill the stalled excavation site and deliver accessible green space to central Midtown.

Midtown Atlanta sees continued growth in residents and visitors
Recent findings highlight Midtown Atlanta's sustained growth momentum, showing increases in both full-time residential population and daily visitor traffic.

Midtown attorney: Let's turn dead Dewberry site into pedestrian boulevard
A local Midtown patent attorney working at 1100 Peachtree has proposed a vision to turn the long-stalled Dewberry development site into a car-free pedestrian boulevard.

2000s-era Midtown office tower looks brand new after $20 million renovation
Property owners Cousins Properties and Town Lane have completed a $20 million modernization of the Proscenium office tower in Midtown. The comprehensive update revitalized common areas and tenant amenities to keep the 2000s-era building competitive with newly constructed Midtown high-rises.

Inside Norfolk Southern's Midtown Atlanta network operations center
A local feature offers a look inside Norfolk Southern's network operations center housed within its Midtown Atlanta headquarters. The high-tech command hub actively monitors and routes train traffic and rail dispatching across 22 states.

EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, August 10
- Community Game Night | Piedmont Park
- Niki in the Garden | 9am - 9pm/Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Fresh Plates Dinner Series: Registration | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Atlanta Running Meetup | 7pm - 9pm/Park Tavern

Tuesday, August 11
- Eagles of Death Metal | Center Stage Theater
- Noname | The Loft
- Yoga Flow at 10th Street Park | 6pm - 7pm/10th Street Park
- Community Craft Night | Piedmont Park
- Weekly Walking Club | Piedmont Park
- Tesla vs Edison | Center for Puppetry Arts

Wednesday, August 12
- Faouzia | Center Stage Theater
- Yoga on the Square | 6pm - 7pm/Colony Square Midtown
- Summer Strolls | Piedmont Park
- Bento Break | 11:30am - 2pm/Ashland

Thursday, August 13
- Cocktails in the Garden | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Paint & Sip: Summer Edition | Piedmont Park
- Garden Grooves | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- National Prosecco Day | Establishment Atlanta
- Infrastructure Committee Meeting | Midtown Neighbors Association
- Eris Ford Live in ATL | Vinyl
- Game Design Studio: Beach Blast | Virtual

Friday, August 14
- Tech Square Tech Hop | 11am - 2pm/Technology Square
- Shows for Seedlings: Musical Fun In The Sun! with Mr. Jason | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- The Philharmonik And Wyatt Waddell | Vinyl
- In The Wild Dating Atlanta: Find Your Best Connection | Park Tavern

Saturday, August 15
- Piedmont Park Arts Festival | Piedmont Park
- Electric Avenue 'The 80s Symphonic Experience' w/ Atlanta Pops Orch. | Atlanta Symphony Hall
- Green Market | Piedmont Park
- Core Memories 3: A Music Festival | Center Stage Theater
- Paint & Sip + Color Matching Cocktails | 10am - 12pm/Kimpton Shane Hotel
- Kennesaw State Owls at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Womens Volleyball (Exhibition) | O'Keefe Gym
- Would I Improv To You? | 10pm - 11pm/Whole World Improv Theatre

Sunday, August 16
- Neighborfest | 9am - 2pm/Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
- "Bottle Your Own" Experience | 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

Fulton County Board of Commissioners
Commissioners took a firm stand against tax breaks for data centers, voting 5-0 to oppose incentives for projects tied to companies like OpenAI and Anthropic anywhere in the county. They also brought back a Budget Commission to help shape next year's spending plan, and they poured money into jail safety, including $771,900 for suicide prevention upgrades and $581,000 for new inmate transport vans. On the August 3 special meeting, the board voted 4-0 to put a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or TSPLOST, on the ballot, which would fund road and infrastructure work across the county if voters approve it in November. That vote matters for anyone tired of Fulton's traffic and crumbling roads, since it sets up a dedicated funding stream if it passes. Commissioners also signed election agreements with Atlanta and Sandy Springs to run the November general election and adjusted environmental health fees.

Atlanta City Council
The council's Committee on Council confirmed Stephanie Jackson as the city's new Auditor for a five-year term and approved just over $36,000 in contingency funding for council communications, both on unanimous votes. Members held off on a handful of governance proposals, including a "civility pledge" for councilmembers, new rules requiring a primary sponsor on legislation, and a request for law enforcement officers at polling sites inside city recreation centers, so none of those are settled yet. At the full council's August 3 meeting, which is agenda-only with no minutes posted yet, members are set to consider agreements tied to Atlanta's bid for the 2028 Democratic National Convention, a plan to close part of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive near Grady Hospital for a new pedestrian plaza, and a $5.6 million expansion of the city's solar energy contract. A proposed ordinance would also set strict new consumer protection rules for private parking garages and lots, covering everything from rate disclosures to dispute resolution. Council is also weighing a 60-acre truck terminal proposal in South Atlanta and major water infrastructure spending, including $15.5 million for Flint River Pump Station upgrades, though all of these remain proposals until a vote actually happens.

NPU-E
NPU-E's August 4 agenda, which hasn't been finalized into minutes yet, includes a proposal to create a new Peachtree Circle Historic District that would place stricter design rules on homes in that area. Residents will also weigh in on a citywide zoning change requiring a Special Use Permit for new self-storage facilities, giving neighborhoods more say over where those buildings go, a topic also covered in today's news section. Organizers of the Piedmont Park Arts Festival are returning with a revised site layout after the NPU recommended against the event's original plan back in March. The agenda also includes a city ordinance that would adjust solid waste fees and clarify who qualifies for backyard collection exemptions, plus a long list of new alcohol license applications from local restaurants and cafes. Keep in mind these are all proposed items on an agenda, so any of them could get tabled or changed before a final vote.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions
- Atlanta NPU-E
- 1020 Spring St NW — Sozou's application for a new alcohol license for an open-air cafe is on the agenda.
- 1071 Piedmont Ave NE — Shake Shack Piedmont's request to change its alcohol license agent is on the agenda.
- 1100 Peachtree St NE — Dos Caminos' request to change its alcohol license agent is on the agenda at this building, home to the attorney behind the Dewberry pedestrian boulevard pitch covered above.
- 1197 Peachtree St NE (Colony Square) — IPIC Colony Square and Serena Pastificio both have ownership changes to their alcohol licenses on the agenda.
- 1280 Peachtree St NE — The High Museum of Art's Centennial Block Party, set for October 18, 2026, needs NPU support.
- 400 Park Dr NE (Piedmont Park) — You'll see a full slate of festival approvals up for vote, including the amended Piedmont Park Arts Festival layout for August 15-16 after its earlier rejection, plus Dukes N Boots, the AFSP Out of the Darkness Walk, the Atlanta Halal Fall Festival, the ATL Holiday Market, and the 2027 Science Festival Expo.
- 620 Peachtree St NE — & Cheese Midtown is applying for a new restaurant alcohol license.
- 75 14th St NE — The Four Seasons Hotel and its 50th Floor bar are both requesting a change of agent on their alcohol licenses.
- 931 Monroe Dr — Taqueria Lobito is requesting a change of ownership on its restaurant alcohol license.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta Public Schools — Board of Education | Aug-10 | key topics: A.D. Williams Elementary construction contract, multi-site demolition bundle (West Atlanta, Peterson, Brewer, Anderson Park), Tax Anticipation Note & FY2026/27 budget adjustments, facility repurposing policy
- Atlanta City Council - Zoning Committee | Aug-10, 11:00 AM | key topics: Ponce de Leon/Decatur St/Glenn St mixed-use rezonings, self-storage & cannabis dispensary permit rules, APD C.A.R.E.S. unit expansion, fire inspection fee increases
- Atlanta City Council - City Utilities Committee | Aug-11, 10:00 AM | key topics: solid waste rate & fee public hearing, proposed Data Center Task Force, $25M drinking water renewal contract, Ponce de Leon/Ellsworth Industrial land use redesignations

- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee | Aug-11, 1:30 PM | key topics: Comprehensive Development Plan land use redesignations, vacant property security standards, park security funding, Chastain Park Conservancy agreement
- Atlanta City Council - Transportation Committee | Aug-12, 9:30 AM | key topics: $4.5M Peachtree Street Midtown safety engineering project, Mercedes-Benz Stadium debt refinancing, Old Fire Station 22 lease, $55M citywide roadway improvement fund

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- 1422 W Peachtree St NW — Interior demolition permitted for a ground-floor renovation. Expect some noise and dust downtown as crews clear out the space for what's next.
- 1100 Peachtree St NE — Full-floor interior buildout filed for this multi-tenant building. A new tenant is moving in and taking over an entire floor.
- 1110 W Peachtree St NW — Fire sprinkler system additions and relocations underway per NFPA code. Routine but necessary life-safety work.
- 45 8th St NE — Permit issued to install four antennas and related equipment, including ground work for a hybrid cable hookup. Likely a cell carrier upgrading service in the area.
- 734 Charles Allen Dr NE — Rooftop solar system approved for two apartment units. Green energy upgrades continue to creep into Midtown's residential buildings.
- 1021 Peachtree St NE — New gas line being run as part of HVAC work.
- 660 Peachtree St NE — Multiple electrical permits issued here, all tied to mainstage equipment. No new gear is going in, just tie-ins and hookups.
- 400 Park Dr NE — Electrical permit issued for wattage upgrades (a mix of 1,000W, 2,000W, and 5,000W fixtures).

Beyond these, the city logged 45 more commercial permits across Midtown, mostly routine HVAC, electrical, and alteration work. On the residential side, 20 permits came through, split between HVAC repairs, minor electrical work, and a couple of home additions. Nothing major there, just normal upkeep across the neighborhood.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 9 Resurfacing (Peachtree Rd/Paces Ferry area) — Crews are repaving SR 9 north of Paces Ferry Road to fix a deteriorating road surface. You'll likely hit uneven lanes and possible lane closures during work hours.
- I-75 Tunnel Lighting Upgrades (Ralph McGill Blvd and Baker Street) — GDOT is swapping out old sodium lighting for LED fixtures in both tunnels, with possible conduit and wiring work included. If you drive I-75 through downtown at night, expect reduced lighting or lane restrictions during construction.
- I-75 Corridor Lighting (I-85 to Memorial Drive) — This is a broader lighting upgrade project running along I-75 from the I-85 split down to Memorial Drive, also moving from HPS to LED fixtures. Nighttime drivers on this stretch should watch for crews and temporary lane closures.
- Buford Spring Connector Tunnel Lighting (I-85) — Another LED lighting swap, this time at the Buford Spring Connector tunnel near I-85. Expect similar nighttime work and possible lane impacts if this is part of your commute.
- SR 13 Resurfacing (SR 9 to North Fork Peachtree Creek) — This stretch hasn't been resurfaced since 2012 and is now getting fresh pavement. If you use SR 13 through this section, plan for lane restrictions while crews finish the work.
- Bridge Preservation at 7 Locations (Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton Counties) — This multi-county project covers bridge joint replacement, steel beam painting, and overlay work at several bridges, including one on Moreland Ave. It spans three counties, so if your route crosses any of these bridges, build in extra time.

Service Requests

Traffic signals kept crews busy this week. You'll find six non-emergency repair reports scattered across Juniper St & 13th St, Peachtree St & 11th St, Monroe Dr & 8th St, Peachtree St & 7th St, and Piedmont Ave & 15th St, with most already fixed or in progress. A cluster of emergency-level signal issues also hit 6th St & Peachtree St and Peachtree St NE on August 5th, and crews closed out nearly all of them the same day.

Overgrown vegetation blocking sightlines got flagged on Durant Pl NE and Ponce de Leon Ave NE, and one of those is already resolved. Potholes on 8th St & Vedado Way and 14th St NE are in progress. Ponce de Leon Ave NE also got a litter removal request, and crews are on it.

Rounding out the list, you'll see a sign repair request at Virginia Ave & Monroe Dr, still in progress, and a downed tree on 7th St NE that's already been cleared.

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Until next week,
Midtown 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.