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Hey, Midtown! This week: the Atlanta Botanical Garden unveiled a $160 million plan to link straight into the Beltline by 2028, and just down the road, Midtown Alliance is putting the finishing touches on Midtown Green, a new four-acre park opening in September. Add in two buzzy Spring Quarter restaurant debuts, a free ASO concert coming to Piedmont Park, and a big week at City Hall involving $1.3 billion in airport bonds, and there's a lot to catch up on.

- News — The Botanical Garden's Beltline expansion headlines a busy week that also brings a new four-acre park, a free ASO concert in Piedmont Park, and Shaq's dunk championship rolling into Atlantic Station.
- Business — Spring Quarter keeps filling out with two fresh openings — Japanese sushi bar Sozou and Indian tapas spot Pataaka — both from chefs with serious pedigree.
- Events — International Dog Day takes over Wednesday with yappy hours and patio parties, while the week wraps with Garden cocktails, a brunch crawl, and Groovin' on the Square.
- Government — Atlanta Council approved $1.3 billion in airport bonds and refinanced Mercedes-Benz Stadium debt, while Fulton County moves toward handing its Senior Transportation Program to MARTA, plus a full slate of zoning, utilities, and transportation committee meetings this week.
- Construction — Permits along Peachtree hint at bigger projects brewing, from asbestos abatement at 675 W Peachtree to construction power going in at 1345 Piedmont Ave.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Atlanta Botanical Garden plans $160M Beltline expansion, direct access by 2028
The Atlanta Botanical Garden has unveiled a $160 million expansion plan that will connect the garden directly to the Atlanta Beltline by 2028. The project aims to boost pedestrian and bicycle access for surrounding Midtown and Ansley Park neighborhoods.

A new green space takes root in Midtown
Midtown Alliance is set to open Midtown Green, a four-acre public space at 98 14th Street, this September. The interim park will include open lawn areas, walking paths, and programming such as outdoor movie screenings, fitness classes, and artisan markets.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra returns to Piedmont Park for free concert on Sept. 9
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will hold its annual free community concert at Piedmont Park on Wednesday, September 9. Themed "The City in the Forest," the performance will include works by Beethoven, Mozart, and Vivaldi.

Ossoff rallies supporters in Midtown as Georgia Senate race enters final months
U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff held a campaign rally in Midtown Atlanta to energize supporters ahead of the midterm elections. The event drew local residents and touched on issues including rising household costs and economic development.

Shaq's Dunkman World Championship Coming to Atlantic Station Arena
Professional dunkers from around the world, including Georgia native Jordan Southerland, will compete in Shaquille O'Neal's Dunkman World Championship. The event will be held at Atlantic Station's Overtime Elite Arena.

BUSINESS

Chef Fuyuhiko Ito opens Japanese restaurant Sozou at Spring Quarter in Midtown — Chef Fuyuhiko Ito has opened Sozou, a new Japanese restaurant and sushi bar on the ground floor of the Ten Twenty Spring office tower at Midtown's Spring Quarter development.

Family-style Indian restaurant Pataaka opens at Midtown's Spring Quarter — Chef Anish Nair has opened Pataaka, a tapas-style Indian restaurant on the ground floor of the Sora residential tower in Midtown.

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Monday, August 24
- AgLanta Eats: Neighbors + Flavors | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Tuesday, August 25
- Chxrry | Canopy by Hilton Midtown Art
- The Atlanta Question | 5pm - 7pm/Biltmore Grand Lobby and Balcony
- Drawing Trees | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- License and Permits Committee Meeting | Midtown Neighbors Association

Wednesday, August 26
- International Dog Day Yappy Hour at Aveline | Kimpton The Shane
- Paws on the Patio - National Dog Day Celebration at Dos Caminos Atlanta | Dos Caminos
- In The Wild Atlanta: Fetch A Date Mixer | Park Tavern

Thursday, August 27
- Joseph E Reed | Loews Atlanta Hotel
- Cocktails in the Garden | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Midtown Community Meeting | Midtown Neighbors Association
- Georgia Grown Dinners: Laura Orellana-Martin | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Friday, August 28
- Purpose | COCA-COLA STAGE
- Discover Spain: Regional Fare & Wine to Pair | Epicurean Atlanta
- Free Friday | 12pm - 7pm/Museum of Design Atlanta
- Groovin on the Square | 6pm - 8pm/Colony Square Midtown
- Cult Potential with James Hall | THE LOFT
- Murder Mystery Co. Dinner Theater Show at The Hudson Grille in Midtown | 7pm - 9:30pm/Hudson Grille
- Shows for Seedlings: Taiko & Dance: The Spirit of Okinawa with Mirai Kanai | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Loe Shimmy - Pretty Girls Run the World Tour | Center Stage Theater

Saturday, August 29
- Midtown Bubbles & Bites Brunch Crawl: 5th Annual | 12am - 5pm
- Exhibit Tour of SALT: A Design Story | Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)
- The Pastor Troy Pep Rally | Centerstage Theater The Loft
- Emarosa | Epicurean Theatre
- Credit Check: Westside Boogie | THE LOFT
- Would I Improv To You? | 10pm - 11pm/Whole World Improv Theatre
- Green Market | Dockside
- Sip & See: Water Gardening Demo | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Garden Chef Demos | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- The Agave Experience at Dos Caminos Atlanta - Patrón & Pairings | Dos Caminos
- Evening for Educators | Atlanta Symphony Hall

Sunday, August 30
- -Brown Sugar Chess: ASW American Single Malt | ASW Distillery
- Blacktop Mojo | THE LOFT
- Candlelight: Tribute to Taylor Swift | Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta

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 voted to start negotiating a partnership with MARTA that would shift funding, and possibly operation, of the county's Senior Transportation Program onto the transit agency, while Fulton keeps control over how the program is designed. The board also approved a bond-backed deal with the Fulton DeKalb Hospital Authority to build a new Behavioral Health Crisis Center that will serve indigent patients, a project aimed at expanding mental health care access across the county. Commissioners approved a grant to stabilize the historic St. Mark AME Church, protecting a piece of local history from further structural decline. In a 4-1 vote, the board also folded two separate court technology funds into the county's General Fund, a move meant to simplify how the county manages tech spending going forward. Several large contracts moved forward too, including a $2.4 million landscaping renewal and a $1.6 million elevator overhaul at the Juvenile Justice Center, and the board finalized reappointments and salaries for the county manager, attorney, auditor, and clerk following executive session.

Atlanta City Council
The council authorized up to $1.3 billion in bonds to fund ongoing capital improvements at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the largest financial actions the body has taken this year. Members also approved a $200 million refinancing package for Mercedes-Benz Stadium debt, using hotel-motel tax revenue to lower the city's annual payments. On the infrastructure side, the council approved a $99 million fund to cover small-scale street and transit repairs citywide and a $25 million contract to keep the city's drinking water system upgrades on track. A 12-1 vote adjusted solid waste fees and backyard collection exemption rules, and the council separately awarded a three-year, $57.2 million trash collection contract to Waste Management of Georgia, changes that could show up on your utility bill or collection schedule. A proposal to create a task force studying data centers got sent back to committee for more work after a 13-1 vote. Separately, the Committee on Council advanced two mayoral board appointments, the Civil Service Board and Stakeholder Oversight Committee picks, while holding several reform proposals in place, including a charter change requiring named council sponsors on legislation and a push for an independent investigation into city contracts tied to Foris Webb, III.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee | Aug-24, 11:00 AM | key topics: Upper Westside industrial-to-mixed-use rezonings along Logan Circle and Chattahoochee Avenue, Peachtree Circle historic district designation, and citywide self-storage and medical cannabis dispensary rules
- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee | Aug-24, 1:00 PM | key topics: a $40 million police body and fleet camera contract expansion, a feasibility study on establishing a 7th APD patrol zone, and alcohol license application fee increases
- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee | Aug-25, 10:00 AM | key topics: proposed bans on data centers consuming potable water for cooling, creation of a Data Center Task Force, and Chastain Park Golf Course stream restoration funding
- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee | Aug-25, 1:30 PM | key topics: Comprehensive Development Plan land-use changes on Ponce de Leon and Ellsworth Industrial, Westside blight condemnation resolutions, and EV chargers at Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark
- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee | Aug-26, 10:00 AM | key topics: $7 million in grant funding for BeltLine Southside Trail Segment 6, Buckhead roadway resurfacing agreements, and traffic calming measures around Sarah Smith Elementary School
- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee | Aug-26, 1:30 PM | key topics: tax compliance mandates for subsidized data centers, setting FY2027 ad valorem property tax rates, and a Municipal Option Sales Tax (MOST) study task force

CONSTRUCTION

Permits
- 811 Peachtree St NE — New electrical subpanel and full plumbing rough-in filed for the same building, with 7 sinks, 2 water closets and a gas water heater on the list. That's a serious buildout, likely a new restaurant or multi-unit space taking shape.
- 675 W Peachtree St NE — Asbestos abatement permit covers 6,700 square feet of ductwork and AHU on the concourse level. This kind of work usually means older HVAC systems are getting ripped out before a bigger renovation.
- 10 10th St NE — Tenant improvement permit for a new kitchen, serving counter and dining area. Sounds like a food service tenant is moving into the existing building.
- 905 Juniper St NE — Multiple permits filed for interior bathroom alterations in a residential condo unit. Routine renovation work, but three separate filings at this address suggest a bigger unit turnover or renovation push.
- 1180 W Peachtree St NE — Fire alarm modifications just got issued. Standard commercial upkeep, nothing disruptive expected.
- 1345 Piedmont Ave NE — New 200A panel permit pulled specifically for construction power. This is prep work, meaning a larger project at this address is about to get underway.
- 999 Peachtree St NE — Second-generation whitebox buildout accepted for a suite in this office tower, including demolition of existing improvements. Another sign of office space turning over for a new tenant.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 8 & SR 8 WE from SR 3 to SR 42 — GDOT crews are resurfacing this Fulton County stretch of SR 8 to fix its low pavement quality score.
- Bridge Preservation at 7 Locations in Cobb, DeKalb & Fulton — This multi-county project covers co-polymer overlays, steel beam painting, and joint replacement at bridges including the Moreland Ave/US 23 crossing. It spans Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton counties.
- Buford Spring Connector at I-85, Tunnel Lighting — Crews are swapping the tunnel's old HPS lighting for energy-efficient LEDs, with possible conduit and wiring replacement along the way.
- I-75 from I-85 to Memorial Drive — This corridor is getting an LED lighting upgrade to replace outdated HPS fixtures, with pole and conduit replacement possible as needed.
- I-75 at Ralph McGill Blvd & Baker Street, Tunnel Lighting — Both tunnels are getting the same HPS-to-LED lighting swap, with conduit and wiring work included where needed.
- SR 9 from SR 3 to north of Paces Ferry Rd & SR 9 SO from SR 9 to SR 9 — GDOT is resurfacing this Fulton County section of SR 9 to address its declining pavement condition.

Service Requests
- Traffic Signal Repairs — Seven reports came in for Charles Allen Dr & 8th St, Peachtree St NE Ste 200, Juniper St NE, Peachtree St & 11th St, and a few other spots. Most are already in progress.
- Downed Trees — Three reports came in for Lady Marian Ln, with two already closed out and one marked solved.
- Potholes — You'll find these on 15th St and Argonne Ave NE. The Argonne Ave one got kicked over to the Sewer Division.
- Litter Removal — Monroe Cir NE has a right of way cleanup in progress.
- Overgrowth/Visibility Issue — Lady Marian Ln & Robin Hood Rd got flagged for overgrown brush blocking visibility. That one's already resolved.
- Sign Repair — Spring St & 17th St has a sign repair request in progress.

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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.