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Hey, Midtown! This week: LA Fitness is set to close its Tech Square gym on December 28, and law firm Dentons is trading Downtown for the Proscenium at Peachtree and 14th. Add Mo Ivory's historic Fulton County win and a packed weekend of holiday lights and live music, and you've got plenty to dig into.

- News — Dentons heads north to the Proscenium, Mo Ivory becomes the first Black woman and first Latina elected Fulton Commission chair, and a Veterans Day parade rolls down Peachtree.
- Business — LA Fitness will close its 75 5th Street gym near Georgia Tech on December 28 at 2 p.m., and the company hasn't said why.
- Events — Fauré's Requiem runs Nov. 12–15 at Symphony Hall, UB40 plays Center Stage, and Garden Lights, Holiday Nights begins Nov. 14 and runs through Jan. 10.
- Government — Fulton commissioners approved a $45.5M jail design contract and voted to abolish the Board of Ethics, while City Council committees take up zoning, transportation and utilities this week.
- Construction — Modular classrooms are planned on Charles Allen Drive, Peachtree office build-outs keep coming, and SR 8 resurfacing is under way, so watch for rough spots at 8th and Peachtree.

Let's dive in.

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Midtown Atlanta parade honors military veterans
Atlanta marked the annual Georgia Veterans Day Parade with ceremonies centered around the Woodruff Arts Center along Peachtree Street. The event recognized service members across all military branches and included the Eight Cities Veteran's Motorcade across Fulton County.

Dentons signs lease at Midtown's Proscenium building, becoming the latest firm to move north from Downtown
Global law firm Dentons has signed a lease to relocate its Atlanta office from Downtown's Truist Plaza to the Proscenium building at Peachtree and 14th streets. Truist Plaza has lost another large tenant as Downtown Atlanta's office-market difficulties continue.

Atlanta Walk to End Alzheimer's brings hope, awareness and support to families affected by dementia
The Alzheimer's Association Georgia Chapter held its annual Walk to End Alzheimer's at Piedmont Park on Oct. 31, bringing together families, caregivers, and advocates to raise funds and awareness for research, treatment, and support services. The association's 2026 Facts and Figures report estimates about 188,000 Georgians aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's, and another 391,000 Georgians provide unpaid care for people with dementia.

Making history, Mo Ivory outlines her vision for Fulton County in first post-election interview
Mo Ivory defeated Republican Eric Tatum with 75 percent of the vote in the Nov. 3 general election, becoming the first Black woman and first Latina elected chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. She said her first priority in January will be passing a budget, followed by fixing the jail, funding the courts, and building a hospital in South Fulton.

BUSINESS

LA Fitness at Tech Square closing in late December — LA Fitness will close its Midtown Atlanta gym at 75 5th Street near Georgia Tech on December 28 at 2 p.m., with the company giving no reason for the closure.

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Monday, November 9
- Like Father | Hertz Stage at Alliance Theatre
- Frame by Frame: The Art of Stop-Motion Animation | Center for Puppetry Arts
- Community Game Night | Green Market

Tuesday, November 10
- A Thanksgiving Salt Tasting & Blending | Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)
- Georgia Tech Men's Basketball vs Eastern Kentucky | McCamish Pavilion
- Weekly Walking Club | Green Market

Wednesday, November 11
- Festive Features (Nov. 11–Dec. 27) | Center For Puppetry Arts
- Grateful Shred | Center Stage Theatre
- November Musing Together | Atlanta Symphony Hall

Thursday, November 12
- Fauré’s Requiem (Nov. 12–15) | Atlanta Symphony Hall
- UB40 | Center Stage Theatre
- Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball vs Maryland Eastern Shore | McCamish Pavilion
- Tech Talks Business Featuring Mark Rayfield, President and CEO of Saint Gobain North America and CertainTeed | Scheller Tower at Georgia Tech
- Game Design Studio: Lost Expedition- Nov. 12 | Peachtree Branch Library
- Cuffing Season & Sarah Mootz | THE LOFT
- Cider Making Workshop | Piedmont Park
- Infrastructure Committee Meeting | Midtown Neighbors Association

Friday, November 13
- Little Shop of Horrors 40th Anniversary Screening Hosted by Ellen Greene | Atlanta Symphony Hall
- The Harvest Home Concert: A Midtown Thanksgiving | Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
- Jazz at All Saints’ Presents Kenny Banks Jr. | All Saints’ Episcopal Church
- Little Image | THE LOFT
- Block Printing: Tea Towels | Piedmont Park

Saturday, November 14
- Garden Lights, Holiday Nights (Nov. 14, 2026–Jan. 10, 2027) | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Mannheim Steamroller Christmas | Fox Theatre
- Knock, Knock (Nov. 14–Dec. 23) | Alliance Theatre
- Holiday Model Trains (Nov. 14, 2026–Jan. 10, 2027) | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Randy Feltface: Gimmick | Center Stage Theater
- New Constellations | THE LOFT
- Green Market | Piedmont Park
- Talent Development Program Musicale | Atlanta Symphony Hall
- Smartphone Flower Photography | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- MAKO TAKEOVER Concert: MAKO Girls | Vinyl

Sunday, November 15
- King Of Drag | Center Stage Theatre
- Franni Cash | Vinyl

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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 approved a $45.5 million contract to design a new 1,800-bed county jail, which is the first big step toward the jail fix Chair-elect Mo Ivory named as a priority. They also voted 5-1 to abolish the county's Board of Ethics, so independent hearing officers will now screen and decide ethics complaints. The board approved the 2026 school millage rate, which sets the school portion of your property tax bill, and renewed the jail medical services contract at nearly $47 million. Commissioner Dana Barrett's proposals to end the 5% departmental budget caps and to urge lawmakers to curb private equity takeovers of medical practices both died after the board voted to file them. Commissioners also approved funding for a 200-unit affordable housing development and a $3.2 million water main relocation tied to a state road-widening project in Johns Creek.

Atlanta NPU-E
The NPU-E agenda covered recommendation votes on three big 2027 Piedmont Park events: the Atlanta Persian Festival on April 4, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival on April 9 to 11, and the Piedmont Park Arts Festival on August 21 and 22. Members also had a chance to review and comment on a proposed citywide change to the zoning definition of "family," which affects who can live together in a single home. A zoning variance request and six alcohol license agent changes were on the list as well, along with the election of 2027 officers. The city hasn't published minutes for this meeting yet, so the outcomes of those votes aren't available.

Atlanta City Council
At its full meeting, the council set the city's Fiscal Year 2027 property tax rates, including levies for the BeltLine and Stitch special service districts. It extended the moratorium on new self-storage facilities in Office-Institutional zones by 60 days. It also started the process to designate a Ponce De Leon Place property as a historic landmark, and it approved more than $63 million in water system upgrades and contracts. On zoning, the council unanimously denied a major site plan amendment for a planned housing development and killed a 21-acre commercial parking proposal. It also sent a pipeline repair contract extension back to the City Utilities Committee. Meanwhile, the Committee on Council held proposed changes to public comment and proclamation rules, along with a charter amendment on primary sponsors for legislation and a resolution on police presence at recreation center polling sites. That committee sent only one item forward, the appointment of Dr. Annette Hall to the Atlanta Human Relations Commission.

Atlanta Public Schools
The Board of Education held first readings on four sets of attendance zone changes that would take effect in Fall 2027. They touch elementary, middle, and high schools across northwest, west, and south Atlanta, so families in those feeder patterns could see their assigned schools change. Because these were first readings, the board took no final vote, and you'll have time to review the maps and give feedback before one is scheduled. The board also introduced a draft of its 2027 legislative priorities, which lays out what the district will ask state and local lawmakers to support. On the business side, the consent agenda covered temporary construction easements with the City of Atlanta, school bus equipment, propane fuel, and student support service contracts.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee | Nov-09, 10:00 AM | key topics: Moores Mill Bridge replacement study, Midtown and Downtown safe streets corridors, traffic signal modernization
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee | Nov-09, 11:00 AM | key topics: comprehensive zoning code overhaul, event center regulations, BeltLine corridor mixed-use rezonings
- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee | Nov-09, 1:00 PM | key topics: civil litigation settlements, anonymous housing code complaint protections, retired police personnel rehirings
- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee | Nov-10, 10:00 AM | key topics: data center water cooling limits, commercial septic tank bans, Hemphill Pump Station upgrades
- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee | Nov-10, 1:30 PM | key topics: Fourth Avenue greenspace acquisition, Southside Park improvements, tree canopy funding
- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee | Nov-10, 1:30 PM | key topics: Fire Station 31 construction contract, affordable housing bond issuance, surveillance technology oversight

CONSTRUCTION

Permits
- 929 Charles Allen Dr NE: Land development permit filed (pending) to prep the site for about 11,000 sq ft of modular classrooms, plus a drop-off loop. Expect site work and some extra traffic changes nearby.
- Charles Allen Dr NE: Plumbing permit filed (pending) for water and waste lines at the front unit of a new duplex. Another sign of new housing going in along the street.
- 1075 Peachtree St NE: Two alteration permits issued for interior office work on the 23rd and 24th floors. Both use the third-party review discount, so the projects are moving fast.
- 1375 Peachtree St NE: Alteration permit ready to issue for a second-generation space in a multi-tenant building. The work creates a speculative suite that will sit open for a future tenant.
- 1100 Spring St NW: Interior improvement permit issued for a law office build-out at Suites 410-420. It includes minor mechanical work.
- 1200 Peachtree St NE: Fire sprinkler permit issued to add and relocate parts of the existing system to meet NFPA 13 standards.
- 1275 Peachtree St NE: Low voltage permit issued to add 8 access control doors in a suite. Other crews are handling the conduit, cabling and locking hardware.
- 1230 Peachtree St NE: Fire alarm renovation permit filed (pending) for a speculative suite on the 12th floor, Suite 1275.
- 75 14th St NE: Electrical permit filed (pending) for a tenant office fit-out. The work includes new and reused lighting and added branch power.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 8 / Ponce de Leon Avenue resurfacing — Crews are repaving SR 8 (Ponce de Leon Avenue) from Northside Drive to Moreland Avenue/Briarcliff Road.
- Bridge maintenance at seven metro bridges — Crews are resurfacing bridge decks, repainting steel beams and replacing bridge joints at seven bridges across Cobb, DeKalb and Fulton counties.
- Buford Spring Connector tunnel lighting — Crews are swapping the old sodium lights in the tunnel at I-85 for LEDs, with some wiring work along the way.
- I-75 lighting, I-85 to Memorial Drive — LED highway lights are going in along this stretch of I-75, and some poles and wiring may be replaced.
- Peachtree Road resurfacing — Crews are repaving Peachtree Road from Northside Drive to just north of Paces Ferry Road.
- I-75 tunnel lighting at Ralph McGill and Baker Street — Crews are swapping the old sodium lights in the tunnel for LEDs, with some wiring work along the way.
- Northside Drive at 14th Street and Hemphill Avenue — Crews are simplifying the tangle of intersections where Northside Drive meets 14th Street and Hemphill Avenue, which will make the signals easier to time.

Utility Work

Atlanta Watershed:
- Traffic Advisory: Overnight Road Closures on 8th Street NE and Juniper Street NE for Road Restoration Repairs — Overnight road closures will take place on 8th Street NE and Juniper Street NE Nov 11th for road restoration repairs. Drivers should expect traffic delays and seek alternate routes.

Service Requests
- Traffic Signal Repairs: Six non-emergency reports came in for signals at Peachtree Pl and Peachtree St (2), 5th St and Piedmont Ave, Spring St and Buford Spring Connector, 14th St NW, and Spring St NW. Peachtree Pl and Peachtree St also drew an emergency Level 1 report on 11/05, so that intersection has been a trouble spot this week.
- Potholes: Six reports cover 8th St and Peachtree St (4, split between two listings of the same intersection) and Ponce de Leon Ave (2). If you drive through the 8th and Peachtree intersection, expect a rough ride.

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Until next week,
Midtown Busybody

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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.