Midtown: Jazz Fest Takes Over Piedmont Park, Plus the Dewberry Crackdown

PSA: we’ll be publishing on Tuesday next week, because Memorial Day.

Hey there, Midtown. Big week ahead. The Atlanta Jazz Festival takes over Piedmont Park starting Friday, with free admission and a lineup that includes Esperanza Spalding and Christian McBride, so start planning your route now. While you're at it, there's real neighborhood news to catch up on: the city is finally moving against the abandoned Dewberry cranes on 14th and Peachtree, and the Botanical Garden just leveled a full block to make way for its long-anticipated expansion.

- News — The city is cracking down on the stalled Dewberry site after neighbor pressure, the Botanical Garden's demolition clears the way for a Beltline gateway, and Micron Technology may be eyeing the exit from Tech Square.
- Business — A new Latin restaurant is headed to Crescent Ave this August, and Prime Cigar just scored approval for an outdoor patio on 11th Street.
- Events — The Atlanta Jazz Festival owns Memorial Day weekend at Piedmont Park — free, massive, and loaded with names — plus the pool opens Saturday for pass holders and Sunday for everyone else.
- Government — The full City Council meets Monday to vote on rezonings and a $200,000 donation to the Piedmont Park Conservancy, while the Edgewood alcohol moratorium and the city's FY2027 budget both remain unresolved.
- Construction — Peachtree Road resurfacing is disrupting one of Midtown's busiest corridors, nine traffic signal repair requests have stacked up along the Peachtree strip, and a food-and-drink buildout is taking shape at 794 Juniper.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Midtown Atlanta sewer work to close part of 10th Street
If you've been cruising down 10th Street without a second thought, enjoy it while it lasts. Essential sewer infrastructure repairs are forcing lane closures along this key corridor throughout the week, and anyone traveling between Midtown and Piedmont Park should build in extra time — or find another route entirely.

Spurred by neighbor concerns, city plots crackdown on Dewberry site
The long-stalled Campanile tower at 14th and Peachtree has been an eyesore — and a safety question mark — for long enough that the city is finally paying attention. After Midtown residents pushed back on the abandoned cranes and exposed concrete hulking over the streetscape, officials are now moving to enforce stricter standards on the site. It's a reminder that organized neighbors can still move the needle at City Hall.

Images: Block leveled for bigger Atlanta Botanical Garden
The footprint of one of Midtown's most beloved institutions is about to get a lot larger. Demolition is nearly finished on the block between Piedmont Avenue and the Beltline, clearing the way for an expansion that will eventually give Northeast Trail users a brand-new gateway into the gardens — a genuine amenity upgrade for the whole neighborhood.

Controversial Amsterdam Walk redevelopment shows signs of life
After years of fits and starts, Portman Holdings is pushing updated plans forward for the Amsterdam Walk site near the Eastside Trail. Poncey-Highland residents have watched this one closely — and with good reason, given the project's scale and what it could mean for trail access and the surrounding streetscape.

Micron Technology mulls exit from Midtown tech tower
Tech Square may be facing a notable shakeup: Micron Technology is reportedly weighing a departure from its Midtown office presence, putting prime space in one of the corridor's signature towers up for grabs. Whether this signals broader headwinds for the tech district or simply opens the door for a new anchor tenant is the question worth watching.

BUSINESS

Prime Cigar - expanding - The Midtown Development Review Committee has signed off on a new outdoor dining patio facing 11th Street, giving the neighborhood's go-to cigar lounge a fresh-air perch to match its indoor appeal.

Botanico - opening - Botanico Hospitality Group is bringing a new neighborhood Latin restaurant to 1106 Crescent Ave NE, with an August 2026 debut on the horizon — a welcome addition to a corridor that can always use more reasons to linger.

Every day, 4.5 million readers turn to 1440 for their factual news fix. We sift through 100+ sources to bring you a complete summary of politics, global events, business, and culture — all in a brief 5-minute email. No spin. No slant. Just clarity.

Join for free today!

EVENTS

The Atlanta Jazz Festival takes over Piedmont Park this Memorial Day weekend, and it's a big one — free admission, world-class performers, and the kind of electric atmosphere that makes Midtown feel like the center of the universe. Plan ahead: parking and transit will be impacted all weekend, and the Piedmont Park pool makes its seasonal debut on Saturday for pass holders and Sunday for everyone else.

Monday, May 18
- Morning Money Mix May Edition | Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee

Tuesday, May 19
- Land Use Committee Meeting | Midtown Neighbors Association
- Connect & Learn: Bluebird Boxes in the Park | Piedmont Park
- Weekly Walking Club | Piedmont Park
- Shaken & Stirred Mixology Class Returns to Bar Margot | Bar Margot
- Hand and Rod 101 | Center for Puppetry Arts
- Garden Playtime | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Wednesday, May 20
- Safety Committee Meeting | Midtown Neighbors Association
- Welcome Home: Houses, Doorways, and Buildings - Painting Program | Piedmont Park
- HeART Museum: A Jazz Gallery w/ Travis Hall | Vinyl
- Drop-In Kids Gardening Activity | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Thursday, May 21
- Women & Wine | Fox Marquee Club
- Cocktails in the Garden | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- JAY ELECTRONICA "The 19 Day Reconnaissance Tour" | Center Stage Theater
- Garden Grooves | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Joseph E Reed: Live at Loews Luxury Hotel | Loews Atlanta Hotel

Friday, May 22
- Jazz Fest | Piedmont Park
- Atlanta Jazz Festival Friday Night Kick Off Concert | Atlanta Symphony Hall
- ELEM x Lazy Betty May 22, 2026 | Lazy Betty
- New InCommunity Exhibit at Woodruff Arts Center Celebrates Individual Artists | Woodruff Arts Center
- Them Dirty Roses | Center Stage Theater
- Shows for Seedlings: Playtime Songs with Ms. Patty | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Citizen Soldier | Center Stage Theater

Saturday, May 23
- Christian McBride | Jazz Festival
- Pool Opens for Pool Pass Holders | Piedmont Park
- Georgia Symphony Orchestra: 75th Anniversary Concert | Atlanta Symphony Hall
- Globey's Big Debut | Center For Puppetry Arts
- aja monet | Jazz Festival
- Nate Smith | Jazz Festival
- Frog Feeding | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Atlanta Jazz Festival | Piedmont Park

Sunday, May 24
- Esperanza Spalding | Jazz Festival
- Late Night Jazz Jam | Piedmont Park
- Pool Opens | Piedmont Park
- 40 Years of Pee-wee's Playhouse | Center For Puppetry Arts

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

Atlanta's City Council and its committees were busy across multiple meetings this past week. In a brief Special Called Meeting on May 13, the full Council voted 8-0 to approve the final pricing terms for a series of water and wastewater "Sustainability Bonds," locking in interest rates and repayment schedules for debt that will fund ongoing utility infrastructure improvements — the urgency of the vote was to secure favorable market conditions before rates shifted. The City Utilities Committee (May 12) authorized over $100 million in water and sewer spending, including roughly $70 million across several sanitary sewer repair contracts and a $24 million change order to add the Peachtree Creek Eastside 2B project to ongoing creek infrastructure work — significant for residents in this watershed. The Transportation Committee (May 13) approved $6.4 million in state road maintenance grants and recommended abandoning a stretch of Gilmer Street SE to Georgia State University, while deferring the contentious proposal for dedicated bike and motorized vehicle lanes on the Atlanta BeltLine and stalling a $3.6 million Peachtree Street improvement grant for additional review. The Finance/Executive Committee (May 13) approved a $200,000 donation to the Piedmont Park Conservancy and advanced new Enterprise Zone infrastructure fees, but held the FY2027 budget, property tax rates, and a long-awaited Atlanta Fire Rescue compensation plan for further review. The Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee (May 11) approved a $4.89 million demolition and asbestos abatement contract, authorized a $400,000 legal settlement in the Linnet Carty case, and held the proposed 180-day moratorium on new alcohol licenses in the Edgewood Corridor at the sponsor's request. The Zoning Committee (May 11) approved a 24.7-acre planned residential development and rezoned 13 acres near the BeltLine from industrial to multi-family housing, while deferring a large mixed-use project on Sylvan Road — which already faces denial recommendations from city staff — and closing the door on a proposed community center permit on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. The Community Development/Human Services Committee (May 12) took up several land-use redesignations, a $1.05 million BeltLine parks maintenance renewal, a proposal to create a short-term rental registry, and formal adoption of neighborhood plans for Peachtree Park and Edgewood, though minutes are not yet posted so actual outcomes for those items remain unconfirmed.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners held a Special Called Meeting on May 12 focused entirely on the county's Service Delivery Strategy — a mandatory Georgia agreement that determines which government entity provides which services, and who pays for them. This is scheduled on the agenda for discussion, but because minutes have not been posted, it's not yet confirmed what action, if any, was taken. The stakes are significant for taxpayers: the Service Delivery Strategy governs how county tax dollars are divided between services for unincorporated areas versus city residents, helping prevent situations where people pay twice for the same service. Residents should watch for the posted minutes to learn whether the board moved toward a formal update or agreement, as changes to this strategy can ripple through future budgets and service levels county-wide.

Atlanta Public Schools — Board of Education Policy Review Committee

The APS Policy Review Committee met May 14 and gave final approval to two updated policies: one governing how the district manages student academic counseling and career planning, and another tightening rules around employee credit card and purchasing practices — a fiscal accountability measure meant to ensure transparency in how school dollars are spent. The committee also held substantive discussions on two items that did not go to a final vote: proposed limits on student screen time during the school day, and an update to how the district handles electronic funds transfers. A status report on surplus district properties was also presented, which matters to neighborhoods because unused school-owned land often becomes a candidate for sale or redevelopment — though no specific dispositions were authorized at this meeting.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee
- Piedmont Park — The committee unanimously approved a $200,000 donation to the Piedmont Park Conservancy to support park reinvestment and enhancements.

Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee
- 196 Montgomery Ferry Drive NE (Ansley Golf Club) — The committee unanimously forwarded a Special Use Permit for the private club to the full City Council for final approval.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Committee on Council — Monday, May 18 at 11:30 AM
The committee is scheduled to consider a resolution requesting certified law enforcement officers at all Atlanta Recreation Centers used as polling sites, as well as a resolution authorizing outside counsel to conduct an independent investigation into city contracts and administrative actions involving Foris Webb, III. Also on the agenda: a proposal to dissolve several inactive city boards and a charter change that would require a council member to be listed as primary sponsor of record on most legislation.

- Atlanta City Council — Monday, May 18 at 1:00 PM
The full council's agenda includes rezonings, infrastructure deals, and a $200,000 donation to the Piedmont Park Conservancy to support park reinvestment. A Special Use Permit for a private club at 196 Montgomery Ferry Drive NE (Ansley Golf Club) is scheduled to be heard.

- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee — Monday, May 18 at 1:00 PM
The committee will take up a sweeping set of land use changes, including proposals to rezone large swaths of the Logan Circle and Chattahoochee Avenue corridor in West Midtown from industrial to high-density mixed use. Also on the agenda: a resolution to add dedicated bike and motorized vehicle lanes on the Atlanta Beltline, a sliding-scale summer camp fee proposal that would make camps free for children qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and a measure to create an Office of Short-Term Rentals with mandatory registration requirements.

- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Wednesday, May 20 at 10:00 AM
Commissioners are scheduled to consider a resolution asking the Sheriff to decline certain misdemeanor bookings to ease jail overcrowding, along with a plan to address jail staffing. Also on the agenda: $5.3 million in community services grants to local nonprofits, a quarterly MARTA briefing, a resolution challenging the constitutionality of a state bill mandating nonpartisan elections for county officers in Fulton and other metro counties, and a measure supporting small business growth in South Downtown ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- 794 Juniper St NE — Commercial plumbing permit issued for what sounds like a full buildout: new bathrooms, kitchen, bars, and gas lines for kitchen equipment. Something with food and drinks is coming together here.
- 1072 W Peachtree St NE — Multiple permits active on this address, including fire sprinklers and residential lobby plumbing work. A larger renovation is clearly underway in phases.
- 1110 W Peachtree St NW — Fire sprinkler relocation filed in connection with renovation permit BB-202603315. Interior reconfiguration in progress.
- 1331 Spring St NW — Office renovation on the 26th floor of what appears to be a high-rise. An existing tenant is refreshing their space.
- 999 Peachtree St NE — Restroom demo and renovation on the 22nd floor of a multi-story office building. Routine upkeep at scale.
- 10 10th St NE — Interior alteration permit pending for a vacant office floor, including selective demolition. A new tenant may be fitting out.

Beyond the highlights, another 33 commercial permits are in the queue — mostly HVAC, low voltage, and interior alterations across Midtown's office and retail stock. On the residential side, a handful of HVAC, electrical, and plumbing permits round out the week, plus four arborist permits for dead or hazardous trees.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 13 Resurfacing (Fulton County) — Pavement work is underway on SR 13 from SR 9 to North Fork Peachtree Creek. This stretch hasn't been resurfaced since 2012, so the work is overdue — expect lane disruptions along one of Midtown's busiest corridors until it wraps up.
- SR 3/US 41 Intersection Improvements at 14th Street & Hemphill Ave (Fulton County) — Active construction is reshaping the notoriously tangled intersection cluster at Northside Drive, 14th Street, and Hemphill Avenue. The work aims to simplify signal timing and improve traffic flow — but in the meantime, give yourself extra time if you're cutting through that corner of West Midtown.
- Buford Spring Connector Tunnel Lighting Upgrade at I-85 (Fulton County) — Crews are replacing outdated high-pressure sodium tunnel lighting with LED fixtures along the Buford Spring Connector at I-85, just at Midtown's edge. Conduit and wiring may also be replaced. Nighttime or off-peak lane closures are likely.
- Bridge Preservation at Multiple Locations — Cobb, DeKalb & Fulton Counties — A multi-county bridge preservation project covering co-polymer overlay, steel beam painting, and joint replacement at seven locations across Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton. One Fulton location puts this work in range of the Midtown area — worth watching for any localized lane impacts.

Pre-Construction
- Peachtree Street Rebuild (North Ave to West Peachtree St) — GDOT is planning a lane reconfiguration along this 0.3-mile stretch, building one 10-foot travel lane in each direction. This is a core Midtown corridor, so when shovels eventually hit the ground, expect meaningful disruption to one of the neighborhood's busiest streets.
- SR 9 & 14th Street Realignment (Howell Mill Rd to W Peachtree St) — A road transformation is in the works along SR 9 and 14th Street across this full corridor. Details are still limited at this stage, but any changes to 14th Street will ripple through Midtown's east-west flow.
- Atlanta Traffic Signal Enhancement Program – Phase I — Signal upgrades are coming to intersections along Atlanta's High Injury Network, with full mast-arm replacements planned at select locations. Some of those intersections fall in and around Midtown. No timeline yet, but this one's worth watching — it could mean temporary signal outages at busy crossings once work begins.
- I-75/I-85 "The Stitch" Capping – Phase I — The long-discussed cap over the Downtown Connector is still in pre-construction, but it's funded and moving. Phase I of this pedestrian bridge project will eventually reshape how Midtown connects to downtown on foot. No construction dates confirmed yet.
- 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 analysis. This is early-stage planning, but it signals potential future changes near the southern edge of Midtown.

Service Requests

Traffic signals are acting up across the Peachtree corridor — nine Non-Emergency Traffic Signal Repair requests have been filed at intersections including 10th & Peachtree (three reports alone), Peachtree & 11th, 3rd & Peachtree, and several others stretching from the teens up through the numbered streets. Potholes are on the radar at four spots: 17th & West Peachtree, 11th St NE, Peachtree St NE, and Pembroke Pl NE. Litter removal has been requested along Monroe Dr NE and Ponce de Leon Ave NE, while an overgrowth issue at Peachtree & 25th is blocking sightlines. Rounding things out, a sign repair or replacement has been flagged on Lakeview Ave NE.