Midtown: Residents Push Back on Dewberry

Hey, Midtown! It's a big week, and not all of it is good news. Residents are done waiting on the Dewberry site and have taken their frustration straight to city hall, while one neighborhood hotel is staring down a World Cup revenue shortfall that's hard to believe. Stick around, as there's also a lot worth knowing about what's coming to your streets, your schools, and your weekend calendar.

- News — Neighbors petition for action on the long-dormant Dewberry site, a Midtown hotel has just $13K of a projected $600K World Cup revenue booked, the 14th Street cycle track is open and dividing opinion, and Waymos are back on the streets after a flooding-related suspension.
- Events — Virginia-Highland Summerfest headlines Saturday, and the week leading up to it is packed with Yoga in the Park, Hadestown at Symphony Hall, Cocktails in the Garden, and a Taco & Tequila Bar Crawl, among dozens of other options.
- Government — City Council committees confirmed BeltLine park funding, a drug arrest reform requiring lab confirmation, and a World Cup open-container exemption. Also, Monday's full council meeting brings the FY2027 budget introduction and a Peachtree Street improvement grant to a vote.
- Construction — A 1,200-amp electrical install on Juniper Street signals a serious restaurant is coming together, and a dog park permit just dropped for 782 Peachtree. Plus, 13 malfunctioning traffic signals are scattered across the neighborhood.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

Residents demand action on stalled Midtown construction site
Neighbors have had enough of developer John Dewberry's long-dormant construction site, and they're putting their signatures where their frustration is. The petition hitting city officials' desks calls for code enforcement and real accountability — because an eyesore that doubles as a safety hazard isn't just an aesthetic problem, it's a neighborhood one.

14th Street Two-Way Cycle Track in Midtown Atlanta
Midtown's new two-way cycle track on 14th Street is officially open, and the reactions are exactly what you'd expect: cyclists are thrilled, drivers are gritting their teeth. Whether you see it as a long-overdue safety upgrade or a traffic headache depends entirely on how you're getting to work.

Midtown Atlanta hotel projected $600K in June revenue for World Cup, has just $13K booked, source says
One Midtown hotel bet big on the World Cup and is currently sitting at roughly two cents on the dollar of its projected June revenue. With the tournament nearly here, the shortfall is rattling hospitality operators across the neighborhood, and raising real questions about whether Atlanta's tourism boom will materialize the way everyone assumed it would.

Waymos back online in Atlanta after flooding, safety concerns
Atlanta's autonomous Waymo fleet is back on the streets after a suspension tied to localized flooding and safety reviews. If you've grown accustomed to spotting those driverless cars cruising through Midtown, the brief absence is over — they're rolling again.

Atlanta mayor defends $5.5B neighborhood plan at city hall
Nearly seven hours in a city council chamber will test anyone's resolve, and Mayor Andre Dickens came ready. Defending his sweeping $5.5 billion, 20-year neighborhood reinvestment plan, Dickens left no doubt about where he stands — telling the council, "I'm Atlanta born, I'm Atlanta bred. And when I die, I'm going to be Atlanta dead."

Atlanta school board members seem skeptical of mayor's tax extension plan
Mayor Andre Dickens' proposed tax extension isn't sailing through as smoothly as his office might have hoped — Atlanta Board of Education members are pushing back with pointed questions about how the plan would affect education funding. For homeowners and families across the city, how this tension resolves could have a direct impact on both their tax bills and their local schools.

Atlanta festivals, events and parties to check out during the FIFA World Cup
Whatever's happening with hotel bookings, the streets are about to get lively. A fresh guide rounds up the watch parties, festivals, and neighborhood events planned around Atlanta during the World Cup — worth a look before your calendar fills up on its own.

EVENTS

Monday, June 1
- Light Bites & Garden Insights: Fire in the Andes | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- BASURA | Alliance Theatre
- Open Mic Night | Laughing Skull Lounge
- Enchanted Creative Garden Summer Camp | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Tuesday, June 2
- Hadestown | Atlanta Symphony Hall
- Yoga in the Park | Piedmont Park
- Weekly Walking Club | Piedmont Park
- Garden Playtime | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Wednesday, June 3
- Social Committee Meeting | Midtown Neighbors Association
- Sensory Friendly Afternoon | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- T-Rex Took my Toohbrush | Center For Puppetry Arts
- Feng | The Loft

Thursday, June 4
- Cocktails in the Garden | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Stutzmann + Mahler's Second Symphony | Atlanta Symphony Hall
- The Warped Band | Vinyl
- National Cheese Day | Establishment Atlanta
- Garden Grooves | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Friday, June 5
- Los Porfiados (The Stubborns) | High Museum of Art
- The Magic of Motown | Center Stage Theater
- 2026 Business of Arts, Sports and Entertainment Symposium | The Historic Academy of Medicine @ GA Tech
- Shows for Seedlings: Jumpin' Jam with Gail Burnett | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- KPop Night | Vinyl

Saturday, June 6
- Green Market | Piedmont Park
- Liberty & Legacy: An All-American Dinner Series | Epicurean Atlanta, Autograph Collection
- Atlanta Taco & Tequila Bar Crawl: 9th Annual, June 6th | X (Ten) Midtown
- From Sports to Giant Mazes: Explore Metro Atlanta's Hottest Summer Exhibits for Free with Museums on | High Museum of Art
- The Bright Light Social Hour | Center Stage Theater
- Bottle Your Own Experience | ASW Distillery
- Reggae Rewind | The Waiting Room
- Toddler Saturday | High Museum of Art
- ☀️VHCA's Summerfest | Virginia Highland District Association

Sunday, June 7
- Bacharach at The Breman | The Breman Museum

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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 Committees

Atlanta's city council committees were active across multiple sessions this week, producing a mix of confirmed actions and items still pending a vote. On the confirmed side, the Community Development/Human Services Committee approved a $1.05 million renewal with Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. for ongoing park maintenance, greenlit $735,000 in federal HOME funds to support affordable housing at the Sweet Auburn Grande development, and forwarded a $7.8 million land acquisition near Randall Mill Road for forest preservation — while deferring a sweeping Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative framework and dozens of land-use rezoning requests for further review. The Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee (minutes available from its May 26 session) approved a new firefighter compensation plan, unanimously backed a resolution requiring scientific lab confirmation before police can make drug-related arrests, approved a $4.7 million safety equipment contract for APD, and cleared a temporary open-container exemption for the FIFA World Cup period (June 11–July 19); a proposed 180-day moratorium on new alcohol licenses in the Edgewood Corridor remains stalled. The Transportation Committee (minutes available) considered over $15 million in trail and pedestrian funding, including an $8 million PATH Westside Connector agreement and a $3.6 million Peachtree Street improvement grant, along with a $6 million GDOT street resurfacing grant and a resolution to add dedicated bike and vehicle lanes along the BeltLine. Still on the agenda without confirmed outcomes: the Finance/Executive Committee is scheduled to take up the FY2027 property tax rate, a new electronic payment surcharge, and FIFA "activation zone" rules lifting event permit restrictions downtown; the Zoning Committee has a citywide ban on new self-storage facilities within the BeltLine Overlay District and major mixed-use rezoning along the Chattahoochee Avenue industrial corridor up for consideration; and the City Utilities Committee is weighing solid waste fee adjustments, an $8.5 million road resurfacing transfer, $20 million for sanitary sewer repairs, and new mandatory sewer connection criteria — all of which may be tabled, deferred, or withdrawn before a vote is taken.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee
- 196 Montgomery Ferry Drive NE (Ansley Golf Club) — A Special Use Permit for the private club is on the agenda to be heard; the item may be tabled, deferred, or withdrawn before a vote is taken.

Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee
- Midtown (area-wide) — A councilmember has placed on the agenda a request for improved social media communication from the city regarding disruptive infrastructure work in Midtown, in coordination with the Midtown Alliance.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta Public Schools — Board of Education Meeting — Monday, June 1, 2026
The board is scheduled to take a final vote on the FY 2027 budget and consider a contract extension for the Superintendent. Also on the agenda: proposed construction and site improvements at Midtown High School and Maynard Jackson High School, a potential district-wide rollout of Yondr cell-phone pouches, the purchase of 22 new school buses, and a proposed tuition rate increase for out-of-district families.

- Atlanta City Council — Committee on Council — Monday, June 1, 2026, at 11:30 AM
The committee is scheduled to review proposed changes to public comment sign-up rules and time limits at City Council meetings, alongside a held resolution requesting POST-certified officers at recreation center polling sites. Citizen appointments to the BeltLine Affordable Housing Advisory Board and the BeltLine TAD Advisory Committee are also up for confirmation.

- Atlanta City Council — Monday, June 1, 2026, at 1:00 PM
A packed agenda includes the formal introduction of the proposed FY 2027 city budget and new property tax rates, a $7.8 million forest land acquisition along Randall Mill Road NW, and a proposed ban on new self-storage facilities within the BeltLine Overlay District. Also on the agenda: a $3.5 million police counter-drone contract, a short-term rental registry proposal, and temporary permit relief along Walton Street for the FIFA World Cup. A $3.6 million grant for the Peachtree Street Transportation Improvement Project — covering the stretch from North Avenue to West Peachtree Street — is scheduled for a vote.

- Atlanta NPU — NPU-E — Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 6:30 PM (Virtual)
- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 10:00 AM
Commissioners are scheduled to consider a $15.6 million emergency radio system upgrade for first-responder communications, a grant to convert 66 Downtown Atlanta apartments into affordable housing units, and a new 20-unit affordable housing development in English Avenue. Also on the agenda: a $12.6 million contract renewal for operations of the Fulton County Behavioral Health Crisis Center and a $1.5 million expansion of ride-sharing services for seniors.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- 782 Peachtree St NE — A shell space inside this multifamily building is being converted into a dog park, complete with plumbing, HVAC, electrical, framing, and turf. Permit is pending additional materials. Amenity arms race, activated.
- 794 Juniper St NE — A 1,200-amp electrical service installation with multiple 200A subpanels for restaurant lighting, power, and rooftop equipment. That's a serious power draw — something with a full kitchen and outdoor setup is coming together here.
- 1180 Peachtree St — Interior demo and buildout underway to prep an existing commercial space for a future business tenant. No word yet on who's moving in.
- 10 10th St NE — Interior alteration of a vacant office floor, including selective demolition and construction. One more previously empty suite getting a refresh.
- 1170 Peachtree St NE — New tenant occupancy permit ready to issue for an existing suite. No construction involved — someone's just about ready to open the doors.
- 1315 Peachtree St NE — Fire sprinkler system relocation routed for review. Routine safety work, but signals active renovation activity inside.

Nine arborist permits also filed across the area — above-average tree activity worth watching if you're near any of the larger residential lots in Ansley Park or Sherwood Forest.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 13 Resurfacing (Fulton County) — Paving work is underway on SR 13 from SR 9 north to North Fork Peachtree Creek. This stretch hasn't been resurfaced since 2012, so the rough ride is finally getting addressed — expect lane restrictions during work hours.
- 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 better traffic flow, but getting through the area in the meantime will take patience.
- Buford Spring Connector Tunnel Lighting Upgrade at I-85 (Fulton County) — Crews are swapping out old high-pressure sodium tunnel lights for LED fixtures. Conduit and wiring replacement may also be in scope. Expect periodic lane closures near the connector as work progresses.
- I-75 Lighting Upgrade from I-85 to Memorial Drive (Fulton County) — LED lighting is being installed along this I-75 corridor, with potential pole and conduit replacements as part of the work. Overnight lane closures are typical for this type of project — plan accordingly if you're on the highway late.
- I-75 Tunnel Lighting at Ralph McGill Blvd & Baker Street (Fulton County) — Two tunnel locations along I-75 are getting LED lighting upgrades. Expect intermittent lane restrictions at both tunnel sites while crews work on conduit and fixture replacement.

Pre-Construction
- Peachtree Street Reconstruction (North Ave to West Peachtree St) — GDOT is planning to rebuild this core Midtown corridor, adding a dedicated 10-foot travel lane in each direction. At just 0.3 miles from the heart of the neighborhood, this one will be felt — expect significant disruption to one of Midtown's busiest streets once it breaks ground.
- SR 9 Utility Relocation (Fulton County) — Underground utility work is planned along SR 9 between SR 9 South and Windsor Parkway. Utility relocation typically precedes larger road work, so this may be a sign of more changes ahead on this stretch.
- SR 9 & 14th Street Realignment (Howell Mill Rd to West Peachtree St) — A road transformation is in the works along 14th Street and SR 9 from Howell Mill Road to West Peachtree Street. Details are still emerging, but a realignment on this busy cross-Midtown connector is worth watching closely.
- 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 priority locations. If you walk or drive through Midtown regularly, improved signal timing and hardware could meaningfully change your commute once this gets underway.
- I-75/I-85 "The Stitch" – Phase I — The long-discussed cap over the Downtown Connector is moving through pre-construction. Phase I of this landmark pedestrian bridge project would begin reclaiming highway-divided land just south of Midtown — a major quality-of-life project for the broader area.
- SR 13 at Monroe Drive Operational Improvement — The intersection of SR 13 (Piedmont Road) and Monroe Drive is slated for conversion into a multilane roundabout or hybrid roundabout configuration. This sits at the edge of Midtown near Piedmont Park and could reshape traffic flow for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians moving through that corner of the neighborhood.

Service Requests

Traffic Signal Issues — Thirteen reports of malfunctioning signals are scattered across the area, with clusters at 13th St & W Peachtree St (two reports) and additional issues at N Ave & Techwood Dr, Peachtree St & Ponce de Leon Ave, W Peachtree St & Ponce de Leon Ave, Peachtree St & John Portman Blvd, and seven other intersections. A separate emergency-level signal repair was also filed at N Ave & Hunt St.

Downed Trees — Two trees reported down on Barksdale Dr NE and Argonne Ave NE.

Litter Removal — Cleanup requests filed for the right of way at Penn Ave & 4th St and along Penn Ave NE.

Graffiti — One removal request at Ponce de Leon Ave & Peachtree St.