Presented by Rally Built Homes

Morning, O4W and L5P neighbors! A piece of neighborhood history is officially for sale, and it's got us wondering what could replace it just steps from Ponce City Market. Meanwhile, some resourceful locals took utility hole repairs into their own hands while the city catches up, and there's a fresh crop of Beltline murals worth a stroll this week.

- News — A 1920s building near Ponce City Market lists for redevelopment, volunteers patch hazardous utility holes near Krog Street Market, and new Beltline murals bring Atlanta history to the Eastside Trail.
- Events — From a sunset Beltline tree tour to Camp Poncey-Hi, and CatVideoFest at Plaza Atlanta, there's no shortage of ways to fill your calendar.
- Government — APS launches its Student Advisory Council, and NPU-M weighs in on trash fee changes, cannabis zoning rules, and a stack of fall festival permits.
- Construction — A 110,000-square-foot mixed-use project files in near the Beltline, gas lines advance at the Cosby Spear Highrise, and an emergency water main closure hits Edgewood Avenue.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

1920s building near Ponce City Market up for grabs. Any big ideas?
The historic structure at 530 Parkway Drive NE in Old Fourth Ward has hit the market as a potential redevelopment site, sitting just blocks from Ponce City Market and within walking distance of Central Park and the Eastside Trail.

Dozens of open utility holes covered by volunteers while they await Atlanta's fix
Volunteers have been placing temporary patches over hazardous, uncovered utility holes on city sidewalks while waiting for official repairs from the city, with Krog Street Market cited as one of the affected areas.

Three new murals bring Atlanta stories to the Beltline
Atlanta Beltline Art unveiled three new public art installations, including murals along the Eastside Trail that depict historic Atlanta cultural narratives along heavily traveled pedestrian pathways.

Atlanta Mayor Blasts Fulton Commission Over Tax Allocation Districts and $1.3B Jail Plan
Mayor Andre Dickens criticized the Fulton County Board of Commissioners for rejecting a proposal to extend six tax allocation districts while approving a $1.3 billion financing plan for jail renovations.

Decide DeKalb approves $75 million for major housing bond program
For our Candler Park and Lake Claire readers: Decide DeKalb Development Authority approved a $75 million taxable revenue bond issuance as part of its $155 million Housing Investment Bond Program, with the funds directed toward workforce and affordable housing initiatives across DeKalb County.

Be the smartest person in the room. 1440 navigates 100+ sources to deliver a comprehensive, unbiased news roundup — politics, business, culture, and more — in a quick, 5-minute read. Completely free, completely factual.

Sign up now!

EVENTS | Presented by

Peace of Mind Recycling is your one stop shop for a convenient and affordable way to make sure your recyclables actually get… recycled! With Atlanta's city recycling services your guess is as good as ours in regards to what actually gets recycled. We document where we take your glass, metal, electronics & everything else so you can rest assured it's going to the good place 100% of the time.

Monday, August 3
- Plant-based winemakers dinner | Pizza Verdura Sincera
- Souls of Mischief | City Winery Atlanta
- Atlanta Run Club: Monday Night Runs | Ponce City Market
- Master the core skills that separate average sewing from high-end garment construction in this live, two-hour demonstration by designer Zayden Skipper. | Ponce City Market Events
- GRAD SHOW! - Feat. Zach's level 5 spokane students | Dad's Garage

Tuesday, August 4
- Sunset Tree Tour: Atlanta Beltline Arboretum Eastside Trail | Inman Perk Coffee
- Chance Peña | Variety Playhouse
- The Body / Big Brave | The Masquerade

Wednesday, August 5
- Zoning Committee Meeting August | Candler Park
- Pitch-A-Friend comes to Lore | Lore Atlanta
- Maestro | Dad's Garage
- Quicksand / Bane | The Masquerade

Thursday, August 6
- Amore e Amore Dives Under the Sea for an Exclusive Ruffino Wine Dinner | Amore e Amore
- Atlanta Underground Film Festival | 7 Stages
- Trivia Thursdays | New Realm Brewing
- Between the Lines: BLVD Showcase | Aisle 5

Friday, August 7
- Only Improv in the Building | Dad's Garage
- DMVU, LUZCID | Aisle 5
- Family Nature Walk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Millkzy - Extension Of You Tour | The Masquerade
- Camp Poncey-Hi Skyline Social | Hotel Clermont

Saturday, August 8
- CATVIDEOFEST 2026 X FURKIDS! | Plaza Atlanta
- Rum & Reggae | New Realm Brewing
- Food & Street Art Tour on the Atlanta Beltline | 99 Krog St NE
- Cage Match | Dad's Garage
- Nirvani - Nirvana Tribute | The Masquerade
- Sunset Sessions | New Realm Brewing
- Samples N' Friends | Aisle 5
- The Tight Acquaintances | Dad's Garage

Sunday, August 9
- Barks & Bites: Beltline Doggie Crawl | Krog Street Market
- Deep South Wrestling | New Realm Brewing
- O God My Heart is Ready: Closing & Artist Talk | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- Sloppy Jane | The Masquerade

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 Public Schools Board of Education
Atlanta Public Schools kicked off the new school year by welcoming its Student Advisory Council for orientation on July 29. Students met with the Atlanta Board of Education and the superintendent, elected new officers for the council, and broke into committees to start planning their work for the year ahead. This wasn't a policy meeting. No votes were taken and no budget or zoning decisions came out of it. Still, the council gives students a direct line to the people running the district, and the officer elections set the leadership that will represent student voices in board discussions throughout the year.

NPU-M
NPU-M's July 27 agenda tackles two citywide changes with real bite. The city is proposing a substitute ordinance that would rework trash collection fees and clarify who qualifies for backyard pickup exemptions, so anyone with cart trouble should watch how the exemption rules shake out. Also on the table is a new zoning ordinance that would require medical cannabis dispensaries to get a Special Use Permit before opening, giving neighborhoods more say over where these businesses can locate under state-mandated distance rules. Beyond policy, the agenda is packed with liquor license changes at a downtown hotel's multiple bars and restaurants, plus a new restaurant seeking its first alcohol license. Residents will also weigh in on a long list of fall festivals and outdoor events, from music festivals to street fairs, that could bring heavier foot traffic and street closures later this year. Keep in mind these are agenda items only. Nothing has been decided, and any of them could get postponed, tabled, or pulled before the meeting even starts.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions
- Atlanta NPU - NPU-M
- 321 Edgewood Avenue — The King District Street Fair is seeking an amended permit to close streets here for a September 12, 2026 event.
- 449 Auburn Avenue (The King Center) — The Beloved Community International Expo is proposing to hold its event at this address on September 12, 2026.
- 675 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE (Ponce City Market) — Okiboru and Norifish are seeking a new restaurant alcohol license to open a Japanese dining spot in the food hall.
- 680 Dallas Street NE (Historic Fourth Ward Park) — This greenspace has four events up for permit votes, including the Sip & Drool Dog Festival, the Atlanta Hip Hop Day Festival, the PurpleStride Atlanta walk, and the Culture Lab outdoor festival.
- Central Park (400 Merritts Ave NE) — The Culture Bowl and the ALT ATL Pride Block Party are both seeking permits to use the park for multi-day events this fall.

Meetings This Week
- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Special Called Meeting | Aug-03, 10:00 AM | key topics: 2026 TSPLOST ballot referendum, intergovernmental revenue-sharing agreement, Service Delivery Strategy negotiations, economic development update
- Atlanta City Council | Aug-03, 11:30 AM | key topics: 2028 Democratic National Convention host agreements, BeltLine rezoning at 774–798 Ponce De Leon/790 Bonaventure Ave NE, BeltLine rezoning at 686 Highland Ave NE, Grady Hospital pedestrian plaza on Jesse Hill Jr. Drive
- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners | Aug-05, 10:00 AM | key topics: opposition to data center tax abatements, Westside affordable commercial space funding, November 2026 ESPLOST ballot agreement, re-establishing county Budget Commission

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

If you’re thinking about a residential renovation to create a space that’s comfortable, memorable, and personalized for you, look no further than Rally Built Homes. Learn more here.

Permits
- 315 Highland Ave NE — A new 110,362 SF, 7-story mixed-use building just got filed for review. Plans call for over 93,000 square feet of climate-controlled storage inside. This is one of the bigger projects moving through the pipeline near Ponce City Market and the Beltline.
- 355 N Ave NE — Gas line permits got issued for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Cosby Spear Highrise redevelopment. Construction on this project is actively moving forward, so expect ongoing activity in the area.
- 696 Cleburne Ter NE — A commercial alteration permit is splitting an existing tenant suite in two. The city's asking for additional materials before it moves forward.
- 356 Blvd NE — A temporary power pole permit got issued. That's usually a sign active construction is underway or about to start on site.
- 675 Ponce de Leon Ave NE — Two permits filed for a commercial audio system, covering low-voltage speaker wiring and cabling installation.
- 684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave — A retroactive permit aims to legalize an accessory addition that got built without prior approval. The city's routing it for review now.
- 455 N Ave NE — A change of ownership permit is pending review.
- 309 N Highland Ave NE — Electrical work got issued for a new panel, subpanel, light fixtures, and outlets.

Beyond these, 20 more notable commercial permits came through this week, totaling $468,370. Most are electrical work and alterations, so nothing that should catch you off guard.

On the residential side, 38 smaller permits came through worth $45,028 combined. HVAC work leads the pack at 8 permits, followed by 7 arborist permits for dead or hazardous tree removal. If you hear chainsaws nearby, that's likely why.

Road Work

Under Construction

- SR 42/US 23 at SR 154 & Arkwright Place (Fulton County) — Crews are converting this Moreland Avenue intersection to a right-in/right-out setup. A new median will block all left turns.
- SR 8 Resurfacing, SR 8 WE from SR 3 to SR 42 (Fulton County) — GDOT is repaving this stretch to fix a low pavement quality score. If your daily drive runs along this corridor near O4W or Poncey-Highland, watch for lane closures and rough patches until the work wraps.
- I-75 Tunnel Lighting at Ralph McGill Blvd & Baker Street (Fulton County) — Crews are swapping out old lighting for LED fixtures in the tunnels here, with possible pole and wiring replacement too. This sits right on the edge of Old Fourth Ward, so night drivers through the area may notice lane shifts during the work.
- SR 154 Pedestrian Safety Upgrades, 7 locations in DeKalb & 1 in Fulton — This multi-county project adds a mid-block crossing, a right-in/right-out, and a restricted U-turn setup between Hill Street and Pearl Street. It won't sit inside L5P or O4W directly, but it'll shape traffic patterns just south of the area.
- SR 260 Pedestrian Signal Installs at Brownwood Ave, Joseph Ave, Haas Ave & Eastside Ave (DeKalb County) — Crews are installing rectangular rapid flash beacons at these four crossings. It's a few miles out, but if you drive through DeKalb on your way into Candler Park or Lake Claire, expect brief slowdowns near these intersections.

Utility Work

Atlanta Watershed
- Road Closure at 339 Edgewood Avenue SE Due to Emergency Repairs — Crews have closed Edgewood Avenue SE between Hillard Street and Willam Holmes Border Senior Dr. SE for emergency repair work. If you drive through Sweet Auburn or O4W, expect to route around this stretch until further notice.

Service Requests

Traffic signals are keeping crews busy this week. You'll find 9 open repair reports at Krog St, Ralph McGill Blvd and Glen Iris Dr, Moreland Ave and Euclid Ave, Freedom Pkwy and N Ave, Auburn Ave and Hilliard St, and several other intersections nearby. Most are already in progress or resolved.

- Traffic Signal Repairs — Krog St, Ralph McGill Blvd and Glen Iris Dr, Moreland Ave and Euclid Ave, Freedom Pkwy and N Ave, Auburn Ave and Hilliard St, plus four more locations
- Potholes — Austin Ave, Dekalb Ave near Pafilox Dr, Euclid Ave at Moreland Ave, Mansfield Ave, and Waverly Way. One's been handed off to the Sewer Division for a closer look
- Downed Trees — Lakeshore Dr and Pafilox Dr, with one already cleared
- Overgrowth/Visibility Issues — Angier Ave and John Wesley Dobbs Ave near Randolph St, where three trees need trimming back
- Litter Removal — Blvd and Englewood Ave, already cleaned up

Want to sponsor us? Submit here

Want to alter your neighborhood selections? Submit here

Want to promote an event? Submit here

Until next week,
O4W / L5P / Candler Park 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.