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Hey, Southwest Beltline! This week: a 1951 Green Book landmark on the Westside has reopened as 102 deeply affordable apartments, ballroom and all, while Fulton County's incoming chair Mo Ivory lays out her January agenda. Then we've got a weekend stacked with a Monday Night Brewing anniversary carnival, Skanksgiving ska night, and a mushroom festival at Lee + White.

- News — Heritage Village at West Lake turns the old Waluhaje Hotel into 102 apartments with a historic ballroom, Mo Ivory previews her plans as Fulton's next commission chair, and Project Rebuild offers about $600 housing for people leaving incarceration.
- Events — Catch Rocky on the big screen Monday, plant bingo Thursday, then Saturday's Monday Night Brewing 15th anniversary carnival, a Beltline bike tour, and a jazz tribute before Sunday's Atlanta Mushroom Festival.
- Government — Fulton approved a $45.5 million jail design contract and voted 5-1 to abolish its ethics board, Atlanta extended the self-storage moratorium, and two White St SW parcels are headed to the land bank for affordable housing.
- Construction — A permit to demolish eight buildings at 1050 Murphy Ave SW is under review, a data center is expanding on Donnelly Ave, and SR 14 bridge work over the Beltline continues.

Let's dive in.

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Images: Civil rights landmark's conversion to housing has delivered
Heritage Village at West Lake turned the 1951 Waluhaje Hotel and Apartment Complex at 239 West Lake Ave. NW into five stories with 102 one-bedroom apartments, all reserved for households earning at most 30 percent of the Area Median Income. The building, a Green Book destination during the segregated era, also includes a 150-person ballroom with a historic stage, and Quest Community Development Organization and Columbia Residential led the project.

Making history, Mo Ivory outlines her vision for Fulton County in first post-election interview
Mo Ivory won the Nov. 3 general election for Fulton County Board of Commissioners chair with 75 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Eric Tatum. 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.

Fulton County reentry program offers affordable housing for former inmates
Project Rebuild, launched by social entrepreneur Keith Lewis, operates six homes across metro Atlanta that house fewer than 25 tenants, with private units costing about $600 per month. Participants come mainly through criminal justice pipelines, diversion programs, and mental health referrals, and Lewis hopes to grow to 50 to 100 units with state reimbursements.

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Monday, November 9
- Black Men Run Atlanta | Lee + White
- Monday Night Movies - Rocky I | Monday Night Brewing - The Garage

Tuesday, November 10
- Introduction to MIG Welding | Mass Collective
- Visual Storytelling that Converts for Small Businesses | Wild Heaven Beer: West End Brewery & Gardens
- Socially Awkward Comedy | Boggs Social & Supply

Wednesday, November 11
- Small On-Site Tour: November 11th 2026 - 11:30 am and 2:30 pm (Nov. 11–12) | Pittsburgh Yards
- Speculative Fiction Book Club: The Fifth Season | Offbeat Books

Thursday, November 12
- Plant Bingo | Wild Heaven West End Brewery & Garden
- Backyard Night Market: Soulful Holiday Edition
- The Outfield Clovers, Nite Expo, Catholics, Ssighborggg | Boggs Social & Supply

Friday, November 13
- Turquoise Jeep Records | The Garden Club at Wild Heaven West End
- Skanksgiving: ATL Ska Night! | Boggs Social & Supply

Saturday, November 14
- Monday Night Brewing 15th - Anniversary Affaire | Monday Night Brewing - The Grove
- Southwest Beltline Bike Tour | Pittsburgh Yards -- Beltline Entrance
- e-Scooter Lesson with Bird | Pittsburgh Yards -- Beltline Entrance
- FitSquad Studios Presents... | Pittsburgh Yards -- James Bridges Field
- Core + More | Pittsburgh Yards -- James Bridges Field
- Hammonds House presents Crown & Shields workshop with artist Grace Kisa | Hammonds House Museum
- Author Signing: Corwynn Rosewood | Offbeat Books
- JAZZ JAM SESSION | Lee + White
- Art Out Loud Open Mic: Give Thanks! Edition | Westview Maker Space
- The Jazz Room: A Frank Sinatra & Louis Armstrong Tribute | Wild Heaven Beer West End
- Sputnik! Atlanta's Dark Alternative Music Video Night (Nov. 14–15) | Boggs Social & Supply

Sunday, November 15
- Atlanta Mushroom Festival | Wild Heaven West End Brewery & Garden
- The ‘It’s Not Fair” Fair | Trees Atlanta Kendeda Tree House
- Super Smash Brews! A Super Smash Bros Melee Tournament | Boggs Social & Supply

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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, five-year contract to design a new 1,800-bed county jail, and they renewed the jail's medical services contract for about $47 million. They voted 5-1 to abolish the Board of Ethics, so independent officers will now screen and decide ethics complaints. The board also approved the 2026 school millage rate, which sets the school portion of your property tax bill, and it signed off on grant money for a 200-unit affordable housing development in Vine City. Commissioner Dana Barrett's proposals to end the 5% departmental budget cap and to push lawmakers to curb private equity takeovers of medical practices both died after the board voted to file them.

Atlanta City Council
The full council set the city's Fiscal Year 2027 property tax rates, including the levies for the Atlanta BeltLine and Atlanta Stitch special service districts, and it extended the moratorium on new self-storage facilities in Office-Institutional zones by 60 days. Council members unanimously denied a site plan amendment for a 5-acre planned housing development, and they killed a 21-acre park-for-hire parking proposal. They also waived tree fees to clear the way for a new grocery store in Southwest Atlanta and sent more than $63 million in water infrastructure spending forward, including $25 million for water line replacements citywide. Council members sent a 12-month contract extension for water line repairs back to committee, so that deal isn't settled. Meanwhile, the Committee on Council recommended Dr. Annette Hall for the Human Relations Commission and held several items, including changes to public comment and proclamation rules.

Atlanta Public Schools
The Board of Education gave first readings to new attendance zones set to take effect in Fall 2027. They cover several elementary, middle, and high schools in west, northwest, and south Atlanta, including Douglass and Washington high schools and the Beecher Hills and West Manor elementary pair. Because these were first readings, the board took no final vote, and you'll get a chance to review maps and weigh in before it decides. The board also approved contracts for school buses, propane fuel, and student support services, and it authorized temporary construction easements with the City of Atlanta. Board members also saw an early draft of the district's 2027 legislative priorities, which previews what it'll ask state lawmakers to pursue.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council
- 879 White St SW — The Atlanta City Council approved conveying the city-owned parcel to the Metro Atlanta Land Bank for $1.00 for permanent affordable housing redevelopment.
- 881 White St SW — The Atlanta City Council approved conveying the city-owned parcel to the Metro Atlanta Land Bank for $1.00 for permanent affordable housing redevelopment.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee | Nov-09, 10:00 AM | Key topics: Moores Mill Road Bridge replacement study, traffic calming on Wieuca Road, Roswell Road sidewalk property acquisition, and traffic signal impact fee reallocation.
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee | Nov-09, 11:00 AM | Key topics: comprehensive zoning ordinance rewrite, event center regulations, Murphy Triangle industrial mixed-use rezoning, and BeltLine corridor developments.
- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee | Nov-09, 1:00 PM | Key topics: legal settlements, alcohol distance exemptions on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway, and protections against anonymous housing code complaints.
- Atlanta NPU — NPU-V | Nov-09, 7:00 PM | Key topics: citywide zoning redefinition of family, alcohol license application for Sammy's Cafe, and 2027 executive officer elections.
- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee | Nov-10, 10:00 AM | Key topics: restrictions on data centers using municipal drinking water, bans on commercial septic tanks, and funding for the North Fork wastewater storage facility.
- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee | Nov-10, 1:30 PM | Key topics: urban forest land purchase on Fourth Avenue NW, Southside Park improvements, and corridor land-use redesignations.
- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee | Nov-10, 1:30 PM | Key topics: Fire Station 31 construction contract, affordable housing bond authorization, and delinquent utility lien interest rules.
- Atlanta NPU — NPU-T | Nov-11, 7:00 PM

CONSTRUCTION

Permits
- 1050 Murphy Ave SW. Commercial demolition permit filed 10/26 and now routed for review. The project calls for removing eight existing buildings. Expect noise and heavy equipment if it clears review.
- 1101 Donnelly Ave SW. Commercial alteration filed 10/16 and accepted. EdgeConneX is converting former shell space into a data center server room (Data Hall 4) with supporting infrastructure. The facility is growing.
- Victoria Pl SW. New 350-square-foot detached accessory dwelling unit, plus a small wood porch, filed 11/05. The city wants additional materials before it moves forward.
- 889 Lee St SW. Low-voltage permit filed 11/05 for 20 security cameras and 5 access control doors. That's a serious security setup for one building.
- 326 Wellington St SW. Commercial electrical permit filed 11/04 to modernize the building with LED can lights, new switches and new boxes. It's a full lighting refresh.
- 1124 Oak St SW. HVAC and plumbing permits were both issued 11/04 for inspections of existing systems tied to a certificate of occupancy. A business is getting close to opening here.
- 609 Whitehall St SW. Commercial plumbing permit filed 11/04 for a restaurant inspection. It's still pending online. A new or reopening restaurant could be on the way.
- 845 Lawton St SW. Commercial electrical permit issued 11/04 to replace the underground meter main and add a disconnect so the power company can energize 240v service. The building is getting a power upgrade.

Road Work

Phase Advances (Past 7 Days)
- Bridge repairs on I-85 and I-285 — Crews will rehab the decks, replace edge beams and joints, repaint steel beams, patch damaged concrete, seal cracks and fix erosion at three I-85 and I-285 bridges in Fulton County.
- Crosswalk beacons on SR 280 at Loghaven Drive and Hightower Court — GDOT plans to add two flashing pedestrian crosswalk beacons, along with median islands, at Loghaven Drive and Hightower Court.
- SR 166 at Lakewood Avenue turn lane — GDOT plans to change the angle of the right-turn lane from SR 166 onto Lakewood Avenue.

Under Construction
- SR 14 bridge over the Beltline Westside Trail — Crews are refurbishing the full length of the SR 14 bridge over the Beltline, which also spans MARTA, the CSX railroad and Murphy Avenue, and adding a concrete lining to reinforce it.
- Sylvan Road rail crossing — GDOT is still scoping work at the Norfolk Southern rail crossing on Sylvan Road, so no design or schedule has been released yet.
- SR 14 resurfacing, Norman Berry Drive to the CSX crossing — Crews are repaving SR 14 from Norman Berry Drive up to the CSX railroad crossing.
- Bridge repairs at two I-20 bridges — Crews are patching damaged concrete, replacing joints and bearings, repainting steel beams and sealing cracks at two I-20 bridges in Fulton County.
- I-20 lighting, Linkwood Road to I-85 — Crews are swapping the old sodium highway lights for LEDs along this stretch of I-20, and some poles and wiring may be replaced along the way.

Service Requests
- Traffic Signal Repairs: Nine non-emergency reports came in for signals on Cascade Ave SW (2), Ralph David Abernathy Blvd & Murphy Ave (2), Ralph David Abernathy Blvd SW & Whitehall St SW, McDaniel St & Rockwell St, and University Ave & Metropolitan Pkwy. Two more locations also made the list. One report went to GDOT, and one landed outside city limits.
- Emergency Signal Repair: A Level 1 emergency report covers a signal on Lee St SW. The city passed it along to Georgia Power.
- Overgrowth Blocking Visibility: You'll find four reports at Murphy Ave & Sylvan Rd (2), Oglethorpe Ave SW, and W Ontario Ave SW. All four are solved.
- Litter Removal: Crews have two reports to handle at Hopkins St & Lucile Ave and Dargan Pl SW & Lawton St SW.

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Until next week,
Southwest Beltline 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.