Presented by Rally Built Homes

Hey, VaHi and Morningside! Hope you had a lovely 4th, and kudos to those of you that got out and ran or spectated the Peachtree Road Race in the heat. This week: The John Howell Park campaign just crossed 70% funded, which means the finish line is finally coming into view, and the team behind one of Atlanta's best restaurants just announced they're bringing something new to Morningside.

- News — The John Howell Park fundraising push hits a new high, a Virginia Beach firm drops $20.5M on local apartments, and APS is weighing classroom screen time limits that could affect your kids come fall.
- Business — The acclaimed team behind The Chastain is planting a new restaurant in Morningside; it won't open until 2027, but it's already worth watching.
- Events — The Rum Island Festival takes over Piedmont Park on Saturday, and the week is stacked with jazz at Red Light Cafe, blues at Blind Willie's, and a neighborhood meeting Tuesday night.
- Government — City Council's Monday agenda is loaded: a 180-day self-storage moratorium, a "More MARTA" renegotiation, and the Peachtree Circle Historic District designation are all on the table.
- Construction — The Atlanta Botanical Garden filed for a new events building, SR 13 is getting its first resurfacing since 2012, and six pothole repairs and a flurry of signal fixes are moving through the area.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

70% Funded and Counting: John Howell Park Master Plan Reaches New Milestone
The Virginia-Highland Civic Association has raised $680,000 toward Phase 1 of the John Howell Park master plan, putting the project at 70% of its funding goal. Forty-eight Founding Member families have driven that number, and organizers want to reach 60 families and $350,000 in community donations by September.

Virginia Beach Investor Acquires Segment of Alaire Morningside for $20.5 Million
Croatan Investments, a Virginia Beach-based firm, paid $20.5 million for a portion of the Alaire Morningside apartment community in Morningside. The deal signals that outside institutional money continues to find the area attractive for residential investment.

Massive crowds pack 57th annual Peachtree Road Race on Fourth of July
The 57th Peachtree Road Race drew massive crowds this Fourth of July, living up to its reputation as one of the country's largest 10K events. If you were among the tens of thousands who ran or cheered along the course, you already know the energy was unmistakable.

Atlanta Public Schools considers new limits on classroom screen time
Atlanta Public Schools is weighing new restrictions on how much time students spend looking at screens during the school day. If you have kids in APS, this one hits close to home and could reshape daily classroom routines when the new school year begins.

Midtown International School blames declining enrollment for financial woes, but avoids bankruptcy
Midtown International School has been struggling financially, pointing to falling enrollment as the root cause, but the school has pulled back from the edge and avoided bankruptcy. The institution is working to stabilize its operations and keep its doors open. Families connected to the school will want to follow this story closely in the weeks ahead.

BUSINESS

Alere - opening in 2027 - The team behind the acclaimed Chastain Park restaurant The Chastain is bringing a new neighborhood dining concept to Morningside. No opening date yet beyond next year, but if their track record is any indication, it's worth the wait.

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EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, July 6
- Atlanta Running Meetup | Park Tavern

Tuesday, July 7
- You're Invited - Piedmont Heights Monthly Neighborhood Meeting | Piedmont Heights Civic Association
- MARVELOUS MARVIN & THE SHARKS | Blind Willie's
- Weekly Walking Club | Piedmont Park
- Garden Playtime | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Wednesday, July 8
- Wednesday Jazz Jam - Gordon Vernick Quartet | Red Light Cafe
- Larry Griffith Band: Solo@Fat Matt's Rib Shack,7-9-30! | Fat Matt's Rib Shack
- Summer Strolls | Piedmont Park
- Storybook & Sensory Bin Time | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Drop-In Kids Gardening Activity | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Atlanta In The Wild Dating: Speed Dating 28+ | Park Tavern

Thursday, July 9
- Cocktails in the Garden | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- There's No One Way to be Non-Binary: A ️Photo Exhibition by Valeska Freire | The Supermarket ATL
- Taizé Documentary at the Tara Theater in Atlanta | Tara Atlanta
- Flip the Heat: ARIH Airstream Pop-Up in Atlanta | Piedmont Park
- Garden Grooves | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Friday, July 10
- Shows for Seedlings: Queen Emeralda's Magical Garden Stories with Kay Rosenblum | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- In The Wild: Nashville Singles Summer Cocktail Party | Park Tavern

Saturday, July 11
- ✨🪣 Community Clean-Up | Virginia Highland District Association
- Rum Island Festival | Piedmont Park
- Green Market | Piedmont Park
- Hydrangea Primer and Guided Walk | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Everlasting Mini-Terrarium Workshop | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Plant. Eat. Repeat. Workshop Series | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Music in the Garden | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Sunday, July 12
- ATL Vegan Festival | Piedmont Park
- Reclaimed ATL: Vintage and Artisan Market | The Supermarket ATL
- Fresh Produce Comedy - July | The Supermarket ATL

GOVERNMENT

Note: our information comes from posted meetings documents (agendas and minutes when available) — latest source document hyperlinked to each meeting.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Committee on Council | Jul-06, 11:30 AM | key topics: E-SPLOST school sales tax special election, police security at recreation center polling sites, public comment rule changes, Chattahoochee Brick Co. Park board appointment
- Atlanta City Council — Full Council Meeting | Jul-06, 1:00 PM | key topics: 180-day self-storage moratorium, "More MARTA" IGA renegotiation, Lindbergh EMS/Fire station land acquisition, Peachtree Circle Historic District designation is on the agenda

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

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Permits

What's being built (and torn into) near you this week:
- 1786 Johnson Rd NW — A new 5-unit townhome building is routed for review. The project, called Parc Terrace, covers lots 99-103 and adds more density to the mix.
- 1425 Piedmont Ave NE — Atlanta Botanical Gardens filed for a one-story events building as part of its ongoing expansion at Piedmont and the park edge. Still needs additional materials before it moves forward, but the footprint is growing.
- 736 Ponce de Leon Ave NE — A salon on Ponce is converting to a retail clothing store. Minor interior work only, but the tenant mix on that stretch is shifting.
- 1705 Monroe Dr NE — A commercial interior alteration is pending for this R-2 occupancy building. The permit describes a comprehensive renovation of the existing space.
- 400 Park Dr NE — A generator permit covering multiple high-wattage units is pending. Routine infrastructure, but worth knowing if you're near the park corridor.

Beyond those, the week's activity is mostly HVAC swaps, electrical updates, and solar installs across commercial properties, plus 33 residential permits spread through the area covering additions, HVAC replacements, and electrical work. Four arborist permits for dead or hazardous trees are also in the queue, so some tree removal is coming.

Road Work

Under Construction
- I-85 Lighting Upgrade (Fulton County) Crews are replacing the old HPS lighting with LED fixtures along I-85 between I-75 and north of Lenox Road. Work includes possible pole and conduit replacement. If you use this stretch regularly, expect some nighttime activity.
- SR 13 Resurfacing, SR 9 to North Fork Peachtree Creek (Fulton County) SR 13 is getting its first resurfacing since 2012. Expect lane restrictions while crews work through this corridor.
- Buford Spring Connector Tunnel Lighting at I-85 (Fulton County) The tunnel lighting here is getting the same HPS-to-LED treatment. Conduit and wiring work is also in scope, so if you pass through this connector, allow extra time.
- SR 9 Resurfacing (Fulton County) Resurfacing is underway on SR 9 between SR 3 and north of Paces Ferry Road. The roadway scored low on condition ratings, so the work is overdue. Expect lane closures along this stretch.

Service Requests

Six potholes are getting attention across the area, with reports filed on Piedmont Ave NE, Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, N Highland Ave NE, Adair Ave NE, and Sherwood Rd NE.

Traffic signals have been a busy category this week. Six non-emergency repair requests came in at Monroe Dr and Montgomery Ferry Rd (flagged twice), Cheshire Bridge Rd at Sheridan Dr, Ponce de Leon Ave at N Highland Ave NE, and Monroe Dr at Piedmont Way. Two emergency-level signal repairs were also filed at Highland Ave and Ponce de Leon Ave, and those have already been resolved.

Three downed tree reports came in on E Rock Springs Rd NE and at Stillwood Dr and Virginia Ave. Those appear to be handled.

Litter removal requests were filed on Kilburn Dr NE and Strathmore Dr NE, and crews are looking at an overgrowth issue on N Rock Springs Rd NE.

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Until next week,
VaHi / Morningside 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.