VaHi / Morningside: Porchfest Grows Up, Jazz Fest Arrives, and Cheshire Bridge Stirs

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

Hey, neighbors! Big week in VaHi and Morningside. The Atlanta Jazz Festival rolls into Piedmont Park this weekend with free admission and a headliner lineup worth planning your Saturday around, while Porchfest's cover-fee debut is still generating conversation worth having. Meanwhile, there's real movement on Cheshire Bridge and the Amsterdam Walk site that's worth watching closely.

- News — Amsterdam Walk is showing signs of life along the Eastside Trail, Union Eleven is rising on Cheshire Bridge, and a full city block has been leveled to make way for a major Botanical Garden expansion with a new BeltLine gateway.
- Business — Atlanta's oldest continuously operating tavern, Atkins Park Restaurant, is getting a national spotlight moment, a reminder of what makes this neighborhood worth writing about.
- Events — The Atlanta Jazz Festival headlined by Esperanza Spalding, Christian McBride, and Nate Smith takes over Piedmont Park this weekend, and Piedmont Park's pool opens Saturday for pass holders.
- Government — The City Council fast-tracked water bonds to lock in favorable rates, APS is eyeing student screen time limits and surplus properties, and a $200,000 donation to the Piedmont Park Conservancy is headed to a full council vote Monday.
- Construction — A demolition permit is ready to issue on Cheshire Bridge, a new restaurant gut-reno is underway nearby, and six potholes plus five signal outages have been flagged across Monroe Drive and surrounding streets.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Controversial Amsterdam Walk redevelopment shows signs of life
Portman Holdings is pushing forward with updated plans for the Amsterdam Walk site, which sits squarely along the Eastside Trail — one of the most coveted stretches of real estate in the city. For Poncey-Highland residents who've watched this property languish and spark debate, the question now is whether the new vision finally gets the trail connectivity piece right.

Union Eleven to replace fire-ravaged apartment complex on Cheshire Bridge
The new residential complex replacing the fire-ravaged apartment building on Cheshire Bridge Road is rising from the ground, a visible sign that the block is finally turning the page. It's been a long road back for that stretch of the neighborhood, and seeing walls go up is the kind of milestone that actually means something.

VaHi Porchfest fills the neighborhood with music and attendees (for a fee this time)
Virginia-Highland Porchfest came back swinging this past weekend — packed porches, live music spilling into the streets, the whole deal. But the introduction of a cover fee ruffled some feathers, and the size of the crowds had others questioning whether the event has outgrown its own charm. Growing pains are real, even for a beloved neighborhood tradition.

Images: Block leveled for bigger Atlanta Botanical Garden
Demolition is nearly complete on the block between Piedmont Avenue and the Beltline, clearing the way for what will be a significant expansion of the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Beyond the added green space, the project promises a proper new gateway connecting Midtown residents to the gardens directly from the Northeast Trail — which is a bigger deal than it might sound.

BUSINESS

Atkins Park Restaurant - in the spotlight - Atlanta's oldest continuously operating tavern is getting its national moment, with a new feature celebrating the Virginia-Highland landmark's role as a genuine neighborhood anchor — the kind of place that holds a block together across generations.

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EVENTS

The Atlanta Jazz Festival rolls into Piedmont Park this weekend, and it's a big one — free admission, world-class performers, and the kind of late-May energy that makes Atlanta feel like itself. Plan around the crowds on Tenth Street and along the park's west side, and maybe walk or bike if you can.

Monday, May 18
- Monster Show For Monsters (18+ Event) | Red Light Cafe

Tuesday, May 19
- Weekly Walking Club | Piedmont Park
- Connect & Learn: Bluebird Boxes in the Park | Piedmont Park
- Heavy Hitters Live featuring Queen Sheba & Michael Harriot | 585 Sherwood Rd.
- HIP V SWAG - SAEM 2026 | Red Light Cafe
- Garden Playtime | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Drop-In Garden Tours | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Wednesday, May 20
- Welcome Home: Houses, Doorways, and Buildings - Painting Program | Piedmont Park
- Tripp & The Breakers at Blind Willie's | Blind Willie's Blues Club
- Larry Griffith Band: Solo at World Famous Fat Matt's Rib Shack, 7-9:30! | Fat Matt's Rib Shack
- Wednesday Night Jazz Jam - Gordon Vernick Quartet | Red Light Cafe
- Storybook & Sensory Bin Time | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Drop-In Kids Gardening Activity | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Crystal Martin featuring Brother Ruckus, W@yne, MookaMilli, and DJ Roots Queen | Smith's Olde Bar

Thursday, May 21
- Cocktails in the Garden | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Tayler Holder with support from Micah Fletcher | Smith's Olde Bar
- Project U | Smith's Olde Bar
- Garden Grooves | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Figure Drawing | Piedmont Park

Friday, May 22
- Josh Baker (21+ Event) | District Atlanta
- Grizz CLL, Vick Vapors, Corpse Dust, Astrid Aesthetic | MJQ Concourse
- Shows for Seedlings: Playtime Songs with Ms. Patty | Atlanta Botanical Garden

Saturday, May 23
- Atlanta Jazz Festival | Piedmont Park
- Pool Opens for Pool Pass Holders | Piedmont Park
- Greenways with Maraluso and Café Bleu | Smith's Olde Bar
- FUN DIP | MJQ Concourse
- Frog Feeding | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Christian McBride | Jazz Festival
- Nate Smith | Jazz Festival
- aja monet | Jazz Festival

Sunday, May 24
- Pool Opens | Piedmont Park
- Scott Low returns | Blind Willie's Blues Club
- Esperanza Spalding | Jazz Festival
- Matthew Stevens | Jazz Festival

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

The APS Policy Review Committee wrapped up several administrative updates at its May 14 meeting, granting final approval to two policies: one formalizing how the district manages student counseling and career planning, and another tightening oversight of how employees use district credit cards — a straightforward fiscal accountability measure. The board also held substantive discussions on two forward-looking issues without taking final votes: potential limits on student screen time during the school day, and updated protocols for how the district handles electronic funds transfers. Separately, the committee received a status briefing on surplus district properties — buildings and land no longer actively used by APS — which typically precedes decisions about selling or redeveloping those sites. Residents interested in what happens to vacant school buildings in their area should watch future board meetings for when specific properties move from discussion to action.

Atlanta City Council

The full Council convened a brief Special Called Meeting on May 13 with a singular, urgent focus: locking in the final terms on a series of water and wastewater "Sustainability Bonds" before favorable market rates could shift. Eight members present voted unanimously to approve the supplemental pricing ordinance setting interest rates, maturity dates, and principal amounts for the Series 2026 bonds, then immediately passed a motion to rush the legislation to the Mayor's desk "post-haste." The bonds, designated for projects with environmental benefits, will fund ongoing upgrades to the city's utility infrastructure and refinance existing debt — work that affects every Atlanta water ratepayer. The urgency of the single-item agenda underscored how time-sensitive bond market conditions can be for municipal finance.

Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee

The Zoning Committee's May 11 session was dominated by large-scale land use shifts, with unanimous approval granted for two significant residential rezonings: a 24.7-acre planned development on County Line Road and a 13-acre conversion from industrial land to multi-family housing near the BeltLine on Johnson Road. The committee also forwarded a Special Use Permit for Ansley Golf Club to the full Council for final approval. On the denial side, a proposed community center on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway was effectively killed when the committee voted to "file" the application — council parlance for closing it out — following a negative recommendation from the local Neighborhood Planning Unit. Several major items were deferred, including a contentious 13.8-acre mixed-use rezoning on Sylvan Road that staff and the Zoning Review Board have both recommended against, giving residents more time to weigh in before a final decision is made.

Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee

The Public Safety Committee's May 11 meeting moved forward on a $4.89 million one-year contract extension for citywide demolition and asbestos abatement services — the kind of routine but essential work that keeps derelict structures from becoming safety hazards across Atlanta neighborhoods. The committee also authorized the settlement of 14 lawsuits and legal claims, headlined by a $400,000 payout in the case of Linnet Carty v. City of Atlanta, while unanimously denying 25 other property damage and injury claims ranging from pothole incidents to a wrongful death case. A lease for the Atlanta Police Department's Zone 6 precinct on Hosea Williams Drive — roughly $102,000 per year through 2030 — was advanced to the full Council. Notably, a proposed 180-day moratorium on new alcohol licenses in the Edgewood Corridor was held in committee at the sponsor's own request, meaning that debate isn't over — it's just been pushed to a future meeting.

Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee

The Utilities Committee authorized more than $100 million in water and sewer infrastructure spending at its May 12 meeting, the bulk of it directed at long-standing sanitary sewer repair and overflow issues across the city through a combination of new funding authorizations and contract amendments with existing construction partners. A separate $24 million change order was approved to add the Peachtree Creek Eastside 2B project to ongoing creek infrastructure work, and $7.5 million was cleared for a small water meter replacement program affecting residential and small business customers — directly relevant to billing accuracy for Atlanta households. The committee also authorized the sale of a small city-owned parcel to GDOT for $114,000, a required step for the state's massive I-285/I-20 West interchange reconstruction. Two items were held for further review: a $4.1 million software maintenance contract for the watershed department's billing system, and a request to waive standard flood elevation requirements for a residential property, with committee members seeking additional information before signing off.

Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee

The Finance/Executive Committee's May 13 meeting advanced several notable expenditures, including a unanimous $200,000 donation to the Piedmont Park Conservancy for park reinvestment and $70,000 in community grants for District 5 nonprofits through the C.O.R.E. grant program. The committee also created a new mechanism — "Enterprise Zone Infrastructure Fees" — to fund infrastructure improvements in designated city zones, and approved the sale of a small city parcel to GDOT for $114,000 to support the I-285/I-20 West interchange project. The meeting's bigger story, though, was what didn't move: the committee held the entire proposed FY2027 city budget, property tax rates, and a long-awaited compensation plan to bring Atlanta Fire Rescue pay up to competitive levels — all items that will need to be resolved before the new fiscal year begins. Two ordinances authorizing $4 million each in General Obligation bonds were forwarded to the full Council without a recommendation, leaving that debate for the full body to take up directly.

Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee

The Transportation Committee's May 13 meeting produced a mix of advances and deferrals on projects ranging from a university land grab to a hotly debated BeltLine proposal. On the approval side, the committee unanimously recommended abandoning a stretch of Gilmer Street SE to allow Georgia State University to expand its campus footprint, accepted $6.4 million in state road maintenance grants, and approved a feasibility study on whether Hartsfield-Jackson's TSA security screening should be converted to a private model. Meanwhile, a resolution by Councilmember Mary Norwood to add dedicated bicycle and motorized vehicle lanes along the BeltLine — aimed at reducing pedestrian conflicts — was held for further discussion, as was a $3.6 million improvement grant for Peachtree Street and an $824,000 pedestrian safety contract for Campbellton Road. The committee also advanced a $178 million budget package for airport renewal projects, underscoring how much of the city's transportation infrastructure spending flows through Hartsfield-Jackson even as neighborhood-level projects wait in the queue.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners called a Special Meeting on May 12 with a single substantive item on the agenda: the county's Service Delivery Strategy, a legally required agreement under Georgia law that determines which government entity — county or city — is responsible for delivering specific services like fire protection, road maintenance, and utilities, and crucially, who gets taxed to pay for them. For residents who live inside city limits, this agreement is what prevents being double-billed for services the county provides only to unincorporated areas. Because minutes have not yet been posted, it is not confirmed whether any formal decisions were reached — the board may have approved, tabled, or simply discussed the item without a final vote. Residents should watch for minutes and follow-up action at a regular commission meeting, as Service Delivery Strategy negotiations can have long-term implications for how county tax dollars are allocated across the region.

Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee

The Community Development/Human Services Committee met May 12 with a packed agenda covering land use, parks, housing, and neighborhood policy — but because minutes have not yet been posted, outcomes are unconfirmed, and any item may have been approved, deferred, or withdrawn. Among the most consequential items scheduled were several proposals to reclassify industrial land to high-density mixed-use, formal adoptions of neighborhood plans for Peachtree Park and Edgewood, and a $1.05 million contract renewal for BeltLine park maintenance. The committee also had on its agenda the creation of a formal Office of Short-Term Rentals — which would require platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo to verify city permits — as well as a resolution on dedicated BeltLine bike and vehicle lanes and a proposal to make summer camp free for income-qualifying children. Residents interested in any of these items should watch for the posted minutes to learn what actually happened.

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, which will now advance 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 take up a resolution requesting certified law enforcement officers at every Atlanta Recreation Center used as a polling place, covering early voting, election days, and runoffs. Also on the agenda: a resolution that would authorize outside counsel to conduct an independent investigation into the city's contracts and administrative actions involving Foris Webb, III; a proposal to dissolve several inactive city boards and commissions; and appointments to the Budget Commission ahead of FY2027 planning.

- Atlanta City Council — Monday, May 18 at 1:00 PM
The full council's agenda spans major development rezonings, a new police precinct lease, and a land sale to GDOT. A $200,000 donation to the Piedmont Park Conservancy and a $1.05 million contract renewal for Atlanta Beltline park maintenance are also scheduled for a vote. Key properties on the agenda include a rezoning request for 196 Montgomery Ferry Drive NE (Ansley Golf Club) seeking a Special Use Permit for a private club, and a new public trail easement for the Amani Trail Spur at 1612 Hardee Street NE.

- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee — Monday, May 18 at 1:00 PM
The committee is set to consider a sweeping set of land-use changes, including multiple proposals to shift properties along Logan Circle and Chattahoochee Avenue NW from Industrial to High Density Mixed Use — a designation that typically opens the door to mid- and high-rise residential development over ground-floor retail. Also on the agenda: a resolution to add dedicated bike and motorized-vehicle lanes on the Atlanta Beltline, a proposal to make summer camps free for children who qualify for free or reduced lunch, and an ordinance to create a new Office of Short-Term Rentals with mandatory permitting requirements.

- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Wednesday, May 20 at 10:00 AM
Commissioners are scheduled to consider a resolution requesting the Sheriff decline certain misdemeanor jail bookings to address overcrowding, alongside a separate plan to improve jail staffing and hiring. Also on the agenda: more than $5.3 million in community services grants to local nonprofits, a MARTA quarterly briefing, and a resolution challenging the constitutionality of Georgia HB 369, which would mandate nonpartisan elections for Fulton County officers and the District Attorney beginning in 2028.

- Atlanta NPU — NPU-F — Wednesday, May 20 at 7:00 PM (Virtual Only)

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- 1752 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE — Demolition permit ready to issue for an unsafe commercial structure. Something's coming down on Cheshire Bridge — worth keeping an eye on what replaces it.
- 1886 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE — Full interior gut renovation of a commercial space to become a new restaurant, with minor exterior changes. Another dining option taking shape on Cheshire Bridge.
- 1860 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE — Interior build-out underway for a new smoke shop: fresh paint, epoxy floors, and a move-in. Permit accepted.
- 442 Plaster Ave NE — Interior renovation with limited exterior modifications converting an existing commercial building into offices and showroom space. Under review.
- 400 Plaster Ave NE — Tenant build-out in a second-generation commercial space, including demo, new walls, ceilings, and finishes. Also under review.
- 562 Dutch Valley Rd NE — Plumbing permit issued for a dental office expansion. Someone's growing their practice.
- 176 Ottley Dr NE — Exterior awning being added above the front entry. Minor, but a sign of a business sprucing up its street presence.
- 609 Virginia Ave NE — An existing apartment complex is demolishing two small accessory storage sheds as part of a larger addition project. Under review.

Elsewhere in the neighborhood: the usual hum of 53 residential permits, heavy on arborist work (10 permits for dead, dying, or hazardous trees), electrical, additions, and plumbing.

Road Work

Under Construction
- I-85 Lighting Upgrade (Fulton County) — Crews are replacing outdated high-pressure sodium lights with LED fixtures along I-85 between I-75 and north of Lenox Road, a stretch about 1.1 miles from the neighborhood. Pole and conduit replacements may be part of the scope. Expect nighttime lane activity in that corridor.
- SR 13 Resurfacing — GDOT is resurfacing SR 13 between SR 9 and North Fork Peachtree Creek to address a low pavement condition score — the road hasn't been touched since 2012. If Peachtree Road is part of your regular route, expect intermittent delays during active paving.
- Buford Spring Connector Tunnel Lighting — The tunnel where the Buford Spring Connector meets I-85 is getting its lighting overhauled, swapping HPS fixtures for LEDs. Conduit and wiring work is also in scope. The connector is a key link for anyone moving between the neighborhood and I-85 northbound.
- SR 9 Resurfacing (Fulton County) — Repaving is underway on SR 9 from SR 3 north to Paces Ferry Road. At roughly 1.9 miles out, this one sits at the edge of the impact zone but is worth watching if Peachtree Street or Buckhead-area connections factor into your commute.

Pre-Construction

- SR 13 / Monroe Drive Intersection Overhaul (Fulton County) — This busy intersection is slated for a conversion to a multilane/hybrid roundabout configuration. If you regularly navigate the Ponce de Leon and Monroe corridor, this will eventually be a significant change to how traffic flows through one of the area's most congested chokepoints.
- I-85 Tunnel Lighting Upgrade (Fulton & DeKalb Counties) — Lighting improvements are planned for the tunnels at both I-85/SR 237 and I-285/SR 13. A multi-county project, so expect coordination complexity when it does get underway.
- I-85 Resurfacing (Fulton & DeKalb Counties) — A stretch of I-85 running from the I-75/Brookwood interchange north into DeKalb is on deck for resurfacing. The Brookwood connector is already a pinch point — lane closures during this work will ripple into surrounding surface streets.
- SR 237 Bridge Replacements & Rehab (Fulton County) — Multiple bridge projects are queued along SR 237 (Peachtree Road / Piedmont Road corridor): a full replacement over Peachtree Creek, a rehabilitation of that same crossing, and a separate replacement at the CSX railroad crossing. That's a lot of bridge work concentrated on one corridor.
- SR 237 / Lambert Drive Curb Work (Fulton County) — A smaller scope project to install flush curbing at the SR 237 and Lambert Drive junction.
- SR 237 / Lindbergh Drive Signal & Pedestrian Improvements (Fulton County) — New traffic signal and pedestrian infrastructure planned at Lindbergh Drive and Way. Good news for anyone on foot or bike navigating that intersection.
- Atlanta BeltLine NE Trail — Lindbergh Center to I-85 (Fulton County) — A major active transportation project: roughly 2.7 miles of 14-foot-wide concrete shared-use path, plus about 2.1 miles of spur trails. When built, this closes a significant gap in the BeltLine network and connects northeast Atlanta more directly to the broader trail system.

Service Requests

Six potholes have been flagged across the neighborhood — on Monroe Dr NE (two locations), Merton Rd NE, Rosewood Dr NE, the Worchester Dr/Monroe Dr intersection, and Amsterdam Ave NE.

Five traffic signal repairs were requested at Piedmont Ave & Pelham Rd, Monroe Dr NE, Monroe Dr & Park Dr, Liddell Dr & Cheshire Bridge Rd, and Piedmont Ave & Monroe Dr — a stretch suggesting Monroe Dr's signals are having a rough stretch.

Right-of-way litter removal was reported at Highland Ave & Saint Augustine Pl, and an overgrowth/visibility issue at N Morningside & N Highland has since been resolved. A general service request was also filed for N Virginia Ave NE.