VaHi / Morningside: St. Paddy’s Weekend Arrives

Welcome to your weekly update for Virginia-Highland and Morningside. This week, we’re tracking the upcoming election cycle and gearing up for a massive St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

Big Stories — The election cycle is heating up with key seats on the County Commission and School Board up for grabs, while Atlanta has been named a finalist to host the 2028 DNC. Nearby Emory has also announced a new sports photography exhibit.

Upcoming Events — It’s a busy weekend featuring "Kegs and Eggs" in VaHi, the "Get Lucky Fest" at Park Tavern, and the annual Atlanta Tour of Kitchens. You can also visit the Botanical Garden for the Orchid Show or catch live music at Smith’s Olde Bar and Red Light Cafe.

Local Government Discussion — Atlanta City Council is considering a parking fee hike and a new office for short-term rentals, while Fulton County sets aside funds for new hospital facilities. NPU-F meets Monday to discuss land-use variances and proposed restrictions on self-storage and data centers near the Beltline.

Development & Construction Nearby — A new bank is slated for Cheshire Bridge Road and a cell phone store is coming to the Ansley Mall area. Residents should also prepare for signal upgrades along Piedmont Road and an emergency 24-hour sewer repair closure on 4th Street NE.

Let’s dive in.

County commission, school board races on tap this year in metro Atlanta (March 08, 2026)
The 2026 election cycle is heating up with key seats on the Fulton County Commission and the Atlanta Board of Education officially up for grabs. These officials make critical decisions regarding our property assessments and the quality of local schools, making this an important window for residents to identify who will represent their interests.

Emory exhibit reinvents sports photography with a fandom focus (March 05, 2026)
The Michael C. Carlos Museum at nearby Emory University has opened a new photography exhibit titled “Footwork: Where We Gather,” which explores the culture of sports through the eyes of the fans. This local cultural addition offers residents a unique perspective on community and global fandom, highlighting the diverse crowds that gather for major athletic milestones.

Atlanta Named as a Top Finalist to Host the 2028 Democratic National Convention (March 05, 2026)
City leaders are celebrating as Atlanta enters the final round of consideration for the 2028 Democratic National Convention, a move that could bring a massive economic boost to the Midtown area. If selected, the convention would likely spur significant infrastructure improvements and increased security investments throughout the Piedmont Park and Monroe Drive corridors.

This weekend will feature significant neighborhood activity as St. Patrick’s Day celebrations take over the area, including the "Kegs and Eggs" block party in Virginia-Highland and the "Get Lucky Fest" at Park Tavern, both on Saturday. Additionally, the Atlanta Tour of Kitchens will be showcasing local homes throughout the weekend, which may lead to increased foot traffic and limited parking in residential sections.

Tuesday, March 10
- Community Craft Night RSVP | Piedmont Park
- Sparrow Blue with Chelekis and Corsa | Smith's Olde Bar

Wednesday, March 11
- Tease Tuesday Burlesque | Red Light Cafe
- Anastasia Elliot + Karma and The Killjoys with support from Bohemian Mayday | Smith's Olde Bar
- Lucid Express | MJQ Concourse

Thursday, March 12
- ACG Atlanta Presents: 2026 Women and Wisdom | The Carlyle
- In The Wild: Nashville Singles Cocktail Party | Park Tavern
- The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band with The Hooten Hallers | Smith's Olde Bar

Friday, March 13
- 2026 Annual Orchid Show | Atlanta Botanical Garden, Inc.
- End of the Line – The Allman Brothers Tribute | Smith's Olde Bar
- Ian Elliott with special guest Leighton Day | Smith's Olde Bar
- Oppidan | District Atlanta
- COTTAGE CHEMISTRY | MJQ Concourse

Saturday, March 14
- Kegs and Eggs Virginia Highland | Neighbor’s Pub
- Get Lucky Fest Takes Over Piedmont Park | Park Tavern
- 2026 Atlanta Tour of Kitchens | 9 Metro Atlanta locations
- ATL EDM ART “Paint & Sip” | District Atlanta
- Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer | Magnolia Hall
- Vinnie DAgostino Trio | Red Light Cafe
- St. Paddy’s Funk Party w/ Bywater Call | Smith's Olde Bar
- Frankly Scarlet's St. Paddy's Bash | Smith's Olde Bar
- DJ BEN BAKSON at Heretic Saturday March 14, 2026 | Heretic
- PAUZ PRESENTS | MJQ Concourse

Sunday, March 15
- Camp Sunshine’s 2nd Annual Sunshine Spectacular | The Stave Room at American Spirit Works

Fulton County Board of Commissioners

Discussion from the Past Week

Big agenda items:
The Board took significant steps regarding the county’s financial health and public health infrastructure. Commissioners approved a resolution to set aside at least 2% of the 2026 budget for new hospital facilities in Atlanta and South Fulton, citing the critical healthcare gap left by the closure of Atlanta Medical Center. They also authorized an independent third-party audit of the $1 billion+ 2026 budget and passed a resolution urging the Georgia General Assembly not to enact legislation that would eliminate property taxes, which currently account for 80% of the county's annual revenue. Additionally, a $625,000 grant was approved to support "Cosmopolitan Village," a 70-unit affordable housing development in Vine City designed for low-to-moderate-income residents.

Other topics:
In preparation for upcoming elections, the Board approved a $262,667 contract for the printing and mailing of precinct cards and passed a resolution requiring voter ID education materials to be displayed in all public-facing county facilities. Regarding the Fulton County Jail, commissioners authorized over $500,000 for consulting services to comply with a Department of Justice consent decree and initiated a plan for "intake level diversion screening" to identify individuals eligible for diversion programs before booking. Other approvals included $820,000 in federal grants for various park and water infrastructure improvements across six South Fulton cities, a $2.4 million water main relocation project in Johns Creek, and capital improvement funds for Zoo Atlanta and the Fulton County Executive Airport.

Atlanta City Council

Discussion from the Past Week

Big agenda items:
The Council moved forward with a significant increase in on-street metered parking fees, proposing a hike from $1.00 to $1.75 per half-hour to cover rising administrative costs. Substantial focus was placed on 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations, specifically the "Wi-Fi World Cup Initiative" to install smart streetlight infrastructure and digital connectivity throughout the city. Policy discussions also centered on the creation of a centralized "Office of Short-Term Rentals" to manage registration and enforcement for platforms like Airbnb, and a Charter amendment to streamline the process for filling vacancies on city boards and commissions.

Other topics:
The Council considered a 180-day moratorium on new alcohol licenses in the Edgewood Corridor following public safety concerns and discussed a new "Open Container" zone for South Downtown. Additionally, a $1,000 donation from Zoo Atlanta was accepted to host the 2026 Council Retreat.

Meetings in the Next Week
- Zoning Committee, March 09, 2026 at 11:00 AM: The committee will review massive mixed-use expansions for "The Works" on the Upper Westside and consider landmark designation for the historic New Hope AME Church and its cemeteries.
- Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee, March 09, 2026 at 1:00 PM: Key items include a $7.6 million grant for World Cup anti-drone security and a 180-day moratorium on new alcohol licenses in the Edgewood Corridor. A pothole property damage claim is noted for 2175 Piedmont Road.
- City Utilities Committee, March 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM: Discussion will center on $21 million for watershed program management and simplifying rules for environmental restoration in riparian buffers on city-owned land.
- Community Development/Human Services Committee, March 10, 2026 at 1:30 PM: The committee will deliberate on the creation of a centralized Office of Short-Term Rentals and the acquisition of property near the Beltline for affordable housing. Proposed land-use changes and annexations are noted for Woodland Avenue NE.
- Transportation Committee, March 11, 2026 at 10:00 AM: The committee will hold public hearings on the parking fee increase and discuss World Cup "beautification" projects for airport facilities. Neighborhood-specific items include the Lenox Road Corridor Trail, residential-only parking for Lakeview Avenue NE, and an honorary designation for South Ponce de Leon Avenue.
- Finance/Executive Committee, March 11, 2026 at 1:30 PM: The committee will vote on a $1.25 billion bond for water infrastructure and multi-million dollar maintenance contracts for the airport's Plane Train and PCA systems. Annexation petitions for properties on Woodland Avenue NE are also on the agenda.

Atlanta NPU

Meetings in the Next Week
- NPU-F Monthly Meeting, March 09, 2026 at 7:00 PM. This virtual session will focus on neighborhood-level reviews of land-use variances and alcohol license applications for Virginia-Highland, Morningside, and Piedmont Heights. Building on discussions from last month's city committee sessions, the board is expected to weigh in on proposed city-wide legislation to prohibit new warehousing and self-storage facilities within the Beltline Overlay district and provide feedback on pending data center zoning regulations.

Permits

Things are staying busy on the planning front, particularly along the Cheshire Bridge and Piedmont corridors. We’re seeing some new retail movement and a significant bank renovation in the works. Here are the notable permits from the past week:

- 2321 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE — Commercial renovation, converting a second-generation building into a new bank; work includes a full interior demolition.
- 1544 Piedmont Ave NE — Commercial conversion, modifying an existing tenant space near Ansley Mall to open a new cell phone store.
- 1146 Sheridan Rd NE — Commercial alteration, minor renovation of a tenant space including new walls, flooring, and millwork.
- 1518 Monroe Dr NE — Commercial alteration, interior "reprogramming" of the existing space.
- 1586 Piedmont Ave NE — Commercial electrical, utility pole work for a Comcast power supply installation.
- 268 Westminster Dr NE — Commercial plumbing, sewer plug installation.
- 2277 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE — Commercial electrical, 200 amp service installation.

In addition to these commercial projects, there were 74 residential permits issued. A large portion of those—24 in total—were for arborist work on dead or hazardous trees, so don't be surprised if you hear some extra chainsaw activity around the neighborhood this week.

Road Work
- SR 13 @ Monroe Drive — Construction Work Program. This is the big one we’ve been watching at the edge of Ansley and Piedmont Heights. The project to convert this intersection into a multilane/hybrid roundabout is officially funded and approved, but active construction hasn't started just yet while contracts are being finalized.
- I-75, I-85, SR 9, and SR 13 Signal Upgrades — Under Construction. Active work is happening now at 11 locations across Fulton County. Crews are on-site replacing signals and making intersections ADA-compliant, so keep an eye out for potential lane closures during the day.
- SR 13 Resurfacing (SR 9 to North Fork Peachtree Creek) — Under Construction. If you've noticed crews out on the pavement near the northern end of our area, this is why. They are actively resurfacing the road to fix the low pavement scores, so expect some traffic impacts while they smooth things out.
- I-85 Lighting (I-75 to North of Lenox Road) — Under Construction. Crews are currently on-site upgrading the old highway lighting to energy-efficient LEDs. This includes replacing poles and conduit, so expect some activity along the corridor.
- SR 237 (Piedmont Road) Bridge Replacement — Construction Work Program. Plans are set to replace the bridge over the CSX railroad tracks near the Piedmont Heights/Lindbergh border. The project is funded and imminent, but work has not officially started yet.
- I-85 Resurfacing & Maintenance (Brookwood Interchange to SR 155) — Construction Work Program. Spanning both Fulton and DeKalb counties, this project is approved and in the pipeline. While construction hasn’t started yet, it's something to keep on your radar for future commutes toward the interchange.
- I-85 @ SR 237 and I-285 @ SR 13 Tunnel Lighting — Construction Work Program. This multi-county project to upgrade tunnel lighting is approved and funded, but we are still waiting for crews to break ground.
- I-75 & I-85 Interstate Operational Analysis — Construction Work Program. This wide-reaching scoping project covers locations across Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton. It’s currently in the planning and funding phase, meaning it’s in the pipeline but not yet actively affecting traffic.

Utility Work

Atlanta Watershed
- Emergency 24-hour Road Closure on 4th Street NE due to Sewer Mainline Work — An emergency 24-hour road closure was in effect on March 6th at 239 4th Street NE, between Piedmont Avenue and Penn Avenue. Crews were performing sewer mainline repairs near the edge of the Old Fourth Ward. Work is expected to continue for six weeks.

Service Requests

Here is a look at the latest service requests around the neighborhood:

- Potholes — It’s been a busy week for road repairs, with multiple reports filed for Ottley Dr NE, Lanier Blvd NE, Piedmont Cir NE, Armour Dr NE, N Pelham, and the intersection of Briarcliff Ter & Briarcliff Pl.
- Illegal Dumping & Litter Removal — Cleanups and investigations were requested along Ponce de Leon Ave NE and Piedmont Rd NE.
- Traffic Signal Repairs — Crews were alerted to signal issues at the intersections of Rock Springs Rd & Barclay Pl and Virginia Ave & Ponce de Leon Pl.
- Sign Maintenance — A request for sign repair or installation was submitted for Cumberland Rd NE.
- Downed Trees — A report was made regarding a downed tree on Greenwood Ave NE.