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Happy voting day, West Midtown / Collier Hills. If you haven’t cast your ballot yet, make sure to get that done today. This week: a landmark Westside movie theater is scheduled for a groundbreaking on Nov. 4, and Ladybird has opened a second West Midtown spot at 690 11th Street. Plus, Howell Mill Road goes car-free for a block party on Sunday, Nov. 8, so pull up a chair and read on.

- News — Georgia Tech's president, Ángel Cabrera, is stepping down after seven years, the Grove Theatre revival is scheduled to break ground Nov. 4, and the Beltline has broken ground on Northwest Trail Segment 2A, which will connect Collier Hills North and Colonial Homes.
- Business — Nordstrom Rack has taken over the old DSW space at Atlantic Station, Ladybird has opened its campfire-themed second location, and Drama Hot Pot + Tea Studio is planned for the former Bastone space on Howell Mill.
- Events — Georgia Tech hoops and football fill the week, King Plow Arts Center has shows from Kitchen Dwellers, The Record Company and Deer Tick, and the Westside Stride and Atlanta Streets Alive Block Party takes over Howell Mill Road on Sunday, Nov. 8.
- Government — Atlanta City Council committees advanced a 60-day extension of the self-storage moratorium and approved a $6.5 million E911 upgrade, while holding a proposed septic tank ban for new commercial development.
- Construction — A Huber Street parking deck and a new multifamily phase are still in review, three buildout permits are accepted at 889 Howell Mill, and I-75 is getting LED lighting upgrades.

Let's dive in.

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Georgia Tech president departs after seven years
Ángel Cabrera has concluded his seven-year tenure as president of the Georgia Institute of Technology to take a leadership role with the Aspen Institute. During his administration, the university expanded its campus footprint, increased research funding, and saw record enrollment figures. The University System of Georgia is preparing to name interim leadership while initiating a nationwide search for his successor.

Energy officials visit Georgia Tech as US seeks to expand battery manufacturing
U.S. Department of Energy representatives visited the Georgia Tech campus to inspect energy research initiatives and discuss expanding domestic battery manufacturing. The visit highlighted ongoing university research into advanced energy storage systems and workforce training programs.

Historic 1940s Atlanta theater's mixed-use revival is a go
The long-planned, $5.5 million redevelopment of the historic Grove Theatre on Atlanta's Westside is set to break ground the afternoon of Nov. 4, at a ceremony led by the Grove Park Foundation and Mayor Andre Dickens. The project will transform the circa-1941 cinema building into a community-focused mixed-use center. Plans for the site incorporate neighborhood services, cultural gathering spaces, and commercial amenities.

Fulton County officials show how they’re preparing for election; Sec. of State says elections secure
Fulton County election administrators reviewed operational preparations and security measures ahead of the general midterm election. Federal and state authorities confirmed monitoring protocols to verify voting procedures and maintain ballot integrity across county polling stations.

Images: Another segment of Atlanta Beltline officially breaks ground
Crews have officially broken ground on Northwest Trail—Segment 2A, a 0.3-mile multi-use trail that branches off the paths around Bobby Jones Golf Course toward Peachtree Road. Beltline officials say it will connect Collier Hills North and Colonial Homes, and construction is scheduled to finish in early 2028.

BUSINESS

Nordstrom Rack opens 28,000-square-foot anchor store at Atlantic Station — Nordstrom Rack has opened in the Atlantic Drive anchor space that DSW occupied from 2005 until its lease expired in January, making it the eighth Nordstrom Rack in Georgia and the second national department store at Atlantic Station alongside Dillard's.

Ladybird opens second location at 690 11th Street in West Midtown — The new 8,000-square-foot outdoor venue, which follows more than a decade of Ladybird along the Beltline's Eastside Trail, has a 50-seat wraparound bar, a live music grove, and a campfire-style dinner and Friday-Sunday brunch menu.

Drama Hot Pot + Tea Studio planned for 887 Howell Mill Road — Recently installed signage indicates the restaurant is coming soon to the roughly 3,000-square-foot West Midtown space left vacant by Bastone's May 2025 closure, with the only other known Drama location in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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Tuesday, November 3
- Prayers w/ Devora | Actor’s Express – King Plow Arts Center
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Mens Basketball vs. Hampton Pirates Mens Basketball | Georgia Tech – McCamish Pavilion
- The Salvation Army Angel Tree | Atlantic Station

Wednesday, November 4
- Bluegrass Open Jam | Ormsby's ATL
- Dave Chappelle | State Farm Arena
- Pulse Run Club | Atlantic Station

Thursday, November 5
- Kitchen Dwellers w/ Dogs In A Pile | Actor’s Express – King Plow Arts Center
- Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball vs Samford | Georgia Tech – McCamish Pavilion
- Tech Talks Business, Claudio Zanardo, Pirelli | Courtyard Atlanta Midtown/Georgia Tech
- The R&B Tour - Starring Usher Raymond & Chris Brown | Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- Holiday Lights at Ellipse Park | Atlantic Station

Friday, November 6
- The Record Company | Actor’s Express – King Plow Arts Center
- Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball vs Georgia Southern | Georgia Tech – McCamish Pavilion
- Georgia Tech Volleyball vs. NC State | O’Keefe Gymnasium
- Celebrate Diwali at IKARA | IKARA Restaurant

Saturday, November 7
- Creator’s Market | Atlantic Station
- Deer Tick | King Plow Arts Center
- Georgia Tech Football vs. Louisville | Bobby Dodd Stadium
- Cabbagetown Chomp & Stomp | Cabbagetown Neighborhood
- Chastain Park Fall Arts Festival (Nov. 7–8) | Chastain Park

Sunday, November 8
- Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball vs West Virginia | Georgia Tech – McCamish Pavilion
- Georgia Tech Volleyball vs. Wake Forest | O’Keefe Gymnasium
- Westside Stride and Atlanta Streets Alive Block Party | Howell Mill Road, between 8th and 17th Streets, Atlanta, GA
- Uncle Sugar: The Northside - Sunday Night | Northside Tavern

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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

Atlanta City Council
At the Zoning Committee, members advanced a 60-day extension of the self-storage moratorium in Office-Institutional districts, which keeps new applications on hold a bit longer. The same committee recommended denying a major site plan expansion for a 5-acre housing development and shelved a permit for a 21-acre commercial park-for-hire facility. The Finance/Executive Committee unanimously backed the Fiscal Year 2027 property tax rates and approved $1.1 million over three years for youth development grants through the Urban League of Greater Atlanta. It forwarded the BeltLine refunding bond terms to the full council without a recommendation, and it held a $3.33 million Trees Atlanta contract for more information. The City Utilities Committee recommended more than $64 million in water and infrastructure spending, including $25 million for water distribution upgrades, but it held a proposed ban on septic tanks for new commercial development. The Transportation Committee advanced $36.84 million for fire safety work on Concourse B at the airport while holding a $2.88 million street resurfacing contract and an extension of the city's parking enforcement contract. The Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee approved a $6.5 million AT&T contract to upgrade the city's E911 network, and it held an ordinance meant to curb harassment through anonymous housing code complaints. The Community Development/Human Services Committee had on its agenda the acceptance of more than $24 million in federal housing grants and a proposal to reserve 50% of available BeltLine tax allocation funds for projects between Murphys Crossing and Blandtown, though the outcomes of those items aren't covered here. On Monday, Nov. 2, the Committee on Council approved Dr. Annette Hall's appointment to the Human Relations Commission and held both a rewrite of the council's public comment and proclamation rules and a charter change that would require a councilmember sponsor on all legislation. The full council met that afternoon with the FY 2027 property tax rates, the self-storage moratorium extension, Marietta Boulevard improvements and the water and sewer spending on its agenda, but results haven't been posted yet.

Atlanta Public Schools
The Student Advisory Council held a general body meeting on October 28 at the Center for Learning and Leadership. The agenda included discussion of student support efforts under the "We Are Caring for Every Child" banner, plus how the district uses data to guide financial investments. Members also planned their standing committees. No minutes were recorded for the session, and the council took no votes on district budgets, contracts, or policies, so nothing from this meeting changes your school or your tax bill. The Board of Education met Monday, Nov. 2, with first reads of proposed fall 2027 attendance zones for more than a dozen west and southwest Atlanta schools, including Douglass and Washington high schools, along with the board's draft 2027 legislative priorities. Its consent agenda included temporary construction easements for the city and a school bus purchase. Minutes aren't posted yet.

Atlanta NPU
NPU-D met virtually on October 27, and its agenda focused on zoning and licensing questions. Neighbors were set to weigh in on a variance request that would cut a required front yard setback from 35 feet to just 3 feet, a big departure from standard zoning. The agenda also included a resolution opposing an appeal of a denied building permit, a proposed two-lot subdivision, and a new wholesale wine license. Minutes for the City Council committee meetings are posted, but the NPU-D meeting has only an agenda so far, so you don't yet know how those votes turned out. City agency representatives and local school leaders were also slated to give community updates, along with notice of a December information session on neighborhood beautification grants.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council
- Marietta Boulevard (SR 8 to Coronet Way) — Legislation authorizing an application for an $800,000 state grant with a $200,000 city match for preliminary engineering and multimodal transportation upgrades along Marietta Boulevard was introduced on consent.

Atlanta NPU
- 1671 Howell Mill Road NW — A resolution expressing community opposition to a building permit appeal at 1671 Howell Mill Road NW was on the agenda for consideration.
- Time Mark Collective (2135 Hills Avenue NW) — A new alcohol license application for a wholesale wine business at 2135 Hills Avenue NW was on the agenda for review.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta NPU — NPU-E | Nov-03, 6:30 PM
- Atlanta NPU — NPU-C | Nov-03, 6:45 PM
- Fulton County Board of Commissioners | Nov-04, 10:00 AM | key topics: $45.5 million new jail facility design contract, 2026 school millage rate adoption, $35 million charter school bond financing, Westside affordable housing funding

CONSTRUCTION

Permits
- 734 Techwood Dr NW: Fire underground permit issued. A 6" sprinkler line is switching to a 4" line going into a 63,067 SF building with 55 units. Expect some utility work on site.
- 1593 Huber St NW: Phase 3 of a new commercial multifamily building is in review. The city wants additional materials before it moves forward.
- 1593 Huber St NW: A 2-level precast parking deck is part of the same project. It's also waiting on additional materials. Precast pieces usually mean crane and truck traffic once work starts.
- 889 Howell Mill Rd NW: Interior buildout of an existing business suite to create three speculative suites and one gray box space. The permit is accepted.
- 889 Howell Mill Rd NW: Another accepted permit for an interior buildout of an existing suite, this one creating a single speculative suite.
- 889 Howell Mill Rd NW: A third accepted buildout turns a vacant suite in the existing building into a speculative suite. That makes three permits at this address, so the building is gearing up for new tenants.
- 480 17th St NW: Fire underground permit to extend an existing 8" fire line with a new fire hydrant. The line was previously installed by others.
- 1251 Marietta Blvd NW: Interior renovation of Suite 100, an existing office space for HVH Mechanical. The work includes a new ceiling and new flooring. The permit is pending.
- Curran St NW: Storm damage repairs to an existing 2-story duplex. The work includes repairing damaged roof and wall framing and a full re-roof, so expect some roofing noise. The permit is waiting on additional materials.

Road Work

Under Construction
- I-75 lighting from Musket Ridge Dr to I-85 — Crews are replacing the old sodium highway lights on this stretch of I-75 with LEDs. GDOT lists the work as about 88% complete.
- Peachtree Rd (SR 9) resurfacing — Crews are repaving Peachtree Road from Northside Drive to just north of Paces Ferry Road. GDOT lists the work as about 42% complete.
- Deering Rd bridge over the I-75/I-85 ramp — Crews are resurfacing the deck, painting the steel beams and replacing joints on this bridge as part of a seven-bridge maintenance package. The package is about 54% complete, with work expected to finish by spring 2027.
- Northside Dr at 14th St and Hemphill Ave — Crews are reworking the cluster of intersections where Northside Drive meets 14th Street and Hemphill Avenue so the signals can be timed more efficiently. Work is in its early stages, with completion expected in spring 2027.

Service Requests
- Potholes: You'll find 11 reports, with two at Northcliffe Dr NW and Brookview Dr NW. Others sit at Collier Rd and Walthall Dr, Woodland Hills Ave NW, Chattahoochee Ave NW, and Woodmont Ln and Chattahoochee Ave. Five more locations round out the list.
- Non-Emergency Traffic Signal Repair: Seven reports came in. Northside Dr and Hampton St has two. The rest cover Norfleet Rd and Howell Mill Rd, Techwood Dr NW and Means St NW, Marietta Blvd and Chattahoochee Ave, Marietta Blvd and Carroll Dr, and one more spot.
- Emergency Traffic Signal Repair (Level 1): Northside Dr and Hampton St and 17th St and Market St both have reports. Northside and Hampton now has both an emergency and non-emergency signal problem, so approach with extra caution.
- Right of Way Litter Removal: Reported on 10th St NW and Holmes St NW.
- Downed Tree: Reported at Ethel St NW and McMillan St NW.
- Sign Repair, Replacement, or Installation: Reported on Defoors Ferry Rd NW.

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Until next week,
West Midtown / Collier Hills Busybody

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