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Hey, West Midtown / Collier Hills! This week: a decade-long tax fight between Atlanta and MARTA finally settled, unlocking $52 million for transit upgrades, and Ruby Chow's is bringing its Asian fusion menu to a second spot on Trabert Avenue near Monday Night's The Grove. Zoning also moved big on the Upper Westside, with Selig Enterprises cleared to redevelop nearly 37 acres of industrial land into mixed-use space.

- News — Georgia Tech rolls out 100 fan upgrades at Bobby Dodd, lands a NASA aerospace grant, and Atlanta finally settles its MARTA tax dispute for $52 million.
- Business — Ruby Chow's is doubling down on Atlanta with a second location planned for Trabert Avenue in West Midtown.
- Events — Dragon Con takes over Downtown, Georgia Tech football opens against Colorado, and Hamilton lands at the Fox.
- Government — Council advances denser mixed-use zoning and a $40M Axon body cam contract while NPU-D weighs in on a Howell Mill gas station and a new Collier Road bar.
- Construction — A precast parking garage is rising at 1280 Chattahoochee Ave alongside new traffic signal work on Howell Mill and Collier Roads.

One more update: our new Downtown and Southwest Beltline editions are now live! As a reminder, you can always update your neighborhood selections here

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Georgia Tech unveils 100 changes fans will notice at Bobby Dodd Stadium
Georgia Tech athletics has rolled out roughly 100 venue and game-day experience upgrades ahead of the new football season, including improved concourse navigation, updated amenities, and smoother fan access at the Midtown stadium.

Fulton County's Tax Digest Delay Hits Homeowners
Mapping software backlogs have stalled the Fulton County tax digest, triggering court intervention and shifting timelines that affect local property owners.

Georgia Tech lands NASA award for aerospace workforce development
Georgia Tech Research Corporation (GTRC) is one of seven institutions to receive part of a $10.5 million award from NASA., reinforcing the institute's role in engineering education and technology research.

Atlanta and MARTA settle decade-long tax dispute, paving the way for transit upgrades
The City of Atlanta and MARTA have resolved a long-standing dispute over sales tax revenue, freeing up $52 million in funding for regional transit projects.

Invest Atlanta greenlights $600k to middle-wage jobs, more for affordable housing
Invest Atlanta has approved $600,000 in funding for job training and placement programs through Goodwill of North Georgia and the Urban League of Greater Atlanta, alongside additional support for affordable housing efforts across the city.

BUSINESS

Ruby Chow's Opening Second Location on Trabert Avenue in West Midtown — The Old Fourth Ward Asian fusion restaurant is expanding to the Westside with a second location planned at 739 Trabert Avenue near Monday Night Brewing's The Grove.

EVENTS | Presented by

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Wednesday, September 2
- Bluegrass Night at Ormsby's | Ormsby's ATL
- Hamilton | Fox Theatre Atlanta
- Wellness Wednesday | Atlantic Station
- Pulse Run Club | Atlantic Station
- Indie Market at Chattahoochee Food Works | Chattahoochee Food Works
- Dragon Con 2026 | Atlanta Marriott Marquis

Thursday, September 3
- Georgia Tech Football vs. Colorado | 8pm/Bobby Dodd Stadium
- Son Rompe Pera | Terminal West
- Atlanta F.A.M. – Fashion, Art & Music | Chattahoochee Food Works

Friday, September 4
- The Ocho w/ hallpass | Actor’s Express – King Plow Arts Center
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Womens Volleyball vs. Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles Women Volleyball | O’Keefe Gymnasium

Saturday, September 5
- SWITCH & The Legendary BRICK Live | Westside Cultural Arts Center
- anees | Actor’s Express – King Plow Arts Center
- Creator’s Market | Atlantic Station
- Georgia Tech Volleyball vs. Campbell | O’Keefe Gymnasium
- 2026 Aflac Kickoff – Auburn vs. Baylor | Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Sunday, September 6
- Georgia Tech Volleyball vs. Xavier | O’Keefe Gymnasium
- WWE Sunday Night’s Main Event | State Farm Arena
- Sunday Famers Market | Chattahoochee Food Works
- WurlD | Terminal West
- Uncle Sugar at Northside Tavern — Sunday Night | Northside Tavern

GOVERNMENT

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

Past Week Roundup

The Atlanta City Council had a packed week across its committees. The Finance/Executive Committee took up next year's property tax rates and a plan to bar tax-delinquent developers and data centers from getting city subsidies, plus over $332,000 in water and sewer bill refunds for residents. The Transportation Committee's agenda (minutes aren't posted yet for this one) included pursuing $7 million in grants to keep building the BeltLine's Southside Trail and extending e-scooter and e-bike permits through mid-2027. The Community Development/Human Services Committee moved forward several land-use changes that would allow taller, denser mixed-use buildings along major corridors, and voted to start condemnation proceedings on five blighted Westside properties. Over at City Utilities, members approved $2 million for stream restoration work at Chastain Park and a $2.7 million trash contract extension with Republic Services, while holding off on a proposal that would force data centers to stop using drinking water for cooling. Public Safety & Legal Administration approved $815,000 in legal settlements tied to police lawsuits and sent a $40 million Axon body camera contract to full council, while pausing a study on adding a seventh APD patrol zone. Finally, the Zoning Committee cleared the way for Selig Enterprises to redevelop nearly 37 acres of industrial land on the Upper Westside into mixed-use space, while shelving a proposal to create a new historic district overlay near Peachtree Circle.

Atlanta Public Schools held a Student Advisory Council meeting focused on internal orientation rather than binding decisions. Council leaders reviewed the year's calendar and committee assignments, and staff walked students through a draft district Artificial Intelligence policy that's still in early discussion stages. The district also gave an update on its broader 2026-2027 strategic goals. Nothing here involved a formal vote, so don't expect any immediate changes to district policy from this session.

NPU-D took up a batch of development and alcohol license requests, with minutes not yet posted, so these reflect what was on the table rather than final outcomes. The group considered a resolution opposing a distance waiver for a new gas station and weighed in on a citywide ordinance that would require special permits before anyone can build a self-storage facility. Members also reviewed a request for a new bar and event space, a steep front yard setback reduction for a residential lot, and several new alcohol licenses for restaurants and retailers in the area. These recommendations carry weight with the city's zoning and licensing boards even though NPU-D itself doesn't have final say.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council
- 1425 & 1475 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd NW — The Community Development/Human Services Committee considered a Comprehensive Development Plan amendment redesignating the properties to High Density Mixed-Use.
- 1116–1346 Logan Cir NW & 1325–1395 Chattahoochee Ave NW — The Zoning Committee recommended approval of a rezoning from Heavy Industrial to Mixed Residential Commercial to facilitate a 23.35-acre mixed-use development by Selig Enterprises.
- 1405–1417 Chattahoochee Ave NW & 1119–1369 Logan Cir NW — The Zoning Committee recommended approval to rezone 13.36 acres from Heavy Industrial to Mixed Residential Commercial for a mixed-use project.

Atlanta NPU
- Boiler Room (1385 Collier Rd NW) — A Special Use Permit and alcohol license application for a new event space and bar was placed on the NPU-D agenda.
- QuikTrip (Howell Mill Rd) — NPU-D scheduled a vote on a resolution opposing a distance requirement waiver for a proposed gas station development on Howell Mill Road.
- Marvin St NW (residential) — A zoning variance application seeking to reduce the front yard setback from 35 feet to 13 feet was on the NPU-D agenda.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta Public Schools — Board of Education | Sep-01 | key topics: AUDC affordable housing redevelopment agreements for surplus school properties, real estate exchange and Joint Use Agreement with DPR, facility repurposing and technology policies
- Atlanta NPU — NPU-E | Sep-01, 6:30 PM | key topics: Piedmont Park festival permits, residential setback variances on Maddox Drive and Ardmore Road, lot subdivision on Atlantic Drive, restaurant and cafe alcohol applications
- Atlanta NPU — NPU-C | Sep-01, 6:45 PM | key topics: 17-foot retaining wall exception on Peachtree Battle Avenue, setback and front parking variances on Northcliffe Drive, alcohol license for Danny's Thai Kitchen, 2027 NPU bylaws
- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners | Sep-02, 10:00 AM | key topics: affordable housing grant allocations in Vine City and English Avenue, water main intergovernmental agreements with Roswell and Milton, jail elevator modernization contract, 2026 tax digest update

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Permits
- 665 Marietta St NW — Permit filed to convert a certificate of completion into a certificate of occupancy, cleaning up paperwork from an earlier build-out. Routine, but it signals that project is nearing the finish line.
- 660 11th St NW — Commercial plumbing permit issued for A1 Restaurant Building's tenant space. Another sign of continued restaurant activity along 11th Street.
- 2200 Marietta Blvd NW — Interior build-out planned for a new 1,639 sq ft retail or office space inside the Bryant multi-story building. Still waiting on additional materials before it moves forward.
- 630 10th St NW — Commercial plumbing permit pending for new sink and equipment installation. Looks like kitchen or bar prep work for a tenant space.
- 1613 Liberty Pkwy NW — Rehab work planned for an existing gabion wall along the southern and eastern edges of the property. Structural repair, not a new build, but expect some equipment on site once it's approved.
- 1280 Chattahoochee Ave NW — Two big permits here. One covers earth-supported concrete slabs, basement retaining walls, and stormwater vaults. The other covers the above-grade structure of a precast parking garage. Together, they point to a major structure going up, so expect heavy construction activity and truck traffic in the area for a while.
- 1689 Howell Mill Rd NW — Traffic signal electrical permit issued. Likely tied to ongoing roadwork or intersection upgrades nearby.
- 784 Collier Rd NW — Another traffic signal electrical permit issued, same type of work as Howell Mill. Expect possible short-term lane closures near the intersection.
- 499 Northside Cir NW — HVAC permit issued to replace a heat pump and air handler on Unit #117. Routine maintenance, nothing disruptive.

Road Work

Under Construction
- I-75 from Musket Ridge Drive to I-85, Lighting (Fulton County) — Crews are swapping out old HPS lighting for energy-efficient LED fixtures along this corridor, with pole, conduit, and wiring replacement included in the scope.
- SR 3/US 41 from Tech Pkwy to Hemphill Ave (Fulton County) — This one reworks the intersection cluster of Northside Drive, 14th Street, and Hemphill Avenue, simplifying the layout to give signal timing more flexibility.
- SR 9 from SR 3 to North of Paces Ferry Rd, and SR 9 South (Fulton County) — GDOT's District Maintenance Office picked this stretch of SR 9 for resurfacing after it scored low on pavement condition.
- Buford Spring Connector at I-85, Tunnel Lighting (Fulton County) — Crews are converting the tunnel's HPS lighting to LED fixtures, with conduit and wiring replacement and equipment relocation as part of the job.

Service Requests
- Potholes — 9 reports across Howell Mill Rd, Collier Rd, Howell Mill Rd & Morris St, Sumter St, Hampton St & Ethel St, and four other spots. Most are already in progress, one's closed, and one got kicked to the sewer division.
- Non-Emergency Traffic Signal Repair — 4 reports at 17th St & State St (twice), Collier Rd & Deforest Ferry Rd, and Northside Dr. Two are in progress, and two got flagged as property owner responsibility.
- Emergency Traffic Signal Repair — 3 reports at 10th St & Northside Dr and 16th St & State St. Two are closed already.
- Downed Trees — Both reports came from Spring Valley Rd. One's closed, the other's still in progress.
- Graffiti Removal — Crews are working on a right-of-way cleanup at 16th St & Northside Dr.
- Sign Repair or Replacement — A request on Marietta Blvd NW is in progress.
- Overgrowth on Right of Way — Anne St NW has a visibility issue from overgrowth that's being addressed.

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Until next week,
West Midtown / Collier Hills 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.