West Midtown / Collier Hills: Palo Santo Says Goodbye

Hey, West Midtown and Collier Hills! The Star Metals office tower just landed a $113.7 million refinancing deal, a signal that institutional confidence in this corridor hasn't wavered, while Palo Santo is calling last call on its rooftop perch at the end of June. Throw in Juneteenth celebrations across the neighborhood, a full city council budget vote Monday, and a wave of construction projects queued up for Marietta Boulevard — there's a lot to dig into this week.

- News — The Star Metals tower's $113.7M refi leads the week, the Beltline hits a landmark 17-mile loop, and property taxes have officially entered the Fulton County Commission chair race.
- Business — Palo Santo's rooftop on West Marietta is closing for good at the end of June, but Chef Rome is filling the void with a new grab-and-go studio bringing personal-chef meals to the neighborhood.
- Events — Juneteenth celebrations land at both The Interlock and Chattahoochee Food Works on Friday, with World Cup watch parties stacked across every night of the week.
- Government — The full City Council votes Monday on the FY2027 budget and new property tax rates, a $7.85M forest preservation purchase, and mandatory pedestrian detours during construction — plus big industrial-to-residential rezoning cases on the Upper Westside.
- Construction — Major HVAC and electrical upgrades are underway on Collier Road, a new parking gate is under review on West Marietta, and six pre-construction projects along the Marietta Boulevard corridor are worth keeping on your radar.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

Allen Morris Co. Receives $113.7M Loan for Refinancing of Office Tower at Star Metals District in Atlanta
The Star Metals Offices just got a major vote of confidence from the lending market. Allen Morris Co. secured a $113.7 million refinancing package, a signal that institutional money still believes in West Midtown's commercial future even as office markets elsewhere continue to wobble.

Georgia Tech President Excited to Help Atlanta Host 2026 FIFA World Cup
Georgia Tech isn't just a neighbor to this summer's World Cup festivities — it's an active partner. The university's Midtown campus will play a supporting role in tournament operations, which means residents on the western edge of the neighborhood should expect an influx of international energy, foot traffic, and general World Cup fever in the weeks ahead.

Atlanta's Tax Extension Plan Becomes Issue in Fulton Commission Chair Runoff
If you've been watching your property tax bill with growing anxiety, this race just got a lot more relevant to your life. The proposed tax extensions have become a flashpoint in the Fulton County Commission chair runoff, and whoever wins will have real sway over how Atlanta funds infrastructure and services going forward.

The Atlanta Beltline Now Has Nearly 17 Miles of Connected Trails
This is the one Beltline fans have been waiting for. The completion of a new Southside trail segment means the Eastside and Westside trails are now linked in a single, continuous 17-mile loop — a milestone that transforms the project from a collection of great paths into something that encircles the city.

World Cup Atlanta: Additional Watch Parties in Metro Atlanta
The living room is fine, but Atlanta has better options this summer. Organizers have lined up additional watch party venues across the metro as World Cup matches heat up, so click through for the full rundown of where to catch the action with a crowd.

BUSINESS

Palo Santo - closing - The upscale Mexican restaurant and rooftop lounge at 955 West Marietta Street will shut its doors at the end of June, with the freestanding building now listed for sale, leaving one of the neighborhood's more distinctive rooftop perches looking for a new chapter.

Rome's Kitchen Studio - opening - Chef Rome is bringing his private chef subscription service out of people's homes and into West Midtown with a new physical studio, where customers can walk in and grab chef-crafted, ready-to-go meals.

EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, June 15
- CAPE VERDE VS. SPAIN MATCH EXPERIENCE | The Interlock
- LA CANDELA FLAMENCO | The Interlock
- Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio & Vincen García | Terminal West
- Waiting to Exhale Dinner Series Volume 1 | Star Metals District
- Industry Night | Chattahoochee Food Works

Tuesday, June 16
- Trap Yoga Tuesday | The Interlock
- FRANCE VS. SENEGAL WATCH PARTY | The Interlock
- Out in Climate - Atlanta Launch | Virgil's Gullah Kitchen & Bar West Midtown
- Soccer Watch Parties | Round Trip Brewing Co.
- Georgia's Largest Happy Hour TUESDAYS | Chattahoochee Food Works

Wednesday, June 17
- Wellness Wednesdays: HIIT Like a Pro | The Interlock
- Atlanta Quarterly Regional Dinner | Marcel
- Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers | Terminal West
- Ike Reilly | Terminal West
- Indie Market at Chattahoochee Food Works | Chattahoochee Food Works

Thursday, June 18
- CZECH REPUBLIC VS. SOUTH AFRICA: SOUTH AFRICA TAKEOVER | The Interlock
- Salsa Dancing Class & Taco Dinner | Chicheria Mexican Kitchen
- Atlanta F.A.M. – Fashion, Art & Music | Chattahoochee Food Works

Friday, June 19
- USA VS. AUSTRALIA WATCH PARTY | The Interlock
- UNIDOS ATLANTA: SAMBA & CAPOEIRA | The Interlock
- JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION | The Interlock
- Juneteenth Celebration | Chattahoochee Food Works
- Maddy O'Neal w/ Black Carl! | Terminal West

Saturday, June 20
- The Rock and Roll Playhouse plays Music of Grateful Dead + More for Kids | Terminal West
- Pinback | Terminal West
- Westside Market | The Interlock
- GRAN MACHE MARKETPLACE | The Interlock
- World Pediatrics Atlanta Treasures in Paradise Gala | The Dogwood at Westside Paper
- Saturday Night Sets : DJ Series | Chattahoochee Food Works

Sunday, June 21
- Sunday Sweat Series | The Interlock
- Father's Day at Y3S | Your 3rd Spot
- Sunday Famers Market | Chattahoochee Food Works
- Paint and Sip: Paint Night Done Right - Atlanta | Taste Wine Bar and Market
- Uncle Sugar The Northside - 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

Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee

The committee's most consequential action was a unanimous recommendation to advance the Fiscal Year 2027 city budget and set the ad valorem millage rates that determine what property owners owe across all city tax levies, including the general fund, parks, and special service districts like the Atlanta BeltLine and the Atlanta Stitch. On affordable housing, the committee unanimously backed a sweeping "Neighborhood Investment" framework that extends the sunset dates of select Tax Allocation Districts and creates the new Atlanta Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative (NRI) Trust Fund, designed to channel development dollars toward community stabilization, affordable housing, and small business preservation. A proposed ordinance establishing new consumer protections for parking garages — covering rate disclosures, payment accessibility, and dispute resolution — was forwarded to the full Council without a formal recommendation, meaning the debate is far from over. The committee also officially killed a $2.28 million contract for water tank services with Davis Water Service, Inc., and separately approved $30,000 in community donations split between the Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation and the Diaspora District. Several high-profile items were held for further review, including a proposed $75,000 donation to HouseProud Atlanta for no-cost senior home repair programs.

Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee

Pedestrians and cyclists got some long-sought wins at the June 10 meeting, where the committee unanimously approved a new ordinance requiring the city to establish safe, temporary pedestrian routes anytime construction or excavation blocks existing sidewalks — a rule that could meaningfully reduce the hazardous sidewalk closures that have frustrated walkers across active construction zones. The committee also approved a commercial truck ban blocking cut-through shipping traffic in the historic Cabbagetown Landmark District and new residential-only parking restrictions on Lakeview Avenue NE, along with a parking prohibition on Sherwood Road NE near Smith Park. On the infrastructure funding front, the committee approved a $6 million GDOT grant for local street resurfacing alongside a $3.27 million resurfacing contract with Blount Construction Company — a combined investment that will patch and repave deteriorating roads across the city. Meanwhile, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport secured more than $310 million in supplemental funding across several contracts, covering on-call construction management and a $36.6 million boost for the Skytrain's 10-year modernization. Two high-profile items — a $3.6 million Peachtree Street corridor improvement project and a proposal to add dedicated bicycle lanes along the Atlanta BeltLine — remain stalled in committee.

Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee

The committee's biggest vote was a unanimous $7.86 million acquisition of nearly 30 acres on Randall Mill Road NW, to be permanently protected as forested land using the city's Tree Trust Fund and Park Millage Fund — one of the larger urban land preservation moves the city has made in recent years. The committee also unanimously approved integrating four planning documents into the city's Comprehensive Development Plan, including the Collier Road Multimodal Study and the Atlanta BeltLine Subarea 8 Master Plan, which guide how transportation and development decisions get made in and around those corridors. A heavily amended neighborhood reinvestment ordinance extending certain Tax Allocation Districts and establishing the NRI Trust Fund cleared the committee on a 5-1 vote, with one abstention, signaling some division over the final shape of the measure. On land use, properties on Sylvan Road and Cox Avenue were redesignated from industrial to high-density mixed use, opening the door to future walkable, mixed-income development, while two large clusters of properties along Logan Circle NW and Chattahoochee Avenue NW were deferred to a future hearing for their own industrial-to-residential reclassification. A proposed framework to regulate short-term rentals — including a new permitting office and registry — was held at the sponsor's request and remains unresolved.

Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee

The committee approved two notable contract actions: a $822,567 change order extending the Greensferry Stream and Floodplain Restoration project by 280 days, and a nine-month, $2 million extension of the city's on-call underwater diving services contract with Salmons Dredging Corporation — both of which keep critical water infrastructure work moving forward. A month-to-month contract extension worth up to $364,000 for solid waste survey and billing software support was also approved, along with a small agreement with GDOT to adjust water valve boxes along a Fulton County road project. The most closely watched item — a proposed ordinance adjusting solid waste taxes, fees, and backyard collection service rules — was held in committee so a public hearing can be scheduled, giving residents a formal opportunity to weigh in before any rate changes take effect. A separate proposal to restore green infrastructure incentives and stormwater retention requirements that were stripped from city code in 2020 was also deferred for further review, and a new ordinance authorizing the purchase of 12 parcels for the Valley of the Hawks Constructed Wetlands Project had its first reading with no vote yet taken.

Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee

The committee's headline action was a unanimous approval of a $3.5 million contract amendment with Axon Enterprise, Inc. to equip the Atlanta Police Department with a counter-drone system capable of detecting, tracking, and mitigating unauthorized drone activity across the city. The committee also approved a $500,000 settlement in a pending Fulton County lawsuit and a resolution requesting the Atlanta City Detention Center explore options to reduce the detention of low-level, non-violent misdemeanor offenders — an effort aimed at easing jail overcrowding and directing detention resources toward more serious offenses. Several approved property and bodily injury claims totaling more than $50,000 were resolved in favor of claimants, while more than two dozen other claims were denied. A proposed 180-day moratorium on new alcohol license applications in the Edgewood Corridor was deferred to June 15 at the sponsor's request, and a proposal to retroactively lease office space from a church for an APD Zone 6 precinct was also held for additional review. The committee's approval of a blight tax penalty request for a neglected Midtown commercial property was dual-referred to the Community Development committee, where it also passed unanimously.

Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee

The committee's agenda featured a wave of proposals to convert aging industrial land into higher-density residential and mixed-use development, with the most prominent cases involving a 12.5-acre industrial tract proposed for high-density mixed-use rezoning along the BeltLine corridor, an 8.5-acre heavy industrial site on Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard targeted for mixed residential and commercial development, and a contested 13.87-acre light industrial site where city staff and the Zoning Review Board recommended denial despite neighborhood NPU support. Also before the committee was a city-wide text amendment that would impose special use permit requirements and strict buffer zones for state-licensed medical cannabis dispensaries — a proposal with implications for commercial corridors across the city. Two large clusters of Upper Westside industrial properties along Logan Circle NW and Chattahoochee Avenue NW were scheduled for public hearings on their proposed transition to mixed residential and commercial zoning, a shift that would represent a major character change for that stretch of the neighborhood. Special use permit requests for a private club and an outdoor dining expansion near residential areas were also on the docket.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Special Called Meeting

Note: No minutes have been posted for this meeting, so the items below reflect what was scheduled on the agenda. Any item may have been tabled, deferred, or otherwise not acted upon.

The Board convened a Special Called Meeting on June 9 with a single substantive item on the agenda: a major discussion of the county's Service Delivery Strategy (SDS), the state-mandated agreement that determines how Fulton County and its cities divide responsibility — and funding — for core services like water, sewer, fire protection, police, and parks. These negotiations matter directly to property owners because the SDS is the mechanism that prevents residents from being double-taxed when the county and a city both claim to provide the same service, and its outcomes shape how tax revenues get distributed between governments. Because only an agenda — not minutes — is available, it is not yet known what conclusions, if any, were reached during the discussion. The board was also scheduled to formally adopt the meeting agenda as a procedural first step.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee
- 1575 Northside Dr & 0 Northside Dr — The committee approved right-of-way mowing and maintenance agreements with GDOT on behalf of the city's Department of Parks and Recreation for these two Northside Drive locations.

Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee
- Logan Circle NW (1116–1346) & Chattahoochee Ave NW (1325–1395) — A proposal to redesignate these Upper Westside industrial properties from Industrial (I) to Industrial Flex (IF) was deferred and held for a future hearing on June 15, 2026.
- Logan Circle NW (1119–1369) & Chattahoochee Ave NW (1405–1417) — A second, related request to redesignate these heavy industrial parcels to Industrial Flex (IF) was similarly deferred to the June 15, 2026 hearing.

Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee
- 1425 & 1475 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd NW — Crescent Acquisitions, LLC is proposing to rezone these two Upper Westside parcels totaling 8.54 acres from Heavy Industrial (I-2) to Mixed Residential Commercial (MRC-3) to develop a new retail and residential community; the item is scheduled to be heard by the committee, though it may be tabled, deferred, or withdrawn.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Committee on Council — Monday, June 15 at 11:30 AM, Atlanta City Hall, 55 Trinity Avenue. The committee is scheduled to consider a resolution requesting certified law enforcement officers be stationed at city recreation centers used as polling places during major elections, along with a proposed ordinance that would change how residents sign up for public comment at council meetings. Appointments to the BeltLine TAD Advisory Committee, the Atlanta Citizen Review Board, and the city's Housing Commission are also on the agenda.
- Atlanta City Council — Monday, June 15 at 1:00 PM, Atlanta City Hall, 55 Trinity Avenue. The full council is scheduled to vote on the Fiscal Year 2027 city budget and new property tax rates, a proposed $7.85 million acquisition of nearly 30 acres on Randall Mill Road NW for permanent forest preservation, and a new ordinance that would require mandatory pedestrian detours whenever sidewalks are blocked by construction. A rezoning request for 13.87 acres at Sylvan Road and Cox Avenue — where city planners have recommended denial but the local NPU has recommended approval — is also on the agenda, along with a proposed blight tax increase for a property at 1155 Peachtree Street NE and rezoning requests for properties at 1425 and 1475 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard NW.
- Fulton County Board of Commissioners — Wednesday, June 17 at 10:00 AM, Assembly Hall. Commissioners are scheduled to vote on an $8.96 million election staffing contract for the remainder of 2026, grant funding to convert 66 downtown Atlanta apartments to affordable housing, and construction funding for a new 20-unit affordable housing development in English Avenue. The board will also receive a progress update on the county's smart water meter rollout and consider a $1.78 million cybersecurity contract to upgrade the county's firewall systems.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- 1380 Atlantic Dr NW — $336K HVAC system installation underway, plus fire sprinkler work already issued. This is a larger commercial building getting significant mechanical upgrades — expect some disruption around the Atlantic Station area while work progresses.
- 1385 Collier Rd NW — Interior buildout filed to convert existing space into a B-occupancy business use (~530 sq ft). A new commercial tenant may be coming to Collier Road.
- 1150 Collier Rd NW — Electrical panel replacement, new smoke detection loop, and full lighting overhaul filed. Routine but signals a space being refreshed for reuse.
- 950 W Marietta St NW — New gated access to an existing parking lot under review. Small change, but could affect how you get in and out of that stretch of the Marietta Street Artery corridor.
- 1121 Huff Rd NW — Low-voltage cabling installation across amenity levels of a building (floors 1–2, below podium). Likely a multifamily or mixed-use property getting its tech infrastructure wired up.
- 222 14th St NW — Commercial pool permit filed. No description provided, but worth watching.

On the residential side, the area logged 39 permits, including 17 HVAC replacements, 4 demolitions, and 4 home additions — a typical summer mix, though the cluster of demos is worth noting if you're tracking teardown activity in the neighborhood.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 3/US 41 Intersection Improvements (Fulton County) — Operational upgrades underway at the cluster of Northside Drive, 14th Street, and Hemphill Avenue. The work simplifies the intersection layout to improve signal flexibility — expect lane adjustments and possible delays if you're cutting through Home Park or heading toward Georgia Tech.
- I-75 Lighting Upgrade, Musket Ridge Drive to I-85 (Fulton County) — Crews are swapping out old high-pressure sodium lights for LED fixtures along this 1.8-mile stretch. Pole and conduit replacements may also be in the mix. Nighttime lane closures are the most likely nuisance here.
- Bridge Preservation at Multiple Locations — Cobb, DeKalb & Fulton Counties — A multi-site bridge project covering co-polymer overlay, steel beam painting, and joint replacement across seven locations. One of the Fulton County sites is in range of this area. Expect intermittent lane restrictions near any affected structures.
- SR 9 Resurfacing, SR 3 to North of Paces Ferry Road (Fulton County) — Paving work is active on SR 9 to bring up a low pavement condition score. If Peachtree Road is part of your regular route, budget extra time and watch for flagging operations.
- Buford Spring Connector Tunnel Lighting Upgrade at I-85 (Fulton County) — LED lighting is being installed in the tunnel, with possible conduit and wiring work alongside. Tunnel lanes may be reduced during active work windows.

Pre-Construction

- Marietta Boulevard Corridor (Coronet Way to Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy) — A scoping study is underway to plan reconstruction and resurfacing of this stretch of Marietta Blvd. This is early-stage planning, but it signals a significant overhaul is coming for a road that cuts through the edge of the neighborhood.
- Marietta Boulevard Shared-Use Path (Hollowell Pkwy to Coronet Way) — A separate funded project along the same corridor would add a shared-use path for cyclists and pedestrians. Good news for anyone who's tried to navigate that stretch on foot or bike.
- Marietta Road Bridge Replacement (Thomas St to W Marietta St) — The existing Marietta Road bridge over the former CSX Tilford Yard is slated for full replacement, with new pavement, curb and gutter, and a 5-foot sidewalk on each side. Expect meaningful disruption to this connector when construction eventually kicks off.
- SR 3/US 19 Overpass Reconfiguration (I-75 to Holmes St) — Northside Drive near I-75 would be narrowed to one northbound lane and two southbound lanes, with a new northbound receiving lane added. A notable change for anyone using this ramp area regularly.
- Northside Drive Realignment (Marietta St to 8th St) — A new Northside Drive alignment is planned between Marietta Street and 8th Street, with improved intersections at both ends. This one sits just east of the neighborhood but will affect how traffic flows through the broader West Midtown grid.
- I-75 Northbound Ramps / Moores Mill Road Roundabout — A two-lane roundabout is planned at the Moores Mill Road interchange with I-75 northbound ramps. If you use this exit, the geometry of that intersection is going to look very different once this gets built.

Service Requests

Residents filed 15 service requests across the area this week. Traffic signal issues dominated the list, with Emergency Traffic Signal Repair calls at Marietta St & Ted Turner Dr (multiple reports) and Northside Dr & 17th St, while Non-Emergency Signal Repairs were logged at Bolton Rd & Barnett Dr. Potholes were reported at Collier Rd & Dellwood Dr, near 1391 Collier Rd, and on Sunbury Pl NW. Overgrowth and visibility issues in the right of way were flagged on Northside Dr NW (two locations), Bolton Rd, and at Maid Ln & Sumter St. Rounding things out, sign repair or replacement was requested at Joseph E. Lowery Blvd & Marietta St and Howell Mill Rd & Holmes St.