West Midtown / Collier Hills: Star Metals ReFi and Gun Club Park Redevelopment

Hey, West Midtown and Collier Hills! It's a big week for news on both the political and real estate fronts. The Star Metals office building just landed a $114 million refinancing loan, a 44-acre site next to Westside Park is headed for a major mixed-use transformation, and Mo Ivory's upset of Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts will shape county priorities for years to come. Plenty to dig into this week — let's get into it.

- News — From a $114M vote of confidence in West Midtown commercial real estate to a landmark political upset and a paperwork error costing Atlanta schools millions, this week's news cycle is anything but quiet.
- Events — FIFA watch parties are taking over The Interlock all week, with Ghana, Morocco, Colombia, and more on the screen, plus Terminal West shows, the Indie Market at Chattahoochee Food Works, and a sushi-making class to round out the weekend.
- Government — The Zoning Committee takes up a citywide self-storage moratorium Monday and two local industrial-to-residential rezoning cases on Ellsworth Industrial Blvd, while the Finance Committee eyes the FY2027 property tax rate and a pointed question about a stalled Midtown tower's tax break.
- Construction — Intersection work is actively underway at Northside Drive, 14th Street, and Hemphill Avenue, and a roundabout is planned at the I-75/Moores Mill interchange — plus tenant turnover permits on Marietta and Howell Mill signal new occupants on the way.

Let's dive in.

Nailed-It Roofing is a leading roofing company in Georgia committed to ensuring your roof's integrity. They want you to benefit from their experience and gain the knowledge that they have learned over more than 20 years of business. Their staff is well-equipped and trained to manage any means of repair.

Want an instant ball park quote on your roof in seconds? Try their new instant online estimate tool for homeowners! Their team reviews your estimate and follows up to answer questions. They can schedule a free on-site inspection for a detailed written quote on repair or replacement.

Don't want to use the online estimate tool? Contact them today for a free quote at this contact form or by calling 770-241-5648

NEWS

Allen Morris secures $114 million loan for its West Midtown office building
The Star Metals office building on Howell Mill Road just got a very solid vote of confidence to the tune of $114 million. Allen Morris has locked in a refinancing loan on the landmark mixed-use property, a sign that West Midtown's commercial real estate market remains a serious player even in a choppy national environment.

Deal struck for home, retail redevelopment near Atlanta's largest park
The 44-acre former Gun Club Park site adjacent to Shirley Clarke Franklin Park is heading for a major transformation, with a newly finalized deal that promises affordable rentals, single-family homes, retail, and multi-use trails. This is a major project that will be worth keeping tabs on.

Mo Ivory Unseats Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts
Robb Pitts has led the Fulton County Commission for years, but challenger Mo Ivory knocked him out in the runoff. What this means for county budgets, property tax policy, and the direction of public services is a story that will unfold over the coming months.

Atlanta, Decatur schools owed millions in sales tax funds after paperwork error
A bureaucratic paperwork error has left Atlanta Public Schools and City Schools of Decatur short of millions in E-SPLOST funds — money that was already earmarked for schools, facilities, and capital improvements, and that went to DeKalb Schools in error. It's the kind of administrative stumble that sounds minor until you realize those dollars directly affect classrooms, and someone needs to be held accountable for making it right.

The best ice cream shop in Georgia is a local ATL favorite that started as a small walk-up shop in East Atlanta
Morelli’s in East Atlanta has officially been crowned the best ice cream shop in Georgia. The good news for West Midtown residents: you don't have to cross town for a scoop, because they've got a location right at Chattahoochee Food Works.

EVENTS | Presented by

Peace of Mind Recycling is your one stop shop for a convenient and affordable way to make sure your recyclables actually get… recycled! With Atlanta's city recycling services your guess is as good as ours in regards to what actually gets recycled. We document where we take your glass, metal, electronics & everything else so you can rest assured it's going to the good place 100% of the time.

The FIFA World Cup has landed in Atlanta, and the neighborhood is feeling it. Watch parties are popping up across the week at The Interlock and beyond, with Ghana, Morocco, Colombia, and more taking center stage — a reminder that this stretch of the city has become one of the best places in Atlanta to experience the tournament's global energy.

Monday, June 22
- Royal & the Serpent | Terminal West
- Celebrating Atlanta's FIFA Flag Bearers with McDonald's | McDonald's
- SNOW WIFE | Terminal West

Tuesday, June 23
- Georgia's Largest Happy Hour! | Chattahoochee Food Works
- Lakay Marketplace | The Interlock
- Trap Yoga Tuesday | The Interlock
- ROSTAM | Terminal West

Wednesday, June 24
- Game Face | Chattahoochee Food Works
- Indie Market at Chattahoochee Food Works | Chattahoochee Food Works
- Wellness Wednesdays: HIIT Like a Pro | The Interlock
- SOUTH AFRICA VS. SOUTH KOREA WATCH PARTY | The Interlock
- MOROCCO VS. HAITI WATCH PARTY | The Interlock

Thursday, June 25
- Taste & Learn Guided Wine Tasting | Taste Wine Bar & Market
- Atlanta F.A.M. – Fashion, Art & Music | Chattahoochee Food Works
- Neighborhood Flex with Bach Fitness | The Interlock

Friday, June 26
- Them In Uniform | Terminal West

Saturday, June 27
- Gurl 2 Girl Market | The Interlock
- GHANA VS. CROATIA (Ghana Takeover) with Playhouse | The Interlock
- COLOMBIA VS. PORTUGAL WATCH PARTY | The Interlock
- Soccer Watch Parties | Round Trip Brewing Co.
- Saturday Night Sets : DJ Series | Chattahoochee Food Works

Sunday, June 28
- Sunday Famers Market | Chattahoochee Food Works
- OFFICIAL F1® ARCADE SPIELBERG WATCH PARTY | F1® Arcade Atlanta
- Sushi Making With Chef Jennifer at a Local Wine Bar - Cooking Class by Classpop! | Taste Wine Bar and Market
- Sunday Sweat Series | The Interlock
- Global Table | The Interlock
- Gains App presents- Gym Wars| A Gym vs Gym Competition Coming to Atlanta | 750 Ferst Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30332
- 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

The full Atlanta City Council met on June 15 and, with minutes now posted, we know the session covered an ambitious slate of consequential items. Most significantly, the council took up the city's Fiscal Year 2027 budget and the accompanying property tax rate ordinance — the annual votes that set the financial course for every city department and determine what Atlanta homeowners owe. The council also considered a $7.85 million acquisition of nearly 30 acres on Randall Mill Road for permanent forest preservation, funded largely through the Tree Trust Fund and development impact fees — a purchase that would lock that land away from development for good. A proposed ordinance on pedestrian safety would require Atlanta's transportation department to provide safe, clearly marked detour routes whenever sidewalk construction blocks foot traffic, a straightforward protection that affects anyone who walks in the city. On the zoning front, the council weighed a contentious 13.87-acre mixed-use rezoning request that city planning staff and the Zoning Review Board recommended denying, even as the local Neighborhood Planning Unit backed approval — the kind of split that signals a close and consequential vote. Additional items included a proposed "blight tax" penalty targeting a neglected Midtown property, a commercial truck ban in Cabbagetown, and funding corrections for a previously promised gymnasium at Chastain Park.

Atlanta City Council – Committee on Council

Also on June 15, the Committee on Council met ahead of the full session and, with minutes posted, we can report on what was discussed. The committee considered a resolution requesting that Georgia POST-certified law enforcement officers be stationed at every city recreation center used as a polling place during major state and federal elections — a security measure that would apply to early voting, Election Day, and runoffs. Members also reviewed a proposed ordinance from Councilmember Byron Amos that would revise the rules for how residents sign up for and deliver public comment at council meetings, which directly affects how ordinary Atlantans engage with city leadership. Several citizen appointments were on the table, including nominees to the BeltLine Tax Allocation District Advisory Committee, the Atlanta Citizen Review Board (which provides independent police oversight), and the city's Housing Commission. A charter amendment requiring every piece of proposed legislation to carry a named councilmember as primary sponsor — aimed at increasing accountability — was also under review, as was a lingering resolution calling for an independent outside investigation into the city's contracts with former Municipal Clerk Foris Webb, III.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners held its second regular meeting of June on June 17, though minutes are not yet posted, so the items below reflect what was scheduled — any of these could have been tabled, deferred, or withdrawn. The agenda's most notable proposals center on affordable housing: commissioners were set to consider grants to convert 66 existing market-rate apartments in Downtown Atlanta into dedicated affordable units, to fund a new 20-unit affordable development in English Avenue, and to support site preparation for the future Andrew Young International Institute for Peace and Reconciliation in Vine City. Preservationists will want to note a proposed grant to restore the George Towns and Grace Towns Hamilton Homes, two historic properties central to Atlanta's Civil Rights history. On the technology side, the agenda included over $5.2 million in proposed contracts for countywide cybersecurity upgrades — specifically replacing internal firewall equipment — and telecommunications services with AT&T and Comcast; these are the kinds of infrastructure investments that rarely make headlines but underpin county services residents use daily. One item that won't move forward regardless: a proposed $8.96 million contract for election staffing was removed from the agenda before the meeting.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee — Monday, June 22 at 11:00 AM. A city-wide 180-day moratorium on new self-storage facilities is on the agenda, along with rezoning proposals that would convert industrial sites into dense mixed-use apartment communities. Two properties in the neighborhood are scheduled for consideration: rezoning cases at 1425 and 1475 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd NW (heavy industrial to mixed residential-commercial) and a change of conditions within the DuPont Commons subdivision at 1579 Gates Pl NW will both be heard.
- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee — Monday, June 22 at 1:00 PM. A proposed $3.39 million land purchase from MARTA to build a new EMS and fire station at Lindbergh City Center, a forensic audit ordinance targeting bars under police investigation, and a 180-day moratorium on new alcohol licenses along the Edgewood Corridor are all scheduled for consideration.
- Atlanta Public Schools — Board of Education — Tuesday, June 23. The board is scheduled to take up a draft Electronic Payments and Funds Transfer Policy, along with discussions on student technology use and a policy governing how the district manages vacant or underutilized school facilities.
- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee — Tuesday, June 23 at 10:00 AM. Proposed changes to solid waste fees and backyard trash collection eligibility are on the agenda, alongside a $2 million stream restoration project at Chastain Park and more than $36 million in contract renewals for emergency water and sewer repairs across the city.
- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee — Tuesday, June 23 at 1:30 PM. The committee is scheduled to consider codifying free admission at all city pools, a 20-year agreement with L.E.A.D., Inc. to build a community center near Center Hill Park, and a $250,000 transit-oriented redevelopment study for the Ashby MARTA Station area. A land-use redesignation proposal affecting properties along Logan Circle NW and Chattahoochee Ave NW — a cluster of addresses spanning the 1100–1400 blocks — is also on the agenda, which would shift those parcels from heavy industrial to industrial flex.
- Atlanta NPU — NPU-D — Tuesday, June 23 at 7:30 PM (Virtual). No agenda is currently available.
- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee — Wednesday, June 24 at 10:00 AM. New consumer protection rules for private parking lots, a proposal to permanently close a stretch of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE near Grady Hospital for a pedestrian plaza, and a resolution requesting the Mayor to renegotiate the "More MARTA" transit agreement are all scheduled to be heard.
- Atlanta City Council — Wednesday, June 24 at 12:30 PM. No agenda is currently available.
- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee — Wednesday, June 24 at 1:30 PM. The committee is scheduled to consider a resolution requesting Fulton County commit $200 million toward healthcare expansion on Atlanta's Southside and Westside, set FY2027 property tax rates, and review a $63 million airport agreement with Delta Air Lines. A resolution requesting a written explanation for why 1155 Peachtree Street — a stalled Midtown construction site — is receiving a property tax break is also on the agenda.

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

If you’re in need of commercial or residential roofing installation and repair services, look no further than Nailed It Roofing. Contact them today for a free quote: 770-241-5648

Permits

- 1000 Marietta St NW — Tenant conversion underway with interior cosmetic work: painting, floor polishing and refinishing. Someone new is moving in.
- 271 17th St NW — Interior modifications on the 12th floor of what appears to be an office building, carving out a new copy room and additional storage. Routine, but signals continued occupancy activity in the corridor.
- 1705 Commerce Dr NW — Tenant alteration permit filed for an existing commercial space. Details are light, but a new occupant is taking shape.
- 1671 Howell Mill Rd NW — Change of use permit from phone store to vape shop. No construction involved, just a swap on paper.
- 1122 State St NW — Plumbing permit renewed for a two-family duplex, covering a new water line roughly 80 feet long. Infill residential work continuing.

Beyond the headliners, the week's activity skews routine: electrical, HVAC, and plumbing work across a handful of commercial addresses including 533 10th St NW and 1034 Howell Mill Rd NW. On the residential side, six HVAC permits, four electrical, three demolitions, and six arborist permits for dead or hazardous trees round out a fairly active — if unglamorous — week.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR-3/US-41 Intersection Improvements (Northside Drive at 14th St & Hemphill Ave) — Active work underway to simplify and improve the intersection cluster at Northside Drive, 14th Street, and Hemphill Avenue, with signal upgrades aimed at improving traffic flow. If you're cutting through Home Park or heading toward Georgia Tech, expect some friction at this junction.
- I-75 LED Lighting Upgrade (Musket Ridge Drive to I-85) — Crews are replacing outdated HPS lighting with energy-efficient LEDs along this 1.8-mile stretch. Pole and conduit work may be part of the scope, so watch for lane restrictions, particularly during overnight hours.
- Bridge Preservation at Multiple Fulton County Locations — A multi-county bridge maintenance project (Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton) covering co-polymer overlay, steel beam painting, and joint replacement at seven locations. The Fulton sites may affect routes near the edges of this area — worth keeping an eye on if you're connecting to broader corridors.
- Buford Spring Connector Tunnel Lighting (at I-85) — LED upgrades are in progress inside the Buford Spring Connector tunnel. Conduit and wiring work is part of the scope, which can mean intermittent lane or shoulder closures near the I-85 interchange.

Pre-Construction

- Marietta Boulevard Corridor (Fulton County) — A scoping study is underway for reconstruction and resurfacing of Marietta Boulevard between Coronet Way NW and Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. A separate but related project along the same corridor will add a shared-use path and pedestrian improvements between those same endpoints. Two overlapping projects on one stretch means this area is being looked at seriously — expect more details to emerge as scoping wraps up.
- Marietta Road Bridge Replacement (Fulton County) — The existing Marietta Road bridge over the former CSX Tilford Yard is slated for full replacement, with a new structure, updated pavement, curb and gutter, and 5-foot sidewalks on both sides. Not started yet, but when it does, expect disruption for anyone crossing that rail corridor.
- SR 3/US 19 at I-75 (Fulton County) — A roadway reconfiguration on the I-75 overpass would reduce the corridor to one northbound lane, two southbound lanes, and a northbound receiving lane. If you use this stretch to get on or off I-75, it's worth watching — lane reductions here will back things up.
- SR 9 & 14th Street from Howell Mill to W. Peachtree (Fulton County) — A road transformation is planned along this busy Midtown connector. Details on scope are still limited, but any realignment along 14th Street will have ripple effects for West Midtown commuters heading east.
- I-75 NB Ramps at Moores Mill Road (Fulton County) — A roundabout is planned at the intersection of Moores Mill Road and the I-75 northbound ramps. The design includes a two-lane section on Moores Mill heading east. If you use this interchange to access I-75 from the Collier Hills or Underwood Hills side, this will change how that on-ramp functions entirely.
- SR 3/US 19 — New Northside Drive from Marietta Street to 8th Street (Fulton County) — This project would build a realigned Northside Drive with two northbound and two southbound lanes between Marietta Street and 8th Street, with improved intersections at both ends. A significant rerouting for anyone who cuts through on Northside.
- SR 8 — Proctor Creek Greenway to Atlanta BeltLine (Fulton County) — Bicycle and pedestrian improvements are planned to create a multimodal connection between the Proctor Creek Greenway Trail and the BeltLine's Westside Trail. Good news for cyclists and walkers once it gets built — still in pre-construction for now.

Service Requests

Traffic signals are getting attention across the area, with repair requests filed at Howell Mill Rd (two locations), Howell Mill Rd & Chattahoochee Ave, Bolton Rd at Barnett Dr, and 10th St at Holly St — the last of which also generated an emergency-level callout, as did Marietta Blvd & Chattahoochee Ave.

Five pothole reports are in progress, spread across Huff Rd & Howell Mill Rd, Sunbury Pl NW, Ellsworth Dr NW, Chattahoochee Ave NW, and Joseph E. Lowery Blvd & Marietta St.

Overgrowth and visibility concerns in the right of way were flagged at Zadie St & Carroll Dr, Collier Rd NW & Northside Dr, and Collins Dr NW. Litter removal along Northside Dr NW is also in progress.