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Hey, West Midtown and Collier Hills! It was a consequential week at the county commission, where Fulton voted to block Mayor Dickens' tax district extension in a move that could reshape how Atlanta funds major redevelopment for years to come. Closer to home, Big Bad Breakfast quietly shuttered its Collier Hills location after less than a year, and if you're heading out this weekend, the Atlanta Ice Cream Festival hits Piedmont Park on Saturday.

- News — Fulton commissioners dealt a significant blow to Atlanta's redevelopment financing strategy, Georgia Tech is launching a new AI business center on its campus, and Bank OZK has taken over a vacant West Midtown office building from Sterling Bay and Asana.
- Business — Big Bad Breakfast lasted just nine months at its Collier Hills location before closing its doors.
- Events — The Atlanta Ice Cream Festival takes over Piedmont Park Saturday, plus a tequila and taco night at Chicheria, a ballroom social at Georgia Tech, and a packed week of markets and wellness events across the neighborhood.
- Government — City Council committees greenlit a $15.5 million pump station upgrade and advanced a controversial truck terminal over neighborhood objections, while two large industrial parcels along Logan Circle and Chattahoochee Avenue are up for rezoning to Industrial Flex in a change that could open the door to creative offices and retail.
- Construction — Intersection work is ongoing at Northside Drive, 14th Street, and Hemphill Avenue with lane shifts expected, a rooftop solar permit landed on Howell Mill, and seven pothole reports are queued up for crews across the area.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Fulton commissioners opt out of Atlanta mayor's tax extension plan
Fulton County commissioners voted to reject Mayor Andre Dickens' proposed extension of Atlanta's Tax Allocation Districts (TAD) in a huge blow to the mayor’s big initiative. The decision affects the city's ability to direct billions in property tax revenues toward long-term redevelopment and infrastructure projects.

Bank OZK takes empty West Midtown office from Sterling Bay, Asana
Bank OZK has taken control of 1050 Brickworks, a newly constructed but vacant office development in West Midtown, from previous stakeholders Sterling Bay and Asana. The change in ownership may affect tenancy timelines and future plans for the prominent local site.

Georgia Tech bets on AI education, research with new business center
Georgia Tech stays on the cutting edge, as it is launching the Scheller Center for AI in Business, with a focus on curriculum development, corporate partnerships, and research.

UGA, Georgia Tech land high in financial ranking
Georgia Tech earned a top placement (five stars) in a new financial health and value ranking alongside the University of Georgia (four and a half stars).

DeKalb Schools owes Decatur and Atlanta $12 million
The DeKalb County School District has been found to owe a combined $12 million to the City Schools of Decatur and Atlanta Public Schools. The debt stems from an accounting discrepancy that has drawn scrutiny across metro Atlanta school systems.

BUSINESS

Big Bad Breakfast - closing - The Southeast breakfast chain shuttered its Collier Hills location after just nine months of operation.

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EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, July 20
- Industry Night | Chattahoochee Food Works

Tuesday, July 21
- Mamma Mia! Summer Ballroom Social | Ga Tech Student Center
- Trap Yoga Tuesday | The Interlock
- Georgia's Largest Happy Hour TUESDAYS | Chattahoochee Food Works

Wednesday, July 22
- Wellness Wednesdays: HIIT Like a Pro | The Interlock
- Indie Market at Chattahoochee Food Works | Chattahoochee Food Works
- Wellness Wednesday | Atlantic Green

Thursday, July 23
- Workshop: Grow Your City Forest - Rain Barrels, Composting, & Gardening 101 | Waterworks Lodge
- Herradura Tequila Tasting, Margarita Class & Taco Dinner | Chicheria Mexican Kitchen
- Atlanta F.A.M. – Fashion, Art & Music | Chattahoochee Food Works

Saturday, July 25
- 16:30 | Bold Monk Brewing Co.
- Gurl 2 Girl Market | The Interlock
- Atlanta Ballet Hosts Free Family Dance Open House July 25 | Atlanta Ballet - Michael C. Carlos Dance Centre
- Whiskers & Wine: A Paint Your Pet Creative Class | Atlanta Humane Society
- WILLIS | Terminal West
- Atlanta Ice Cream Festival | Piedmont Park

Sunday, July 26
- Ladies Athletic Club of Alanta | The Interlock
- Sunday Sweat Series | The Interlock
- Sunday Famers Market | Chattahoochee Food Works
- Cooking Class: Sushi Making With Chef Jennifer at Taste Wine Bar and Market | 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

The council's committees were busy across four days, with confirmed outcomes from the Finance/Executive, City Utilities, and Zoning committees, while the Transportation, Community Development/Human Services, and Public Safety & Legal Administration committees met without posted minutes, so items on those agendas may have been tabled, deferred, or otherwise not acted upon. On the confirmed side, the Finance/Executive Committee approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign agreements with MARTA and other partners if Atlanta lands the 2028 Democratic National Convention, passed a $5.98 million cloud services contract extension with Deloitte, and held the FY2027 property tax rate ordinance for further review at an August 3 meeting, meaning your tax rate for next year is still undecided. The City Utilities Committee unanimously approved $15.5 million in upgrades for the Flint River Pump Station and greenlit utility adjustment work along Roswell Road ahead of a state repaving project, while deferring a $2 million stream restoration project and a controversial flood-zone variance request. The Zoning Committee, meanwhile, advanced a 59.8-acre truck terminal on Jonesboro Road over neighborhood opposition, approved two digital changing billboards that city staff had recommended denying, and held the "Lumberyard Lofts" mixed-use rezoning proposal on Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard until August 3. On agendas still awaiting confirmed outcomes, the Transportation Committee had proposals to permanently close a stretch of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive near Grady Hospital and convert it into a pedestrian plaza, authorize nearly $2.9 million to pave unpaved roads in underserved areas, and accept a $3.6 million federal grant for Peachtree Street improvements, while the Community Development/Human Services Committee had ordinances that would make all city pools permanently free, add $1 million in park security, and create a new Office of Short-Term Rentals to regulate platforms like Airbnb.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners

Commissioners covered substantial ground at their July 15 meeting, touching everything from your property tax bill to behavioral health infrastructure. As covered in today's news section, the board voted 4-1 to formally oppose any extension of Atlanta's Tax Allocation Districts, a decision with real implications for how billions in future property tax revenue gets directed across the city. To keep county finances stable in the interim, commissioners also authorized the county attorney to petition the Superior Court to begin collecting 2026 property taxes immediately on a temporary basis, a procedural step the county uses to avoid cash flow gaps while budget and rate decisions are finalized. On the public health front, the board approved a $9.48 million state grant to fund planning and design of a new Behavioral Health Crisis Center in North Fulton, a meaningful investment given the persistent gaps in local crisis care capacity. Commissioners also approved a $8.95 million temporary staffing contract to support upcoming election operations and greenlit a grant to help build 149 units of affordable housing in downtown Atlanta. One item that didn't move forward was a resolution to release funds supporting small businesses and neighborhood stabilization on the Westside, which was held by a 5-0 vote.

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education

The APS Policy Review Committee met on July 16 and took action on two district-wide policies, though the posted minutes don't include vote tallies or details on any amendments or dissent. The first, Policy IF, governs how student devices, school-provided internet access, and classroom instructional materials are regulated across all Atlanta schools, so any changes here will directly shape what tools teachers and students can use day to day. The second, Policy DFB, covers the rules for how the district receives and allocates state funding, which affects the financial oversight of state tax dollars flowing into your local schools. Both policies were acted upon, but if you want to know exactly how the votes landed or whether amendments were adopted, you'll need to check for a more detailed record as it becomes available.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee
- 1116, 1130, 1166, 1184, 1196, 1250, 1264, 1274, 1284, 1294, 1300, 1330, and 1346 Logan Circle NW / 1325, 1379, 1389, 1391, and 1395 Chattahoochee Avenue NW — A proposed ordinance is scheduled to be heard that would rezone this large industrial tract from heavy Industrial (I) to Industrial Flex (IF), which opens the door to creative offices, light manufacturing, and retail.
- 1119, 1149, 1177, 1209, 1225, 1301, 1311, 1325, 1335, and 1369 Logan Circle NW / 1405 and 1417 Chattahoochee Avenue NW — A sister rezoning proposal is also on the agenda, seeking the same Industrial to Industrial Flex transition for this adjacent group of parcels along Logan Circle and Chattahoochee Avenue.

Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee
- 1425 and 1475 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard NW — The committee held this rezoning request in a 6-0 vote, pushing the decision on "Lumberyard Lofts" to August 3, 2026. Developer Crescent Acquisitions wants to convert the 8.54-acre heavy industrial site to mixed residential-commercial zoning for higher-density apartments with ground-floor retail.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- 1385 Collier Rd NW — Two permits filed for this address: a commercial interior finish for vendor space inside the Market Building, plus a plumbing buildout of the existing shell. The space is moving toward a certificate of occupancy, which means tenants are close to opening.
- 1055 Howell Mill Rd NW — Interior alteration of a first-generation business office suite, ready to issue. An existing tenant is expanding within the space.
- 626 14th St NW — Gas line installation filed as part of a larger commercial renovation.
- 375 18th St NW — HVAC replacement permit pending review. Existing condensing units and refrigeration components are coming out, with like-for-like replacements going in.
- 1450 Howell Mill Rd NW — Rooftop solar installation filed for a commercial property, currently awaiting additional materials.
- 1375 Seaboard Industrial Blvd NW — Eight-foot privacy chain-link fence with slats and two new sliding gates filed for a commercial site. Still needs additional materials before it moves forward.
- 679 11th St NW — Antenna modification permit filed, covering mount changes and updates to existing antenna equipment on a commercial structure.

Beyond these, the week brought 16 more commercial permits, mostly plumbing, interior alterations, and low-voltage work across the area. On the residential side, 50 permits came in, with tree removal (13 arborist permits) leading the count, followed by HVAC, interior alterations, and plumbing.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR-3/US-41 Intersection Improvements (Fulton County) Work ongoing at the cluster of Northside Drive, 14th Street, and Hemphill Avenue. GDOT is reconfiguring the intersection to give signals more flexibility, which means you can expect lane shifts and delays in that corridor.
- I-75 Lighting Upgrade, Musket Ridge Drive to I-85 (Fulton County) Crews are replacing old high-pressure sodium lights with LED fixtures along this 1.8-mile stretch. Work may also include pole and conduit replacements.
- SR-9 Resurfacing, SR-3 to North of Paces Ferry Road (Fulton County) GDOT is resurfacing SR-9 to bring the pavement quality back up. Expect intermittent lane closures while crews work through the corridor.
- Bridge Preservation at Multiple Locations, Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton Counties This multi-county project covers co-polymer overlay, steel beam painting, and joint replacement at seven bridge locations. One of the Fulton sites falls close to the area.
- Buford Spring Connector Tunnel Lighting Upgrade (Fulton County) Crews are swapping out the tunnel lighting for LEDs at the Buford Spring Connector near I-85. Conduit and wiring work is also in scope

Service Requests

Potholes are the big story this week, with seven reports filed across the area. Crews have requests logged on Techwood Dr NW, Ellsworth Dr at Norfleet Rd, Tallulah St NW, Brookview Dr NW, and Tenth St NW.

- Potholes — Reported on Techwood Dr NW (two locations), Ellsworth Dr at Norfleet Rd (two locations), Tallulah St NW, Brookview Dr NW, and Tenth St NW
- Overgrowth/Visibility Issues — Right-of-way maintenance requests filed for W Marietta St NW, Collier Rd NW at Northside Dr, and Berkeley Ave NW
- Litter Removal — Cleanup requests on Mecaslin St NW and at Marietta Blvd at Bolton Dr
- Traffic Signal Repair — Northside Dr at 17th St
- Downed Tree — Marietta St at Northside Dr

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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.