It’s been a long time in the making. After years dedicated to economic development and housing solutions, the Atlanta Regional Commission has unveiled Housing Forward 2035, “The Strategy.” The regional housing strategy will guide the 11-county planning commission through its approach to affordable and accessible housing in a rapidly changing region. ARC leaders presented an […]
Author Archives: Delaney Tarr
Posted inDelaney Tarr
SoDo leaders ask Atlanta Rotary to help ‘restore order’ downtown
Note: The story has been updated to reflect additional comments from Atlanta Mission and South Downtown leadership. On Aug. 24, SoDo founders David Cummings and Jon Birdsong sat in front of a ballroom packed with Atlanta’s most powerful people. They had a simple plea: “I would love for Atlanta Rotary to make downtown one of […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr
Beltline pop-up bar LikeMinds is here to stay through the holidays
After a successful stint with World Cup crowds, Beltline pop-up LikeMinds will extend its residency in the former BrewDog space through the end of the year, just in time for football season. Cofounder Kelly Campbell, best known for Westside Motor Lounge, said the extension was a “collective and collaborative” decision among the local partners. Originally, […]
Posted inColumns, Delaney Tarr
The quest to restore ‘Riverbend,’ an iconic piece of long-lost Black cinema
For Michael J. Dennis, the quest to restore “Riverbend” started with a simple goal: Keep the long-lost relic of Black cinema from ever disappearing again. Weeks ago, he succeeded. At the Aug. 15 Atlanta premiere of “Riverbend” at the Plaza Theatre, Reelblack Renaissance released the 6k film restoration on Blu-ray — it’s now available for […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr
Invest Atlanta greenlights $600k to middle-wage jobs, more for affordable housing
On Aug. 27, the Invest Atlanta board of directors approved $600,000 in funding for “middle wage” job training and placement for city residents. The economic development agency gave funds to Goodwill of North Georgia and the Urban League of Greater Atlanta. It’s part of Invest Atlanta’s Middle Wage Job Economic Opportunity Fund, created to incentivize […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr
Developers, designers ask: Can Atlanta be a design city?
Maria Saporta finished the Atlanta Design Roundtable on Aug. 13 with a clear takeaway: “Good design has to come from the heart.” It’s the core of civic nonprofit Atlanta Way 2.0’s design roundtable series. Hosted by nonprofit and SaportaReport founder Maria Saporta, each event asks how Atlanta can become a city known for “good design.” […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr
Beltline’s autonomous shuttle pilot ATL Spoke expands to Atlanta University Center
The Beltline expanded its free autonomous shuttle to the Atlanta University Center today, as part of ATL Spoke’s 12-month pilot program for new “mobility options.” ATL Spoke started service in June with four vehicles that could fit 12 passengers each. The cars ran every 12-15 minutes, 10 hours a day and seven days a week. […]
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Westside Future fund to add 18 new affordable homes from ground up in Vine City
On Aug. 17, the Westside Future Fund expanded its footprint with a groundbreaking for 18 new, permanently affordable multifamily housing units in Vine City. “We’re in the community development business,” Westside Future Fund President and CEO John Ahmann said. The 280 James P. Brawley Drive development expands the business. It will be WFF’s first-ever new […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr
MARTA sticks with Jonathan Hunt as permanent CEO
MARTA’s interim leader Jonathan Hunt will be the next permanent CEO. On Aug. 13, the MARTA board of directors announced Hunt would permanently take on the transit agency’s top job after a lengthy search. The finalists were announced four days ago; he beat out Cleveland Ferguson III from the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and Leroy Jones from […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr
New population data shows Metro Atlanta growth is slowing down
The Atlanta Regional Commission released its annual population report on Aug. 12, and for the first time in years the 11-county region’s growth has slowed. This year, the region added 53,690 residents between April 2025 and 2026. It brings the total population to just over 5.3 million people, up from last year’s 5.28 million. But […]
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Plaza, Tara Theatre owners expand management operation — to Ohio
Christopher Escobar is a name everyone in Atlanta’s film world knows. As co-owner of the Plaza Theatre and the Tara Theatre, he helped turn two historic cinemas into arthouse hubs for film fanatics and casual moviegoers alike. Now he’s got a new venture — theater management in Cleveland, Ohio. With a small group of Plaza […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr
Anonymous account uses art to fill holes and create a rallying cry: ‘Fix ATL’
Fix-ATL means two things. First, it’s a handle for an anonymous social media account covering sidewalk holes across the city. Second, it’s a call to action to fix the city of Atlanta. And it all began as an art project. Editor’s note: The person behind the Fix-ATL social media account wished to remain anonymous for […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr
‘Fully affordable’ housing development breaks ground along Beltline in Buckhead
On Aug. 4 a crowd of developers and community leaders broke ground on the Overlook at Garson, a new affordable housing development in Buckhead — and it sits alongside a future piece of the Beltline. The Overlook at Garson will be a mixed-use community with 130 units of affordable one- and two-bedroom homes, each priced […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr
Decide DeKalb puts another $75 million to major housing bond program
Decide DeKalb Development Authority is set to administer another $75 million bond for its ambitious $155 million Housing Investment Bond Program, according to a July 31 announcement from the Board of Directors. Weeks earlier, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners greenlit the Housing Investment Bond Program with an initial $25 million bond issuance. The resolution […]
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Century-old mansion on Peachtree Street seeks buyer with passion for preservation
One of the city’s only remaining unrenovated Victorian mansions on Peachtree is up for sale, and the owner is seeking a preservation-minded buyer with $2.58 million to spare. Nestled among condos and high-rise buildings sits the “Rufus M. Rose House,” a Victorian home built in 1901 for local physician Dr. Rufus M. Rose. The red-brick […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr
A new karaoke bar is headed to Reynoldstown. Why are locals upset?
This year, Yan Karaoke is set to open in the Atlanta Dairies in Reynoldstown, complete with 15,000 square feet of space, multiple bars, a restaurant, VIP areas and plenty of singing suites. It’s an ambitious project for the growing entertainment options in the Dairies. It’s also a hot-button issue for neighborhood residents and vocal historic […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr, Latest News
SoDo scales down after phase one — with staff cuts
South Downtown’s first test was a runaway success. During the World Cup, thousands visited the newly revitalized neighborhood and its local bars and restaurants. SoDo leaders called it a perfect “opening party.” Now what? SoDo is officially scaling back. According to CEO Jon Birdsong the neighborhood is taking a yearlong pause — and letting go […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr
Breaking down the Beltline’s $265 million budget
The Beltline has approved its largest-ever budget, with $265.8 million funding the city’s emerald necklace as it speeds to a 2030 completion goal. Here’s a breakdown of the FY27 budget. Since 2023, the budget has steadily increased year over year – last year rang in at $242 million. It represents the Beltline’s final stretch, as […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr, Latest News
Atlanta breaks ground on Monroe Drive Safe Streets lane reduction
“The overall goal is yes, we do need to slow traffic down in this corridor.” As Atlanta District 6 City Councilmember Alex Wan says this at the Monroe Drive Safe Streets groundbreaking on July 22, a car flies by at top speed, rattling over uneven pavement and the city’s ever-present potholes. Speeding, congestion and crashes […]
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Invest Atlanta greenlights $18 million bond to Clark Atlanta University improvements
At a July 16 Invest Atlanta board meeting, the city’s economic development agency approved an $18 million tax-exempt revenue bond to pay for construction of improvements and new amenities to the Clark Atlanta University campus. It will pay for a new dining facility, new North Campus gateway and the demolition of two vacant, outdated dorms. […]
