The ongoing pandemic has sped up changes already occurring in the metro-Atlanta housing market, accelerating gentrification and worsening the already critical shortages in affordable housing. But this era is different for our sprawling metro region because of a shift in the demographic profile of the suburbs–and the increasingly regional effects of gentrification. That means both Atlanta and […]
Author Archives: King Williams
King Williams is a multimedia documentary film director and author based in Atlanta, Georgia. King’s documentary “The Atlanta Way: A Documentary on Gentrification” will be released this Summer.
He is an associate producer on the upcoming Sara Burns (daughter of documentarian Ken Burns)/Dave McMahon’s 2019 documentary – ‘East Lake’ – on the former East Lake Meadows housing project.
King can be reached at king@saportareport.com or @iamkingwilliams on Instagram and Twitter. His number is: 470-310-1795.
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A conversation with TransFormation Alliance’s Odetta MacLeish-White
By King Williams The TransFormation Alliance (TFA) is a diverse collaboration of 30 plus partners – ranging from nonprofits, government agencies, business partners and MARTA. They work in advancing equitable transit-oriented development as a pathway to opportunity for every resident in Metro Atlanta, especially in minority communities. Odetta MacLeish-White is their managing director. King Williams: […]
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Remembering the 1906 Race Riot in Atlanta
Last month marked the 113th anniversary of the 1906 Atlanta Race Riot. The three-day massacre occurred from Sept. 22-24, and once the flames were extinguished, Atlanta was forever changed.
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A conversation with Rebecca Serna of the Atlanta Bike Coalition
On Sunday, Sept. 29, the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition brings its massively popular event – Atlanta Streets Alive – to the Southwest and Southside of Atlanta.
To get a better feel of what Atlanta Streets Alive is, check out last year’s event which shut down 3.1 miles of Peachtree Street from Downtown at Ellis Street to the Colony Square building on 14th Street in Midtown Atlanta.
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‘Good’ Gentrification
By King Williams I often get asked if there’s a scenario where gentrification can be good. I fully understand why someone would ask this question, but the answer is a resounding no. After a lengthy and ongoing conversation on both my Instagram and Twitter accounts, I was notified about a particular clip making rounds on […]
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“Old” Atlanta
Every resident of Atlanta has had the frustration of being asked “oh wow, you’re really from Atlanta?” or being told some asinine version of “you’re the first person I’ve ever met that’s actually from here.”
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A conversation with Carter’s Adam Parker about Summerhill and ‘The MET’
Back in October of 2018, my second post for Saporta Report was published. In “Let’s build Atlanta as a city, not a suburb” I mentioned a few places I saw around the city and had concerns about.
That article mentioned the Turner Hill-Summerhill development, spearheaded by the developer Carter. After a conversation with Carter, I was invited to tour one of their current projects – The MET.
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We really did this for a Margaritaville?
On Thursday, Aug. 8, the demolition of 152 Nassau Street has ceased thanks to Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ellen LaGura who ordered developers to stop demolition until an Aug. 29 hearing.
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“New Atlanta”
What’s been brewing online and in real life for black Atlanta has finally gone mainstream – Old Atlanta versus New Atlanta.
This debate reached critical mass and mainstream media attention recently thanks to Atlanta influencer Isaac Hayes III.
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Stone Mountain Village can be so much more than it is
By King Williams On a very warm Tuesday evening, two days before the Fourth of July, I decided to take a run near Stone Mountain Park. Instead of just simply running at the base of the park, I decided to go through Stone Mountain Village. What I saw next really perplexed me. Vacancies abound, no […]
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Gentrification eats Its own
I’m one of those rare people actually born and raised in Atlanta, and I spent a lot of my formative years at my godfather’s home off Flat Shoals Avenue.
During the 90’s- early 2000’s I watched the eastside change first-hand. I saw East Lake, Kirkwood and Downtown Decatur transform, but East Atlanta – more specifically the village – was particularly interesting.
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Let’s save Morris Brown before gentrification does it in
by King Williams Despite the foul weather last Tuesday, I joined maybe three dozen others on the vacant campus of Morris Brown College. We were all there standing in front of the historic Fountain Hall on the campus waiting for the unveiling of a new piece of public art for the university. The piece would […]
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A conversation with Nathaniel Smith of the Partnership for Southern Equity
In 2019, Metro Atlanta is prospering, but that prosperity has come with an increase in inequality for many. Depending on what zip code you are born into, you have a 4.5% chance of escaping poverty, according to the Equality of Opportunity Project.
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A conversation with Keith Parker President and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia.
By King Williams Keith Parker is the current President and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia. He is also known to many in Atlanta as the former CEO of MARTA, who for five years oversaw one of the greatest turnarounds in the organization’s history. Parker is a long-time industry veteran who has worked in transit […]
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The Atlanta Jazz Festival and the future of events conversation with James Pulliam
By King Williams The 42nd annual Atlanta Jazz Festival took place over Memorial Day weekend. While the event a success by many metrics, it is still facing the pressures of changing times. In order to address these changes proactively, the Atlanta Jazz Festival has in 2019 partnered with Concert Logic, the brainchild of Morehouse graduate […]
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West Midtown isn’t a real place. It’s a sign of successful gentrification efforts.
By King Williams A few weeks back I had one of my usually spirited debates on Twitter, in this case it was about “West Midtown.” The debate had me then going to ask the question towards my other social media channels. Is “West Midtown” A) a real place and B) have you heard of it? […]
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I love Jay-Z but please don’t gentrify your neighborhood
Last week, multi-hyphenate rapper and entrepreneur, Jay-Z performed at the recent grand re-opening of the historic Webster Hall performance venue in New York City.During his set, he took time to address the murder of Los Angeles rapper Nipsey Hussle in a brief freestyle that took off on Twitter, and was widely discussed on daytime talk shows.
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Yes, the Peters Street bars are closing, but read this first
By King Williams Late last week, a Facebook post shocked many with the news that the bars and restaurants at 249-259 Peters St. would all be closed by Dec. 31. The post sent people into a frenzy as they shared concerns about the fate of those establishments. That row of businesses includes: Spin; 255; Off […]
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Nipsey Hussle, new developers Ryan Gravel, Donray Von and transforming The Mall West End
By King Williams “When we speak of place-making, we assume that the place being made was devoid of life, culture and context. Place-making indicates that nothing exists. It is inherently colonialist. Place-keeping uplifts an area’s culture, provides resources and enriches.” – Miranda Kyle, Atlanta Beltline Arts and Culture Program Manager On the afternoon of Sunday, […]
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Sad song: ‘The Old Town Road’ ends at Margaritaville
By King Williams Any day now, the city of Atlanta will approve the demolition permits for 141 Walton Street and 152 Nassau Street, home of the first-recorded country music song. This demolition is for the construction of a Jimmy Buffett Margaritaville Bar and Hotel. The irony is that we are witnessing another large moment in […]
