Maria Saporta, executive editor, is a longtime Atlanta business, civic and urban affairs journalist with a deep knowledge of our city, our region and state. From 2008 to 2020, she wrote weekly columns and news stories for the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Prior to that, she spent 27 years with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, becoming its business columnist in 1991. Maria received her Master’s degree in urban studies from Georgia State and her Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University. Maria was born in Atlanta to European parents and has two young adult children. She launched SaportaReport in February 2009.
For 22 years, an impressive group of metro Atlanta civic, business and government leaders have spent three days a year visiting a North American city to learn how other cities are handling their urban challenges.
The LINK trips also have provided people an opportunity to get to know each other – connecting with leaders from different races, genders and sections of the Atlanta region as well as people from different circles of influence.
For more than three decades, Roy B. Cooper was an economic development icon working at the Metro Atlanta Chamber.
Cooper, 91, died on June 11. A service in his honor was held Sunday at the A.S. Turner & Sons funeral home in Decatur.
Sometimes it takes outsiders to help one appreciate what we have in Atlanta.
We are blessed to have a myriad of cultural institutions that help define what we are as a city. The Woodruff Arts Center – which encompasses the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Alliance Theatre and the High Museum of Art – is the centerpiece of our cultural offerings.
Former U.S. Senator Wyche Fowler (D-Georgia) – and former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, was meeting with Stacey Abrams, the Democratic nominee for Georgia governor, at the Commerce Club on the morning of June 8 (Photo by Maria Saporta)
Local advocates are pressing officials, planners, and developers to tackle the issue of affordable housing after it became one of the most talked-about issues during the 2017 mayoral campaign.
But to preserve affordability – one of Atlanta’s biggest selling points for attracting new companies and residents – advocates believe those efforts must happen not only within the city limits but also out in the suburbs.
A move is afoot, once again, to close the City of Atlanta’s Eastside Tax Allocation District – a financial mechanism that encourages equitable redevelopment.
And, once again, there’s a groundswell of opposition against closing the Eastside TAD, which includes the corridors of Auburn and Edgewood avenues as well as most of south downtown.
Before leaving office, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced in late November that a statue of boxer Evander Holyfield would be placed near Woodruff Park at Peachtree and Auburn Avenue.
With all due respect to Holyfield, Woodruff Park is the wrong spot to honor the boxer, who fought Bert Cooper on Nov. 21, 1991 at the now demolished Omni Coliseum – the site of Philips Arena.
In life, sometimes one is lucky enough to encounter people who have a special spark – exuding warmth with substance.
Wilton Looney was one of those special people.
Looney died early Friday morning. He may have just turned 99, but he still was too young to have left us.
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on March 23, 2018
The Council for Quality Growth has selected Paul Bowers, chairman and CEO of Georgia Power, to receive its prestigious 2018 Four Pillar award.
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on March 23, 2018
Covenant HouseGeorgia, a place of refuge, hope and healing for homeless and trafficked youth, has a new leader, Aleizoria “Alie” Redd.
Most recently, Redd worked at the nonprofit CHRIS 180 where she served as vice president of placement services and housing since August 2015.
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on March 23, 2018
When he was only 18 years old while at Northeastern University, Jeffrey A. Parker picked the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority for his internship so he could get a free transit pass. That launched Parker’s public transit career and led to him becoming MARTA’s new CEO and general manager. The MARTA board is scheduled to vote on Parker, the sole finalist, at a March 23 board meeting.
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on March 16, 2018
The family of H.J Russell & Co. has selected James “Jay” Bailey as president and CEO of the Russell Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship based at the company’s former headquarters.
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on March 16, 2018
The Home Depot Foundation will be springing into spring with a $6.3 million commitment in Atlanta’s Westside communities.
The company foundation will hold its “Springing into Service” day on March 20 – the first day of Spring, when about 100 associates will be volunteering on community projects, including working at Vine City Park and making external home repairs at a couple of nearby houses with Westside residents.
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on March 9, 2018
Philanthropists Bernie and Billi Marcus are being honored by Hillels of Georgiaat a dinner March 20 at the Georgia Aquarium for their generosity in supporting the organization that serves Jewish students on college campuses.
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on March 9, 2018
It was 2001 when Leonard Adamsfounded a nonprofit to provide low-income housing with support services in Atlanta’s Westside.
Over the past 17 years, the Quest Community Development Organization has developed several small affordable housing communities totaling 269 units and building $22 million in assets.
The City of Atlanta jumped from 50 to 43 in the Trust for Public Land’s annual ParkScore survey of the nation’s 100 largest cities.
The improved ranking shows how Atlanta has gained traction when it comes to acquiring and maintaining parks and green space in the city limits. TPL also including a few other factors in its ranking – such as including private support for parks – that helped boost Atlanta’s standing.
Skyland Trail broke ground Wednesday, May 23 on its new Adolescent Campus on Dresden Drive. The three campaign co-chairs – Rex Fuqua, Tom Johnson and Rand Glenn Hagen – were able to raise $20 million in just more than a year. Left to right: Rand Glenn Hagen, Tom Johnson, Dorothy Jordan – who will be […]
For more than two years, residents of the Westside hashed out a land-use vision for their community with nationally-renowned planners.
Their vision – the Westside Land Use Framework Plan – was adopted by the Atlanta City Council in December giving residents and neighborhood advocates some comfort that their community was going to be developed in a way that would enhance the area yet not overwhelm it.
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on March 2, 2018
Real estate developer WRS Inc., which bought Underground Atlanta nearly a year ago, has shifted some of its plans as it works to move the complex project closer to construction.
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on March 2, 2018
Metro Atlanta has a new Fortune 500 company — WestRock.
WestRock was formed in July 2015 out of a merger between RockTenn, then based in Norcross, and MeadWestvaco, then based in Richmond, Va.
