26 stories · Inside The Perimeter, Atlanta
Mayor Andre Dickens is relying on tax allocation district extensions to fund his sweeping investment in long-neglected Atlanta neighborhoods, but experts say additional public funding sources will be needed.
Mayor Andre Dickens is relying on tax allocation districts to bankroll a $5.5 billion Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative aimed at long-neglected Atlanta neighborhoods. Councilmember Michael Julian Bond has introduced legislation to extend six TADs through 2056, which the mayor's chief of staff projects could generate $5 billion to $7 billion over 30 years. Even at the high end, the initiative will need other public funding sources to reach neighborhoods outside the TAD boundaries.
Woodfield Development has topped out construction on Woodrow House, a mixed-income project sitting along the BeltLine's Westside Trail in West End. The development includes apartments, townhomes, retail, live-work units, and public gathering space. Pre-leasing has started, with townhomes opening in July and apartments in September.
The Woodrow House mixed-use development reached its highest point this week on the BeltLine's Westside Trail, marking another milestone for the corridor connecting West End to downtown.
Mayor Andre Dickens is scaling back his push to extend all eight of Atlanta's tax allocation districts. New legislation introduced Monday omits the BeltLine and Perry-Bolton TADs from the extension push, letting them sunset on schedule in 2030 and 2041. The revised Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative also creates a new trust fund for greater accountability.
Morehouse College's 2026 commencement sent off 578 graduates, the first under new president F. DuBois Bowman. NBA All-Star Chris Paul delivered the address, the college named its sixth Rhodes Scholar, and the ceremony honored two students who died before they could walk.
Grady Health System announced plans for a freestanding emergency department in south Fulton County, expanding access to emergency care in an underserved area of metro Atlanta.
All lanes on the west side of I-285 will close this Mother's Day weekend between Cascade Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive as GDOT begins major repairs, creating what officials warn will be significant traffic disruptions across metro Atlanta.
The Atlanta HBCU has earned back its accreditation after losing it over claims of financial mismanagement, marking a major turnaround.
The Adodi campus organization held a kiki ball at Archer Hall as students create their own spaces for expression and visibility.
The media mogul and philanthropist surprised graduating seniors at the all-men's college during a pre-graduation celebration for scholarship recipients.
BLAQ, Clark Atlanta University's LGBTQ student organization, hosted the Noir After Dark Masquerade Prom for around 20 students this week. The event in the West End-adjacent Atlanta University Center reframed the traditional lavender graduation as a community celebration before students leave the city.
Spelman College, which has hosted a lavender ceremony since 2023, will hold its fourth on May 1. Students at Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University, meanwhile, say they are fighting for similar recognition at their schools as LGBTQ rights come under attack in Georgia higher education.
The redesigned bus network consolidates routes for better frequency, while the new Rapid A-Line runs in dedicated red lanes from North Avenue to East Point with 10-minute headways all day.
Over 200 residents packed the vote as southwest Atlanta neighborhoods push back against Digital Realty's plan, though the community's decision is advisory and the fight is far from over.
The foundation announced plans for a major peace institute near the historic Westside, honoring the civil rights leader and former Atlanta mayor's legacy.
The Moving Atlanta Forward program will fund sidewalk improvements in 50 corridors citywide, targeting the most dangerous stretches for pedestrians as the city prepares for World Cup foot traffic.
Colleagues, students, and ministry leaders gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel to honor retiring Dean Lawrence Edward Carter, Sr., who helped shape Morehouse's spiritual life for decades.
An audit reveals Atlanta's program to penalize owners of blighted properties through higher taxes has not been effectively implemented, leaving problem properties in neighborhoods unaddressed.
Mathewos Samson, 26, went from his first canvass in October to launching a state legislature campaign in March. The DSA-backed candidate is running on affordable housing, healthcare, and school funding.
Culdesac Inc.'s 19-home project at 1121 Allene is on pace for August completion. The modern townhomes sit less than a block from the Southwest Trail with new down-payment assistance options available.
The Spelman alumna who once dreamed of showing at the campus museum is now featured there. Her hyperrealist paintings of Black subjects submerged in water explore cultural history and resilience.
Marvin Arrington Jr. and Mo Ivory challenged incumbent Robb Pitts at a South Fulton debate, blaming his leadership for conditions at the county jail and disparities between north and south Fulton.
NPU-P residents scored a win when a developer withdrew an alcohol license application for a gas station on Greenbriar Parkway that they say violates local zoning.
The GW Parkside project at 600 Hopkins Street is finally rising after a year of demolition and prep work. Ackerman & Co. is bringing 23 for-sale townhomes to this popular BeltLine stretch, with the first units hitting the market this spring. It's rare to see new for-sale housing along the Westside Trail, so this should draw plenty of attention.
The Ponce de Leon institution that closed recently has found new life inside Wild Heaven's brewery at Lee + White. Same longtime manager, same culinary team, even the original neon sign made the journey. Wild Heaven acquired the brand in late 2025 and opened March 12 with much of the original equipment and refurbished furniture making the move.
West End is one of Atlanta's most historic neighborhoods, home to the Wren's Nest (the house museum of Joel Chandler Harris), the Hammonds House Museum, and a MARTA rail station that gives it transit access most westside neighborhoods lack. The neighborhood has a proud, predominantly African American identity and has been at the center of conversations about how to attract investment without displacing longtime residents.
The food and culture scene is growing, with spots like Lean Draft House (craft beer and tacos) and the shops at Lee + White (a former warehouse district turned food hall along the emerging Westside Trail of the BeltLine). The BeltLine's Westside Trail has already been built through this area, connecting West End to Adair Park and the growing Westside corridor. Housing is a mix of beautiful Victorian homes, bungalows, and new construction. It's one of the most undervalued neighborhoods in Atlanta and is changing quickly.