🏡 Home Sales Update – Rough Draft Atlanta

May 29 — Blake’s on the Park, the popular LGBTQ bar in the heart of Midtown, is set to reopen this week after a fire forced its closure over Memorial Day weekend.

🌞 Sunny and 84° today.

⚖️ Three former Dunwoody police officers gave graphic testimony yesterday in a sexual harassment trial against another former police officer in a DeKalb courtroom. The case continues today.

🚧 More traffic pattern changes are coming to North Druid Hills Road on June 1 as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta opens the new entrance to its campus.

🚙 Sandy Springs will have to spend $7 million a year to maintain its urban road network, according to a new analysis.

🚰 DeKalb County announced it would cost $4.4 billion to replace 3,000 miles of water pipes by 2050.

🍔 Chef Todd Ginsberg will open Ginsberg’s Refresher Thursday at Wild Heaven Beer in Avondale Estates, featuring his popular burgers.

🥪 Chef Shaun Doty closed The Best Sandwich Shop a little more than a year after opening in Poncey-Highland.

SOMEWHERE ELSE

⚖️ Jurors heard closing arguments yesterday in the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump in New York. The jury, made up of 12 people, begins its deliberations today.

✝️ Pope Francis apologized Tuesday after he was quoted using a vulgar and derogatory term to reaffirm the Catholic Church’s ban on gay priests.

🇿🇦 South Africa’s ruling African National Congress faces its biggest threat in 30 years of government in today’s elections.

IMAGE THIS: Thousands flocked to Piedmont Park Monday evening to hear André 3000 perform free-form jazz inspired by his debut album of flute music, “New Blue Sun,” at the Atlanta Jazz Festival. It was also the OutKast co-founder’s 49th birthday. See more photos from the evening on our Instagram (photo by John Stephens).

🕖 Here is the content of today’s newsletter:

• Half-yearly real estate report
• Camille Russell Love retires
• Horticultural therapy
AND
• Choice of concerts

Have a nice day,
Collin and Sammie

🏫 Galloway School announced Galloway Forward, a project to revitalize its campus with a new Upper Learning building, a safer campus, renovated existing buildings and preserved heritage, enhancing the learning environment and ensuring the school’s future excellence . Learn more.

MESSAGE FROM THE SPONSOR

1. Mid-year report: Downtown home sales and values ​​remain strong, but condos weaken

💸 The Intown real estate market has remained active, despite rising interest rates.

Local real estate professionals report that businesses, investors and new residents continue to be attracted to Intown, leading to high prices and low inventory, especially for single-family homes.

Some professionals said they see things heating up for the Intown market, while others said they think the overall market has remained static.

🏡 Find out more about the market here.

The Indian Manish Arora is on display at SCAD FASH

SPONSORED BY SCAD

💃🏼 “Manish Arora: Life is Beautiful” is now visible at SCAD FASH Fashion + Cinema Museum.

Renowned for his dazzling designs in a rainbow of colors, Manish Arora has brought the talent and craftsmanship of India’s rich sartorial history to the global spotlight, earning international acclaim on the catwalk from three continents.

Created in India since the 1990s, Arora’s shimmering garments celebrate extravagant expressions of self through varied materials, techniques and silhouettes in a triumphant union of Western and Eastern aesthetics suited to today’s multicultural society today, all with a touch of humor.

🧶 To learn more, visit scadfash.org.

---

2. Camille Russell Love, longtime Atlanta cultural affairs director, retires

🎭 City of Atlanta Cultural Affairs Director Camille Russell Love, a fixture at City Hall and the city’s arts scene for more than 25 years, has announced she will retire before the end of the year.

The city announced in a statement that a national search would be conducted to find Love’s replacement. Upon the appointment of her successor, Love will assume a distinguished role within the city as senior advisor on cultural affairs to the mayor.

“I love serving my city and its residents and look forward to continuing my service,” Love said in a statement. “While I will miss the daily contact and work with this city’s cultural community and emerging artists, I look forward to continuing to work with Mayor (Andre) Dickens to move Atlanta forward.”

🖌️ Learn more here.

---

3. Horticultural therapy is part of mental health treatment for young people

🎋 In May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month, Hillside hosted a craft tour to share its mental health treatment modalities, such as horticultural therapy.

Each year, Hillside serves more than 900 children ages 6 to 18 who struggle with emotional and behavioral issues through a continuum of care: residential treatment, day treatment, and intensive in-home and virtual group therapy. Its Morningside campus includes seven residential cottages accommodating 87 guests, an Atlanta Public Schools-accredited school building, dining hall, gymnasium, swimming pool, learning gardens and more.

Youth stay in the residential program for six to eight weeks and participate in a range of treatment modalities, such as horticultural therapy, which uses plants and gardening to promote wellness, healing and health.

🌿 Learn more about horticultural therapy here.

---

💡 Want your child or teen to take their Spanish to the next level over the summer? Sign up for a free trial Spanish course with Spanish Immersion in Atlanta. Sign up for a plan before May 31 and receive two free hours. Learn more.

MESSAGE FROM THE SPONSOR

---

4. Choice of concerts

VIA HOW ARE YOU ATLANTA? SPONSORED BY SCAD

📧 What’s the next show you’re excited about? Reply to this email and let us know!

Wed May 29
🎛️ Lady A @ The East
🎸 Buck Meek @ The Count
🏝️ Private island + pink sky @ Vinyl
🤝 Tomorrow x Together @ State Farm Arena
😂Celeste Barbier @ Tabernacle

Thursday May 30
🎞️ DannyLux @ Center Scène

Friday May 31
💅 Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla @ State Farm Arena (also Saturday)
🎤 Paul Cauthen (photo) @ Variety Playhouse
🤠 Parker McCollum @ Ameris Bank Amphitheater

Saturday June 1st
🇮🇪 Niall Horan @ Ameris Bank Amphitheater
🇰🇷 P1Harmony @ Fox Theater
🎶 How sweet is the sound @ Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center
🧲 Magnetic Fields @ Variety Playhouse (also Sun)
🇿🇦 Orville Peck @ Cadence Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park
🎷 Trap Jazz @ Vinyl

Sun. June 2
🎹 Tye Tribbett and friends @ Coca-Cola Roxy
📽️ Maya Hawke at the Buckhead Theater

Tuesday June 4
🎭 Les Misérables @ Fox Theater (until June 9)
🐁 Pixies and Modest Mouse at Cadence Bank Amphitheater in Chastain Park

Wed June 5
💭 Dreaming Boy @ Vinyl
💄 Lip Review @ Allée 5

TO AGREE

🎙️ Don’t miss Sammie with the AJC’s Mike Jordan every Thursday at 9:45am and 4:45pm as they preview the city’s best happenings on WABE.

🎧 The segment is also a podcast. Listen to the full conversation by subscribing to How Do You Atlanta? podcast at wabe.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

---

Toot our own horn

🚀 Three newsletter drafts have been shortlisted for the Media Voices 2024 Publisher Newsletter Awards! The team’s hard work and creativity were recognized in the following categories:

🏆 Best Entertainment & Culture Newsletter: Sketchbook
🍽️ Best Food & Drink Newsletter: Side Dish
🌍 Best Local & Community Newsletter: Rough Draft Atlanta

We couldn’t do this without the incredible support and engagement of our readers and sponsors! Thank you for helping us build something special.

– Keith Pepper, editor

---

📧 Today’s newsletter was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.

---