Kolter Urban, a Florida condominium developer, has confirmed plans for its latest high-rise condominium project at 102 West Paces Ferry Road, directly adjacent to the iconic St. Regis Atlanta hotel and residences. This marks Kolter Urban’s third major venture in Buckhead, following the sell-out success of the 22-story Graydon and the nearly completed Dillon Buckhead that is located next to the Peachtree Battle shopping center.
Documents filed with the city of Atlanta on October 22nd state that “The proposed project includes the demolition of a shopping center and associated parking lot and the construction of a high-rise multifamily condominium building with integral parking deck and ground floor active use amenity areas. 198 condominium units: (12) 1-bedroom (108) 2-bedroom (78) 3-bedroom 448 parking spaces” The architectural firm behind the design is Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio LLC and engineering firm Kimley Horn submitted the proposal to the city.
Kolter Urban has been the only active condo developer in Buckhead since the 2019 completion of The Charles condominium building. Despite financing challenges and market uncertainties that have held back other developers, their first two Buckhead projects demonstrated strong demand for high-end condos in the area. The Graydon Buckhead, completed in early 2022, achieved remarkable success, with units selling at an average of $2.7 million. The Dillon Buckhead, an 18-story tower on Peachtree Road, is nearing completion, with all but a few of the 144 units sold, and closings anticipated to begin within weeks.
The 102 West Paces Ferry Road site is Kolter’s most exclusive location yet. The positioning across from Whole Foods and adjacent to the St Regis Hotel and condos will likely appeal to those downsizing from single-family homes in the adjacent neighborhoods.
The redevelopment of the largely vacant strip mall at 102 West Paces Ferry Road will complete long-delayed “Phase III” of the 1984 master plan that has resulted in the St. Regis, the 92 West Paces Ferry apartment tower, and the Buckhead Plaza tower complex at West Paces Ferry and Peachtree Road.
This latest plan for the site replaces a more ambitious 2022 plan by Atlanta developers Kent Levenson and George and Ned Burkow. That plan was very well received by the community, but their proposed hotel, apartment, and office tower never got off the ground.
Meanwhile, Kolter’s plans have yet to be presented to the Development Review Committee (DRC) of Special Public Interest District 9 (SPI-9), a special, detail-oriented zoning district that provides oversight for development in the area. A rendering of the proposed condo building obtained and published by The Atlanta Business Chronicle shows a fairly generic modern glass tower. If history is any guide, the DRC committee will likely weigh in on the aesthetics of the building to recommend additional stone cladding and other classical details as they continue to shape the curb appeal of the ever-popular Buckhead Village.
You will be blown away by the show-stopping views upon entering this ultra-chic renovated condo on the 31st floor! The largest unit offered in the complex in quite some time, this 2 bedroom, 2 bath, PLUS separate, stunning den/office presents so much flexibility.
Sleek LVP flooring, floor-to-ceiling glass, and crisp new paint are just the beginning. The stunning kitchen features gorgeous quartz counters, sleek backsplash, gourmet appliances (including gas range!), and beautiful, new modern lighting.
The primary suite includes a gracious walk-in closet with built-ins, a knock-out double shower, double vanities with stone counter, and separate water closet. Automated smart home features are an added plus!
Fabulous building amenities representing the pinnacle of luxury include, a beautiful pool with bar service, amazing wine cellar with personal storage, concierge, gorgeous Sky Lounge on the top floor with breathtaking views and bar service, guest suites, private massage room, fitness center with separate yoga studio + large locker room with showers, business center, and more!
2 of the best parking spaces in the building (right next to the elevator) are deeded with this unit, and additional storage can be rented from the HOA at a nominal fee. You can plan on leaving your car parked for long periods of time as the location presents the ultimate in city living!
Just walk outside your door to a myriad of shopping, dining, entertainment, and more. If you do need to get into your car, there is no quicker access to the GA400 highway. This home has it ALL!
Prominent retail developer Ben Carter, a Lovett School graduate and visionary behind several notable Atlanta area developments, died Sept. 15. He was 70 years old.
Locally, Carter envisioned the Streets of Buckhead, a proposed 600,000 square-foot mixed-use luxury district in the heart of Buckhead. Carter’s vision never fully came to fruition due to the Great Recession, but the development later became the Buckhead Village District and delivered on his plan for upscale development in the area.
Ben Carter Enterprises, which Carter founded in the early 1990s, spearheaded several notable retail developments in Georgia and the Southeast, including the 1.7 million-square-foot Mall of Georgia, Tanger Outlets Savannah, and the 1.4 million square-foot St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville, Florida. He also led a revitalization of Savannah’s Broughton Street.
Imagining the ‘Streets of Buckhead’
Carter grew up in the Brookwood Hills area of Buckhead and was a Lovett School graduate. He turned his attention back to his hometown in the mid-2000s. He aimed to transform the then club scene around the heart of Buckhead into what was dubbed the “Rodeo Drive of the South,” a luxury district teeming with upscale shopping, restaurants and residences. Carter acquired 43 properties across eight blocks on or near East Paces Ferry, Peachtree, and Pharr roads. In 2007, demolition began on several properties at the center of the neighborhood’s infamous party scene.
Due to a legal dispute, the Streets of Buckhead was rebranded to “Buckhead Avenue.”
There were far greater issues on the horizon, however. The Great Recession brought progress on the visionary development to a crawl. Buckhead Avenue was originally slated to open in 2009, but financing delays continued to plague the development. In 2011, Ben Carter Properties elected to sell the properties due to the financial strains of the recession. It was purchased by California-based OliverMcMillan Inc.
“Ben made sure every vendor, lawyer, and contractor was paid at great cost,” according to an obituary published by Carter’s family in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
OliverMcMillan Inc. rebranded the site to “Buckhead Atlanta” and then, a year later, to “The Shops Buckhead Atlanta.” The first retailers and restaurants opened in 2014, maintaining Carter’s upscale vision. He told the AJC in 2014 the district was “substantially what we originally planned.”
OliverMcMillan Inc. sold “The Shops” to Atlanta-based Jamestown in 2019 amid struggles to attract foot traffic. The area, now known as the Buckhead Village District, has since rebounded to serve as a hub in Buckhead’s thriving retail and restaurant scene, including le Bilboquet, Le Colonial, Hermes, Buckhead Art and Co, and other local boutiques.
Carter was ‘vibrant and visionary’
Carter’s notable career began working with his father’s industrial brokerage firm, Carter & Associates. He founded Ben Carter Properties in 1993, creating over five million square feet of mixed-use projects around the Southeast. His obituary calls him “vibrant and visionary” and a pioneer of “lifestyle centers with developments that were created to be open air ‘people places’ in the community.”
Carter was a dedicated quail hunter and designed several bass lakes. He was also an avid traveler with a particular fondness for boats. He circumnavigated the globe three times with his family and friends, his obituary notes.
He founded the Carter Real Estate Center at the College of Charleston and served on the college’s Parent Advisory Council.
Carter was married to his wife, Patricia Reed Carter, for 47 years at the time of his death. He is survived by Patricia, their two children, and two grandchildren.
Jenny Pruitt, an icon of Atlanta real estate market, died Sept. 27 after a battle with cancer. Pruitt was 85.
Pruitt’s influence on the Atlanta real estate market, particularly in Buckhead, spanned 40 years. Pruitt carved her own path in the Atlanta market before founding Atlanta Fine Home – Sotheby’s International Realty, which grew to include more than 500 agents with over $3.7 billion in sales in 2023. Pruitt also served as Director of the Buckhead Coalition and was a dedicated philanthropist.
“Jenny was a true pillar of our city as a third-generation Atlantan, but she was also a prominent and legendary force in the real estate community at-large and genuinely made a difference in our city’s growth, development, and prosperity,” a statement from Atlanta Realtors Association (ARA), said. “Jenny Pruitt was so many things to so many of us.”
Pruitt’s self-made journey had humble beginnings. Her father died when Pruitt was a child, and her family scraped by while living with relatives. In a 2022 ARA interview, Pruitt said she gained an interest in real estate through her mother, who was in sales but “never very successful.” With limited means and encouragement from her mother, Pruitt saved enough money to attend business classes at Georgia State University. With a newly established business acumen, Pruitt began her real estate career in 1968 and quickly found success. Pruitt worked as an agent with Northside Realty, founded by late U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, before serving as a manager with Buckhead Brokers for five years. The firm was the top brokerage for sales in Atlanta during Pruitt’s tenure with a staff of 90 associates.
In 1988, she established Jenny Pruitt & Associates and furthered her indelible mark on the Buckhead real estate community. The company, founded along with her husband, Bob, specialized in the Buckhead market and its upscale residences. Founded ahead of a recession, Pruitt said the company continued to grow despite its inauspicious start. It continued to be a top firm in Atlanta real estate market with annual sales of over $1.5 billion with six metro Atlanta offices.
After catapulting her own brokerage, Pruitt sold the company in 2001 to a company under the umbrella of billionaire investor and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett. Despite starting over, Pruitt’s second venture proved to be even more successful.
Pruitt founded Atlanta Fine Homes- Sotheby’s International Realty in 2007, chosen by Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. as its exclusive Atlanta affiliate, with business partner and son-in-law David Boehmig. Atlanta Fine Homes has nearly 600 sales associates in four offices in metro Atlanta. According to the company’s website, it is the metro’s top brokerage with $3.7 billion in annual sales.
Pruitt earned a bevy of awards throughout her career. Pruitt was selected as an E.A. Isakson Award recipient for “upholding the highest standards of integrity and professionalism,” the Sally Washburn Lifetime Achievement Award, Georgia Small Business Person of the Year and Realtor of the Year. She was also inducted into the Business Hall of Fame at Georgia State University, the YWCA Academy of Women Achievers, and Junior Achievement Hall of Fame. She was named a Four Pillar Award winner in 2016 by The Council for Quality Growth, which recognizes the pillars to be quality, responsibility, vision, and integrity, and celebrates her philanthropic endeavors as well as significant contributions to economic development in Metro Atlanta.
Pruitt and her husband, Bob, were married in 1966. Pruitt credited Bob with giving her the push that ultimately led to the founding of Jenny Pruitt & Associates. The couple had two daughters, seven grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter.
In 2015, Pruitt penned “Beneath His Wings,” a memoir in which she discussed the struggles of her youth to her rise to prominence, through which she was driven by her faith. Pruitt’s faith and business success drove her numerous philanthropic efforts. She founded a scholarship for students at Georgia State University and founded the Buckhead Girls Club, which provided local community and cultural funding.
“Jenny was truly legendary in Atlanta real estate, but more than that, she was a woman of deep faith and kindness,” Atlanta Fine Homes Realtor Thomas House posted on Facebook.
Pruitt was also an active community member. She is the former Director of the Buckhead Coalition and served on various leadership boards, including for the Carter Center, the Atlanta Police Foundation and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
“At her very core, Jenny was the embodiment of a servant leader and always ensured that other people’s highest needs were being served before hers,” a statement from ARA said.
For almost half a century, Buckhead has maintained a love affair with Atlanta Ballet. With several Buckhead studio locations over the years, today Atlanta Ballet’s Buckhead Centre is located in the Chastain Square Shopping Center.
On the last day of September, Buckhead’s St. Regis hotel once again hosted Atlanta Ballet’s annual Corps de Ballet Fashion Show and Luncheon. Buckhead’s own Neiman Marcus presented the clothes for the fashion runway show. The event grossed almost half a million dollars that will go to support educational dance programs and community outreach dance programs offered at various Atlanta schools and Atlanta Ballet’s Buckhead Centre.
For those who adore dressing up and spending time with good friends, this year’s Corps de Ballet Fashion Show and Luncheon did not disappoint. Actually, it was more than lunch and friends. It was an intimate ballet performance and a Neiman Marcus fashion show. The luncheon always has this way of making us attendees feel deeply beautiful.
The moment I strolled into the St. Regis hotel, I was ushered to the check-in line, which happened to curve up an elegant grand staircase leading to the St. Regis’ well-appointed Mezzanine. The grand staircase rivaled the steps Grace Kelly glided down in the movie To Catch A Thief. You know the ones, in the iconic Hotel Carlton on the French Riviera. After taking my place in the check-in line, a sterling silver tray appeared and I was gifted a flute of bubbly. Right then, I felt I’d fallen into a fairy tale. And maybe I had.
It’s not that the St. Regis lunch fare wasn’t memorable, it just quickly became overshadowed by what the charming afternoon unabashedly gave us. We clapped, murmured, and sometimes boomed as the models sauntered down the center stage showcasing the fall season’s must-haves.
When the ballet dancers arrived, a hush fell over our world. We saw the gleam in the dancers’ eyes, we were that close. They mesmerized us. We thought of nothing except them.
Then the music stopped. We became greedy and wanted more. But bows and curtsies happened. The stage went bare. Two-and-a-half hours passed like eleven minutes. No one left. We had to linger. The tables were long cleared off before the last group of ladies and two men were finally, kindly, ushered away.
After returning home, I stepped out of my shoes. But I waited to change clothes. I needed to relish in the enchanting day just one hour longer because it seemed impossible to wait a full 365 days until I get the chance to feel like Grace Kelly again. The day was that special.
Not only is Buckhead home to Atlanta Ballet’s annual Corps de Ballet Fashion and Luncheon, Buckhead has housed Atlanta Ballet studios for decades. As a teenager, I took ballet at their Cains Hill Place studio. That location was so perfectly located for my sweet tooth because in between classes I snuck away and ran up the street to Irby Avenue’s Henri’s Bakery. There, I’d purchase a colossal cream horn, exactly like the ones Henri’s still sells in their pastry cases.
Today, Atlanta Ballet’s Buckhead Centre in the Chastain Square Shopping Center offers classes for all ages, from Tiny Dancer classes for two year olds through Silver Swans for students aged 55 and older. 4279 Roswell Road, 404-303-1501. https://centre.atlantaballet.com
A notable retail space along Peachtree Road adjacent to The Charles condominium building will serve as a new flagship showroom for an upscale home material manufacturer and retailer. Porcelanosa, a Spanish manufacturer of high-end home surfaces and retailer of fixtures and other design elements, opened its new Atlanta showroom at 3081 Peachtree Road on Oct. 3. The significant corner retail space has been effectively vacant since last summer after its previous tenant, furniture retailer Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, abruptly filed for bankruptcy.
The prominent location occupies space at the intersection of West and East Paces Ferry Road along Peachtree Road adjacent to The Charles residential development, One Buckhead Plaza, the St. Regis hotel, and extensive retail options.
“This is going to be one [of Porcelanosa’s] biggest showrooms in the U.S.,” Aitor Viera, Porcelanosa’s Atlanta sales manager, said. “It is an iconic corner in the city, and it will provide user a real feeling of Porcelanosa. We know Buckhead is an area of the city we have to be [in]. There are lots of related businesses that can attract traffic, and we understand that Atlanta is a place where a business of any model wants to be. Our Buckhead store reflects our belief in Atlanta’s potential and our dedication to providing top-notch products to designers, architects, and residential clients.”
Porcelanosa’s showroom spans over 7,000 square feet. Viera said it will feature three display kitchens and nearly 30 “ambient” displays of the company’s offerings. The displays, he said, will feature furniture and decorations alongside Porcelanosa’s products, showcasing how they would appear in the home rather than simply displaying just the surfaces or other materials. Porcelanosa offers a range of tiles, stonework, LVP flooring, laminates, millwork, and other products, intending to be a “one-stop store” for design projects. The store will feature a comprehensive range of products, including large format tiles and contemporary kitchen and bathroom solutions, aligned with the increasing demand for versatile design options, Viera said.
The company, which caters to both residential and commercial spaces, organizes its own distribution, Viera said, allowing customers to order directly from the company and have products shipped to their project location without dealing with a third party.
“The vision [for the Atlanta showroom] is to have a big space where people can walk through and see a lot of our ‘big’ formats of tiles and other materials,” Viera said. “Now we have a way to display them.”
Porcelanosa’s Atlanta showroom replaces the former Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams retail location at 3081 Peachtree Road. The North Carolina company was founded in 1989 and bought by an equity firm in 2015. In August 2023, the company unexpectedly announced its bankruptcy and closed its 24 showrooms, including the 3081 Peachtree Road retail space in the heart of Buckhead. Over 500 workers were reportedly laid off companywide.
Home furnishing company Surya acquired Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams following its bankruptcy. Surya announced in August that it would “relaunch” the company this fall. Specifically, Surya announced it would “bring back” 50 pieces of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams’ furniture designs on a “made-to-order, trade-only” model.
The Buckhead Community Improvement District (BCID) has received a financial boost from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program has awarded $10 million toward the construction of an elevated pedestrian and bicycle bridge in the heart of Buckhead. The bridge is significant component of a broader initiative to make Buckhead’s commercial and shopping district more pedestrian- and bike-friendly, known as the Lenox Road Complete Safe Street project.
The proposed bridge will span Lenox Road at the intersection with Ga 400. The bridge will link with the growing PATH400 greenway that runs nearby, and eventually connect to the planned HUB400 park. The design aims to enhance pedestrian safety and accessibility in this high-traffic area.
This bridge is the third phase of the Lenox Road Complete Safe Street project, which seeks to transform 1.25 miles of the corridor into a more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly route from the Lenox MARTA station to Piedmont Road.
Another key phase of the project, the Lenox Boardwalk, is under construction as of mid-October after delays.
The entire bridge project, expected to cost $40 million, will be built in partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and the City of Atlanta. Construction is now slated to begin in October 2025, with completion projected for January 2028. According to Buckhead Community Improvement District (BCID) officials, the bridge will allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross both Highway 400 and Lenox Road without interacting with vehicle traffic. Additional federal funding has also been secured through the Atlanta Regional Commission.
In a September press release, Jim Durrett, BCID executive director, emphasized the importance of the $10 million grant in transforming the Lenox Road area, “The Safe Streets and Roads for All funding is essential to help us transform this section of Lenox Road and provide safe, easy access for pedestrians and cyclists to reach the Buckhead and Lenox MARTA stations and many other locations in the Buckhead core.”
BCID chairman Thad Ellis noted the challenges of making such a heavily trafficked intersection safe for non-motorists, and added, “The Lenox Road Complete Safe Street project is an exciting step forward in the CID’s ongoing work to create a more connected Buckhead.”
Have you seen her? The happy girl who sits on The Duck Pond Park sign around lunchtime on Wednesdays? Usually, she’s writing in a spiral notebook, and she’s very happy. Her regular date with the outdoors gets me thinking about the rest of us.
We are an over-achieving town that spends most of the week in cars, offices, and fundraisers. Moving at the speed of light is the only way to accomplish all that needs to be done. Truth is, we are at everyone’s whim except our own, and idle time kind of freaks us out. We only become quiet and still when we are trapped in an MRI capsule or having major dental work done.
Residing in this lively and prosperous Buckhead community, there remains one huge caveat for each of us: that the beauty of our lives could go wholly unnoticed because of the busyness of our lives. Unfortunately, this busyness comes with this persistent nudge that pushes us farther and farther away from what actually matters most to us.
Collectively, we need to make a date with nature like The Duck Pond girl does. But I know we all won’t.
The Japanese have a word for what we cannot do, Shinrin-Yoku. It means forest bathing. Finland recommends five hours a month in nature to reduce depression, alcoholism, and suicide. South Korea has a nature therapy program for firefighters with PTSD. Canadian physicians prescribe nature to patients with mental and physical health problems.
Do you see a commonality with these four countries? Nature is a prescription, not simply recreation. Nature therapy is known to help with ADD, ADHD, dementia, pain reduction, obesity, vitamin D deficiency, and reducing aggression. It also improves memory, cognitive flexibility, and stress management.
Something is fascinating here. Of the many positive claims made about spending time in nature, the most profound benefit goes unmentioned. My husband and I experience it on the Saturday mornings when we dive deep into nature. It is this: Reclaiming our authenticity.
By escaping the hum of life and striking out on foot surrounded by nature, we remember who we are and what we want. With clearer minds, we recall what is important and, especially, what is not important to our lives. The quick and instant peace of mind that comes from immersing in nature helps us decide what parts of our life to keep growing and which we must weed.
Japan, Finland, South Korea, and Canada must have magnificent woodlands. But so do we. As a result of living in proximity to the 400-acre Chattahoochee National Forest, Buckhead is home to an abundance of streams and forest paths. You don’t have to go at it alone. Take a friend. Eventually, you will both find your way to quietude. Nature has a gentle way of silencing people with her awe. Although there are many lovely parks and quiet places in Buckhead, here are a few you may not know:
You have to be on foot to find this one. So park your car on N. Muscogee Avenue where it intersects with W. Wesley. Then follow the W. Wesley sidewalk toward Habersham Road. Once the sidewalk begins on the other side of W. Wesley, cross over to it and look down into the ravine. Find a granite staircase with the old school black wrought iron handrail. This will lead you down to an untouched forest. The journey to these woods is worth it. This hushed space leaves you awestruck like no other. The deeper into the forest you walk, the quieter your mind becomes.
This park lies a full-story below two of our busiest streets. It is magical how the clamor stays above you there. Most days, the birds make the only sounds. You rarely hear a city peep.
Because this forest is encapsulated by tall earth on two sides, it tends to hold each season’s best offerings so fully. For instance, when Spring’s temperatures soar, this forest registers ten degrees cooler. In summertime, the sweet floral punch of blooming magnolias hangs in the air. Fall starts to feel damp as the forest begins its yearly decay. Last comes the solemn Winter. There is something sublime about walking in winter’s bare woods. Wintertime is when nature reaches deep inside us and dredges our soul in a good way. Then springtime arrives and renews us. On and on and on.
Wander through this forest along its rudimentary path of mulch and rotting logs. The highest side of the trail is reminiscent of being on the Appalachian Trail. Follow the small stream that runs through the center. At one point, there is a boulder path set across the stream. If you stand there around four in the afternoon, you will see your shadow in the water. Somehow, in this hidden lush, the sunshine found a way to sneak in through errant branches. This park is pure wonderment.
This one-acre gem sits tucked away in the Peachtree Park neighborhood. Enter the park’s thick canopy of trees from Burke Road and meander to the fourth bench on the right across from the lending library. That is the best spot. Even though tranquility can be found here, this park is meant to be highly engaging. Its many features are well-tended community garden boxes, a lending library, informational markers identifying flora, bird watching posts, and fitness stations.
This park even boasts a mission statement: Promoting natural beauty, public participation, and environmental education in an urban linear greenspace. Incredible, right? By the way, you are under no obligation to utilize the twenty Fit-Trail exercise stations. You have the out; you are there for calm, remember? But do grab a book before you leave.
If the idea of taking to the forests does not excite you, here are two other nature options in our community. Yes, they are in plain sight, but they become majestic at the right time of day.
This church is incredibly welcoming, you do not have to be a member to enjoy their grounds. This church hosts several options for quiet and meditation. Discover them all before you take your pick.
For starters, the covered pavilion closest to the Lanier Cottage looks to be the most popular. So if it is occupied, slip away to the second choice found around the back of the Lanier Cottage facing Andrews Drive. Spy the two benches and plop down on the one situated on the expansive lawn. Only the birds will meet you there.
The final St. Philip’s choice is the walking labyrinth. This large round maze of pavers is in the courtyard of the Lanier House. The meditative walk lets your feet do the work while your mind basks in the comfort of the rote-ness of the already-laid out path. Go slowly and breathe deliberately. Be in no hurry. The labyrinth is handicapped accessible and open daily.
There is only one way to enjoy this locale. At 6:30 a.m. saunter into the St. Regis and straight to the Astor Court. Find the self-serve coffee bar. Grab one to-go (best way to spend $5). Head towards Atlas and exit to the astro turf of Buckhead Plaza. Plant yourself at the steel sculpture titled Ethos and look toward the Buckhead Village District. Wait on Mother Nature to arrive and put on her colorful morning sky show. Sitting there, you realize how peaceful the early hours of morning are in our little village. Nothing compares.
Buckhead Plaza’s sculpture installation, created by Atlanta-based sculpture Phil Proctor, celebrates the beauty and geometry of Atlanta’s street intersections. The four sculptures are aptly named Convergence, Confluence, Ethos, and Emergence. Again, you want to nestle near the steel sculpture.
Buckhead’s quietest spaces can renew us throughout the year. We must search for calm, quiet, and ourselves. The quiet clears our mind, which affects our body, which improves our mood, which defines our day, which culminates in a well-lived, deliberate life. We need nature to simmer our minds and help us reclaim what is lost—our essence, ourselves. Find your quiet spot; it has been waiting for you.
There is no standard formula for achieving social media fame. It can even happen without the de facto celebrity’s knowledge. Such is the case for identical twin brothers Razvan and Sebastian Blidariu, also known as the Twins of Buckhead.
Around 2018, an Instagram account was set up by a local restaurant owner who shared photos of the Romanian immigrant brothers taken by passersby as the Blidariu’s walked around or mingled in Buckhead. The account effectively encouraged those in the area to “spot” the twins. That was easy enough. The fit, handsome brothers, with their well-manicured gray hair, regularly walked around Buckhead and visited its hot spots, always together. Additionally, each day, the twins don what they call their casual time “uniform” of brown shoes, blue jeans, and either a light blue or white dress shirt. One brother would sport a white dress shirt for the first part of the day before switching to a blue shirt in the evening, resulting in constant speculation as to which was Razvan and which was Sebastian. That keep-them-guessing strategy wasn’t due to their internet popularity, however.
The brothers were, at first, unaware they had become local celebrities even as the account grew to more than 4,000 followers and “spotting” the twins became a chance pastime for many in Buckhead. It wasn’t until a follower finally explained to the brothers about the Instagram account that they understood why so many people were inexplicably snapping their photo as they went about their daily routine. Soon after, the twins took over their online presence and started their own account, The Twins of Buckhead. Despite the change, their account continued to gain popularity featuring photos those around Buckhead had taken of the brothers, always donning their “uniform” and walking together. It was a particular Buckhead-centric bright spot in the harrowing early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s been several years since the Blidariu brothers have been spotted around Buckhead, however. So, what are the Twins of Buckhead up to now?
In October 2021, the brothers relocated to Palm Beach, Florida. The decision to move from the “city in the forest” to the Gold Coast was part personal and part business venture. The twins continue to develop their concept, Trombi’s Tower, a kid’s obstacle course featuring interactive activities, for the Palm Beach area. One such location operates in New York.
“We used to go for fun on [a] regular basis to Palm Beach,” Sebastian said. “Obviously, we liked the island a lot. More of that, developing our Trombi’s Tower as a hotel amenity for families, we came to the conclusion Palm Beach was the right place for us to build a network of valuable connections.”
The relocation could have marked the end of the twins’ social media fame, but Razvan said, “Surprisingly, that was not true.”
Several Buckhead residents also own homes in Palm Beach, Razvan said, and as such, their “paparazzi Instagram story” continued. Only now the brothers, and their Instagram account, have become the Twins of Palm Beach. The brothers were introduced to the community at large through a front-page article in the Palm Beach Daily News in 2022 highlighting their unlikely rise to internet fame and relocation.
“The Palm Beach community is smaller than Buckhead, so everybody knows us (here),” Razvan said. “People say we are celebrities in Palm Beach.”
Occasionally, they are still spotted by those from Buckhead who visit Palm Beach or own homes there.
“It is very nice to meet people from Buckhead in Palm Beach who ask for a picture even after three years we moved from Buckhead,” Sebastian said. “As a funny story, we are at Trevini at the bar and three nice girls from Atlanta come in. One of them sees Sylvester Stallone with his wife at a table and tells the other ones, ‘Let’s ask for a picture.’ The other ones see us and say, ‘Look, the Twins of Buckhead are here.’ Long story short, first they have a picture with us and then with Stallone. We guess that is not bad for us.”
The twins’ Instagram account, now “the_twins_of_palm_beach” continues to grow in popularity despite the far smaller pool of potential paparazzi in Palm Beach. The account boasts over 2,200 followers with spotters continuing to post photos of the twins walking around the city. The move hasn’t impacted the twins’ influence, either. A post last fall showed two men donning the Blidariu’s “uniform,” with apparent gray wigs to complete the look, to serve as the men’s Halloween costumes.
Like their time in Buckhead, the brothers continue to traverse their hometown and walk to many of its hot spots each day. Of course, the St. Regis, Buckhead Village District, and Umi have been replaced by Palm Beach area headquarters. Razvan said their daily routine still begins with a one-hour intensive workout, followed by coffee at The Royal Poinciana Plaza where the brothers “set up the highlights of the day and make important business calls.” After lunch and a second espresso, they visit Trevini Ristorante owned by a friend, Gianni. At night, Razvan said, “all the island is ours.”
They still share strong business aspirations, as well. The brothers, who grew up in communist Romania, began their first venture together with $100 in seed capital to begin what became an internationally successful clothing manufacturing company. Now their attention has turned to developing Trombi’s Tower locations across the country.
“Yes, of course,” Razvan said. “We are twins. This is something natural for us. Not so natural for our girlfriends, but this is their issue.”
Their lives have changed drastically in one regard since their move. In 2022, the brothers’ father passed away.
“We left home at the age of 18,” Razvan said. “Since then, every single day started with a short call to our parents. Unfortunately, our father is not here anymore, so we first call our mother back in Romania and then go to the church to light a candle and have a few minutes to talk to our father. This is our daily call to Heaven.”
The Blidariu brothers are content in their new hometown, which Sebastian said is “la dolce vita” whereas Buckhead is “more cosmopolitan.” Although they don’t have any plans to move back to Buckhead, their connection with the area could continue as the brothers said they hope to start a business project with a hotel group based in Atlanta.
No matter the location, they still enjoy being recognized.
“Being noticed anywhere we go is the story of our life,” Sebastian said.
Though neither of the horses they own finished in the top three at the Kentucky Derby, West Paces Racing’s two co-founders said it was an experience they’ll never forget.
WPR, a Buckhead-based equine ownership syndicate, was the only ownership group to have two thoroughbreds in the Derby, which took place May 4 at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Dornoch (pronounced “Door-Nick”), whose odds of winning were 22-1, finished 10th, and Society Man, a 44-1 longshot, placed 16th. WPR has 33% ownership in both horses, and former Major League Baseball player Jayson Werth owns 10% of Dornoch.
“Disappointed but not devastated,” WPR co-founder Keith Mason said. “[I’m] pleased that our horses came out of the race both healthy and the jockeys were safe and no one got hurt. That’s a good thing. We have nothing to be ashamed of in terms of their abilities to race.”
Fellow co-founder Larry Connolly added, “I think while we’re a little bit disappointed in not having a better result, I can honestly say the West Paces Racing partnership had an incredible week and the superlatives, the smiles of all of our partners participating in the festivities along with members of their family, I think it exceeded expectations and then some. I think we’ll have some horse enthusiasts for life as a result.”
Mystik Dan won the Derby, beating Sierra Leone by a nose, with Sierra Leone edging Forever Young by a nose, too. According to twinspires.com, it was the closest finish for the top three finishers in the race’s 150-year history.
Connolly said having Dornoch and Society Man in the two worst starting positions, Nos. 1 and 20, respectively, in the 20-horse field meant “we had our work cut out for us.” Dornoch, which had beaten Sierra Leone, in a qualifying race in December, had a good chance of finishing high at the Derby but didn’t start strong.
“Unfortunately, two things happened,” Connolly said. “One, it wasn’t a horrible break but he didn’t start that sharply, and second, the [No.] 3 horse, Mystic Dan, veered early to his left, cutting off our horse such that as soon as he broke, he had to pull the reins to prevent a collision. That also had the effect of causing Dornoch, who needed to be in the front, to fall to mid-pack on the rail, having to deal with traffic issues.”
He added that winning the Derby is so difficult that luck is a big part of it.
“The biggest disappointment for me was we didn’t get to see Dornoch at his best,” Connolly said. “He had no chance to display how good he was or not. I don’t want to sound like sour grapes because that race is so hard to win. Having good racing luck, it doesn’t matter how good a horse you are. In order to win that race, you have to have good luck. Having said that, we’re not down on the horse.
As for Society Man, the co-founders were pleased he finished 16th and just behind Fierceness, a Derby favorite that led the race early on before falling to 15th place.
Danny Gargan, the trainer for both Dornoch and Society Man, is a Louisville native whose father, also named Danny, was a jockey. He said those two horses are among the three WPR owns that he’s training, and the third Justdeny, a filly, couldn’t qualify for the Derby. So for the syndicate to have two thoroughbreds in the race was amazing, Gargan said.
“Winning’s a miracle,” he said of the Derby. “Dornoch had a rough trip. We’re still proud of the race he ran. He showed a lot of heart. With Society Man we were taking a chance and were taking a step up. But the Derby every year, it’s fun to be a part of.”
The co-founders previously were part owners of Derby horses in 2015 with Keen Ice and 2022 with Mo Donegal when they were members of the Donegal Racing syndicate before starting WPR in 2019. As such, Connolly, who’s attended the Derby about 10 times, and Mason, who’s gone at least 20 times, said this year was much different.
“It’s a world of difference to have someone in the Derby, much less two, as for us as being there as a horseman with some on the undercard,” Mason said. “Number one, it was a thrill, take nothing away from the other horses we’ve had. But in those cases, I’ll say for myself, we were in Delta comfort seats. We were in the cockpit with these. And then if you’re a spectator, you’re back in coach.”
Regarding their next races, Connolly said WPR is considering having Dornoch compete in the Belmont Stakes June 8 in Elmont, New York, the last leg of the Triple Crown, but not in the Preakness Stakes May 18 in Baltimore, the second leg, because it’s too soon. Society Man could compete in some Grade 2 or 3 (lower-level) races in Ohio, Pennsylvania or West Virginia.
Gargan said having 10% of the field and two of the 18 American horses in the Derby (two slots go to Japanese horses) is amazing.
“Being able to get there and have that experience and share it with your owners, it’s a special thing,” he said. “It’s probably once in a lifetime for the owners.”Mason added, “It’s just a whole different experience when you’ve got one [horse in the Derby], and then to have two, it’s such a boost to us. The thing I enjoyed the most about it was getting people in Atlanta and other places where I have a network of friends to start following the sport. That’s been the most rewarding to me, to hear from people who are casual fans or totally new to the sport to start showing an interest in it. I think that will continue, and that’s a good thing.”
The Disco Kroger’s dancing days may be over, but the Buckhead shopping center where it stood is getting new life with a redeveloped property that is nearly 100% occupied with both old and new tenants.
Anchored by a Publix grocery store and located on Piedmont Road near the Peachtree Road intersection, the revamped U-shaped shopping center is changing its name from Piedmont Peachtree Crossing to Buckhead Landing. It is expected to be fully open by mid-November.
The old shopping center was known for having Atlanta’s first named Kroger store. It got its “Disco” moniker because it was located next to the Limelight dance club, which was open from 1980 to 1987. During that time, the Kroger was known for late-night antics from revelers going shopping after partying next door. According to news reports, the Disco Kroger was in operation for 47 years, opening in 1975 and closing in December 2022.
Regency Centers, a Jacksonville, Florida-based shopping center developer, purchased the property from San Antonio-based Equity One Inc. in 2017 when the two companies merged in a deal reportedly worth $5 billion. The Buckhead shopping center, spanning nearly 11 acres, was part of a portfolio of 122 retail and non-retail properties Regency acquired from Equity One.
Nate Smith, Regency’s senior vice president and senior market officer, said Buckhead Landing has only two of 25 tenant spaces left after Omakase Table, a high-end sushi restaurant, signed a lease in April.
He said Buckhead Landing is another example of the commitment Regency has to redevelopments, new developments and acquisitions in an effort to grow. The company owns 21 other shopping centers in metro Atlanta and is the nation’s largest shopping center real estate investment trust, according to its website.
“Looking to improve our assets to be the best in the market, that often requires a recycling of capital,” Smith said, adding Piedmont Peachtree Crossing was “ripe for a redevelopment, because admittedly the development was looking a little tired. The new Publix opportunity provided us the platform to redevelop.”
While a rival grocery store is moving in, Regency is paying tribute to the Disco Kroger by keeping intact the mural painted on the side of the old store’s building.
“We recognize and respect the fact that it is one of the better murals of Atlanta, one of the most recognized murals of Atlanta,” Smith said, adding Publix reps he’s spoken to won’t mind having the new store being called the Disco Publix once it opens.
Publix will take up 55,000 square feet of space in Buckhead Landing, which will total 151,739 square feet and is slightly smaller than Piedmont Peachtree Crossing was. Smith said the Publix was moved farther west to better align with an entry drive and to accommodate its own design needs. The new shopping center will have 24 less parking spaces than the old one had, in an effort to make Buckhead Landing more pedestrian-friendly with wider sidewalks and more places to sit.
Construction on the new shopping center began in the first quarter of 2023 and work on Publix started in December. Buckhead Landing will have 12 existing tenants and 13 new ones, and all the old tenants have stayed open throughout the construction process, Smith said, calling that part Phase 1.
The second and third phases entail the new tenant spaces opening, with Phase 2 to be completed in August or September and Phase 3, including Publix and possibly the last few signed tenants, opening as late as November, in time for Black Friday sales, he said.
Smith added that 2023 was the most active year for new leases to be signed, with eight being inked then after Publix was announced as the anchor tenant late the previous year. The old tenants that remained include Starbucks, Binders Art Supplies and Frames, and Jamison Shaw Hairdressers.
In addition to Publix, Smith also singled out a few new tenants he’s excited about: Omakase Table, a 12-person restaurant that has a 20-course menu; Burtons Grill and Bar, which is opening its first Georgia location; Golf Galaxy, a golf clothing and equipment store; and Carter’s, a children’s clothing retailer whose headquarters is also in Buckhead.
When asked what other new developments Regency has had with Buckhead Landing, he said construction is actually three weeks ahead of schedule, “but you jinx it if you say it.” Smith added that all the facades on the project’s north and south sides are done, leaving only the west side, which includes Publix and Golf Galaxy.
“In fact, we just put up our wayfinding and monument signs, with a list and a tool to help people find those tenants,” he said.
While Regency has not announced plans to open or remodel another shopping center in the metro area soon, Smith said the company is also in the midst of redeveloping the Cambridge Square shopping center in Brookhaven, which like Buckhead Landing is replacing a Kroger with a Publix.
“We’ll open seven or eight months after Buckhead Landing opens,” he said.
Smith, who joined Regency 3½ years ago, said he hasn’t heard of anyone objecting to Buckhead Landing. The company made several changes to its design plans three or four years ago when it went through the city of Atlanta’s zoning process, said Kim Shorter, zoning chair for Neighborhood Planning Unit B’s board, which okayed the plans as the first step in city approval.
Smith said he was not involved with Regency’s talks with the neighborhood until the tail end. One of the changes it made was addressing a pond behind the shopping center that had to comply with the city’s current stormwater codes.
“They actually did a really good job of working with the neighborhood ahead of time,” Shorter said. “The neighborhood president happened to also be a land-use attorney, so they did a very good job of carefully crafting a set of conditions that were both codified through the city’s approval process and also codified by the neighborhood in a private agreement.”
When 20 thoroughbred horses fire out of the gate at the Kentucky Derby in Louisville on May 4, not one but two of them will be owned by West Paces Racing (WPR), a Buckhead-based equine ownership syndicate.
It is the only ownership group that has at least two horses in the famed Running for the Roses at Churchill Downs.
Dornoch (pronounced “Door-Nick”) is a 3-year-old bay colt and the first WPR horse to qualify for the Derby, the first leg of the famed Triple Crown of races. He was named after Royal Dornoch Golf Club in Dornoch, Scotland. Society Man, a 3-year-old gelding, is the second one to qualify. His name is a reference to Georgia Gov. Carl Sanders that was jokingly made by President Lyndon B. Johnson in a recorded phone conversation they had in 1968.
Of Dornoch, his trainer, Danny Gargan, said, “He’s the best horse I’ve ever trained.” Gargan, who is also training Society Man, called that horse “a trier.”
“He’s one of those horses that tries hard, and never has a bad day. Every day is a good day in his life,” he added.
Gargan estimated he has guided 400 to 500 horses since becoming a trainer in 2013. The Louisville native has spent his whole life around horses, and his father, also named Danny, was a jockey.
Co-founded by Larry Connolly, Keith Mason and a handful of others in 2019, WPR gets its name from West Paces Ferry Road, the Buckhead street where both the Cherokee Town Club and its office are located.
“Most of the founding members were golf friends and affiliated with Cherokee,” said Connolly, who serves as WPR’s general partner.
Connolly and Mason, both longtime horse racing fans, started WPR after becoming part owners of other horses, beginning with the Donegal Racing syndicate around 2014.
Mason, a Sandy Springs resident and Gwinnett County native, served as Georgia Gov. Zell Miller’s chief of staff and in President Bill Clinton’s administration. He met Donegal Racing CEO and founder Jerry Crawford through his connections with the Democratic Governors Association.
Connolly, a Buckhead resident, is a native of Westchester County, New York. He grew up near two famed New York racetracks: Belmont Park, home of the Belmont Stakes, the Triple Crown’s third leg, and Saratoga Race Course, host of the Travers Stakes.
Those tracks were “a fun place to go as a young person for both the races and the social scene. I confess I was more interested in the latter than the former in those days,” he said.
Connolly also became part owner of other horses through another syndicate, Starlight Racing. Dornoch is the fifth horse he has owned that will compete in the Derby, with the others being Keen Ice (2015, Donegal), Improbable (2019, Starlight) Authentic (2020, Starlight) and Mo Donegal (2022, Donegal). Mason was part owner of Keen Ice and Mo Donegal.
Authentic won the Derby and Mo Donegal won the Belmont. But Dornoch potentially could be the best of all of them. He was purchased as a yearling in 2022 for only $325,000 but has an impressive bloodline that could lead to millions in future race winnings.
With 33% ownership, WPR is the majority owner of Dornoch, who is partly owned by four other businesses. WPR also has 33% ownership in Society Man, which is owned by two other entities, including Gargan. To qualify for the Derby, which is considered a Grade 1 race, horses must win points by placing in the top five at Grade 2 events leading up to it.
Dornoch, ridden by jockey Luis Saez, did so by winning two recent races – the Remsen Stakes Dec. 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York, and the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 2 in Hallandale Beach, Florida – collecting 10 and 50 points, respectively, and by finishing fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes April 6 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, where he picked up 15 points.
Society Man, ridden by jockey Luis Rivera, qualified by placing second in the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack April 6, earning 50 points. Each horse may have a different jockey in the Derby, WPR’s co-founders said.
Dornoch’s father, or sire, is Good Magic, who finished second in the 2018 Derby, and his mother, or dam, is Puca, who won four of the 17 races she entered. Good Magic’s sire is Curlin, who was the American Horse of the Year in 2007 and 2008 and winner of the Preakness Stakes, the Triple Crown’s second leg, and the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2007. Puca’s sire is Big Brown, who won the Derby and Preakness in 2008. Dornoch’s full brother is Mage, who won the Derby and placed third in the Preakness last year.
“A good set of genes,” Mason said of Dornoch’s pedigree.
Society Man, who was purchased as a yearling in 2022 for $85,000, was sired by Good Magic, so he also has a strong bloodline.
“Part of what Oracle Bloodstock tries to achieve is to find a young sire that becomes very successful,” Connolly said, referring to the yearling selection services company WPR has partnered with. “It takes several years before you sire a foal, and it takes a couple of years before they start running, and it takes three years before they’re eligible for the Triple Crown. … The trick is to find a prolific sire before it’s widely known the offspring will be above average in terms of performance.”
Mason added that next year WPR won’t be able to afford to buy any offspring of Good Magic because now the secret’s out.
Last year, another 3-year-old owned by WPR, Dubyuhnell, failed to qualify for the Derby. Mason said having two WPR-owned horses in the Derby this year is “awesome,” and Connolly called it “a proud moment for our young syndicate.”
“A lot of people with deeper pockets who have been doing this for longer than we have even struggle with [having] one runner [qualify],” Connolly added. “We knocked on the door with Dubyuhnell, and to have two this year, we couldn’t be more proud. In particular, Oracle Bloodstock, led by Conor Foley and Jim Hatchett, they’ve done an outstanding job in identifying horse talent that others with deeper pockets might have overlooked.”
Using a football analogy to compare Dornoch to Mage, Connolly said Dornoch looks more like a running back and Mage resembles a wide receiver, with Mason adding that Dornoch resembles a fullback.
“He also has great athletic ability, and, finally and most importantly, he has the heart for racing and natural desire to be in front and win,” Connolly said of Dornoch. He pointed to the Remsen race, where Dornoch outran two frontrunners, or rabbits (Billal and Private Desire), and then defeated Sierra Leone, who took a nearly one-horse-length lead late in the race before Dornoch roared back to win by a nose.
Sierra Leone, who was purchased for $2.3 million, is considered the Derby favorite.
“Holding off one, then two [horses] and then holding off a third, that’s a tall ask for any horse,” Connolly said. “Dornoch had to deal with two rivals. In that race, he was green, inexperienced. He made a rookie mistake by banging against the rail, which slowed him down and allowed Sierra Leone to catch up to him.”
WPR currently has more than 20 members/investors and owns 24 horses, Connolly said. Though he did not disclose its membership fee, he said new members under age 40 can join at 25% of a full member price, and those under 50 can join at 50%. He calls WPR a “moneyball outfit,” meaning “there’s a limited number of horses we can buy each year.”
“If we want to get a portfolio of eight to 12 horses, there’s a limit of how much you can spend per horse,” Connolly said. “ A lot of times we get outbid on horses we desire by more established outfits. So, as a result, our average ownership [percentage] per horse will vary from the low 30s to 50% depending on the amount of the horse.”
By winning the Derby, which brings a $3.1 million prize, and other races, Dornoch and Society Man could increase WPR’s purchasing budget substantially.
“It’s super exciting,” Connolly said. “I’m enjoying every moment of the journey, knowing someday soon this will all come to an end. I’m delighted for the West Paces partnership, that we have something like this to collectively look forward to as a group.”
Mason added, “It’s a culmination of a lot of hard work and, more importantly, good luck to be where we are right now. We hope everything goes well and we’re entering the gates there on the first Saturday in May healthy and ready to run.”
When asked to compare Dornoch to Society Man, Gargan said, “They would be opposites. Dornoch’s a big, imposing horse, and Society Man is more of a short and stocky type.”
Between the two, Dornoch is more likely to win the Derby.
“He’s one of the top picks in the nation,” Gargan said. “When you have one of the top Derby picks, it’s an exciting time. It’s like catching lightning in a bottle. … He’s a big talented horse. Every day’s special that you walk into your barn and see a horse like this. We’ve got as good a shot as any horse in the race.”
Jimmie James has always been driven by goals.
When he was 5 years old, while growing up poor in East Texas, James decided he would become the first person he knew to graduate from high school. The odds were stacked against him; he had been born in the Jim Crow South to a black single mother with eight children. But that did not stop him. After he finished high school, James graduated from Prairie View A&M University in Texas, becoming the first person in his family to attend and graduate from college. Then he embarked on a 33-year career as an executive with ExxonMobil, retiring on June 1, 2017.
So, when the part-time Buckhead resident decided he would spend a year playing Golf Digest’s 2017-18 Top 100 Courses in America, it was no surprise to his wife Erika.
“Nothing that Jimmie comes up with surprises me,” she said. “He’s always been goal focused. He needs a sense of accomplishment, and the harder the challenge, the more interested he is. I think I was most surprised he wanted to do it so quickly after he retired.”
James has written a book about his experience “Playing from the Rough: A Personal Journey through America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses,” and will participate in a book talk and signing at 5:30 p.m. June 12 at The Chastain restaurant in Buckhead. The event is timed to coincide with the six-year anniversary of him completing his tour of playing the courses and the book’s June 11 publishing date. The book is being published by Simon and Schuster.
James is planning similar events June 11 and 13 in Philadelphia and Kiawah Island, South Carolina, respectively, where his family also has homes. He started playing golf in 2005, when an ExxonMobil vice president gave him advice about his move from Fairfax, Virginia, to Beaumont, Texas.
“He suggested, in order to better get along with the people I was working with and [who were] working for me, ‘You need to start shooting something. You can shoot animals or you can shoot par,’” James said. “My wife made the decision for me. She purchased a set of golf clubs for me.”
Originally, James planned to play 100 golf courses, two in each state, after his wife gave him John Sabino’s book, “How to Play the World’s Most Exclusive Golf Clubs: A Journey through Pine Valley, Royal Melbourne, Augusta, Muirfield, and More,” for Christmas in 2016.
But early the next year, when he got the Golf Digest edition featuring the Top 100 courses in the mail, he decided to play those courses instead. However, that list includes 87 private courses, 12 resort ones and one public course. So although James could easily play the resort and public courses, he would need a member or club pro of each of the private courses to invite him to play there.
But since James was already a member of Kiawah Island Golf Resort, whose Ocean Course is on the list, he had a head start in getting onto the other private courses by using his connections there. Throughout the tour, he also utilized more networking and grit to gain entry to the private courses by talking to members and club pros, including his playing partners, who could connect him with the other courses on the list. On those courses, James said about 75% of the people who helped or hosted him were strangers.
“So during the idle time between swings and putts, then, if they were interested enough, I would imagine they would offer to help,” he said. “I could see the mental Rolodexes going off. The reason I expected that to happen is we had been going to Kiawah for 12 years, and at the Ocean Course, I would always play with strangers.”
Though his tour started in June, James played perhaps the most famous course, Augusta National Golf Course, home of the Masters, in May because the course is closed in June and because he’d already arranged to play that round. It’s one of two Georgia courses on the list, with the other being Peachtree Golf Club in Brookhaven.
He said his five favorite courses, in no particular order, were Augusta National (“because of the experience; it’s just a magical place”), Merion in Philadelphia (“because of the traditions” it has), Fishers Island, New York (“the charm of it all”), Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey (“because it’s hard”) and Cypress Point Golf Club in California (“every hole is unique; … the scenery is awe-inspiring”).
Part memoir and part golf tale, “Playing from the Rough” recounts James’ journey across the country. What will he remember most about playing those courses and writing the book?
“The people, the kindness and generosity of all the people … that I met along the way and who helped,” he said. “It was really about seeing if America was still a place where people would help a stranger achieve a dream. It wasn’t really about golf. Golf was still a vehicle to see if we were that country where grit, determination and the kindness and generosity of others could help achieve a dream.”
One of the strangers who helped James and became a friend is Jeff “J.J.” Johnson, president of the Flint Hills National Golf Club in Andover, Kansas, one of the courses he played. Flint Hills is one of two golf clubs James joined during his course tour, with the other being Pikewood National Golf Club in Morgantown, West Virginia. Johnson was asked to talk to him about his interest in joining Flint Hills.
“First of all, without the risk of sounding racist, when you see a good-looking tall black man who wants to play the 100 best courses the country, you’re impressed. Then, you start talking to him and he’s the nicest, sweetest man you’ve ever met,” Johnson said of his first impression of James. “I certainly remember and, being honest, I thought there’s no way a guy can play 100 courses in a year. A lot of people try to do it in a lifetime, and he was going to do it in a year without a private plane. [I thought], ‘God bless you and good luck.’”
Later in the tour, when the two were playing a round at the Chicago Golf Club as part of the tour, Johnson helped James gain access to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, a private course in Southampton, New York, when his original course host had to cancel due to an emergency.
“He looked at his phone and his heart kind of sank,” Johnson said. “Ironically, that was one of the relationships I thought I could help with. Jimmy Dunne, a member of Shinnecock, I know. I texted Jimmy and said, ‘Hey, any chance my friend needs a Hail Mary by such and such a date, and all his text [in response] said was, ‘7:30 a.m. Sunday.’ Jimmie said, ‘I’ll get there.’ I didn’t know later that Jimmy Dunne had flown back privately from a [University of] Notre Dame reunion just for Jimmie and then flew back. There’s a story for guys who like the game and respect the game.”
Ian Straus, a New York-based editor with Simon & Schuster, has been working with James for a year.
“I think as book editors, … the number one thing we’re always looking for is a great story and Jimmie has loads of them,” he said. “This book has two amazing stories at its heart, the first one being the story about the golf trip, which is for people who like golf. But for people who don’t like golf, [reading about him] playing 100 courses across the country in [a year], and even [for] people who are into golf, their eyes go wide. …
“On the one hand, you have a great sports story and a great human interest story, this great story. But on the other hand, you have the memoir story, and it’s truly an amazing American life. … With a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work, anyone can achieve anything. I think Jimmie embodies that.”
His wife, who has co-authored two books with Lynn Perry Wooten and is the dean of the Wharton School, the University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious business school in Philadelphia, said she found it interesting to see him learn to write a book of his own.
“I think the book is extraordinary,” she said. “For someone who’s known him for 30 years, the fact that I learned things through this process was surprising. … I just think what he has been driven to do, which is use golf for the purposes of bringing people together, and what is sometimes seen as a sport for people with elite and privileged backgrounds, has the potential to transform lives if they get introduced to the culture of golf.”
For more information on the book talk and signing or to buy tickets, visit https://bit.ly/4b4Fg27.
I love when a friend has something good to prove and does so.
I bet you have been thinking what I have been thinking. The Miller Brothers clothing store, tucked away in a former bungalow on a side street in the Buckhead Village, is a men’s clubhouse. I get it. The television is usually tuned to a PGA tournament or SEC football. A stocked bar serves up mellow bourbon on the rocks. And with a quick first glance, it looks like their business is primarily Peter Milar products and 5-pocket pants. Wrong. We couldn’t be more wrong. Those specific items are actually the smallest part of their sartorial story, and Greg Miller wanted to prove it to me
Truth is, so much of Robby and Greg Miller’s success can be attributed to their diverse product mix.
More things you didn’t know: they employ seven tailors sewing custom pieces for their growing private label clothing and sportswear, and they have 100% of your formalwear needs, including white dinner jackets. They can outfit you head-to-toe, just no hat, no matter the occasion.
And since neither brother is braggadocios, I’ll be the first to tell you that they are home to over twenty-four progressive and higher end Italian lines for men. Twenty-four. That’s more than anyone in Atlanta.
In case you missed the word sprezzatura when it was one of our 11th grade Wordly Wise vocab words, Sprezzatura means the art of looking great, without fussiness, putting a lot of thought into your clothing, only it doesn’t appear that you did so.
I suppose the twenty-four Italian lines actually makes Robby and Greg the godfathers of Atlanta’s Spezzatura. (godfather; 9th grade Wordly Wise: a man who is influential or pioneering in a movement.)
The magic of the Miller Brothers’ high quality Italian lines like Castangia is the way they drape on your body. The handmade craftsmanship and finest materials make the pieces feel like a custom make. There is nothing more handsome than the Castangia brand.
I had forgotten that Miller Brothers had a plethora of Italian. And I don’t know how I could have forgotten that because my husband owns thirty Italian shirts and over twenty Italian sport coats, each one purchased at Miller Brothers over the many years.
Also, in 2019, while I was bewildering away at a month-long French immersion course in the South of France, Jeff visited and we attended the Monte Carlo Open Men’s Tennis Championship. There, Jeff met Giovanni and fell in love with Giovanni’s sport coat. But when Jeff asked him who made it, Giovanni shook his head and refused to tell Jeff. Giovanni never talked to Jeff again. So yes, When in Rome . . . do not ask about their clothing. Anyhoo, at the Monte Carlo Open, when Giovanni wasn’t looking, Jeff snapped his photo and immediately sent it to Greg. Greg had Giovanni’s exact coat in the store. Now Jeff has Giovanni’s sport coat. So there, Giovanni.
That’s the lure of the Miller Brothers, exceptional service. I see why so many people flock there. Not every item is out on the 1,450 square feet of selling space. Robby, Greg, Jonah, Jerry, and Cole keep tricks up their stylish sleeves. When they say, “Hold on. I have just the thing for you,” and disappear, believe they are returning with a satisfied smile and a load of attractive bounty.
For the new customer, here is what you need to know. Robby, Greg, Jonah, Jerry, and Cole will stretch you. They will let you keep your style, but they will challenge you to mix it up in some small way that no one else dons. Step in and roam about with a keen eye remembering you cannot see everything just by looking. They have something for everyone. Go find your touch of sprezzatura. It’s there, waiting.
Business keeps booming on. What started almost thirty years ago as two brothers in a townhouse off East Paces Ferry with a $15,000 loan from their father has proved to be a Buckhead mainstay.
Robby and Greg’s family affair continues. Seems the retail fever is in the Miller DNA. The next generation has joined the crew. Greg’s daughter, Madison Freeman, and Greg and Robby’s nephew, Cole Einbender, have jumped aboard, there is no succession plan created or even talked about. Robby and Greg have no plans to do anything except continuing to clothe you.
While you are visiting that corner of Buckhead, check out their other eponymous store, Miller Collective. Madison is running the Collective. It’s a whole ‘nother ball of surprises full of noteworthy gifts for the howdy, the haut-y, the surfer, the kid, the hostess, the adored pet, yourself, or the book and paper lover. Between the two stores, they are capturing the cool.
Miller Brothers 3207 Paces Ferry Place (404) 233-8000 www.MillerBrothers.com
On a warm night in September of last year, Assembly Studios in Doraville, GA, made a grand debut just a few miles Northeast of Buckhead, igniting excitement in Georgia’s film and TV scene. The star-studded opening featured a glamorous red carpet where invited guests lined up fortours of the high-tech facilities on a new 50-acre campus The night buzzed with live entertainment and networking, spotlighting Georgia’s growing status in entertainment and leaving a mark of anticipation for the studio’s future. Though Buckhead is not the epicenter of productions taking place in Georgia, the Assembly Studios opening further solidified it’s position at the geographic center of the major film studios that now form a ring around Atlanta.
The “Made in Georgia” logo has become a common sight as the credits roll for film and television productions, and the state’s film/TV industry continues to flourish after a brief hiatus for Hollywood actors and writers strikes of 2023. Several industry experts underscored the important and unique role Buckhead plays in the state’s burgeoning film industry and the economic benefits to the community are substantial
. According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the fiscal year 2023 saw a direct expenditure of $4.1 billion on productions in the state.
Georgia’s TV/film industry is now firmly established. As such, many crew members who are considered “below-the-line,” such as grips, makeup artists, camera operators and similar behind-the-scenes roles, now live in the state. But when a production is filming in the Atlanta area, actors, directors, producers and other “above-the-line” talent who do not live in the area require housing. They often move into the Atlanta area for several months for a film production, or longer for a television series.
Jacob Bean owns Studio Housing Atlanta. The company specializes in providing fully furnished housing — and other relevant services — for cast and crew members living temporarily in the Atlanta area during productions.
“The studios and crew members want something turnkey,” Bean said. “They want it to be fully furnished, with bedding, towels, everything A-Z as they are just showing up with a suitcase.”
Many are coming to Buckhead. Bean said many Buckhead homes are listed for about $30,000 to $70,000 a month. That budget could be even, higher for “top A-list celebrities.”
“Some actors get what they want, and the productions will pay practically whatever,” he said.
Studios will look elsewhere for productions taking place at Trilith Studios in Fayetteville or others area south of Atlanta due to commute times, Bean said. However, Buckhead has become a housing hotspot for productions filming on the north side of Atlanta, including at OFS Studios or Eagle Rock Studios in Norcross, or the newly opened Assembly Atlanta in Doraville. This is particularly true for A-listers who want the estate atmosphere Buckhead provides.
“Buckhead is a hotspot for [more prominent] cast members because it offers the privacy, security and amenities people are looking for,” Bean said.
Buckhead resident Ryan Millsap is the founder of Blackhall Studios, which was sold to a private investment firm in 2021 and now operates as Shadowbox Studios in DeKalb County. Millsap said Buckhead is an attractive housing option for many A-list celebrities as its upscale atmosphere can’t be found in others areas of the city.
“Buckhead is the nicest neighborhood in all of Atlanta,” he said. “This is where you will find the nicest homes. Originally, a lot of stars, directors, and above-the-line teams wanted to live in Buckhead, which I think is still true.”
Millsap said Buckhead has served as a temporary home for major actors like Robert Downey Jr., Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, and Tom Hardy during the production of films, including Jungle Cruise, Jumanji, The Accountant, Venom, and Marvel movies.
Justin Campbell, director of studio operations for Assembly Atlanta — the newly opened 50-acre studio development in Doraville on the former General Motors assembly site — said Buckhead is also an exceptional place for on-site filming.
“(Buckhead) provides something other areas of Atlanta don’t in its unique architecture and fine-end finishes,” Campbell said. “From the homes, hotels, corporate and retail spaces, it brings something you can’t find anywhere else.” Assembly Studios is projected to include over 1 million square feet of stage space at full build-out and already has a long-term partnership with NBCUniversal.
Jacob Bean with Studio Housing Atlanta said the opening of Assembly Atlanta, which is about 12 miles from the center of Buckhead, should drive more talent to be housed in the community.
“I do think Buckhead’s prominence will rise with Assembly Atlanta,” Bean said. “Already there is one production rumored to be coming in the next 30 days. What I know about that film, it will be higher-end actors looking for higher-end properties.”
Millsap said the biggest driver of the Georgia’s film/tv industry growth, and subsequently that of Atlanta and Buckhead, is the state’s 30-percent tax credit for qualifying productions.
“The tax credit really makes the difference in why people want to make movies and TV in Atlanta,” he said. “All of the growth is largely dependent on the tax credit. If the tax credit changes or caps, it could have a significant effect on the future growth of the industry.”
Other cost savings are notable factors. Millsap said Atlanta provides “a massive discounted price for what you get.” For Buckhead, this includes the leasing costs to house actors.
“You can lease a beautiful home in Buckhead, but move that home to L.A. and you have to multiply the cost by eight or 10 times. The same is true in New York. Even in Miami you are probably paying five times as much for the same home. Atlanta provides a deep, deep discount for luxury. It’s a big draw because the quality of life here for the money is unmatched.”
Though the tax credit serves as the draw, the Atlanta area’s appeal for TV/film production goes beyond cost savings.
“The 30 percent qualifying productions receive, that’s what made [Georgia’s film/TV industry] go,” Campbell said. “But what’s allowed it to grow at the pace it has, and sustain, is the bipartisan support, labor development, the great infrastructure with Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and private airports, and thousands of small businesses that have either started in response to the industry or have pivoted to fit this industry’s needs.”
The initial growth of the state’s production industry has also fostered a new workforce of below-the-line crew members. Campbell credits initiatives like the Georgia Film Academy with fostering the state’s TV/film production labor pool. The Georgia Film Academy partners with the University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia providing workforce training and classroom instruction for TV/film production at universities and colleges around the state.
“We no longer have to import crews from across the country,” Campbell said. “Eighty to ninety percent of crews are local, they’re Georgians. That has been a major driver and component to sustain the industry and make it a permanent presence.”
All my life, I’ve only ever had two real complaints about Buckhead.
#1. It’s too far from any coast
#2. There is no good mom-and-pop Italian eatery
I do not think that complaint #1can be remedied. Short of an earthquake coming and splitting Georgia in half—don’t laugh, the Brevard Fault Line runs right smack dab through Atlanta, we will most certainly remain five hours from the coast.
But what about #2? The whole spaghetti conundrum. How else will I get my fix of carbs heaped with cheese, oregano, and red sauce? Yes, we have splendid high-end Italian mainstays like LaGrotta and Pricci. Their well-curated offerings never disappoint. But sometimes, my simple little soul just wants that swirl of skinny pasta with unadorned red sauce. You know the kind, where inevitably one clump of the spaghetti sticks together like a miniature haystack. I adore that clump.
I’m thinking the word spaghetti left our lexicon circa mid-1970’s when fine restauranteurs like Panos Karatassos and Steve Nygren entered the food scene. And so maybe therein lies my problem, Buckhead’s eateries are only getting better and more sophisticated. So I suppose I’ll keep relying on the next best thing: pizza. The good news is Buckhead is not short on phenomenal pizza.
I’ve quietly become a pizza freak. Thursday mornings during ALTA tennis seasons are my favorite time of year because they give me a legit reason to have a slice of “za” before eight a.m.. It’s the quintessential carbo-loading. When people ask me which pizza is my favorite, I give them the same answer as when they ask which one of our sons is my favorite. The answer is this: Whichever one is with me. Duh.
And just like each son, every pizza place offers something great and different to our world. Isn’t that the goal? It is. No two pizzas are alike and, surprisingly, none of the following restaurants have a whole lot in common even though they all serve the similar fare. In order of lowest to highest cost, here are the merits of Buckhead’s best slices.
Fellinis, 2809 Peachtree Road, Garden Hills
Slices as wide as go-cart tires. This generous fast-casual spot is continually consistent. They get so much right: fast service, freshest ingredients, free parking, self-serve Coke machine for bottomless sodas (Thank you, Jesus), large shakers of dry spices—think oregano, garlic powder, parm, and red pepper flakes. Order at the counter. It’s one of the last places to get a tasty $15 meal. Tipping is your best chance at dragging a smile out of the staff, but don’t wait for it. Maybe try it closer to the weekend. Maybe? Dunno. There’s headbanging music that you’ve never heard before but just might like; the vibe is so real there. It’s the only late-night pizza spot in Buckhead, open until midnight. It’s also one of best and biggest porches to sit and watch the busy world go by. Or to sit and read a good novel. You’re allowed to loiter there. What’s not to love?
Piu Bello Pizzeria, 3330 Piedmont Road
Hands down the widest selection of ready-made slices in Buckhead. They have no less than ten options at any given hour. Their topping combinations are wide-ranging. Many pre-made vegetarian options are available also. The interiors remind me of a beloved pizza spot at 42nd street and Fifth Avenue, across from the New York Public Library in Bryant Park. Both spots have that kitschy, quintessential, bucolic painting of old Italy adorning their wall. Trust the decorum anyway; it’s great quick pizza. They do a steady business all day, so fresh pies are forever coming out of the oven. Go in and check out the many choices. Try a topping you’ve never eaten before. A super cheery crowd works there. And so does another self-serve Coke machine. Oh, such joy.
www.PiuBelloBuckheadAtlanta.com
Blue Moon Pizza, 325 East Paces Ferry
Best red sauce around and super tasty crust. They do not scrimp on ingredients either. Grab their lunch special of slice, salad, and drink. The only pizza joint in town with curbside parking so you can run right in and grab your grub. They do a thriving takeaway business. If you dine in, there are many TVs playing sports channels. Go when a game is on. Or better yet, if you’ve been to Fetch Dog Park with your furry child, walk a block over to Blue Moon and dine on their porch. They are super pet friendly and bring bowls of fresh water out to Fido. The walls are adorned with artwork for sale, painted and drawn by one of their talented employees. Be sure to check out their Take-n-Bake options. They are the only ones in town who offer that.
Peros Italian Restaurant, 3521 Northside Pkwy
Not much has changed at Pero’s over the decades and sometimes this is a good thing. I believe they are the last vestige of spumoni in town. This is the pizza you grew up on, the one with the buttery, airy crust. You’ve got to love a place that still serves French, Roquefort, and 1000 Island salad dressings. Oh, and believe it or not, they actually have an option called the Yankee crust, it’s the thicker one.
www.PerosPizza.com
Pala Bakery, 1264 West Paces Ferry Road
Antico Pizza had a son and this is it. And it’s really, really scrumptious. Antico Pizza’s Gio Di Palma passed the torch to a second generation, his son Johnny. And Johnny has three rules: No add-ons, no substitutions, and no half-toppings. But don’t let any of that stop you, he knows what he’s doing. So get this, Pala’s has no triangle slices. They only have circles and rectangles. The circle feeds 1-2 people. The rectangle is a massive 10” X 14.” Basically, that’s the size in between a standard pillow and a king pillow, which makes her the queen of pizzas. Her name is Alla Pala (pronounced “al-a pal-a”). Whichever shape you decide upon, you’ll taste the brightest tomatoes a pizza sauce has ever had. BTW, Johnny left out a fourth rule: each bite must be dipped into their garlicky vinaigrette.
Amalfi Cucina & Mercato, 3242 Peachtree Road
One of the rare spots in Buckhead where you can still order a cannoli. Their menu harkens back to old-school Italy menus. Two trained chefs, ten pizzas. They have the biggest menu of all the restaurants listed here. A menu for carnivores, vegetarians, and seafood lovers, there is something for everyone.
Taverna, 280 Buckhead Avenue
The best place for big groups and families, especially those with varying palates. Taverna is so much more than pizza. Even though the size of their pizza is perfect for just one person, this is a terrific spot to order many different dishes and share. They have the best all-season porch with a wide view of the Buckhead Village. This happens to be one of those rare and gracious restaurants that never seems to mind if you linger a bit longer. So do.
www.TavernaByLombardi.com/atlanta-buckhead-location
Yeppa & Co., 306 Buckhead Avenue
Located only twenty steps from Taverna, yet a very different feel. Yeppa is cozy and loud, and the oversized circular bar in the middle of the restaurant makes you feel like you’re home. Pizza is the smallest section of their menu, but it must be mentioned. Their pizza is a fat, oblong rectangle cut into squares, and there is nothing like it. The pizza is both crunchy and chewy, which makes it incredibly satisfying. You have to love a pizza that they throw arugula onto after it’s been baked. They elevate pizza and you must try it.
Varasano Pizzeria, 2171 Peachtree Road
There is a reason why their pizza is so loved. It’s different. Each pizza is made with a natural sourdough yeast that’s fermented for several days. The pies are very thin, flash baked in only about 2 1/2 minutes, and sparingly topped. This is all by design. The eating of it comes with explicit instructions. The chef insists we eat it with our hands, no utensils required. Just pick it up, fold it over itself—creating a more narrow V, and then chow down. Everyone else will be eating with their hands also, so there’s no judgment. How refreshing!
What I wouldn’t give for a fat piece of garlic bread tossed haphazardly onto a bowl of steaming spaghetti right now. But my New Year’s resolution is to be where I am. So no big dreaming of anyplace else. Which puts me right back here in Buckhead’s pizza world, and it’s such a lovely place to be.
Even in Atlanta’s lavish Buckhead community, homelessness is a major issue, and Mayor Andre Dickens is working to solve the problem.
“We know every night hundreds of Atlantans sleep in our parks or under our bridges,” he said. “It’s not just a humanitarian crisis. It’s a public health crisis. The existing system of shelters and support systems is really overwhelmed and underfunded. Every month 200 people enter our system needing shelter. Resources are stretched thin. People are waiting for weeks on end for a hotel or apartment. This is unacceptable. We need to make changes.”
Dickens spoke on that topic and others at the Buckhead Coalition’s annual luncheon Thursday, January 25th at the St. Regis in Buckhead.
Homelessness remains a problem both in Atlanta and the rest of the state. According to Georgia’s 2022 Point in Time Count report, the state’s homeless population jumped by 43% between 2019 and 2022. Metro Atlanta ranks 46th in the nation with a homeless population of only 53 per 100,000 residents, based on a Home Bay study released in July.
However, according to the Atlanta Mission’s website, about 2,000 homeless individuals sleep on the city’s streets each night, and 6,848 homeless people were served in 2022 by the Mission, a nonprofit that provides shelter and services for the unhoused.
Earlier this week, Dickens participated in the Atlanta portion of the weeklong statewide Point in Time Count, which is part of a biannual national survey of the unhoused that is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Atlanta’s count was conducted in partnership with Partners for Home, a nonprofit aiming to end homelessness in the city. On Wednesday he announced a set of initiatives to help combat homelessness in the city.
“Last week I asked the city council to approve my plan to allocate $7.7 million to accelerate our rapid housing initiative and house at least 250 [more] people, and they approved it unanimously,” Dickens said. “… These funds would be used to extend the hours of our warming shelters and to expand shelters operations to identify for purchase or lease additional facilities and provide support services and security at select sites.”
The mayor also said this week the city will celebrate the opening of The Melody, a vacant downtown parking lot converted to a village of 40 donated converted shipping containers and modular units. Dickens said they took less than four months to build.
“So, these are examples of how together we will make changes that make every community stronger,” he said.
Of Buckhead’s homeless population, the mayor said the city is addressing two areas where the unhoused are encamped: The Hill, a wooded area near where Sidney Marcus Boulevard, Buford Highway, Lenox Road, Ga. 400 and Interstate 85 intersect, and Cheshire Bridge Road.
“Citywide, homicides were down 21% in 2023 [compared to the previous year] and down 36% in Zone 2, in Buckhead,” he said. “Aggravated assaults were down 16% and 18% in Zone 2. Rapes were down 50% [citywide]. … We did have that one nagging problem around vehicles. Motor vehicle theft was up in our city. That’s something we need to work on, but overall, we’re very proud of the progress we’ve made in this city. But any single crime, just one crime, is one crime too many.”
But Dickens did say motor vehicle thefts, which have jumped by 61%, and shoplifting, which has increased by 22%, must be addressed.
“More is to be done there. We’re moving forward to be better,” he said.
Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, who spoke after Dickens, said the state’s law enforcement agencies support the Atlanta Police, adding they back the city’s controversial public safety training center that is under construction.
Burns also said the state has devoted $1.3 million to build a new Georgia State Patrol post on the governor’s mansion property in Buckhead.
“This will allow the Georgia State Patrol to have a bigger presence,” he said. “[The importance of] increased safety across the board goes without saying. Buckhead now leads Atlanta in overall crime reduction.”
By Denise Starling, Executive Director, Livable Buckhead
I am thrilled for the opportunity to give readers of The Buckhead Paper an update on PATH400. This project is my favorite topic of conversation, and I never get tired of sharing the latest news about the trail and our progress toward completing the full 5.2 miles in Buckhead. Actually, I also love sharing updates about PATH400’s progress beyond Buckhead’s borders. Making it possible to run, walk or bike to other areas in metro Atlanta is one of the trail’s major benefits, and we’re getting closer to achieving that goal every day.
Before I give you a construction update, let me give you a bit of background on the trail in case you haven’t tried it out for yourself. PATH400 runs roughly parallel to GA 400, beginning at the southern end of Buckhead where one day the Atlanta BeltLine will connect to it, and continuing north to Sandy Springs. The trail is transformative, taking unused right-of-way along the highway and turning it into a beautiful greenway that we can all enjoy.
Most people who walk the trail for the first time are surprised by how many areas of natural beauty there are in Buckhead. If you only travel through our community by car, you’re missing out on wooded areas, creeks and ponds that are just steps away – and now are accessible via PATH400. Walk the trail from Miami Circle to the back of Lenox Square, or from the Buckhead Loop to Wieuca Rd. and you’ll see what I mean.
In November 2022 we broke ground on a section of the trail between Wieuca Rd. and Loridans Dr. This is the last major section of PATH400 as it was originally envisioned in Buckhead and it connects directly to Mountain Way Common, a park that neighbors have worked for years to develop.
This section is three quarters of a mile long with a lot of challenging topography that complicates construction. The centerpiece of the work is a soaring bridge over the park that is taking about 14 months to build and is still a few months from completion. While that progresses, crews are building the trail out from the bridge, moving northward to Loridans and southward to Wieuca at the same time. The bridge really is impressive, and you can get a look at it for yourself by joining us on an upcoming construction tour – visit the events page of Livable Buckhead’s website to sign up.
By summer we will likely be under construction on PATH400’s connection to Sandy Springs. From the Atlanta city limits northward, the project technically becomes someone else’s baby but I am excited to report that there are big plans for PATH400 beyond Buckhead. The City of Sandy Springs has completed design all the way up to where GDOT has built the section of the trail that goes right through the middle of the 285/400 interchange connecting from Peachtree Dunwoody Road down to the Glenridge Connector. Sandy Springs will begin construction on the first section around summer of this year.
I hope you’ll make a point to get out on PATH400 when spring weather returns to Buckhead. If you enjoy biking, mark your calendar for March 24 when we are co-hosting a group ride with Big Peach Ride+Run. If running is more your style, join us on May 4 for buckheadRUN!, our annual 5K along PATH400. And if a casual walk is what fits you best, by all means please get out and enjoy a stroll on PATH400!
The spirit of Buckhead heads forward. This is the way it has been, and perhaps this is the way it will always be. The spirit of Buckhead points forward. You see it in the way we work, and you see it in the way we play. The reach is always extending further. The search is for excellence and beauty and grace and vibrancy.
We are a community of individuals. We are diverse, we are dynamic, and we are discerning. We are builders. We are connected to one another with a common bond. A common dream. A common quest. Pointing life in one direction. Forward.
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