Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods chair proposes County of Buckhead concept; urges it be vetted

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Thecontroversial administrative shakeup at North Atlanta High School a weekearlier so angered Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods Chairman Jim King that heunleashed from his mental closet a proposal he has been thinking of for four tofive years—creating a County of Buckhead.

BCN Chairman Jim King

Kingdoesn’t want to think about becoming a part of a renewed Milton County as somehave proposed. Nor does he want to create a new City of Buckhead. He wants aBuckhead County. 
"Acounty can raise its own police force. ... its' own school district. We cancontrol the schools and they can to be closer to the people," King said."We could end up having the best not only private but public school systemin the state over night…have the safest community in the state over night… andstill support the city of Atlanta." 
King explained, “Buckhead could still be within the citylimits of Atlanta, just like part of Atlanta now is in DeKalb County.”
King told the neighborhood representatives attending themonthly BCN meeting at Peachtree Presbyterian Church, “I think things have gonetoo far. Drastic steps are necessary….Maybe it is time we (Buckhead) demand afull loaf,” King said.
King added that it seemed to him, regarding the way thesituation was handled at North Atlanta High, “Race, politics and class weredriving the school thing that happened. Does that sound like Atlanta? I thoughtwe had gotten beyond that,” he added.
King pointed out that attorney Glenn Delk, who represents theHistoric Brookhaven neighborhood at BCN, suggested a city of Buckhead a coupleof years ago and King admitted he didn’t think that would work at the time. Delk, a supporter of charter schools, presently is representing the North Atlanta High interim principal Mark MyGrant who was abruptly removed from the post last week.
Explaining that he has sat on this idea of a County ofBuckhead for four to five years, King said, “The time has come that I think itneeds to be vetted.”      

BCN representative attorney Glenn  Delk

Takinghis option as chairman of the organization of 28 Buckhead neighborhoods, Kingstated his viewpoint: "The kids are the ones who are being cheated in thiscity. This community is being ignored. ... We have a school board that is notreceptive…After this week, the superintendent probably can't be trusted. ...That’s a lot of stuff to try to grapple with. People supporting Atlanta PublicSchools from Buckhead have had enough and are willing to look at any and allactions that will remedy the situation." 

However, State Rep. Edward Lindsey, whorepresents most of Buckhead, is an attorney and is the Republican majority whip, said there are several constitutional legal issues withKing's idea, on both a federal and state level.
Firstof all, Lindsey said that under the state constitution, in order to “bust acounty apart,” all citizens of the existing county must approve the measure."That's going to be awfully difficult to do," he said. The south part of Fulton County, whichincludes most of the city of Atlanta, is not going to vote for that, heexplained.  

State Rep. Edward Lindsey of Buckhead

Furthermore,Lindsey said, the most recent proposals have been to change law so that only the residents in what would be the new county would vote on the issue instead of all the residents of the existing county. He said that violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Federal law does not allow taking away the voting rights of some people in deciding their future and fate, he added.

And, he added that the state constitution would have to be amended to allow 160 counties instead of theexisting 159 counties.
Lindsey said people outside of Fulton County would notlook favorably on splitting the county. Those in rural counties would fear thesame might happen to them as a result, he explained.

The state representative agreed the idea of a Buckhead County should be vetted. "I think all ideas should be on the table and be fully vetted," he added. 
 On the issue of education, Lindsey he favors “parenttriggers” to take existing traditional schools to a “conversion charterschool.” He said he held off this past session on proposing such legislationand “felt good about that decision until this past week.” He said he will bepresenting that legislation this coming session of the General Assembly.
Lindsey said “conversion charter” has been upheld in otherstates and does have some bipartisan support in Georgia. He said it also caninclude cluster charters, which might include North Atlanta High with SuttonMiddle School and the elementary schools that are part of the feeder cluster.

"Folks in north Atlanta by and large have achoice and most are well off enough to send kids to private schools, Lindseytold the group. “Fortunately, people choose to put them in public schools, andradically they have helped improve them. I don’t want to see us back up, I wantto see us go all in….I think it will require us to have more control of ourschools in the north side of town."

Editor's note: Check back on this story on Friday. We will attempt to advance it with additional information. 

Buckhead a big winner as Carter’s Inc. reported moving headquarters to 8 floors in Phipps Tower

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The news about Atlanta-based Carter’s Inc., the children’sclothing company, has been fast and furious in the past few weeks, and it lookslike Buckhead will be the very big winner.
 In September, the AtlantaBusiness Chronicle announced that Carter’s was looking to move its headquartersfrom Midtown to Buckhead.
Thursday, the BusinessChronicle announced Carter’s will move its retail store, ITand financial operations—and about 200 jobs—from Shelton, Conn. to its Atlantaheadquarters by the end of 2013.

The Phipps Tower office building in Buckhead

Today, the Business Chronicle has announced Carter's hasapparently committed to lease about eight floors at the 20-story Phipps Towerin Buckhead owned by Manulife Financial Corp.
At present, Carter's has more than 100,000 square feet, orseveral floors, in Midtown’s Proscenium building, also owned by Manulife.Manulife could not accommodate the company's expansion at its Prosceniumbuilding.
The Business Chronicle reports the nearly 200,000-square-footheadquarters lease would be one of Buckhead's largest ever, and it could bevalued at more than $70 million over at least a dozen years, excludingconcessions and escalation, according to commercial real estate brokers.
The move would instantly give Carter's headquarters much greatervisibility, the Business Chronicle reports. Phipps Tower rises next to theluxury mall Phipps Plaza and stands over Georgia 400 at Lenox Road.

This map shows the location of Buckhead's  Phipps Tower office building 

It would also mean that all the Buckhead buildings of the lastdevelopment wave would be at least 70 percent leased, according to the BusinessChronicle. Vacancy was almost 30 percent in 2010 after the spec officebuildings 3630 Peachtree, Two Alliance Center, Terminus 200 and Phipps Towerwere completed.
The jobs that would be moving here from Connecticut  as a result of the announced consolidationThursday by Carter  would includepositions in retail merchandising and store operations, finance, andinformation technology. The company, which has long been headquartered in theAtlanta market, currently employs about 1,200 people here.
The consolidation move will cost the kid’s clothing manufacturer$35 million to $40 million, according to the Business Chronicle.

Michael D. Casey

“We have a long and successful history of doing business inGeorgia,” said Michael D. Casey, chairman and CEO of Carter’s, in a statement.“Atlanta is a very compelling place to live and work. We look forward tobringing our Connecticut-based operations to Atlanta, which will strengthen ourcollaboration and ability to provide consumers with the best value andexperience in young children’s apparel.”

Carter's, which has had a presence in Georgia since 1925, alsoopened a 1 million-square-foot distribution center in Braselton, approximately50 miles northeast of Atlanta, this summer. The company will invest more than$50 million over the next three years in its Braselton facility and employ morethan 1,000 full- and part-time employees by 2015.

AseraCare Hospice

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Are you a licensed barber, beautician or nail technician?  Or certified to provide Healing Touch or massage?

Do you enjoy reading to others, playing a musical instrument, listening to music, watching videos, playing cards, or working with arts and crafts?

Would you want to share your time by helping others with minor chores like picking up their mail, doing light housekeeping jobs or filling their bird feeder?

Would you be interested to hear someone share the story of their life with you?

If any of these interests apply to you--and you have as little as two hours of free time each month--then you are qualified to make a big difference in someone's life as an AseraCare Hospice volunteer! 

Our volunteers provide care and services to patients every single day.  You may volunteer to spend your time with a patient near your own home, or you may provide services in other communities.

If you are ready, willing and able to become an AseraCare Hospice volunteer, we want you on our team!  Please call our volunteer coordinator Sonji Brown at 800-974-4677 or 770-698-8785.


Requirements for volunteers (provided by AseraCare at no cost to you):

• 4-10 hours of training
• Background check
• Physical exam, drug test, TB test
• Proof of current driver's license and auto insurance

The Borgen Project

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The Borgen Project believes that leaders of the most powerful nation on earth
 should be doing more to address global poverty. We're the innovative, national
 campaign that is working to make poverty a focus of U.S. foreign policy.
The Borgen Project's Regional Directors serve as ambassadors
 for The Borgen Project in their city and play a crucial role in efforts to improve
 living conditions for those surviving on less than $1 a day.
Key Responsibilities:
- Attend one (30-60 minute) conference call every week with the President of The
Borgen Project and Regional Directors from across the United States (6PM PST, 7PM
MST, 8PM CST, 9PM EST).
- Meet with local congressional offices and lobby for legislation that improves living
conditions for those living on less than $1 per day.
- Mobilize people to contact congressional leaders in support of timely povertyreduction legislation.
- Manage and implement fundraising campaigns.
- Build a network of people engaged in the cause. - Serve as The Borgen Project's ambassador in your city.
Opportunities:
- Regional Directors will have the opportunity to utilize their background and come up
with new ideas for furthering the cause.

Details:
Regional Directors operate independently from home and maintain contact with The
Borgen Project's Seattle office. Regional Directors sign a 6-month contract. The
position is volunteer and roughly 4-6 hours per week. Directors attend a conference
call every Monday evening.
http://www.borgenproject.org

HOW TO APPLY 
To apply, send your resume to directors@borgenproject.org. If selected for an
interview, please spend extensive time on the website beforehand. Applicant’s
knowledge of the cause is a deciding factor in the hiring process.

Mayor Reed's Centers of Hope Project

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Location: Thomasville Recreation Center                    1835 Henry Thomas Drive                    Atlanta, Ga 30315Description: Volunteer opportunities involve working with children in the after school program at the Thomasville Recreation Center. Positions available include volunteer tutors, gym volunteers, volunteer dance instructor, volunteer music instructor, volunteer drama instructor, teen program volunteer, and general volunteers. Volunteers are needed anytime between 2:30-6pm M, T, W, Th, and F.Contact: Phoebe Kann                 Volunteer Coordinator/AmeriCorps VISTA                 pkann@handsonatlanta.org                 (404) 979-2771Website: iamatlanta.org

Be Rich Campaign

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Small Deposits = BIG change

Credit: North Point Community Church, www.howtoberich.org

Do you ever feel like the money you give is just a drop in the bucket? 

Does it sometimes seem like your contributions are insignificant with such GREAT need?

Each dollar, each dime, each hour can and does make a difference.  Let me show you how you can see the difference that you are making. 

Would $1 million seem like a good start to something big?  What about 8,000 hours of community service?  Would accomplishing this great feat in just 7 weeks seem BIG enough?  In Atlanta, and throughout the world thanks to their online community, North Point Ministries is reaching high when it comes to giving  to those in need.  Sunday, October 30, 2011 was the launch of their annual Be Rich Campaign. In his message on Sunday, Andy Stanley discussed how most of us are rich, even if we don’t think so.  Some factors he uses to identify whether you are rich are things like having a change jar at home, having money in your wallet, or keeping extra money in your car’s “ashtray”.  To listen to his compelling words about participating in this great campaign, click here.  No one can say it quite like him.

The specific causes that NPM have zeroed in on are: Sickness, Poverty, Hunger & Children at Risk.  They are partnering with several organizations to donate money for medical equipment, basic needs, and, well, LOVE.  As he says in the link above, all of the money and volunteer hours that are raised from this campaign will go directly to the charities.  North Point Ministries will not be taking admin fees or any other “cut”.  100% will be sent to their partner charities.  To read more about this campaign, please visit their website at www.howtoberich.org.  Whether you attend one of North Point's campuses or not, this is a great opportunity for you to be a part of something SO much BIGGER than yourself.

Taste of Atlanta 2011 Update

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Miton's Cuisine & Cocktails Booth at Taste of Atlanta

Last month, I introduced you to Taste of Atlanta and how they were giving back to the community with this year's event which was scheduled for October 22-23, 2011.  You can catch up with that article here. I am happy to announce their great success with this event.  At this year's two day event, their silent auction raised over $25,000 for Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters Program, which is a cooking-based program that provides a strong foundation in nutrition, cooking and household budgeting through specialized courses for adults, teens & children.

 
Thanks so much to everyone who took time to go support great charities while enjoying amazing food.  To see more pictures from the event, visit the Knowtable Facebook here.

Atlanta Botanical Garden - Garden Lights Holiday Nights

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Atlanta Botanical Garden's Garden Lights Holiday Nights

Have you flipped your holiday spirit switch yet?  You know, Thanksgiving IS over and that’s what you’re SUPPOSED to do, after all.  Some have found that Black Friday (or maybe even Cyber Monday) get their festive juices flowing, but sometimes that’s all it takes to suck whatever joy you did have right out of you!  Either way, if you’re looking for more or just hoping to keep what you have, I have found the perfect nonprofit event for you.

The Atlanta Botanical Gardens is debuting Garden Lights Holiday Nights.  It will run from November 17, 2011 - January 7, 2012 from 5 pm to 10 pm.  The dazzling lights are inspired by nature and include luminescent bees & butterflies, as well as topiaries that dance to the holiday music.  Live Carolers enhance the experience as you stroll through the beautiful gardens. 
 
If the scrooge in you has got you thinking about our environment and the effects of such a huge display of lights, you’ll have to find something else to bring you down.  The Garden has chosen energy-efficient LED lights that only use 300 watts of power (that's equivalent to the power usage of your kitchen blender) and runs on Georgia Power’s green energy sources, such as solar power and biomass.

Atlanta Botanical Garden's Garden Lights Holiday Nights

 So, gather the whole family, purchase your tickets here, experience 1 million lights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Garden Lights Holiday Nights, and enjoy all your new found Christmas cheer.

Atlanta Botanical Garden's Garden Lights Holiday Nights

*Note: they will be closed Christmas Eve & New Year's Eve

Can't we all just get along?

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I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Holiday and stuffed themselves! I traveled to NC and was the center of attention at the holiday family gathering. Everyone loved me and said what a great dog I was ... Heck Yeah! :)

I was exhausted after all the travel, and when I got home I was ready to just hang with my buddy Pickles. Here we are on a lazy, dreary Sunday morning. awwwwwww now why can't we all just get along like this... side by side and squishy faced!?

I hope you all are geared up for the holiday season. Please be safe if you are traveling, and enjoy your friends and family! I know I will!!

AND Don't forget to book your holiday pet care needs with Buckhead Pet Pals - the sooner you book the better! :)

Ciao for now!
Rocky

I'm a lucky boy

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Hey Everybody -

  I'm a lucky dog you know.  During the school year and I'm at home during the day without any human company, I have my best buddy Mr. Pickles to hang out and play with.  And we really do play together.  My girls think its really funny to watch us playing, I just know its a ton of fun.  And in the summer time my brother and sister are home to hang with me, which makes me that happiest.

And on the occasion, I tell mom in the morning that I'm coming to the office with her.  That's where I get to see Catherine, Tiffany and play with Mr. Bill and my huge dog bone.  I mean, it really doesn't get any better than that.

Here's a pic of me and Mr. Pickles together.  Somedays when I come back from my midday walk with Laurie, Mr. P is hanging out on my bed waiting for me.  He might pretend like he doesn't enjoy me licking his head, but I know he loves it.

Hope all of you have as many great adventures during your days as I do!  And if you need a midday walk during the day like me, tell your humans to call Buckhead Pet Pals - they can help!

Peace out -
Rocky

Volunteer Your Summer With Outreach 360

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A Life-Changing Summer Adventure
If you are looking for an incredible experience this summer that will change your world and the world of hundreds of children, a volunteer experience with Outreach360 may be for you!  Children in disadvantaged neighborhoods in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua lack access to basic opportunities, and most reach adulthood without the education or training needed for college or a skilled job. By volunteering in an Outreach360 neighborhood center teaching English, literacy, and community health, you help to break the dead-end cycle of poverty by giving these children a world of choice. Join us for one week to three months for this life-changing summer adventure. 
This summer, volunteers will make a lasting difference by conducting learning camps for the many children we serve in rural communities, many of whom would not have this type of opportunity without you! Join us in the Dominican Republic or Nicaragua for 1 week to 3 months for this life-changing adventure! 
For more information visit http://www.outreach360.org/programs/summer 

Mentor Immigrant and Refugee Youth

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The Go-Betweener Mentoring Program Unique Philosophy:  “Go-Betweeners” 
Immigrant and refugee youth have the experience of "going between" their culture at home and American
culture at school and in the community. This can prove to be especially confusing and challenging. Often,
these youth are able to learn English and adapt to American culture faster than their parents, but with
little support and guidance present as their parents are usually working multiple jobs to make ends
meet. They are at particularly high risk for falling behind in school, dropping out, or becoming involved with
drugs and gangs.

We match both 1st and 2nd generation youth (ages 7-17) very specifically with mentors who are:
• also immigrants and refugees;
• who speak the same home language; and
• are from the same (or very similar) home culture, and if they were born outside of the U.S. they
have been in the U.S. for several years.
This way, they are able to relate to and support their mentees in a way that no one else could. They
understand the unique challenges that their mentees face, and they are able to communicate effectively
with their families - connecting them with resources in the community and helping them to learn to be
successful in American culture while maintaining their roots with their own culture.  

A mentor can:  
• be a caring and supportive adult presence
• help with school work
• help with English skills
• help their mentee to set and work towards goals
• connect their mentee (and sometimes his/her family) with resources in the community
• foster an attitude of succes
Other information about the program:
• We thoroughly screen our mentors through in-person interviews, background and reference checks.
• The program is community based. This means that mentors and mentees schedule activities together
independent of Culture Connect. They may participate in community service projects; attend cultural
festivals, or visit museums, theatres, and venues such as the Zoo. Sometimes, they just hang out and
talk while cooking a meal or walking in the park.
• The program requires mentors and mentees to spend at least 4 hours per month with each other for 1
year.
There is an application process and training required for both mentors and mentees.
Contact us for more information today!


Culture Connect, Inc.

P.O. Box 250          
Clarkston, GA  30021       
tel. (404) 292-8457 x 4 
fax (404) 292-8458 
www.cultureconnectinc.org

Nicholas House

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Share your talents or fun activities with our kids during Nick’s Activity Hour every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 to 8:30pm! Watch a movie, play games, help with homework or do an arts and crafts project! The possibilities are endless and they all start with you. Because you’re fun and kids adore you. Woo-woo!
Location: 830 Boulevard SE, Atlanta, GA 30312
Background Check Required: Fill out our form: http://tinyurl.com/nickshour
Contact: Yvonne Druyeh (404) 622-0793 x 106
http://www.nicholashouse.org/

Global Soap Project Warehouse Team

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The Global Soap Project recovers and recycles soap from American hotels and facilitates a process by which it is sanitized and remolded into new bars, then distributed to vulnerable populations worldwide. In 2011, GSP collected over 200 tons of soap that would have ended up in the landfills, produced 60,000 new bars of soap, and distributed bars to eighteen different countries around the world. 


Volunteers are needed to: 


• Sort the soap donations from hotels and take inventory
• Inspect and clean the previously used soap of any hair or other particles; get rid of any bad soap 
• Cut bars of soap from the reprocessed soap created by the machine 
• Put soap in boxes and move boxes to storage area of warehouse 
• Break down and set up boxes as needed 
• Help keep the warehouse neat and tidy 
• As needed, drive to hotels in the metropolitan Atlanta area to pick up donated soap, and/or drive to local grocery stores to pick up donated cardboard boxes 


Requirements: Volunteers must sign a waiver to participate. This project may involve some heavy lifting and/or using a blade for cutting soap (only those 18 and over can participate in cutting soap). Make sure you wear clothing that can get dirty, closed-toe shoes.  Volunteers must be at least 12 years old with adult supervision to work in the warehouse and 18 years old to drive.  Those driving must show proof of a driver’s license and automobile insurance.  


This project is not accessible for wheelchair users and because of the strong soap scent, may not be appropriate for those with chronic respiratory conditions.  Volunteer shifts are either 9:00am-12:00pm or 1:00pm-5:00pm.  Please be on time and plan to stay for the duration of your shift.  If you are more than 30 minutes late to your shift, you may be asked to re-schedule your volunteer time.  This project site is located in Norcross.


Visit handsonatlanta.org to sign up for this opportunity.

Mayor Reed's Centers of Hope Project

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Location: Thomasville Recreation Center                    1835 Henry Thomas Drive                    Atlanta, Ga 30315Description: Volunteer opportunities involve working with children in the after school program at the Thomasville Recreation Center. Positions available include volunteer tutors, gym volunteers, volunteer dance instructor, volunteer music instructor, volunteer drama instructor, teen program volunteer, and general volunteers. Volunteers are needed anytime between 2:30-6pm M, T, W, Th, and F.Contact: Phoebe Kann                 Volunteer Coordinator/AmeriCorps VISTA                 pkann@handsonatlanta.org                 (404) 979-2771Website: iamatlanta.org

Heritage Society, Business Association planning Buckhead’s 175th anniversary celebration event

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In 1838, Henry Irbypurchased just over 202 acres of land surrounding the present intersection ofPeachtree, Roswell and Paces Ferry roads for just $650.

Irby soon established ageneral store and tavern at the junction and a small crossroads community wasborn…the community today known as Buckhead.
On March 1 of next year,the Buckhead Heritage Society, in partnership with the Buckhead BusinessAssociation, will hold an evening gala event at the Buckhead Theatre tocelebrate the 175^th anniversary of the founding of the community.

The restored Buckhead Theatre will be the site for 175th birthday event.

The theatre, itself abit of Buckhead’s history, stands at the historic hub of the once ruralsettlement and across the intersection from where Irby’s Tavern once stood.
The two honoraryco-chairs for the event are Charlie Loudermilk, who in recent years paidmillions to restore the Buckhead Theatre to grandeur, and Sam Massell, theunofficial mayor of Buckhead and probably the Buckhead community’s most activepromoter.

Wilbur Kurtz's watercolor of Henry Irby's Tavern circa 1850, courtesy of
the Atlanta History Center. 

Thinking of what those202 acres Irby bought for $650 are likely worth today, brings to mind a phraseoften pitched by Massell, president of the Buckhead Coalition: “If you buy abit of Buckhead and take care of it today, it will take care of you tomorrow.”
That is somethingBuckhead Heritage and the Buckhead Business Association hope many will considernow as they begin seeking sponsors for the March 1, 2013 event.  The two groups are seeking corporate and individualsponsors willing to contribute between $1,000 and $10,000 to preserve the community's history for future generations to enjoy.
Proceeds from the event,billed as “Buckhead’s 175^th Anniversary: Yesterday, Today andTomorrow,” will benefit the creation of a “Master History Plan” for thecommunity that will map out how to integrate historic sites and stories intothe Buckhead Collection—a system of new parks, trails and green spaces beingspearheaded by Livable Buckhead, Inc.

Wright Mitchell,
president of Buckhead
Historic Society

According to WrightMitchell, president of Buckhead Heritage Society, “The history planning projectwill develop our storylines, identify which sites we should use to tell ourhistory, and recommend the best ways to share each story with thecommunity—through signage, exhibits, public art, publications or digitalmedia.”
Guests at the March 1 eventwill experience a photographic retrospective of Buckhead’s history, which willeducate, entertain and encourage those guests to share their own memories ofthe ever-evolving community of Buckhead. But that is not all, guests will alsoenjoy music, dancing, drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
In addition to thehonorary co-chairs, Caroline and Boyd Leake are co-chairs for the event and thehost committee chairs are Blain and Ivan Allen, and Carter and Hampton Morris.
Those $10,000 PresentingSponsors will get 12 tickets for guests to the event with access to a privateVIP section, prominent recognition on all printed and electronic eventpromotion, company name and logo on up to 1500 invitations, company logo on theBuckhead Theatre marquee prior to and during the event, company logo andhyperlink on web pages and newsletters of both Buckhead Heritage and BuckheadBusiness Association and other promotional opportunities.

Honorary co-chair
Sam Massell

Honorary co-chair
Charlie Loudermilk

Gold Sponsors at $5,000get eight guest tickets with access to the private VIP section and $2,500Silver Sponsors get four guest tickets with access to the private VIP section.The $1,000 Bronze Sponsors get four guest tickets to the event.  The other some of the other benefits remainthe same for all levels of sponsors, but some benefits disappear as the sponsorlevel gets smaller.
Sponsor commitment mustbe received by Dec. 14 of this year for recognition on the event invitations.So, think about investing in a bit of Buckhead today, if 2013 budget planningis now underway.
For further informationabout sponsorships or the event, contact Erica Danylchak, executive director ofthe Buckhead Heritage Society, at 404-467-9447, or email her atedanylchak@buckheadheritage.com.
For more informationabout Buckhead Heritage, go to www.buckheadheritage.com and for information about theBuckhead Business Association go to www.buckheadbusiness.org.

Buckhead's Regent Partners buys King & Queen corporate complex in Central Perimeter market

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Buckhead-headquartered Regent Partners LLC has acquiredConcourse Corporate Center, home to Atlanta's "King and Queen"buildings, which mark Atlanta’s Central Perimeter market for commercial development.The purchase price was reported at more than $300 million.

The signature King & Queen office towers of Concourse Corporate Center,
with the Westin Hotel at left backing up to the lake of the 20 year old
64-acre Central Perimeter market development. 

The 64-acre Concourse Corporate Center, located at theintersection of I-285 and GA 400, includes 2.2 million square feet in twohigh-rise towers and three mid-rise office buildings, a Westin Hotel, theConcourse Athletic Club and KinderCare Child Learning Center.
"Concourse has historically been known as the premieroffice and mixed-use environment in the Central Perimeter submarket," accordingto David Allman, founder and chairman of Regent Partners, in a AtlantaCommercial Properties E Newsletter report.
"We look forward to securing that position for the longterm by undertaking substantial steps forward in the areas of service andvalue-added, capital-related improvements," Allman added. 
Concourse’soffice towers are collectively 83 percent occupied, but the partnershipbelieves it can attract new corporate tenants because of its access to MARTA,amenities, and upgrades to the Hammond Half-Diamond Interchange.
The new ownership of the 20-year-old development includesaffiliates of GEM Realty Capital and Equity Group Investments, along with fundsmanaged by Farallon Capital Management. The seller was TIAA-CREF. CBRE Inc.brokered the transaction.

Charlie Heard new VPof development for Sembler in Atlanta

Charlie Heard

Charlie Heard has been named The Sembler Company’s vicepresident of development and Southeast market leader based in the firm’sAtlanta office. He replaces Jeff Fuqua, who left the firm months ago toestablish his own company, Fuqua Development.
According to the report by REBusiness Online newsletter, Heard’sduties include pursuing new shopping center development opportunities inGeorgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Heard has more than 25 years of real estate experience in retailand residential development as well as commercial land sales in the Southeast.His past retail clients include Publix, Kroger, Target, The Home Depot, BestBuy, CVS/pharmacy and Walgreen’s.
Crocker Partnersacquires Prominence building in Buckhead

Prominence office building in Buckhead

Boca Raton, Fla.-based Crocker Partners has acquired the18-story, 432,000-square-foot Class A Prominence office building in Buckheadsubmarket for $105 million, according to REBusiness Online newsletter. 
The building is located at 3475 Piedmont Road in Buckhead.
Crocker Partners owns and manages approximately 2.5 millionsquare feet of office space in the Atlanta market. “Our strategy focuses ontop-tier assets in second-tier cities,” says Tom Crocker, managing partner withCrocker Partners.
TIAA-CREF and Equity Office Properties sold the property, whichwas under contract this past summer.

APS head Davis discusses removal of North Atlanta High administration with angry parents, students

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AtlantaPublic Schools Superintendent Erroll Davis Jr. faced a capacity crowd ofparents and students at North Atlanta High School Tuesday night to explain theabrupt removal of the interim principal Mark MyGrant and several top members ofhis administration last Friday.

APS Superintendent Erroll Davis Jr. 

Hismessage was clear: Administrators were abruptly reassigned because the schoolwas, at one point, in danger of being taken over by the state, for poorperformance Davis told a hostile meeting with parents and students in a filled gymnasium.
“Thisschool needs to be a lot more than it is,” Davis told an audience that was bothstunned and angry. “If we didn’t do anything here, the state would have seizedthis school and fired all the leadership in the process.”
Schoolofficials removed interim principal Mark MyGrant, assistant principal MelissaGautreaux and three of the school’s academy leaders Friday. But, denyingreports by some media and parents, Davis said none of those removed from theirpositions were escorted by security out of the school.
HowardTaylor of Gwinnett County Public Schools has been hired as North Atlanta High’snew principal and will start Oct. 29. In the interim, Sid Baker, formerprincipal of Sarah Smith Elementary, will serve as principal and eight centraloffice administrators will also help with the transition.
NorthAtlanta High is known for its International Baccaleureate program, one of theoldest in the southeast, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution report.In 2011, its graduating seniors received more than $20 million in scholarships.

The crowd started gathering early for the 6 p.m. meeting with Davis in
the gymnasium of North Atlanta High School. 

The AJCreports that 52 percent of its students receive free or reduced lunch, belowthe system average of 76 percent. In 2010-11, the most current year available,SAT scores were 1,439 — higher than the system average of 1,312, according tostate data.
But thesituation Davis described to parents Tuesday night was much different. Hereported that  test scores lagged at theschool and administrators became apathetic. The school’s graduation rate standsat 62 percent. He also pointed to structural flaws in the school, although hewouldn’t be specific.
“Thisschool has a lot of potential,” he said. “But its performance data says itneeds to be turned around. This should be our premier school in this city,” he toldthe large audience gathered in the school’s gymnasium. 

"We are moving into a $100 million facility," Davis said referring to the news high school to open in 2013. "I want out performance as a system and as a school to be on that level as well."   

Howard Taylor who
will begin as the new
principal on Oct. 29. 

Davispointed to performance data for the school that shows for “2007-2011, a 5 yearperiod, this school did not make AYP (average yearly progress).  We are aNI4 school, under state monitoring and reporting.  If you miss one moreyear, 6 years, you go to NI5 status.  If we did nothing here and had thesame performance this year as last and went to NI5, the state would have seizedthis school and fired all leadership in the process,” he explained.
“Thegood thing is the state has given us an AYP waiver and the state will not takeover this school,” he announced.
“We aremoving to Common Core, a higher standard, and I think it is a legitimatequestion for me to ask ‘If I have a team that didn’t make the lowest standardsfor the past 5 years, why would those leaders make the higher standards overthe next year?’ he told the audience.
“Graduation rate here 62%, but 7th from the bottom in APS,” hesaid.  “Sixty-two percent means we are failing every 4 out of 10 of ourchildren.”  
Davistold the audience, “I looked at performance and I’ve come to the conclusionthat with a dynamic new principal coming that I want him to have everyopportunity to succeed.  He’s turned around schools, he can pick goodleaders and he’s gotten outcomes and results.  I am putting him in aposition to do that,” he added.

Mark MyGrant, who was
removed as interim
principal on Friday.

In themiddle of Davis answering a parent’s question, removed interim principal MyGrant, whohas vowed to clear his name, walked through the gym to screaming and applausefrom students and parents.

Those who arrived early to the meeting were greeted by students on the sidewalks with signs reading "We deserve answers," according to the Northside Neighbor newspaper. And earlier in the day, parents held a press conference at the school where they distributed shirts saying "APS Customer Satisfaction 0%," the Buckhead Reporter reported.
Startingalmost a half-hour after the announced 6 p.m. meeting time, Davis began bytelling the audience, “Many of you have wanted to ask me questions and this iswhy I’m here.  Thank you for showing passion for your school, particularlyfor the students. It’s important for you to understand how this process worksas well,” he said.
“Let meadmit in advance, we potentially may have an unsatisfactory discussion,” Davistold the audience of parents and students. “As many of you well know, it’s inappropriate todiscuss specific personnel matters in a public forum. I will not talk aboutindividual matters.”
He saidthat after he presented his overview, “I will answer some questions. You willhopefully get, if not satisfaction, clarity,” he added. Questions he got andquestions he fielded for more than an hour and a half.
Onequestioner asked Davis: “When did you decide that it wasn’t necessary to notifyour parents before you made this decision.”
Daviscalmly, but forcefully answered: “Your question implies that I should consultparents on every personnel issue. There is never a time when I seek a set ofpermissions from people who do not have to carry out the duties that come withthe responsibility.”
For anunedited blow-by-blow account of Davis’s opening remarks and the questions andanswers during the session as reported live by APS staff, go here.

Case status still big ? in theft of E. Rivers PTA funds

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It has been more than seven months now—spanning two school years—since the theft of E. Rivers ElementaryPTA and Foundation funds by a Buckhead parent, bank officer and PTA presidentfirst became news. There still is no indictment in the case and no indicationwhen or if there will be one.

The encouraging news isthat Zone 2 Community Prosecutor Tiffany Harlow, of the Fulton County DistrictAttorney’s Office, is now in the process of reviewing the files she receivedfrom the detectives in the Atlanta Police Departments Major Crimes Major FraudUnit. 
To update our readers onthe case, here are some of the facts as they have unfolded:

Marie Arjomand photo at
time of her arrest in April

• Last March, news storiesappeared about major amounts of funds—meant to go to the E. Rivers ParentTeachers Association and the school’s Foundation to support extra-curricular studentprograms—that had been diverted by former PTA president Marie Arjomand to a bankaccount to which only she had access.
• The bank account wasopened by Arjomand at the Signature Bank in Sandy Springs, where she was anemployee and officer. The account application included the forged names of atleast two other officers of the E. Rivers PTA, one being the PTA’s treasurer,Shane Lord.
• Although it stillremains unclear exactly how much money was diverted by Arjomand from the PTAand Foundation, estimates have ranged from $54,000 to well over $100,000.
• The case has beeninvestigated by the Atlanta Police Department and the APD arrested Arjomand inApril after turning over the case to the Fulton DA for prosecution. Arjomandgot out of jail immediately on a signature bond.
• In what many consider anadmission of guilt, Arjomand reportedly has repaid at least a portion of thefunds she is accused of diverting from the PTA and Foundation.
• In the early summer, thecase was kicked back to the APD for further investigation by Fulton CountyDistrict Attorney Paul Howard because, Howard said, the APD investigator hadonly talked to one person—Arjomand.
• Shane Lord, one of thekey persons whose name was forged on the bank account documents, has never beeninterviewed by either the APD or the Fulton DA’s staff to date.
• For months now, somemembers of the PTA, who were involved with discovering and reporting the theftsin the first place, have refused to talk about the investigation and, in fact,have tried to squelch any discussion of the crimes.

Zone 2 Community Prosecutor
Tiffany Harlow

 Only BuckheadView, amongthe local media, continues to pursue a resolution to the investigation andpossible prosecution of the case—trying to keep it from becoming a cold case.
Harlow said this type ofcase would normally be handled in the white collar crime section of the DA’soffice. However, “I have taken an interest in the situation” and she now hasbecome involved in determining if there will be an indictment or not.
“We are not going toindict until we are actually sure” about the elements of the case and theproper course of action, Harlow told BuckheadView this week.  She is working with the person in charge ofthe white collar crime section within the DA’s office in evaluating thematerials presented by the APD, which she received about three or four weeksago.
Harlow told BuckheadViewthis week this is a case that impacts the Buckhead community and there is agood deal of community interest in it. As she attends community meetings she hasoften been asked questions about the case, including many from BuckheadView.
She said this is acomplex case with a lot of investigation reports involving statements frompeople involved with the PTA and school administration, information from anaudit of the bank and the account that was opened there, and it involves a lotof numbers, not all of which apparently match up or add up.

Fulton DA Paul Howard

Asked if there had beenadditional investigation work done by the APD after the DA’s office initiallykicked the case back to them because of insufficient investigation, Harlowresponded, “A little more.” 
DA Howard was questionedby BuckheadView about the case July 11 when he was presiding over theintroduction of Harlow as the new Zone 2 Community Prosecutor during a event ather Buckhead office on Grandview Avenue.
At that time, Howardsaid his office had originally charged Arjomand but he discovered that “therewas apparently more to the case than was indicated on the (APD) investigator’sreport.”
Howard toldBuckheadView, “We heard from a number of people regarding additional aspects tothe case and discovered that the investigator had only interviewed the womanwho committed the crime and had not done a thorough investigation of the case.”
BuckheadView told Howardof the situation of Shane Lord, an attorney who was the treasurer of the PTAduring the time the theft of funds took place and who had his name forged ondocuments to open the account at Signature Bank in Sandy Springs where Arjomanddeposited the funds. Lord has never been contacted or interviewed by theAtlanta Police investigator.

Marie Arjomand in photo taken when
she was an officer of Signature Bank

Arjomand was an officerof Signature Bank and was the agent of record for the bank’s holding company,Signature Bankcorp. The account was opened in the name of the E. Rivers PTA,but Arjomand was the only person authorized to withdraw funds from the account.
Arjomand did not takethe funds (estimates range from $54,000 to over $100,000 over a period of threeyears) out of the PTA’s legitimate bank account at Bank of America. Shepersonally collected the funds from individuals and organizations who pledgedthe money to the PTA and deposited those funds in the Signature Bank accountrather than the PTA’s Bank of America account, according to statements by Lord,former presidents of the PTA and police documents. 
Howard said in July theLord situation is exactly the type of information his office had received thatmade him kick the case back to the APD for “further, proper and thoroughinvestigation.”
However, BuckheadViewcontacted Lord on Wednesday and asked if he had yet been interviewed by eitherthe APD or the DA’s staff. Lord said he had not been contacted by anyone fromeither agency.

Shane Lord

Jenny Nix, another ofthe PTA officers who had her named forged on the bank account by Arjomand, wentto the APD on her own and made a written statement that Marie Arjomand hadforged her name on the document that allowed her to open a PTA account atSignature bank.
“I also gave them a copyof the check ($500) that I had written to Lions Pride that she depositeddirectly in Signature Bank as well,” Nix said in an email in June. She said shegave the statement to Sgt. D. M. Ricks and also met Sgt. Cooper, who was theinitial lead investigator on the case at APD. 
Nix wrote that theofficers told her the statement would allow them to file forgery chargesagainst Arjomand.  Forgery is a felony inGeorgia and can carry a 1-10 year prison sentence.
Lord told BuckheadView in late June that Nix told him to go to APD and give astatement, “but I was then told by the PTA to wait until I was contacted byAPD.”

It is another school year at Buckhead's E. Rivers Elementary 

BuckheadVierw asked Harlowthis week if she knew if Arjomand still lived in the Peachtree Hillsneighborhood near the school. Harlow said she did not know. Harlow said theywould only become concerned about where Arjomand is living if and when anindictment is handed down.
Harlow referredBuckheadView to the APD for information about that and any questions regardingthe extent of the investigation.
Harlow made it clearthat it is not the purview of the DA’s office to conduct the investigation in acase like this. It is the job of her office to determine if there is enoughevidence and reason to indict the individual for a crime and, if so, toprosecute the individual. Stay tuned.

Urban Design Commission likely to defer action until Oct. 24 on Randolph-Lucas House demo application

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The issuance of demolition permit for Buckhead’s historicRandolph-Lucas House by Atlanta’s  Officeof Buildings likely will have to wait a little longer after the city’s Urban DesignCommission was expected to defer a “review and comment” hearing Wednesday afternoon untilOct. 24.

Randolph-Lucas House in front of 2500 Peachtree Condominiums

The 2500 Peachtree Condominiums Association has submitted a Review and Comment Application with the AtlantaUrban Design Commission that was to have been heard at 4 p.m. on Oct. 10 atCity Hall.
However, Buckhead HeritageSociety President Wright Mitchell on Tuesday predicted the commission would decide to defer thehearing and vote for two weeks on the recommendation by city's  staff.
The condo association is seeking "reviewand comment" on their plan to demolish the Lucas House and replace it withan "open air pavilion." As required by city ordinance, theassociation has also cross filed with the Office of Buildings for a demolitionpermit for the house, which is located in front of the condominiums onPeachtree Road at Lindbergh Drive.
The proposed "open air pavilion" must occupy the same footprint as the house if it replaces the house and that amounts to 2,625 square feet, according to Mitchell. 
However, Mitchell told BuckheadView over coffeeon Tuesday that the Urban Design Commission must, according to city procedures,hold its hearing and take a vote on the application before the Office ofBuildings can issue the demolition permit. The UDC also most act within 45 days of receiving the application for review. 
Mitchell also told BuckheadView that, becausethe house is only registered as “historic” and not as a “landmark,” whateveraction the Design Commission takes will only become a recommendation. He saidcity law clearly states the Office of Buildings “will issue a demolitionpermit” following the commission’s hearing and action.

Buckhead Heritage Society
President Wright Mitchell

“Since the AUDC has only ‘review and comment’authority over historic structures like the Lucas House, they do not have theauthority to stop the demolition of the house and the subsequent erection of apavilion,” Mitchell told BuckheadView. “The Office of Buildings cannot deny anapplication for a demolition permit provided the requirements of the ‘reviewand comment’ process have been met. And it appears that they have,” Mitchelladded.
TheRandolph-Lucas House is part of the Peachtree Heights Park District, anationally recognized historic site. Hollins Nichols Randolph, a prominentAtlanta attorney, built the red brick residence in 1924. It is a rare remainingexample of the mansions that once lined Peachtree Road in Buckhead.
Whenthe original developer built the condominiums in 1997, one of the stipulationsof the permit was moving the house 35 feet forward from its foundation and torenovate it. After the developer finished the project the condo market tankedand the developer only sold 50 percent of the units. The bank foreclosed on theproperty.
Thehome has sat virtually untouched since the development of the condos. Theassociation, citing the condition of the structure and cost of repairs, beganexploring the demolition permit, prompting a backlash from historians andNeighborhood Planning Unit B members.
Both Mitchell, through Buckhead Heritage, andNeighborhood Planning Unit-B chair Sally Silver have been working to save thehistoric Buckhead mansion from being razed and have been trying to work out anarrangement to move it to another suitable site, hopefully in Buckhead. But Mitchell and Silver have differing views asto the probable fate of the house if the condo association is successful inobtaining the demolition permit. Mitchell believes the association will moveforward to raze the house. Mitchell told BuckheadView he has had about 20 callsfrom parties interested in moving and preserving the house, but it will taketime to arrange for that to happen.
Silver told the board of NPU-B Oct. 2 the issuance of thedemolition permit does not mean it is going to be “demo’ed” because the samepermit is required to move a building as is required to demolish it.

Neighborhood Planning Unit-B
Chair Sally Silver

Silversaid she too is working groups interested in preserving the home, but saidthere will be no formal announcements until all of the details are finalized.And, she said she has been meeting frequently with the management of the condoassociation. “The condo association is in no way shape or form threatening totear down the building,” Silver said.
Mitchellwas asked if he thought the condo association was moving forward aggressivelyto obtain a demolition permit as a tactic to spur some greater activity amongthose who want to preserve and move the house to another suitable location anduse.
Mitchelladmitted to BuckheadView that if he were the attorneys representing the condoassociation, “I likely would recommend pursuing the same course” as they arefollowing.
Hesaid he understands that the condo association wants to get the house off theirhands because it is very costly to repair and maintain and it cannot be used bythem because there is no active certificate of occupancy issued for the house. 
Hesaid he would love to see the house moved to a location where it could berepaired and used as a community center or a facility for an arts organizationor maybe even a clubhouse for a golf course, maybe some use at Chastain Park.But he admits there are no public or charitable funds available for somethinglike that.
Hesaid there are two estimates for moving the house that are in the $350,000range. However, he said the cost of bringing the house up to code foruse—repairing and refurbishing it—could run up to $1 million. He added, “Wedon’t know about that because the condo association has not allowed us to takeexperts in the property to come up with estimates.”
Hesaid no one is realistically going to agree to pay to move the house withoutknowing what it is going to cost to refurbish it. Mitchell said the condoassociation has said it would allow people to do that type of review of thehouse, but only after the demolition permit is issued by the city.