Atlanta, GA
Developer hopes to create a ‘city within the city’ along Atlanta’s Beltline
From thousands of affordable and luxury housing units to a community with schools, restaurants, and hotels, a developer wants to transform dozens of acres of property along the Beltline in Southwest Atlanta.
The 25-acre property off Sylvan Road SW currently includes vacant lots and empty warehouses.
However, developer Mike Abebe hopes to transform his property into a community where people can live, work, and play.
“This would impact the whole city of Atlanta,” Abebe said.
The high school dropout and Ethiopian immigrant is one of the largest single private landowners in the city and said he plans to create a development that promotes investment in the inner city of Atlanta.
“For me, my entire career has been in inner cities, and I’ve seen inner cities being de-invested instead of invested in,” added Abebe.
Abebe is partnering with the architectural firm Perkins and Will to design the renderings of the proposed development.
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He plans to create over 4,000 residential units, which will include both luxury and affordable housing, in addition to places for people to work and send their children to school.
“If you live here, we want to create enough jobs so you can work here. And if you’re a single mom, you can drop off your child by walking. You can pick up your child by walking,” Abebe shared.
Members of the Atlanta City Council recently reviewed the request to allow a zoning change for the development of the land.
If the zoning application is approved, Abebe said he wants construction on phase one of the project to begin in the spring of 2026.
He said the project is estimated to cost over $1 billion and will take about 10 years to complete.
“We have a lot of international investment interest because of the sheer scale and size of this,” Abebe said.
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Trees for Tuition raises money for scholarships
A holiday tradition that began as a small side project for two Atlanta teenagers a decade ago has grown into a major scholarship program helping local students pursue college dreams — all through the sale and delivery of Christmas trees.
ATLANTA – A holiday tradition that began as a small side project for two Atlanta teenagers a decade ago has grown into a major scholarship program helping local students pursue college dreams — all through the sale and delivery of Christmas trees.
What we know:
The effort, called Trees for Tuition, started in 2015 when founders Jack and Will decided to use a pickup truck to deliver a few Fraser firs to neighbors. That first year, they sold about 30 trees. Last season, the business expanded dramatically, with nearly 4,000 trees delivered across metro Atlanta and more than $50,000 donated to support scholarships and local nonprofits.
Trees for Tuition now operates seven locations across the metro area. Customers can visit in person to select a tree or schedule a delivery online as early as the next day. The group sources most of its Fraser firs from North Carolina, with additional Noble firs shipped in from Oregon.
The founders say their goal is simple: make buying a Christmas tree easier for families while giving Atlanta teens and young adults a financial boost toward their education.
What you can do:
Tree lots are open from noon to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends, including Friday. More information is available at treesfortuition.com.
It’s a busy day of travel at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. And although there are a few delays, there have not been any cancelations as of noon. We also now have more info about what happened to the flight to Amsterdam that was canceled on Tuesday night.
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A man was shot to death at a northwest Atlanta apartment building on Tuesday night, according to police.
Atlanta police said they responded to a person shot at an apartment building located at 361 Oliver Street NW, near the Vine City neighborhood.
Officers reportedly found a man with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police have not released further details, including the victim’s name or if they’ve identified suspects.
This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First for updates.
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