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Movie nights and new businesses start in East Point

Downtown East Point Newsletter August 2014

Atlanta's Fort McPherson wanted by movie powerhouse for studio.

There was a big splashy announcement about a local movie mogul buying a large chunk of our  neighbor, Fort McPherson. Headlines about lawsuits and charges of an inside job appeared weeks later.

To keep you up to speed, here are the developments:

The AJC reported on June 18:

The board of the civilian authority tasked with redeveloping Fort McPherson voted on Wednesday to begin formal negotiations to sell a portion of the former Army post to filmmaker Tyler Perry.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported Wednesday afternoon that Perry has held talks with the city for months about acquiring land at the nearly 500-acre site for a possible movie and television production complex.

Following a vote by the McPherson Implementing Local Redevelopment Authority, or MILRA, Wednesday, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said the city will now begin “robust” conversations with the filmmaker.

... An individual with knowledge of the situation told the AJC the purchase price of the land could be $30 million to $35 million.

The Saporta Report on July 14 published a look at the area with an eye on economic development.  The headline was "Fort McPherson area rich in human rights history, poor in redevelopment."

The fort and its surroundings are not thriving; federal law requires the site to house the homeless; the fort has served as a stockade.

Meanwhile, as Atlanta looks to develop a niche in historic tourism, there appears to be great potential in the Campbellton Road corridor that flanks the fort. The story of human rights in this area involves the region’s earliest white settlers and treaties with Creek Indians.

The Atlanta Business Chronicle on July 17 published news about a lawsuit

An Atlanta entertainment company planning a movie studio and entertainment area at Fort McPherson filed a federal lawsuit Thursday challenging Tyler Perry’s proposal for a similar project.

Lawyers for Ubiquitous Entertainment Studios LLC (UES) claim the firm wasn’t given a fair chance to redevelop the site halfway between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and downtown Atlanta.

UES, working with developer Egbert Perry, began meeting in late 2011 with representatives of the authority in charge of redeveloping the 488-acre site closed by the Pentagon as part of the last round of federal base closings.

...

Perry plans to purchase 363 acres at the site for $33 million.

“MILRA has ... unilaterally selected a sole source developer ... to become the acquirer of all of the Fort McPherson property,” the lawsuit states. “[The authority], its officials, agents and representatives have denied UES a fair opportunity to compete in favor of this sole source award and have rebuffed UES’s efforts to remediate their arbitrary and capricious government conduct.”

Looking for a dog?

Laskey's Lucky Ones would like to find an family for Remi.

Hi, my name is Remi, it's short for Remington and I am a sweet and very handsome boy looking for my forever family. I absolutely love older love kids (7 yrs.+) and like playing with other other dogs. I am silky soft and only 25 pounds. Some of my favorite things are going for walks, watching cartoons and cuddles. I promise to be a perfect pal for any family. Can you help me find my happily ever after?

Ballers as art

Ballers at the Jefferson Park Rec Center. 

This bas relief is on the side of the Jefferson Park Rec Center. (Photo: Dee Claborn)

Dick Lane Velodrome teaches youth and adults new bike skills

The AJC put the Dick Lane Velodrome in the spotlight.  Read more about the youth program.

"The Youth Cycling League has been introducing new riders to the sport since 2003. A project of the nonprofit East Point Velodrome Association, it draws about 120 kids from ages 8 to 16 who want to learn the rules of the track racing. And it’s free; even the bikes and helmets are provided."

A project of the nonprofit East Point Velodrome Association, it draws about 120 kids from ages 8 to 16 who want to learn the rules of the track racing. And it’s free; even the bikes and helmets are provided.

Phone: 404-769-0012

Web: www.dicklanevelodrome.com

East Point hosts filming for upcoming TV show "Constantine"

East Point - The Jefferson Park neighborhood is hosting a film crew shooting scenes for an new TV show. The filming is to take place Monday and Tuesday.


Councilman Lance Rhodes said in a newsletter:

Bonanza Productions will be filming a new television series that will include scenes from Jefferson Park.

The filming is scheduled for July 17th, 18th, 21st and 22nd.

The shoot is taking place around Bryan Avenue and Harris Street.

It is for a new fantasy/horror TV show, called Constantine.  (Watch the trailer here, if that's your thing.)

Funny thing is the notice from the assistant location manager confused Jefferson Park with Fairlie-Poplar in downtown Atlanta, but that isn't all bad.  The neighborhood could be confused for worse.

 

It isn't East Point's first time on the screen. Tinseltown came here to film Prisoners and also Devils Knot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC-NclGLwvI

 

 

 

New businesses open up in downtown East Point

These new business opened shops in the city center.

• KV’s Southern Cuisine – 1509 Norman Berry Drive, 678-592-9552, Newly Re-Opened Restaurant!


• Debbie’s Delight– 2801 East Point Street, New Restaurant! Soft Opening Now, Grand Opening Soon!


• East Point Tech—1596 West Cleveland Ave., 678-278-8421, code school, a digital lifestyle & literacy center


• Stocks and Bonds Clothing Co., 1612 West Cleveland Ave., 678-901-9493, Menswear


• Latest Experience Beauty Salon, 2149 Main Street, 404-906-8707


• Seven Arts Center, 2879 East Point Street, 404-919-9778, Workshops in music, art, photography, acting and computers


• Computers Plus, Inc., 1707 Washington Road, 404-768-1338, Sales & Repair


• State Farm Agency-Traci McCrory, 1526 East Forrest Ave., Suite 250, 678-539-8623


• Joshua’s Closet, 1676 Thompson Ave., 404-600-6523, Community Outreach Organization


• Jasmine NiKol Beauty Boutique, 2781 Main Street., 404-801-HAIR


• Speak Natural Hair Design, 1711 B Church Street., By Appt. Only, 404-946-8539


• The Clothing Warehouse 2824 Church St., Open Tuesday & Thursday Only

 

 

Learn what's happening in East Point, Ga.

Downtown East Point Newsletter July 2014

Looking for new dog?

Say hello to Bruno.

He is available for adoption through Laskey's Lucky Ones & Volunteers.

This boy steals hearts everywhere he goes! Bruno was stabbed and shot with a 9 millimeter gun, but that hasn't broken his spirit! He's quite the social butterfly, loves chasing balls, lounging on patios, going for car rides and getting his belly rubbed. Bruno would do great as an only dog or with a laid back furpal. He's not a fan of cats, but seems to love just about every person he meets! Bruno needs a foster or forever home with a family that will continue his training and love him to pieces!

 He's got a Facebook page - really, who doesn't? - so you can learn more about him.  And he's a kind of a big deal.

Laskey's Lucky Ones & Volunteers (LLOV), a GA non-profit that focuses on the rehabilitation and rehoming of discarded and abused pets. Reach out to LLOV via Facebook.

A graph shows East Point's crime problem

Crime Stats in East Point, Ga, January 2014 to June 2014[/caption]

This chart was compiled by East Point resident Tommy Lee. It shows crime statistics in East Point during the first six months of the 2014.

Tri-Cities High School student earns national theater award.

Jai'Len Josey's portrayal of Effie White in "Dreamgirls" earned the 15 year old national acclaim.

She won the best actress "Jimmy Award" at the National High School Musical Theater Awards earlier this month in New York. 

In other words, this student at Tri-Cities High School, in East Point, is the best in the country in high school musical theater. Her fans recognize her talent. Her online fundraiser to pay for her New York trip brought in $3,600 when her goal was $3,000.

Here's her award winning performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ey_4bgyDsg#action=share

 

And WABE public radio did interviewed the young actress in its City Cafe program. You can hear it by clicking this link.

 

East Point Fire Department makes a push for Code Red Warnings

[caption id="attachment_7067" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Code Red Early Warning is a service offered to city residents by the East Point Fire Department.[/caption]

 

 

The East Point Fire Department wants to enroll more residents in its warning system to deliver key safety information quickly.

Block parties will be held around the East Point in an effort to recruit people to join the warning system.

Fire Chief Rosemary Cloud wrote in an open letter to the community:

Seconds count in an emergency situation, and having the right information within a short

timeframe can mean the difference in successfully protecting yourself, your family and even your

community. CodeRED is a massive, high speed notification system that disseminates a wide range

of emergency advisories within seconds. The system is capable of delivering more than 1,000 calls

per minute at a rate greater than 60,000 per hour to specific groups and Wards. The system was

launched within the City in March 2011.

The scheduled parties are:

Block Parties at the following street locations, dates and times listed:

►WARD A

• July 12, 2014 Warren Way & Headland Dr. 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

• July 19, 2014 Church St. & Williams Ave. 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

►WARD B

• July 12, 2014 Holcomb Ave. & Holcomb Court 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

• July 19, 2014 Parkside Terrace & Sylvan Rd. 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

►WARD C

• September 6, 2014 Hogan Rd. & Dodson Dr. 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

• September 13, 2014 Ben Hill Rd. & Dodson Dr. 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

►WARD D

• September 6, 2014 Charles Dr. & Washington Rd. 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

• September 13, 2014 Washington Rd. & Desert Dr. 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

 

You don't have to wait for a block party to register for the system. Click here for more information to register now.

 

TriCities HS top students sees disadvantages as path to make her "better and stronger."

Olga Lopez-Gomez was the top student in the Class of 2014 at Tri-Cities High School is

In her valedictory speech, “I tried to get across they should endure everything that comes their way, even if it’s very difficult. We’re all living with disadvantages. … That shouldn’t bring them down but toughen them up to be better and stronger.”

In high school, she also enjoyed math club, STEM Academy and the DECA marketing club, where she competed all four years and this year served as club president and school store manager. Club advisor Valencia Parks admires Olga’s gifts and determination.

“She wants so much out of life and she goes full force,” Parks said. “She’s a fireball. … She’s very persistent in whatever it is she’s trying to do. She’s just academically gifted. She’s a leader. … Olga goes above and beyond with everything she does.”

She is profiled in the Georgia Bulletin.

 

 

Live music, relocates to East Point

Live music and food is now here in East Point.

The new place opens on its doors on Saturday, starting at noon to 8 p.m.

The promotion encouraged "musician, actors, poet, singers, all are welcomed" to stop by the open house.

[mappress mapid="90"]

 

Downtown East Point eatery opens

Debbie's Delight opened a few weeks ago. Neighborhood Facebook fans gave it high marks so I ordered breakfast there. It also gave me the chance to meet a person who I've followed on FB for some time.

Location:

The diner filled a spot that unfortunately has has a many incarnations of food restaurants, from Thai to a catering service. Its storefront faces East Point Street , a the intersection with White Way, in the heart of downtown.

What does it look like?

There is ample room in this uncluttered, minimalist restaurant. It has wooden floors and planks of blonde wood as paneling. At breakfast, sunlight made the place even more welcoming.

 


 

Food

After getting my coffee, the waitress quickly brought over my quesadilla filled with egg and cheese. I chose the meat option of bacon, because it is bacon. But there was also the option of ??  The meal, which was cut into thirds, came out nicely browned, giving the quesadilla a nice crunch.  It also came with sides of salsa and sour cream.  The salsa added spicy flavor to the meal.

My companion wanted to some food to go, which created a bit of snafu. The menu promoted Coke products, but the waitress said none were available. She also said the turkey sausage  she ordered wasn't so great, but she said that wasn't the restaurant's fault.

The price for the meal:

$9 for the Breakfast Quesadillas

$1.99 for coffee.

Total: $11.87.

The place takes credit and debit cards.

 

Downtown East Point already has two breakfast places, Thumbs Up, with its American diner favorites, and Suszy Qs, a three meats and a side Southern style of restaurant. Debbie's could make a go of it, especially if it extends its hours to Sunday to lure the waiting crowd which spills out of Thumbs Up.

[mappress mapid="88"]

 

East Point PD looks to red light cameras at dangerous intersections

East Point is looking at installing red-light cameras at "at various intersections throughout the city that have statically shown high accident rates," according to a city document.

The goal is to curb reckless driving, according to city documents.

At least three of these high-tech camera could be watching traffic and waiting to get a snapshot of scofflaw ignoring a stop signal, according to the request for proposal posted on East Point's website.

The document does not identify which intersections where drivers and cars would be photographed. There also aren't any statistics of car crashes in the city.

But the proposal quotes findings to show these cameras improve safety:

Studies have shown that installation of red-light camera systems save lives. A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found red light safety cameras lowered red-light running fatalities by 24% and the rate of all types of fatal crashes at signalized intersections by 17% in a study of 14 large U.S. cities. Source: “Effects of Red Light Camera Enforcement on Fatal Crashes in Large U.S. Cities.” Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, February 2011.

Here are reports exploring whether the camera are a municipal money maker or safety tool:

• NPR


• A pro and con argument about the cameras


• Governors Highway Safety Association

Sealed bids are due July 9.

Food sugestions cover the Tri-Cities

An question asked Facebook about local places to eat exploded into a list of food establishments - from Vietnamese and Southern meat and 3 sides to Mexican.

Below is a map from the suggestions named in the Facebook comments to help you explore the food landscape in and around East Point, College Park, and Hapeville.  (Here's another link to the map.)

Jefferson Park Neighbors unveils new website

Make sure you bookmark jeffersonparkneighbors.org. That'll keep you up to date on activities that make the neighborhood special.

Farmers Market on Wednesday in East Point

 

Don't forget the market is open for business Wednesday, starting around 4 p.m. until dusk.

[mappress mapid="87"]