Below are minutes for the June 10, 2003, meeting of the Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association, held at the Atlanta-Fulton Central Library. Notes were written by ADNA Secretary Wendy Darling.

Introduction

This was a well-attended meeting with a very full agenda, including everything from recommendations on liquor licenses to a 24-hour homeless service center to a wrap-up of the Downtown Neigborhood Festival.

Welcome & Introductions

ADNA President Dorthey Hurst welcomed residents from many different Downtown buildings, including Museum Tower, The Healey, Muse's, Peachtree Towers, The Metropolitan, 90 Fairlie, 123 Luckie, and more. We were also pleased to have guests from the City of Atlanta, the Commission on Homelessness, Central Atlanta Progress and representative from half a dozen businesses speaking before us about their liquor/beer/wine licenses. We also had reporters from the AJC and The Story.

Committee Reports

ADNA includes several committees and a number of them made reports to members:

• Downtown Neighborhood Festival Committee
  Jennifer Henderson, festival chair offered an overview of how well the festival did.
  • In dollar terms, grossed about $3,500. ADNA is going to use about $1300 on D&O insurance, which is needed by both the organization and the festival. The remainder of funds will be divided between a festival fund (which is building a reserve) and the general ADNA account, to cover ADNA expenses.
  • Jennifer pointed out to many ways in which the festival benefitted the neighborhood: 1) Educated lots of people about the neighborhood, 2) grew neighborhood leadership, 3) provided tremendous volunteer opportunities, 4) gave exposure to a number of minority entertainers, 5) developed new relationships with local businessesand restaurants, 6) helped other non-profits who had booths, 7) gave kids something fun to do (Target-sponsored Creation Station), and 8) gave neighbors chance to take ownership of the 'hood.
  • We will build on this and make an even better festival happen next year!

• Vice-President's Report: Community Advocacy
  Patric Busko outlined the following plans and ideas.
  • 4th of July Parade. Patrick has met with a few people and although plans are coming together late, they are coming together. Overall parade theme is going to be supporting Service members and idea is for ADNA's entry to show support for local police. We have invited APD, GSU Police to participate. We may have a float and may also try to get the Ambassadors to be marching nearby. Another idea is to provide a hospitality area or pinnic for police family afterward. Patrick is organizing, will send out follow-up emails. Obviously will need support from community.
  • Downtown Happy Hour, starting up to run as a regular deal, every other Friday? Local restaurants and bars seem to be signing on to this. Chin Chin has already agreed to June 27th -- we get the patio and they will give us a gift certificate to raffle. Ruth Chris has offered to host us July 11.
  • Downtown/ADNA month calendar. Idea is to do one that's printed and distributed to various buildings.
    

• President’s Report
  
  • ADNA has a new treasurer treasurer, Stan Silver. John Mount resigned due to time constraints.
  • President has been interviewed twice (for newspaper and radio) about pan-handling and the idea of having a "no-panhandling zone" like Chicago.
  • Woodruff Park was recipient of a lot of cleanup by hospitality service industry volunteers who came in the Saturday of the festival and did so much work Downtown.
    

Getting On A Committee
Everybody is welcome to join up to any committee. To lead a committee, you need to be an ADNA member. To sign up, email downtownatl@hotmail.com.

Other Reports

• Winecoff Hotel
  City Councilperson Debi Starnes, who represents our district, gave an update on the status of the proposed development. The Holtze Hotel Company, which has completed successful projects in other cities, is looking for a Section 108 loan from the city. Loan approval is moving forward through Council, pending some details, coordination, committment. According to Debi, prospects looks good, administration seems supportive, and if all goes well, will get approval Monday, at which point the developer can really get going.

Businesses Seeking Permits

• The Mark
  Pablo Henderson, form general manager of Karma, spoke on behalf of the new club being planned for the same space, on Poplar Street. Gave history of Karma, which fit a need when it opened, because a destination, but then "lost its identity." New place will be totally different concept, with new look, feel, style, more appealing to residents, less of a place to host promoters. Hopes to cater to neighborhood more. Wnats to fix past mistakes. Shooting for different demographic, 30 and up. Wants to reduce noise polution. Will be open starting at 5 p.m. on Th. & Fri. for Happy Hour, then open to about 2, later on Saturday. The Mark plans to have movies maybe weekly on Mondays, then do Lounge Night on Tuesday. Pablo says having valet parking wil reduce noise, since fewer people would be walking back to parking decks, under residents' windows. Neighbors city problem of noise, congestion, lack of security? Pablo said people coming to The Mark will be another demographic, much less noisy. Also they will be adding more security.
• Sidebar
  Jose Navarro and Matt Tano, residents of Downtown, are opening up a new Cuban-American restaurant in what used to be the first floor of Karma, on Poplar Street. Entrance will be off of side-alley. It will be a "neighborhood restaurant" with affordable prices, serving half-American, half-Cuban far, including Cuban sandwiches, rice & neans. Interior will be redone, more subdued, with TVs, casual. Hours will be 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. or mightnight. Opening is slated for July 18.
• City Cafe
  Mr. Kim and his attorney spoke about the business in the Day's Inn on Spring Street, which wants to expand to become the hotel's bar, taking over from an existing bar, Everest Longue. Will renovate space, mainly serve hotel patrons. Bar already exists, but he would be the new owner.
• Lux
  Oscar Morales and partners pushed their new high-profile restaurant project, at 89 Park Place, in the former Mumbo Jumbo space. After 4-5 good years, things shifted and Mumbo Jumbo was ready to go. Oscar has prominent restaurant in College Park, Oscar's. Plan is to renovate whole building, keeping original bar and fireplace. Will have a more contemporary look inside, with toning down of exterior color. Big outdoor patio planned for what is currently parking lot (not until next year). Hours would be Mon-Fri. lunch, 5:30 for dinner, open Sat. for dinner. Modern american cuisine, entrees $18-25. Looking for license for patio as well and inside restaurant.
• Honey's
  Owner described it as a "new concept for adult entertainment," an upscale concept based on a European model, with burlesque theme nights for couples, plus a restaraunt, karaoke. Have new plan, more security to chase people off, new upscale concept, based on European model. Cater to local and conventioneers. 6 p.m.-3 a.m. Has plenty of parking. Offered to clean up outside every night
  

Recommendations were approved for the Mark (12 in support), Sidebar (15 in support), City Cafe (15 in support), Lux (15 in suport). There was not a recommendation for Honey's (4 in support, rest opposed).

Homeless Issues, New Shelter

A summary of the presentation and discussion:

• Update from Jamie Henderson, resident and NPU-M member, involved in homeless issue as Social Services committee chair. Committee started 9 months ago and has put a lot of emphasis on looking for regulatory control over shelters and servies. Also trying to help with Peachtree & Pine problem. City is looking to have regualtions too -- Jamie asked to be on that committee. New shelter at Pryor & Garnett is on fast-track.
• Next speaker was Horace Sibley, head of Mayor's Commission on Homelessness. Issued report about a month and a half ago. Mayor adopted the "blueprint" plan.
• Sibley gave details of 24-hour service center getting developed at Pryor & Garnett, near the jail. New concept; this one is for services, not just a "warehouse." Will be intake point for immediate services, temp. facility with therepeutic treatment. Will have very well managed by professionals, Sibley says. Funding is mix, going to private for building and capital, funding for services. Says people will not be bussed in. Real rooms with washroom, step up. To contribute ideas or ask questions about this project, email Horace at hsib@aol.com or United Way at pbolster@unitedway.org. Or write ADNA and will will pass along your message..
  

Downtown Zoning

Jennifer Ball of CAP and Caleb Racicot of TSWA, ADNA planning and zoning committee. New zoning impacts everything and great thing is, it's almost done. All information is available on the CAP web site. Fairlie Poplar specic meeting on Thursday, 6:30-8 p.m. at CAP (Hurt Building on Edgewood). Group pssed out copies of everything.

Jen also plugged the big new Let's Do Downtown 100 days of programming at Woodruff Park, with kick-off Monday, June 15. More info on the CAP web site.

NEXT MEETING

ADJOURNMENT