Landmark Property
 Chastain Memorial Park
When was it Built?
It was built in 1945 under the direction of Fulton County Commissioner Troy Green Chastain and with the help of the Works Progress Administration. It was carved out of a 1,000-acre residential development and originally was called “North Fulton Park.” Prior to that, the land had been used for town hall meeting and then for an almshouse and cemetery.     
Where is it Located?
In Buckhead at 140 Chastain Park Ave NW, Atlanta, GA 30342
How Big is it?
It is the largest park in the city of Atlanta, with 268 acres, including walking paths at least 3 miles around the perimeter.
What’s Unique About this Place?
The park is a great respite from the noise of the city to simply do a quiet stroll through the woods along the tree-lined paths.   
Why Should I Care?
Chastain Park has an abundance of things to do including seeing talented artists at the amphitheater, golfing, playing tennis, enjoying the horse park, and walking and jogging. There’s also a restaurant and cafe called The Chastain

I moved to the Lenox area in the summer of 2016 and am about to move out of the area to a few miles away from here. It’s amazing how much the area has changed in the just over 4 years of being here. What was once a suburban, wilderness, and car-centric landscape has become a very walkable urban district, with close to a dozen new skyscrapers. Atlanta is rapidly growing and changing, and I believe it is only the beginning of what could be one of the world’s greatest cities of tomorrow.

Landmark Property
Icon Buckhead
When was it completed?
2019
Where is it located?
In Buckhead at 3372 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA
Who built it?
Related Group is the developer, the building was designed by Atlanta based Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates and built by Gilbane Building Company
How Big is it?
With 35 stories at 420 ft consisting of 363 luxury apartments and 32,000 SF of ground floor retail space, it is one of the tallest buildings in the Buckhead area of Atlanta
What is significant about it?
The building contains abundant amenities such as a pool deck, a rooftop terrace with a hot tub, and 8th floor club room, a private screening room, and museum-quality art located throughout the property, including a large painting located on the northeast side of the parking deck
Who owns it?
Related Group, one of the most active condo developers in Miami, FL
Why should I care?
On the northeast side of the parking deck is a giant painting called The Distance Between by local artist Deanna Sirlin, an opportunity that came out of a chance encounter between one of the building’s investors and Sirlin’s artwork that was placed in a restaurant in Venice, Italy  

Took these photos while walking around Atlanta on Saturday. The world may be in a difficult and confusing place, but I noticed that cranes are still in the air, new buildings are getting built, families and couples from every race and background were enjoying the beautiful day, teenagers were playing sports. Don't let the noise drown out the reality that there is still much beauty and good in the world. The Lord is still in control and on His throne. Atlanta is still rising. 

Landmark Property
The Sovereign Building
When was this built?
Started construction in 2007; Completed in 2008
Who built it?
 Regent Partners developed the building
Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart was the architect
Hardin Construction was the general contractor
How Big is it?
50 stories tall; including 82 luxury condominiums and 490,000 square feet of class A office and retail
What is significant about the tower?
It is the tallest, and most recognizable building in Buckhead at 50 stories or 665 Ft, easily spotted from Hwy 400
Who owns it?
The office and retail portion are owned by Cousins Properties
Why should I care?
The founder of the Great American Cookie Company, Michael J. Coles, listed his condo at the Sovereign for over $4 million and famous Atlanta lawyer Ken Nugent listed his condo for $1.9 million 

Cool Coffee Shop of the Week
Da Vinci’s Donuts

Who are the founders?
Melissa Rudd and her husband

Where did it start?
In Alpharetta, GA, at 131 S. Main Street next to the intersection of Old Milton Pkwy and South main Street

How many locations are there now?
5 locations total; one at 131 S. Main Street in Alpharetta, one at 5610 Glenridge Drive in Sandy Springs, one at 3393 Peachtree Road in front of Lenox Square Mall in Buckhead, one at 3120 Old Mathis Airport Pkwy, in Suwanee, and one at 145 Dawson Forest Road in Dawsonville

What’s unique about this place?
Melissa has brought self-taught cooking skills, an Italian heritage that involved making donuts with her mother, creativity, and a love for donuts that has turned donut making into a masterpiece

Also, the Lenox Square location is a recycled shipping container

What kind of donuts and coffee do they serve?
The donuts are cake-based, made fresh on site, smaller in size than the typical donut, hand-dipped at the counter, and covered with various great toppings and with 20 unique flavors such as French toast, maple bacon, salted caramel, cannoli, chocolate

Oreo, caramel crunch, caramel pie, and cassata  
Coffee is locally sourced and includes tea, regular coffee, latte, hot chai tea, espresso, iced coffee

Landmark Property
 Cathedral of Christ the King
When was this built?
Groundbreaking occurred in 1937; completed in 1939
Who built it?
 The parish of Christ the King developed it; Henry D. Dagit, Jr. was the architect
How much did it cost to build?
 $400,000, and $35,000 for the land in 1936 prices. The parish purchased the land from the mortgage holder after the Ku Klux Klan had lost the property in foreclosure due to the Great Depression
How Big is it?
The property covers 4 acres
What is significant about the cathedral?
There are over 5,700 families registered with the cathedral and over 100 ministries. The cathedral is the mother church for the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta   
Who owns it?
The Archdiocese of Atlanta
Why should I care?
The cathedral was voted as Atlanta’s most beautiful building in 1939 in an architectural poll sponsored by “Architectural Record” 

OK Café
When was it founded?
July 8, 1987, and had lines out the door after only one week
Who owns it?
Susan DeRose and Richard Lewis
Where did it start?
At 1284 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta, GA, in Buckhead, where it still operates
How many people eat here every week?
12,000 each week and as many as 2,000 on Sundays, more than any other full-service restaurant in Georgia
What’s unique about this place?
The OK Café is an art-filled hallmark of southern hospitality and a staple of the Buckhead community with loyal customers. After a fire that severely damaged the restaurant in 2014, the restaurant’s regulars were able to raise $40,000  
What kind of food do they serve?
Traditional home style country cooking such as the pimento cheeseburger, meatloaf sandwich, BBQ sandwich fries, a wide selection of sides and vegetables such as green beans, triple cheese macaroni, squash souffle, and southern inspired desserts including key lime pie, hot apple pie, chocolate fudge cake, and banana split  

Cool Coffee Shop
Dancing Goats Coffee Bar
When was it founded?
1988; Opened their first roastery in Atlanta in 1994
Who founded it?
Larry and Cherie Challain opened the first Dancing Goats Coffee Bar after launching the                    Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters out of a passion to make the greatest coffee in America
Where did it start?
Olympia, Washington
How many locations are there now?
9 locations total; 5 in Washington state; 4 in Atlanta including: Buckhead, Midtown, Decatur, and Ponce City Market
What’s unique about this place?
 The creative name Dancing Goats is based on an Ethiopian legend about a goatherd discovering his goats full of energy and dancing after eating a small fruit from a shrub. The goatherd ate the fruit also and was dancing too. He had discovered coffee.
What kind of coffee do they serve?
Batdorf & Bronson’s Dancing Goats® signature blend is excellent as an espresso or drip coffee

​Landmark Property
 Lenox Square Mall
When was this built?
1959
Who built it?
 Ed Noble
How much revenue does it generate?
 $1.6 billion in sales revenue as of 2014
How Big is it?
1,457,000 Square feet (that’s 25 football fields)
What tenants are located here?
Neiman Marcus, Apple, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Nike Store, Zara, Tesla, True Food Kitchen, Zin Burger, The Cheesecake Factory
Who owns it?
Simon Properties
Why should I care?
Because Lenox Square is like the Times Square of Atlanta. Always full of people from all over the world. You may even spot a celebrity
Also, Lenox was originally an open-air mall before the open-air concept became popular today with places like Avalon in Alpharetta.