Hey neighbors!

We know some of you are talented beyond belief…cough cough Stephanie Coffin cough cough..

So the VHCA is hosting a ‘Call for Local Artists’ for one lucky winner to transform a utility box into a work of art. As part of the VHCA beautification funding, we will be sponsoring a local Artist to paint the utility box located near the sidewalk at North Highland Park.

To Apply:

Email your name, zip code, short bio, instagram/portfolio (optional) and conceptual ideas to communications@vahi.org.

Winner will be chosen June 1, 2019.

Note: if this proves popular, more utility boxes may become available!

Also note: the VHCA is still requesting permission to paint said utility boxes, if you have any information or connections with AT&T please contact communications@vahi.org

Meet Beautify VaHi and other volunteers in the main VaHi intersection Saturday, April 13th at 10am for a few hours of Spring planting and beautification! Projects on the list include replacing winter vegetation in existing planters, adding another 10 pots to the main intersection, replanting the Amsterdam parklet, new planters for Atkin’s Park area, and more!!

This is just the Spring facelift we were looking for, and we’d love your help!

BONUS: VHCA has teamed up with a few major landowners to fund-match a Business Node Pressure Washing Project. Peach State Pressure Wash will be cleaning our curbs and sidewalks of gum and debris prior to the Spring Planting to ensure maximum Winter recovery!

We’ll see you out there.

To donate to the cause, please click here.

The popular VaHi event, Summerfest, is right around the corner (June 1 & 2) and just like every year before, we need your help!

Here’s a few ways to get involved:

Volunteer:

It takes over 200 volunteers to make Summerfest possible. Sign up to volunteer for 1,2, or all 3 days to get the most out of your Summerfest experience! Volunteers will each receive a free commemorative t-shirt.

Click here to sign up to volunteer

Sponsor:

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. If you would like to be a sponsor of Summerfest, please email Rick@mixitmarketing or visit the new Summerfest website and click on the ‘sponsors’ tab! Thank you, all money raised goes directly back into the neighborhood!

Like & Share the event online! Click here to follow us on Facebook

The Atlanta Track Club and Publix are sponsoring a cheer party for runners of the Atlanta Publix Marathon at the intersection of Virginia and Highland Avenue on Sunday, March 17th. The cheer squad will set up around 6:30am and the runners should be passing from about 7:30-9:30 am! See map below.

Come out and support your neighbors with cheering and signs!

Hi Neighbors!
You might be thinking you haven’t heard much from Beautify VaHi in a while… BUT that’s because we’ve been planning MEGA for this year! We are taking last year’s momentum with the Perk’s Plus card, Winter Planting and VaHi Stocking Stuffer Market and were quadrulping it! We are so excited to announce a calendar full of neighborhood events and beautification efforts. 

A List of projects Beautify VaHi is working on:

• First, we want to brag on the daffodils we planted by the median sign back in December. They JUST popped up, and somehow it feel like instant gratification. So beautiful.
• Our Co-Founder, Katie Voelpel, is working with the Civic Association toward a Place-making grant from the City of Atlanta to spice up the Va-Hi median with tables and chairs under the existing trees. Application is due March 29th.
• Spring Planting Day is April 13th at 10am. We will be meeting at Art Bath Soul for an afternoon of beautification and maintenance in the main VaHi intersection. Join us! To make a donation of money or supplies, please contact katie@beautifyvahi.com.
• We are scouting a farmer’s market for our VaHi neighborhood residents, hopefully to open this Spring down by Atkin’s Park!
• Looking forward to a pressure washing of the business corridors this month!
• New Easter Wine Walk & Dine event is happening in the main intersection the Saturday before Easter (April 20th). Bring your friends for an afternoon of wristband-access to exclusive discounts, a VaHi commemorative wine glass, with wine and appetizers from local restaurants. Only $25, Sign up now on Event Brite!
• Keep an eye out for a Beautify VaHi Quarterly Newsletter mid-April. Email katie@beautifyvahi.com to join the list! We will be using this platform to update residents and visitors on news and events of each upcoming quarter. You won’t want to miss this! For other updates follow our Facebook @BeautifyVaHi
• A Mother’s Day Sidewalk SALE-bration is also happening. Similar to the Stocking-Stuffer Market we will be hosting independent artists & owners on the sidewalk of the main intersection. Bring your mom/graduate out to this free event on May 12.
• A VaHi Restaurant Week in June? We really hope so! Ask your local restaurant if they are participating.
• The 2nd Generation Perks Plus card is also in the works, set to launch this Summer/Fall.
• Beautify VaHi is also working with Art Bath Soul to create a co-op/community workspace in the back Enrichment Lounge area. For activities like, book clubs, bead-bracelet making, office hours, small workshops, and more. Contact Ben or Kayla at Art Bath Soul For a free booking/tour during business hours.

And that’s about it…for now!
We are so excited, and hope that you will join us for all the fun.

Katie Voelpel
Beautify VaHi, President
Contact Katie@BeautifyVaHi.com with comments, questions, & ideas!

The feedback on what color the sign is going to be…. has been brought to the people! Thank you to everyone who participated in our Instagram and Facebook surverys.

Our designs were made with reference to neighboring examples such as:

We started with about 70 signs and have added a bunch more! No matter what the decision, these are sure to add a fresh pop to our streetscape. Make sure to keep an eye out for these, coming this Summer!

Top That!

They say that street sign toppers encourage a sense of belonging and neighborhood pride. While it’s hard to imagine how one can be more proud of our community, we’re now a few steps closer to having our very own sign toppers to promote our neighborhood’s identity.  A few design mock-ups will be headed to the VHCA board for consideration at their next meeting. Once a selection is made, it’s off to production and up they’ll go! 

content submitted by Chip Franzoni of the VHCA Board of Directors

The Virginia-Highland Civic Association is pleased to report some significant property tax reductions that will result in material savings to the Association on the old library lots–now North Highland Park (at St. Charles Place and North Highland Avenue) that the VHCA owns thanks to some great efforts by past Treasurer George Zirkel and Walter Hotz, Esq., of BOE Tax Appeals in Tucker. Upon George’s request, Mr. Hotz appealed our 2018 taxes on the two parcels and physically attended the County Boards of Equalization hearings to present our case. The parcels were appraised at $174,000 and $157,000, respectively, in 2018 before the appeal and hearing. Mr. Hotz was able to get each lot appraisal down to $100, for a sum total of $200 appraisal value for the combined property/park. What an amazing job that the Association will reap benefits from for the next several years. These rates will be frozen/’locked in’ all the way until 2021 pursuant to the tax statute.

On behalf of the VHCA and all of its’ members, we would like to formally send a huge thanks out to both George Zirkel and Walter Hotz, Esq. Thanks so much!!

Article by David Brandenberger, President – Virginia-Highland Civic Association

From Jennifer Ide’s Office: (Please join us)

The Renew Atlanta/TSPLOST programs, launched in 2015 and 2016, were created to help address the billion dollar infrastructure backlog facing the city. Though the programs have made much progress to date delivering key projects across Atlanta, they face significant budget challenges as we move forward to complete the full initial program scope. Moreover, the cost to deliver the full scope of the initial program considerably exceeds the funding available from the Renew Atlanta Bond and anticipated TSPLOST revenues.

We are working diligently to prioritize and re-baseline the initial program lists to deliver the greatest impact to Atlanta’s above-ground infrastructure and transportation network with the available funds. Through this re-baselining effort, we are dedicated to engaging all stakeholders to help inform the process in a transparent and meaningful way.

As a first step in that process, we encourage you to attend our Public Meetings associated with each quadrant of the city. Bring your neighbors to the first meeting for the Northeast quadrant will be at Grady High School (929 Charles Allen Dr. NE) on January 30 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM

(UPDATE) Public input via survey has been extended to February 7, 2019.

Presentation and Survey can be found here.

Subscribe to the District 6 Newsletter for monthly updates/news/events in our district!

Submitted by Kim Meyer, Trustee, Inman Middle School Foundation

Atlanta Public Schools recently received the amazing news that all 6^th and 7^th grade students will benefit from the T-Mobile Empower Ed program.  What does this mean for Inman? Lenovo laptops will be issued to all 6^th and 7^th grade students in January. In addition, certain students will qualify for wireless “hotspots” to ensure the availability of WiFi service at home.

Thanks to donations from our Inman community that includes our Candler Park neighborhood, the Inman Middle School Foundation had already succeeded in funding over 400 Chromebooks that are already being used in classrooms every day across grades and subject areas. These devices, when added to the new T-Mobile laptops and existing Inman devices, mean that EVERY Inman student will have access to a dedicated device by February!

The Grady Cluster is aligned to support the College and Career Readiness platform for our students. These technology initiatives result in students gaining skills to best prepare them for their college and/or job experiences.  In the shorter term, increased exposure in the classroom helps increase students’ comfort level for the spring Milestones assessments which are conducted on a laptop or Chromebook.  Finally, this technology enables teachers across all grade levels to interact with their students in new and engaging ways while delivering real-time, differentiated instruction based on individual student needs and abilities.

Tenecia Powe, Inman’s Instruction Technology Specialist, said “The most powerful aspect of being one to one is the unique learning experiences that will now be offered to our students. They will be able to interact with content in a way that’s just not possible with the traditional paper and pencil method. Skyping content experts, virtual field trips, and other digital activities take learning beyond the borders of our brick and mortar school. With effective and efficient integration, we will not only engage and instruct our students today, but we will also prepare them for future success in college and careers.”

The success of this initiative will continue to require support in the areas of teacher professional learning, educational software, and technology updates/accessories. Continued financial contributions from our Inman families and community are therefore critical to maintaining the great momentum we’ve built so far.

Please visit www.inmanfoundation.org to learn more on how you can support our Inman Eagles!

Long time Board member, Leah Matthews welcomed her second baby, precious Lila Mae, last weekend. Congratulations to you and your family, Leah!

We’ll see you at the February Board Meeting! Thank you for all that you do.

Each month the volunteer board members of the VHCA, come together with Va-Hi residents to make motions, pass variances, and mold the future of our wonderful historic neighborhood. We invite you to join us for the conversation. Mark your calendar for the year ahead!

Capping off another successful year, the 2018 Virginia-Highland Tour of Homes raised more than $30,000 for the Virginia-Highland Civic Association. Every year we’re reminded of what an incredible neighborhood ours is to call home, and this year was no different! Seven generous neighbors opened up their homes to more than 1,700 visitors over the weekend of December 1^st and 2^nd, showcasing their art, furnishings, and renovations, as well of some of the neighborhoods favorite restaurants. Despite one day of heavy rain, more than 170 volunteers came out to showcase wonderful homes from across Virginia-Highland. Luckily, Sunday brought beautiful weather – and with it a record number of visitors. 

Raising more than $380,000 for the neighborhood over the last six years, the Tour of Homes is a true community effort. We’d like to thank, first and foremost, our homeowners for hosting this year’s tour. We couldn’t have done it without YOU! We’re also very grateful to our advertising and restaurant partners who continue to be so generous each year. Many thanks to those who volunteered throughout the weekend and to our house captains who managed volunteers at each home.

The Tour of Homes Committee works all year long to put together an outstanding event. We’d like to thank each of them for their efforts:

• Home Selection: Jeannie Lightsey (Co-Chair), Robin Ragland (Co- Chair), Pam Bullock, Julie Farmer, and Mary Hallenberg
• Public Relations:  Kitsy Rose PR
• Restaurants: JoAnn Zyla (Chair), Alison Hutton, and Robin Ragland
• Volunteers: Brittany Thacher (Co- Chair), Meghan Pendergast Dean (Co-Chair), Elanor Barrineau, and Karen Murphree
• Graphic Design: Lori Z Joslyn
• Website: Centner Consulting
• Tour Operations:  Sean Davey, Cherry Frederick, and Holle Gilbert
• Signage and Flocking: Cherry Frederick

Last but not least, thank you to Robin Ragland for dedicating your time for the last six years as Tour of Homes Chair. Your hard work and dedication are invaluable and we’re grateful to have you as our neighbor!

If you really enjoyed this year’s Tour and want to be part of an important fundraising effort for our neighborhood, please note that the 25th annual Tour of Homes will be held December 7-8, 2019. We’d love to have you join our team! Or, maybe you’d like your home featured on next year’s tour? It’s a great way to connect with neighbors and finish up that list of projects around the house! For details on how to get involved, contact Chase Johnson at chasevhca@gmail.com.

Contributed by Chase Johnson