STATEWIDE—Georgia’s transportation authority is continuing its quest to gather more information for potential intercity rail transit between Atlanta, Savannah, and possibly other cities. (Clearly, a good sign for rail enthusiasts.) 

In early 2025 and again last summer, the Georgia Department of Transportation conducted a public survey to gauge Georgians’ interest in a potential ATL-to-Savannah rail line. Another quick survey with a different slate of questions opened Wednesday, as conducted by GDOT’s Atlanta to Savannah Project Team. 

Our test run took about three minutes to complete.

The project study area in question covers a wide swath of Georgia. Georgia Department of Transportation

This newest questionnaire mostly gauges Atlantans’ desire (and budgets) for an alternate means of reaching the historic gem that is The Hostess City. A sample (intriguing) question: 

“If you could travel between Atlanta and Savannah in 2.5 - 3 hours (one-way), and did not have to drive yourself, meaning you could use the time to relax or be productive, what is the maximum you'd be willing to pay for this service?”

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WEST END—Those long-swirling rumors about a major hospital bringing a potentially transformative investment to West End's historic warehouse district MET Atlanta appear to be grounded in fact. 

Citing new state filings, Axios Atlanta first reported that Charlotte-based Atrium Health aims to build a 40-acre medical campus, initially as a 50-bed “general teaching hospital” associated with Morehouse School of Medicine up the street, marking its first metro Atlanta facility. 

The MET’s 600 Murphy Ave. location is directly east of MARTA’s West End station (though connectivity isn’t direct) and a few blocks from 17 miles of completed mainline Atlanta Beltline. Atrium purchased the property in 2024.

Spanning 1.1 million square feet, The Met dates to the early 20th century, when it was built by Coca-Cola founder Asa Candler. Creative, industrial, storage, and other uses have come since. Carter

The hospital campus would aim to plug healthcare voids left by the closure of Atlanta Medical Center in Old Fourth Ward and AMC South in East Point, but it doesn’t appear likely it will offer even half the bed capacity of the former Old Fourth Ward facility. Plans do call for surgical services, an emergency department, and diagnostic imaging, with possible perinatal and neonatal services for delivering babies. Other phases of development could see academic, research, office, retail, and even residential uses, Axios reports. 

Previous reports have indicated Atrium’s plans could be in the ballpark of an $800-million investment, with an incentive of $115 million in public funding included. 

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MIDTOWN—A comprehensive glow-up for a sizable portion of a landmark Midtown property is complete. 

Law firm Miller & Martin PLLC recently completed a renovation of its Atlanta office spanning 34,000 square feet at Regions Plaza at 1180 W. Peachtree St. The firm has been located at the 24-story, 503,000-square-foot tower since 2014 and last year renewed its lease for another 13 years. The renovation—designed by ASD|SKY and led by general contractor Humphries—wrapped six weeks ahead of schedule, with a goal of improving functionality, modernizing the space, and creating opportunities for staff and attorney collaboration, per company reps. 

The Midtown project “reflects a broader shift in how law firms are thinking about their physical offices,” reads a recap. “Rather than reducing footprint and walking away from in-person work, Miller & Martin’s renovation signals a commitment to the office as a place worth investing in.” 

Here’s a peek: 

Courtesy of Miller & Martin

Courtesy of Miller & Martin

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