A renovation project at the very heart of East Atlanta Village has been shut down with a stop-work order after developers added a second story that wasn’t permitted, according to city records.

The 515 Flat Shoals Avenue property in question most recently operated as Dollie's Ice Cream Parlor for nearly a decade, and had also been a market and tax preparers’ offices, among other uses. It’s located across the street from Mary’s, Banshee, Grant Central Pizza and other well-known EAV establishments.

As for what it’s going to become, nobody—including the developer—seems to know.

The city issued a building permit last month for stucco work, painting, and a roof renovation estimated to cost $25,000.

In late July and again on August 5, the city issued stop-work orders because no permit had been issued for a second-floor addition atop the structure, according to the city’s Office of Buildings.

The East Atlanta Village building in question, in February. Google Maps

The revised look of 515 Flat Shoals Avenue today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The building permit applicant is listed as Darrell Ellison of Landman Development Group. When reached by phone Monday, Ellison told Urbanize Atlanta the situation is basically a misunderstanding, in that work recently completed atop the building is for repairs.

“We just had to redo the roof—it was leaking,” said Ellison.

Ellison said he’s overseeing numerous projects right now and couldn’t say what plans for the 515 Flat Shoals Avenue building entail exactly. He promised to put a reporter in touch with the project’s architect, but that hadn’t happened as of press time.  

A previous incarnation of the building and site overview. LoopNext

Johnathan Barhite, chair of NPU-W that covers East Atlanta, said the building recently sold but that he’s not privy to what redevelopment plans are either.

“It’s been pretty quiet from the new project other than the stop-work order,” Barhite wrote via email.  

According to LoopNet, the 1,728-square-foot building has stood at the intersection of Flat Shoals and Glenwood avenues since 1959 and now includes 20 parking spaces.

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