Posts by Jim Durrett
34th Annual Buckhead Coalition Luncheon renews energy, mission
Collaboration Key to Continued Progress. A Message From Buckhead Coalition Chair Eric Tanenblatt. I shared recently some markers of progress Buckhead achieved over the last few years—things that impact the well-being of our families, like enhanced public safety and municipal services—but I must confess some hesitancy. Success can breed complacency, and Buckhead has been very…
Read MoreBuckhead Coalition and Gas South Donate $310,000 to the Shepherd Center!
Gas South donated $310,000 through the Buckhead Coalition, more than tripling their previous donation in 2022. The donation will benefit the creation of a Gas South Family Recreational Room at the new Arthur M. Blank Family Residences. This will accommodate the increased family housing demand that will follow the expansion of Shepherd Center’s inpatient and…
Read MoreA conversation with Russell McMurry, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Transportation
Jim Durrett, president and CEO of The Buckhead Coalition, has three questions for Russell McMurry, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Transportation. Q: Russell, we have known each other professionally for quite a few years and serve on the MARTA board together today. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. The I-285…
Read MoreA Message From Buckhead Coalition Chair Eric Tanenblatt
The new year brings the opportunity to reflect on where we’ve come—the divisiveness we’ve managed to put behind us—and where we hope to go. For communities, as individuals, it’s a season of new possibilities and resolutions. So here’s mine: claim Buckhead’s mantle as Georgia’s most prosperous boomtown. A record 107,000 people called Buckhead home this…
Read MoreJim Durrett Recognized for CID Leadership by Council for Quality Growth
The Council for Quality Growth held its 14th Annual CID Recognition event and honored Jim Durrett with the 2023 CID Professional Excellence Award. Durrett has been the executive director of the Buckhead CID for the past 14 years. This is in addition to Durrett’s duty as the president and CEO of the Buckhead Coalition. The…
Read MoreNight in Blue Celebration at the Buckhead Theatre
In celebration of the Atlanta Police Department’s 150th anniversary, more than 600 people came together on November 4th for A Night in Blue at the Buckhead Theatre. The event was hosted by the Atlanta Police Foundation and the Buckhead Coalition was the presenting sponsor. Mayor Dickens, Chief Schierbaum, Eric Tanenblatt and Jim Durett of the…
Read MoreBuckhead Coalition Public Safety Priorities Validated by New Crime Data
Crime is down and enforcement is up A Message From Buckhead Coalition Chair Eric Tanenblatt The pandemic-era crime wave that shocked and frightened so many Buckhead families and small businesses wasn’t unique to our community. But our ability to decisively reverse that trend is unique. Even as violent crime continues to climb in other metropolitan…
Read MoreOutreach on The Hill: Addressing Homelessness in Buckhead and Beyond
By Jim Durrett, President of Buckhead Coalition and Executive Director of Buckhead Community Improvement District, and Adam Mathes, President of Prime Power Services The calendar invitation read: “Virtual and in Person: Homelessness Encampment Emergency Meeting.” It came from Mayor Andre Dickens and the meeting was for later that afternoon on Thursday, November 10, 2022. The…
Read More‘You can’t say no to growth’: After cityhood fails, Buckhead looks to future
For years, the tree-canopied neighborhoods and high-rise commercial district have coexisted in Buckhead, but not always harmoniously. Traffic. Density. Crime. At various times, those issues exposed tension between the priorities of the neighborhoods and the commercial core. The Buckhead cityhood movement intensified the conflicts, which were rooted in pressures from rapid growth. Now months after…
Read MoreMontreal: A Public Realm Built for Joy
By Jim Durrett, President of Buckhead Coalition and Executive Director of Buckhead Community Improvement District, and Michael Halicki, Executive Director of Park Pride Festivals. Public art. Walkable and bikeable streets. Night-time LED illumination. A highly valued public realm. People are out and about like you wouldn’t believe! As one of my fellow LINK participants remarked,…
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