North Atlanta Today: Dunwoody Approves Shops and a Plaza Instead of Planned Apartments

Dunwoody has approved a new direction for part of High Street, replacing a planned apartment building with a commercial block centered on shops, restaurants, offices and a public plaza.

Monday, November 2, 2026. Reporting cutoff: 11:57 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Weather and road information was checked at that time. The Georgia 400 item below is a scheduled future change, not a live-traffic report.

High Street trades a residential plan for a commercial block

The Dunwoody City Council voted 6-0 on October 26 to approve revised zoning conditions for Block 6 near Perimeter Center Parkway and the Dunwoody MARTA station. The earlier plan called for a seven-story residential building with ground-floor retail.

The approved version allows as many as five commercial buildings, with no more than 140,000 square feet of combined space and a 60,000-square-foot cap on offices. It also requires a public plaza of at least 6,000 square feet and limits surface parking to 60 spaces.

The vote settles the zoning question, but it does not mean construction has started. A final design, tenant lineup and construction schedule have not been confirmed. Read the full High Street update, including the requirements for sidewalks, storefronts and pedestrian connections.

Milton seeks demolition prices before a final purchase decision

Milton is asking contractors to price the demolition of three office buildings on the former Verizon campus in South Deerfield. Together, One, Two and Three Verizon Place contain 433,326 square feet.

The city has not completed its proposed $26.25 million cash purchase of the property. It has been considering the campus for recreation, trails and open space while the acquisition remains in due diligence. The demolition process and the property purchase are separate decisions, and the city may remove one or more buildings from the demolition contract before an award.

Contractors may tour the buildings Wednesday, November 4. Bids are due November 12. Those prices should offer the first direct comparison of demolition costs, but they will not establish the full cost of buying and converting the campus. Our closer look explains what Milton has decided and what remains open.

A Suwanee manufacturer returns with $250,000

Winton Machine Company finished second in the Small Business Administration’s national pitch competition and won $250,000. The Suwanee manufacturer was one of five finalists chosen from more than 1,100 applicants.

Co-owners Lisa and George Winton built the business into a maker of industrial automation equipment with customers beyond Georgia. The prize is a significant result, but the company has not announced whether the money will support new jobs, equipment or an expansion. Read how Winton Machine moved from finalist to national runner-up.

Gwinnett puts homebuyer assistance online

Eligible first-time homebuyers can now apply online for up to $10,000 through Gwinnett County’s Homestretch program. The assistance is structured as a five-year, zero-interest deferred-payment loan. Twenty percent is forgiven each year when the buyer continues using the property as a principal residence.

The home must be in Gwinnett County, and applicants must meet income, mortgage, debt and asset rules. Purchase prices are capped at $371,000 for an existing home and $425,000 for new construction. Our Homestretch guide has the household-income limits, counseling requirement and application steps.

A Georgia 400 change to put on the calendar

The northbound flex lane approaching Windward Parkway is scheduled to close permanently on Sunday, December 13, weather permitting. The affected stretch runs for about three-quarters of a mile, from south of the Webb Bridge Road overpass to Exit 11.

Four regular northbound lanes will remain open, and drivers will still reach Windward Parkway through the two-lane exit ramp. The shoulder lane is giving way to construction for the Georgia 400 express-lanes project. See the lane map and project context, and check Georgia 511 for current conditions before traveling.

Weather look ahead

The National Weather Service forecast issued at 1:26 a.m. Monday calls for a partly sunny day in Cumming with a high near 69 and east-wind gusts as high as 20 mph. Tuesday is expected to reach about 72 under partly sunny skies. Rain becomes more likely Wednesday, with an 80% chance of showers and a possible thunderstorm after 1 p.m. Read the dated National Weather Service forecast.