Best Atlanta Neighborhood 2023, FINAL FOUR: East Atlanta vs. Hapeville Josh Green Wed, 12/27/2023 - 15:11 As part of ongoing Best of Atlanta 2023 coverage, Urbanize’s Best Atlanta Neighborhood tournament kicked off two weeks ago with 16 places vying for the prestige of being called the city’s greatest.
Now, for each Final Fourcontest, voting will be open for just 24 hours. Please, let’s keep the tourney fun and positive, as one neighborhood rises above the rest in very public fashion. The quest to crown a champion resumes now!
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(10) East Atlanta
In round one action, No. 10 seed East Atlanta pulled a minor upset by booting Chamblee (No. 7) from contention. A much more impressive feat came during the Elite Eight, when East Atlanta-nah-nah-nah ousted tourney titan Old Fourth Ward, edging by with 53 percent of votes.
Courtesy of Adams Commercial Real Estate
Unlike several voted-appointed competitors in ’23, East Atlanta is a bona fide ATL neighborhood, with a famed village at its core where change is persistent, but gloss never outweighs funk. This year saw a unique Starbucks concept bow out in EAV, which some might consider worthy of bonus votes. But elsewhere, artist Greg Mike’s church makeover is very much moving forward, like a nearby infill project on Flat Shoals Avenue with relatively attainable housing in its mix. On the bougier side of things, East Atlanta wasn’t lacking in new options this year, either. As the tourney’s 2016 champion, East Atlanta clawed to the Elite Eight last year but was ousted by current trophy-holder Avondale Estates. Could that keep lighting a fire under this perennially hip eastside district? We shall see.
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(14) Hapeville
Tournament newbie Hapeville is off to a banging start after trouncing “West Midtown” in the first round—and then snagging 71 percent of more than 1,400 votes against Edgewood over the holiday weekend. Not too shabby.
How the seven-building Signal project relates to Porsche's expanded North American headquarters, at right, with the airport situated beyond that. Courtesy of South City Partners
No wonder. In recent years, historic and artsy Hapeville has emerged as the darling of south ITP growth, owing in no small part to its next-door proximity to the world’s busiest airport and Porsche’s North American Headquarters, among other factors. And for a city of less than 7,000 people, it’s also a fiercely proud, neighborly place. This year saw Hapeville add a nifty public greenspace and splash pad fed by natural springs. Just a few blocks from the city’s charming downtown, Porsche’s second phase debuted in 2023 with a new 1.3-mile handling circuit that’s nothing short of exhilarating. Elsewhere, the thoughtful remake of a 1950s gas station came alive, while Hapeville’s residential explosion continued with projects such as Signal and Serenity. (And yes, FYI, all ITP cities are allowed in the tournament, as always.)
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Best of Atlanta 2023 Best Atlanta Neighborhoods Best Atlanta Neighborhood Where to Live Atlanta Atlanta Neighborhoods Urbanize Tournament Polls Urbanize Polls East Atlanta Hapeville
Subtitle Who should advance to the Championship? Cast your vote now!
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