The Curbed Cup, our annual award for Atlanta’s “Neighborhood of the Year,” is kicking off with 16 neighborhoods vying for the prestigious (fake) trophy. We’ll reveal each of the neighborhoods this week, and polls will be open for 24 hours, so you can cast your vote as to which ones should advance. (Seeding from 1 to 16 was determined by reader nominations this month). Now, let the eliminations commence!

Ormewood Park (8)

Thus far, 2017 has been a momentous year for Ormewood Park, which makes the neighborhood’s top-half seeding in the quest for this year’s Curbed Cup no surprise.

Ormewood launched its very own neighborhood festival this year—twice. In late March, the “Meet The Makers Festival” debuted, followed by a similarly themed Christmas fiesta planned for this past weekend until Jack Frost interfered. (Winterfest was postponed until this coming Saturday).

Elsewhere, the close-knit community inched closer to becoming a bona fide Beltline neighborhood as talks of the Southeast Trail (and subsequent new housing sections) moved forward. On the flipside of Ormewood, at Moreland Avenue, news broke in 2017 that an innovative little hub called “Elway” is forthcoming, as the neighborhood’s already eclectic housing stock continued to diversify.

Not to stoke sour memories, but Ormewood Park overcame downtown in the 2016 tourney, only to fall to Kirkwood in the second round.

Reynoldstown (9)

A perennially strong Curbed Cup performer (2016 notwithstanding), Reynoldstown welcomed Christmas early in September with the official unveiling of its long-awaited Beltline section.

Elsewhere, outrage over things like white-painted train depots didn’t overwhelm enthusiasm for vibrant new displays of public art. Or the announcement of Memorial Drive condos (as in, for sale) that could truly live up to their “affordable” billing, with prices starting in the low $200,000s.

Curbed Atlanta

On the large-scale development front, nearby Atlanta Dairies finally gained steam in 2017, while plans continued to solidify for Fuqua Development’s $250-million Madison Yards, and the Moda Reynoldstown project shifted gears toward (also relatively affordable) condo builds.

Back in 2014, Reynoldstown won Curbed Cup gold. Could it charge up from a middle-of-the-pack nine seed to become the first Atlanta neighborhood in history to win this tournament twice? Time will tell.

• The Curbed Cup is coming, Atlanta! Nominate 2017’s best neighborhood [Curbed; nominations are closed]