Conyers City Councilman Cleveland Stroud, Councilman Marty Jones, Mayor Randy Mills and City Manager Tony Lucas visited three sites around Atlanta in an information gathering trip for the Livable Communities Initiative and redevelopment. The group visited the city of Suwanee's new Town Center and spoke with planners and Suwanee City Manager Marty Allen. The group found that Suwanee's early planning and thought process was very similar to what was happening in Conyers, although on a very different scale, said Lucas.

The group also was able to visit Mercy Housing, a national non-profit specializing in senior housing and family.
The Mercy Housing at Ashford Landing, a former government housing project that was renovated into senior living compounds.

"It just shows what you can do with proper management and investment," saidLucas.

The third site they visited was built by Columbia Enterprises, which also specialized in mixed use senior and family housing, but is a for-profit company. "We wanted to see other examples of what people can do," said Lucas.