The company behind the Corner Market and Village at Almand Creek Apartments has started the process of studies for the 308-acre plot of land in Conyers that has long been in the works for mixed use commercial and residential development.

A company spokesperson said project was not related to the Baxter International medical manufacturing development, which broke ground in August, but could benefit from the increased attention brought by the manufacturer's decision to set up a $1 million medical manufacturing campus in the Stanton Springs Industrial Park, 20 miles east of Conyers.

"It’s not related per se," said development coordinator David Roeper. "If it doesn’t do anything else, it brings more attention to the I-20 east corridor. That news clearly impacts us."

The project, estimated to break ground possibly as soon as the end of 2013 and be built over 10 years, would have about 1,400 residential units and 580,000 square feet of commerical space. The land is north of Flat Shoals and south of Iris Dr. and bounded by Johnson Road. The Y of Metro Atlanta also expressed strong interest earlier this year in establishing a new facility at this development.

4A International recently filed for a Development of Regional Impact study with the Ga. Department of Community Affairs, a study required for development projects over a certain size.

Roeper said the Development of Regional Impact study would take about four to six months to complete and would result in a set of recommendations from the department of community affairs. 4A is also still working on rezoning the property, which has several natural features, including streams, wetlands, old hardwood trees and granite rock outcroppings. Roeper said the intent is to build those features into any development.

4A also completed the Village and Almand Creek apartments in 2003 and the Corner Market on the corner of Flat Shoals and Parker Road in 2008. Those are part of a 100 acre mixed use tract that was rezoned by the city of Conyers in 2010 and awaits more development.

The tracts are part of 700+ acres owned by 4A International, which is part of The Al Batha Group, a private, multinational business in the United Arab Emirates. 4A has owned the land since the early 1980s.

According to the website for this newly development, newchoiceforconyers.com. Roeper said these mixed-use, compact developments are clearly in demand.

"What those experiences, plus market studies and demographic trends, all point towards is an increasing demand for compact, walkable, mixed-use environments that encourage healthy living," he said on the website.

Newton and other surrounding counties don't have large inventories of medium to higher-priced homes that Baxter employees making $60,000 or more a year will likely want.

In a previous interview, Genevieve Compton, executive officer of the Newton County Home Builders Association, said there's evidence from other plants that Baxter employees are willing to live within a 30-mile radius.

Covington News Editor Gabriel Khouli contributed to this article.

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IN BRIEF: The company behind the Corner Market and Village at Almand Creek Apartments has started the process of studies for the 308-acre plot of land in Conyers that has long been in the works for mixed use commercial and residential development. However, a spokesperson said project was not related to the Baxter International medical manufacturing development. "It’s not related per se," said development coordinator David Roeper. "If it doesn’t do anything else, it brings more attention to the I-20 east corridor. That news clearly impacts us."

The project, estimated to break ground possibly as soon as the end of 2013 and be built over 10 years, would have about 1,400 residential units and 580,000 square feet of commerical space. The land is north of Flat Shoals and south of Iris Dr. and bounded by Johnson Road. The Y of Metro Atlanta also expressed strong interest earlier this year in establishing a new facility at this development.

4A International recently filed for a Development of Regional Impact study with the Ga. Department of Community Affairs, a study required for development projects over a certain size.

4A completed the Village and Almand Creek apartments in 2003 and the Corner Market on the corner of Flat Shoals and Parker Road in 2008. Those are part of a 100 acre mixed use tract that was rezoned by the city of Conyers in 2010 and awaits more development.