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Eye care building razed to make way for suite complex
WEB eye doctor
The Professional Eye Care site at 556 W. Oglethorpe Highway has a void where a building constructed in 1970 once stood. The building was razed Thursday to make way for an 8,000-square-foot suite complex. - photo by Danielle Hipps

Residents may notice change along Highway 84 across from Kroger in coming months, as the 1970 building that was home to Hinesville Professional Eye Care was demolished Thursday.

In its place, a new 8,000-square-foot, energy-efficient complex will be constructed, according to practice owner Dr. Joseph "Jody" Pittman. In the interim, the practice is operating out of a space in front of Coastal Manor Long Term Care in Ludowici.

"We were limited by space and wanted to bring it up to more modern standards," Pittman said, explaining the desire to build.

The new clinic will allow the practice to serve more patients concurrently and will have an expanded area for optics sales of regular frames and sunglasses.

"It’ll be something to see when we’re finished up. We’ll have very fashionable brands," he said.

When it opens in the new building, Professional Eye Care will have multiple new designer brands.

Pittman said he hopes the expanded optics offerings will reduce the need for customers to head to Savannah for their eyeglasses needs.

Once complete, Pittman’s clinic will fill about half of the brick structure, and another 4,200 square feet of rental space for other professional offices will be designed, with 40 parking spaces serving the area.

Four professional office condos from 1,050 square feet to 2,400 square feet will be available in the facility.

Pittman said several types of doctors have expressed interest in the space, but its use will not be limited to medical practices.

"This facility represents my commitment to our wonderful community," said Pittman, who assumed ownership from Dr. George Grant in 2003.

In furthering his commitment to the community, Pittman is working with locals to complete the project. P.C. Simonton & Associates civil engineers, Circle M Construction, Merill Levy Architects of Savannah, Dennis Waters Development Company and Palm Coast Utilities all have a hand in the work.

"As a local business owner, I take great satisfaction in keeping our jobs at home by using local contractors," he said. "Most are patients that have previously trusted my care, and now I have the opportunity to trust them."

Through the move, the practice will continue to serve most insurance companies and TRICARE.

Pittman, who spent six years on a submarine with the Navy’s Submarine Service, said he feels especially close to the military families and supportive community that he serves.

"I am extremely grateful to God, my wife, Anne, and our fantastic staff, our patients and referring physicians. Without each of them, none of this would be possible," he said.

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GPA grows trade, market share
Intermodal volume up 20 percent
port photo
Rubber tired gantry cranes handle cargo at the Chatham Intermodal Container Transfer Facility at the Port of Savannah. The Georgia Ports Authority's Mason Mega Rail project will double rail lift capacity to 1 million containers per year by 2020 - photo by Provided

The Georgia Ports Authority achieved 14 percent growth in March container volumes, moving 355,208 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers.

From July 2017 to March, TEU container trade grew by 9 percent, or 255,786 additional units for a total of 3.08 million, a new record for Savannah.

"Savannah's continued strength is a reflection of our customers' commitment, Georgia's leadership, and the many dedicated service providers, GPA employees and ILA members who come together every day to achieve great things," said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. "March marked our 17th consecutive month of business expansion thanks, in part, to a strong economy and growing market share."

Intermodal rail volumes jumped by 20 percent in March and 15.4 percent for the fiscal year to date, for a total of 318,454 containers handled over nine months – another record for the GPA.

"As the numbers show, our rail cargo is growing at a faster pace than our overall trade," GPA Chairman Jimmy Allgood said. "This is important because rail is playing a key role in our responsible growth strategy. We anticipate our rail infrastructure investments to take 250,000 trucks off the road each year by 2020."

The GPA recently broke ground on its Mason Mega Rail Terminal, on which the Port of Savannah will build 10,000-foot unit trains within its own footprint. From the expanded rail infrastructure at Garden City Terminal, Class I rail providers CSX and Norfolk Southern will provide direct rail service to major Southeast and Midwestern markets from Memphis to St. Louis, Chicago to Cincinnati.

An added benefit is that the Mason Mega Rail project will move all rail switching on terminal – improving vehicle traffic flow around the port.

In August, the GPA will open its Appalachian Regional Port in Murray County. Located in an industrial belt, including the production and export of carpet and flooring, automobiles and tires, the ARP will provide an alternative to all-truck transit to Northwest Georgia.

Each round-trip container moved via the Appalachian Regional Port will offset 710 truck miles on Georgia highways.

March was also a strong month for roll-on/roll-off auto and machinery units at the Port of Brunswick and Ocean Terminal in Savannah. Colonel's Island Terminal in Brunswick handled 66,144 cars, trucks and tractors, while Ocean Terminal added 4,050, for a total 70,194, a 17.2 percent increase.

"The global economy is thriving and our volumes are following suit," Lynch said. "As existing accounts grow their footprint in the expanding auto facility in Brunswick, Georgia's competitive logistical advantages are drawing additional business across all of our docks."

Lynch noted that for the fiscal year to date, Mayor's Point breakbulk terminal in Brunswick grew by 44 percent (34,515 tons) to reach 112,728 tons of forest products. At East River Terminal, bulk cargo expanded by 34 percent July-March (189,918 tons) for a total of 750,384 tons.

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