American Eye Care project moving toward completion

American Eye Care owner Kenny Hopkins is pushing toward completion of a 12,200-square-foot building at the ultra-busy corner of Whittlesey Boulevard and Veterans Parkway, with expectations of having the $700,000 project ready by Memorial Day weekend.

“We’re working away,” Hopkins said Tuesday. “We’re hanging ceiling tiles and lights inside there now. All we lack on the exterior is our Dryvit. It’s coming together. It’s really going to be a nice building.”

When finished, the structure will be home not only to American Eye Care and its two optometrists and staff, but also to North Columbus Pharmacy owners David and Janet Lovett, both pharmacists at their current location a few steps away in Main Street Village. The location is near the large Columbus Park Crossing development.

“We decided to move in order to better serve our customers,” David Lovett said. “In the new location, we’ll have a drive-thru window and more room patient service areas, not to mention a new parking lot with easier access to the store.”

American Eye Care inhabits about 3,000 square feet of the structure, which has been built around its longtime location that Hopkins originally leased more than 15 years ago, eventually purchasing it. The site had been a former Del Taco restaurant, while a former Columbus Bank and Trust spot now serves as the parking lot for the corner development.

While North Columbus Pharmacy will occupy about 3,600 square feet of space on the bottom floor adjacent to the eye care business, a 3,800-square-foot second story is on the lease market and available for a number of uses, Hopkins said. It will be accessible via elevator and stairs.

“With 75,000 cars passing that corner every day, it would be a great location for a boutique, doctor’s office, salon or even a restaurant,” he said. “It’s a wide open space. It’s huge. I’m hoping for a good tenant that will go up there.”

One element of the project is a May 24 deadline, Hopkins said. That’s when inspectors for the pharmacy are expected to be on site. The location also should get improved traffic due to an entrance being opened off Whittlesey Boulevard, connecting with the Country’s Barbecue parking area.

“We think the new entrance and all will just help us tremendously,” he said. “It’s a good corner. It’s a real good corner.”

American Eye Care has been experiencing growth despite the lingering Georgia Department of Transportation road-widening projects on Whittlesey and Veterans Parkway, Hopkins said, explaining the business actually survived attempts by the state agency to close it as the construction was ramping up. He praised the assistance he received from Columbus resident and DOT board member Sam Wellborn in keeping his establishment operating.

“I’ve been in the eye business for many years and I just take care of customers,” Hopkins said. “Columbus has been tremendous to me. I was born and raised here and (wife) Karen was born and raised here. Of course, Karen was in media here many years.”

D.L. Jordan, Karen’s father, is the contractor for the construction project at 6490 Veterans Parkway. Hopkins, who cobbled together the property for the corner development, said it is not part of Main Street Village.

This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 5:08 PM with the headline "American Eye Care project moving toward completion."