Construction has started on a 11,200 optometry clinic at 8127 Grandridge Blvd. in Kennewick, which will become home to Center Vision Clinic late spring.

[blockquote quote="We strive to provide an outstanding patient experience — not just an eye checkup." source="Dr. Aaron Banta, co-owner of Center Vision Clinic" align="right" max_width="300px"]

Dr. Aaron Banta, O.D., said the new clinic will be about twice the size of the current facility and allow the practice to expand, provide more services and a more eye-care options for patients.

Banta, who co-owns Center Vision with Dr. Aaron Qunell, said the clinic has experienced constant growth and now serves more than twice as many patients as it did less than a decade ago.

Center Vision Clinic was founded in 1979 by Phil Berman in downtown Kennewick. The clinic was moved to its current location at 4015 W. Clearwater in 1992.

Banta joined the clinic in May 2006 and the older partners, which included Berman and Dr. Gerald Berges, have since retired. Banta’s partner, Qunell, joined the practice in 2011.

Despite the partnership changes, the goal of the clinic has remained the same since its inception.

“We strive to provide an outstanding patient experience — not just an eye checkup,” he said. “We want to make them feel like they are part of our family.”

The new facility will help bring Center Vision’s personal service to a new level.

The new clinic, which was designed by architect Terence L. Thornhill of Pasco, will be 11,213 sq. ft. and feature a varied roofline and a 26-foot-high tower as a showpiece. The multi-level building will have 8,000 sq. ft. on the main level, 1,503 sq. ft. upstairs and a 1,710-sq.-ft. basement.

Center Vision Clinic will occupy about 9,000 sq. ft. in the new building. The remaining space will be available for least to one or two tenants, Banta said.

The new clinic will have up to 10 exam rooms, to improve access for patients, and new, state-of-the-art equipment that will expand its medical services, including ocular surface disease management and specialty contact lenses.

The new clinic will also have enough room for a expanded optical boutique, which will be about four times as large as its current boutique. That will allow them to carry a wider variety of quality frames for patients to choose from.

Siefken and Sons Construction Inc. of Richland is the general contractor on the construction project.

Banta said they are building a larger facility than they may initially need so they can accommodate and manage future growth comfortably.

Center Vision Clinic currently has a staff of about 20, including Dr. Erin Doxtader O.D., an associate who joined the practice at the end of 2014. Banta said they may consider adding another provider within the next year.

Having a great staff is how the practice has sustained through more than three decades and continued to grow, Banta said. And it’s another reason Banta is excited about the new building.

“While it’s a dream come true for me, the most exciting thing is being able to spoil our patients and staff who have worked so hard to treat our patients good,” he said.

[panel title="More Information" style="info"]

Center Vision is currently at 4015 W. Clearwater in Kennewick. The practice is open from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Wednesday; 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday; and 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Friday.The phone number is 509-783-8383 and you can find them on Facebook or at centervisionclinic.org.