Barnesville Vision Center sets its sights on a bigger things

Center breaks ground on its future location

BARNESVILLE -- Barnesville Vision Center broke ground on its future location at 22 N. Chestnut St.

Part owner Dr. Zach Leach said the business has been working toward the project for about three years.

"There’s a lot of people we’d like to thank who’ve all helped us come to fruition. A lot of ups and downs and hills, but we’re really happy with where it’s headed," Leach said. "We’re about to get started, and ideally it’s on a pretty tight schedule to get open next year."

He added that Bedway Construction will be the lead contractor and Swiss Valley Associates will be the engineer. Leach said Optical Marketing Group has helped the business with some interior design for the new building.

Leach said Optical Marketing Group is a California-based company that specializes in building optical and optometry offices.

He added that through the collaboration between Optical Marketing Group and Barnesville Vision Center, the new facility will be nicer than anything he could have come up with on his own.

Leach said the business has outgrown its current location at 177 E. Main St.

"We were to the point where we were busting at the seams. We don’t have enough exam rooms," Leach said. "We have more patients than we’re able to serve. And to be able to keep up with our capacity, we need more room. We’re expanding from three exam rooms, up to 10."

Barnesville Mayor Jacob Hershberger said he is very excited to see Barnesville Vision Center needing a bigger building.

He added that he likes that the business is able to expand while still being able to serve the village.

"This will allow them to serve the village of Barnesville for many, many years, and they outgrew their building downtown, but being able to expand and move into a bigger building, yet staying within Village Barnesville and maintaining the services here," Hershberger said.

He then congratulated Barnesville Vision Center and the Leach family.

"We’re so grateful for everything that they do for the community," Hershberger said.

Leach added that the groundbreaking represents much more than the beginning of a construction project.

"It represents growth, opportunity, and renewed commitment to serving Barnesville and the surrounding communities," Leach said. "We want to thank the residents of Barnesville and everybody who’s worked alongside us to make this happen, and encourage us."

He added that every day since it was announced that the business would be moving, patients have asked him or staff members how the project is coming along and when it'll be completed.

Leach said there is no completion date as of now, but he is anticipating the middle of 2027.

"We’ll try to beat the schedule and get everybody excited but if we miss the schedule, everybody’s going to be disappointed," Leach said.

He added that in addition to thanking residents, village council both past and present, Community Bank, Bedway Construction, Swiss Valley Associates and Optical Marketing Group, he also wants to thank God for his blessings and guidance.

"We just continually ask that you guys pray for us and help us to move in the right direction and make decisions that are beneficial for the whole community," Leach said. "We’re not breaking ground on a new building, we’re laying the foundation for the next chapter of Barnesville Vision Center for our staff, doctors, and healthcare in the area. We’re really, really excited about it."