Signage has been installed for the new surgical eye care center to open in November on West Newell Road, Danville.
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DANVILLE -- A longtime unused building on Danville's north side has a new tenant.
Just as Chittick Eye Care recently opened a new facility in Savoy, Chittick Surgical Care Center will be opening at 26 West Newell Road in a former medical building that had been owned by OSF Healthcare.
Chittick Chief Operating Officer Jason Shanks said the new surgical eye care center, with plans to open Nov. 1, is not replacing Chittick's optometry office at 1104 N. Vermilion St.
"We are so excited," Shanks said.
The added surgery center will allow them to offer "premium" cataract and LASIK surgery there.
There will be massage chairs, refreshments and other amenities.
Shanks said it's kind of "luxury" cataract surgery, where people can stay in their regular clothing and be more comfortable in the beautiful facility. There is no IV medication, it's all oral, and they have food, snacks and drinks.
"It's just very high end," he said, adding that there are options for traditional cataract surgery and where patients won't have to wear glasses.
Chittick has hired ophthalmologist Dr. Puneet Braich, who is a cataract corneal specialist.
"He will start seeing patients on Nov. 1," Shanks said about the first business day.
"He will be devoted to Danville only," Shanks said, adding that Braich is coming from Price Vision in Indianapolis and is a wonderful, kind and generous surgeon.
The new facility also will allow for the ability to grow with more surgeons, Shanks said.
Chittick currently has two surgeons in Savoy.
They also will be hiring new techs and customer-service staff for the new Danville center.
Shanks added that they will continue to do some surgeries, that need additional care, at OSF. However, 99 percent of cases would be performed at the new facility.
He said Chittick is looking forward to having both facilities open in Danville.
Interior construction has started at the West Newell Road site with O'Shea Builders of Champaign.
"We are doing an interior remodel ...," Shanks said about gutting the interior.
They are replacing the roof and HVAC, and there will be a new reception area, new furniture, and walls and flooring also are being updated.
"The interior will just be stunning," Shanks said.
He said it won't just be a regular doctor's office, but a beautiful new office-based surgery center.
Chittick has been providing services since 1959 and has been owned by Dr. Shawn Mallady for more than 30 years.
Chittick closed a couple months ago on the Danville property. Tax records show the facility sold for $950,000.
The surgery center building, formerly called Danville HealthCare, was acquired by Presence United Samaritans Medical Center in 2012, when the hospital's parent company was called Provena. It closed in 2017.
The Ambulatory Care Center for Excellence in Surgical Services, or ACCESS center, at 26 W. Newell Road had been losing money due to low usage, according to health care officials at that time. The outpatient surgery center was first opened in 2002 and owned by Dr. Tom Pliura.