BY ANDREW FAISON/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
andrew.faison@tidewaternews.com

FRANKLIN—The three-year wait for a new office is almost over for orthopedic surgeon Dr. Manish Patel.

Groundbreaking for an 8,600-square-foot building next to the Franklin City Health Department on Fairview Drive, which will include orthopedic and physical therapy offices, will take place 10 a.m. Monday, March 11.

The building is expected to cost $900,000, according to a city permit.

Patel, who has served the area for 6½ years, purchased the land three years ago from Southampton Memorial Hospital after recognizing a continued need for the practice.

“I’m excited to get the project under way,” Patel said. “Everything will be under one roof. This is going to be very positive for the community. They deserve it.”

The building will allow Patel’s practice to use the new digital records system at the hospital and include new equipment for both practices.

“Our x-ray machine is still new and current in its technology,” Patel said. “So we will transfer the x-ray machine as it is.”

“We are very pleased to see him progressing with this,” said Franklin City Manager Randy Martin. “This investment and partnership with the hospital is great for the community.”

The physical therapy portion will include private treatment rooms as well as a kitchen and laundry room for occupational therapy.

“This new building will give us the potential to recruit additional doctors, especially specialists and rehabilitation doctors,” Patel said.

After recently adding a physician’s assistant to his practice, Patel would ultimately like to hire an additional orthopedic surgeon.

The city on Monday approved the site plan, which includes grading, water drainage, parking lots and handicap accessibility, said Donald Goodwin, director of community development.

“We are in the process of re-reviewing the building plans,” Goodwin said. “They just needed a few minor corrections, and the building plans could be approved as early as (Tuesday), the end of the week at the latest.”

The contractor is CPG of Suffolk.