A new medical clinic plans to offer evening and weekend services not currently available in Columbia.
Face Pace Urgent Care Clinic at 1050 U.S. 98, between Walgreens and Sonic, is under construction with hopes of being finished in December.
On Wednesday company officials joined locals for a groundbreaking ceremony.
“Fast Pace was founded in 2009 in Collinwood, Tenn., in a small town,” Director of Marketing Grant Hart said. “We’ve been growing out from there. We’re in Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi now, and we have 73 locations, and we’re opening two more this week, one in Grenada and one in Kosciusko.
The clinic will be open seven days a week and offer urgent, walk-in and primary care. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. through the week, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
“We hope to be completed with construction in 100 to 110 days, depending on the weather,” Hart said. “We’re looking to hire folks here in the area, and we’ll start out with about 14 people and then grow the staff as the volume grows.”
The practice is nurse practitioner-based with an overseeing physician. Hart said they plan to open 11 more clinics in South Mississippi “very soon” and want to be involved in the community.
Mayor Justin McKenzie said the addition of another new bu siness on U.S. 98 is good for the city. He said the city streamlined getting a zoning variance approved.
“The same day the building permit was issued, there was a dozer and a tractor dropped off and construction began,” he said.
McKenzie said the city is excited about several new developments on 98, which also include a car wash and a Burger King.
“It’s the third-highest-traveled federal highway outside of the interstate system in the state,” he said. “There is good visibility here and a lot of people pass by daily in their commutes. We hope to attract people from the surrounding counties and into Louisiana for this clinic. We know the Saturday and Sunday needs for this clinic are definitely here. We’re happy to have them and look forward to a bright future.”
Pictured Above: Columbia Mayor Justin McKenzie speaks Wednesday during a groundbreaking ceremony for a medical clinic on U.S. 98. The Fast Pace Urgent Care Clinic is one of several new businesses opening in that stretch, including a car wash and a Burger King. | Photo by Mark Rogers
