In the 31 years since Dr. Tony Giannotti began practicing optometry in Scotts Valley, his practice has grown and expanded along with the city, so much so that his office of 26 years is no longer enough.
“I have a staff of seven, and we’re crawling over each other,” Giannotti said.
But Giannotti Vision Care’s move from Scotts Valley Square to nearby Graham Plaza won’t just give him elbow room — it will give the veteran eye-care specialist a chance to go as green as the trees surrounding the city he serves.
“(The move) allows me to do more things,” Giannotti said.
The new office at 221 Mount Hermon Road, Ste. G, is about 800 square feet larger than Giannotti’s current digs and has been extensively remodeled with an eye on sustainable materials and energy practices.
Giannotti’s new home, designed by architect Bill Holl, boasts such eco-friendly features as a dual-flush toilet and low-flow faucets; tankless water heaters; and recycled, salvaged, and sustainably made construction materials.
“Everything’s being salvaged,” Giannotti said. “The welcome mat as you walk in is made from old tires.”
According to Giannotti, elements of the new facility’s eco-friendly remodel are patterned after those done in the headquarters of Ecology Action, housed in the former Santa Cruz Sentinel building in downtown Santa Cruz.
Holl’s wife, retired Ecology Action Executive Director Gine Johnson, brought her knowledge of green building tactics and materials used in the old Sentinel building’s extensive remodel to bear on the planning process, Giannotti said.
“We said, ‘Let’s see how green we can get,’” he said. “We copied things that they did in that building — it’s pretty amazing stuff.”
Among the more uncommon features, Giannotti’s new facility will have are countertops made from recycled paper hardened with non-petroleum-based resin; carpet and ceiling tiles made from recycled materials and designed to be easily removed and re-recycled; and hard flooring made from cork, seagrass and Marmoleum.
The new location is scheduled to open Wednesday, Aug. 1, Giannotti said, adding that the larger facility will allow him to expand his services to his patients.
In addition to the green construction, Giannotti’s practice is also moving toward a paperless system to keep track of patients’ records. He also plans to use iPads as visual aids for patient check-in and education and to reduce the overall amount of paper needed — and the need to store it all.
“I’ve gotten rid of the patient charts in the exam room. It’s all in the Cloud now,” he said, referring to network computing.
Giannotti’s practice also has space for three eye exam rooms, a room for preliminary testing, a room for specialized testing, as well as an expanded showroom for eyeglass frames.
“I’m looking forward to seeing our patients in the new office,” he said. “We use technology and personal care to guide us.”
