MACON, Ga. — Community members gathered Wednesday for an official announcement of plans to name a medical facility in Macon after late rock and roll singer Little Richard.
The property, located at 1425 Georgia Avenue, was acquired by Pleasant Hill Real Estate Group in 2017.
The building is an expansion of the existing Physician Consultants of Georgia, LLC, a Black owned nephrology practice organized in 2011 and Midtown Infusion Center organized in 2016.
Owner Dr. Rueben Ellis says with the recent passing of Little Richard, the old Pig and Whistle site would be the best place to commemorate his legacy.
Ellis says it's a place where "Lil Richard" not only worked, but performed.
"I think his legacy is great, not only here in Macon Georgia, but across the world. If you look at great rock and roll acts or R&B acts, they all have some link back to him and what he did," Ellis said.
Also, located at the facility will be a U Save It Pharmacy. The pharmacy headquarters will be in Albany and the Pleasant Hill Dialysis Center.
The building will be named "Richard Penniman Medical Arts Center."
"My practice has become immersed in the community, not only due to its close proximity to local hospitals, but because of its long historical and cultural significance as place of African American excellence, heritage and legacy in Macon and the United States. Numerous renowned artists, community leaders and professionals have called the Pleasant Hill neighborhood home over the years," Ellis said.
Construction began in 2018 and is scheduled to be complete by the end of July, with plans to open in August 2020.
More information about the grand opening will be released at a later date.
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