News Releases

Jacksonville, Fla. (Feb. 3, 2020) – Construction to renovate the lobby of Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville is officially underway.

“We want to create a positive impression for the patients and families that we care for that reflects the excellence in pediatric healthcare delivered at Nemours,” said Dr. Gary Josephson, Chief Medical Officer of the clinic. “New amenities and an open floor plan thoughtfully designed to inspire healing and comfort will be enjoyed assuring a pleasant experience during the visit.”

The 1991 building has not undergone a major renovation like this since then. A $500,000 gift from THE PLAYERS Championship – the PGA TOUR’s flagship event that is contested every March in Ponte Vedra Beach – will rename the Lobby and Welcome Center and help redesign the space into one that is more inviting for patients and their families.

“Thanks to the generosity of THE PLAYERS, the Nemours Lobby will be truly transformed into a warm and welcoming space that is designed with our patients and families in mind,” said Maggie Hightower, Director of Fund Development for Nemours.

In March, Nemours will begin a three-year sponsorship of the Kids Zone at THE PLAYERS Championship, with the 2020 championship taking place in less than 35 days, March 10-15. The Kids Zone presented by Nemours Children’s Health System will feature interactive activities for kids of all ages, including a special eye screening event with Nemours ophthalmology and optometry specialists, “Eye Screen for Ice Cream,” on Sunday, March 15. Nemours will also be the championship’s featured ‘Charity of the Day’ on March 15 throughout the final round of the golf tournament.

“Giving back to the community is at the heart of THE PLAYERS Championship,” said Jared Rice, Executive Director of THE PLAYERS. “Partnerships like this afford us the opportunity to help charitable organizations advance their work and improve the lives of citizens and communities throughout the year. We are very proud to help Nemours continue their long-standing contributions to families.”

Scheduled to open this summer, The PLAYERS Lobby at Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville, will include new windows highlighting stunning views of the St. Johns River, a new café with outdoor seating, a family education center for patients and parents, an art gallery with patient artwork and communal areas for events, such as therapy animal visits, which are always popular with patients.

And of course, the beloved train, an icon for generations, will return to its rightful place as the center of attention in the lobby. During construction, Publix will continue to operate the pharmacy on site.

To follow along with the construction, visit www.nemours.org/lobby

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About Nemours Children’s Health System

Nemours is an internationally recognized children's health system that owns and operates the two free-standing children’s hospitals: the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., and Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, Fla., along with outpatient facilities in five states, delivering pediatric primary, specialty and urgent care. Nemours also powers the world’s most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, KidsHealth.org, and offers on-demand, online video patient visits through Nemours CareConnect. Nemours ReadingBrightstart.org is a program dedicated to preventing reading failure in young children, grounded in Nemours’ understanding that child health and learning are inextricably linked, and that reading level is a strong predictor of adult health.

Established as The Nemours Foundation through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, Nemours provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy and prevention programs to families in the communities it serves.