The lobby, which measures about 1,200 square feet, was made possible in part by a gift from Lutron Electronics, Inc., of Coopersburg. It features interior and exterior lighting elements, landscaping, an interior color feature wall and welcome desk with interactive LED play elements, a family seating area and a soft-side toy Jeep for children to play on that ties into the animal/safari themed children’s hospital units.

A colorful overhead feature includes “Kaleidopops” a glass sculpture with a majority of the 519 “oversized jellybean-like” pieces individually handcrafted by members of the arts community at the Banana Factory in Bethlehem.

Bryce Bennett, a cancer patient at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, used a “magic wand” to light the structure for the first time at the lobby’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The exterior facade of the new entrance features multicolored lights that point skyward.

Visible from the nearby Interstate 78, “The lights remind people that quality children’s care is right here in this community,” Brian Nester, LVHN’s president and CEO, said.

Nester said features of the Lutron Lobby were designed with the convenience and comfort of an entire family in mind. The lobby connects directly into the new auxiliary gift shop. A colorful wall honors donors to the children’s hospital and a beverage coffee cart was repurposed as a permanent stand that now includes a juice bar.

Further down the hall, a diagnostic care center was renovated and expanded.

In November 2018, LVHN received one of the largest gifts in its history from local philanthropists and business owners J.B. and Kathleen Reilly. The gift will be dedicated to supporting ongoing enhancements to programs, service and facilities of what is now known as Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, Nester said.

LVHN opened the Children’s Hospital at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in 2012. The Reilly’s gift helped bring more than 30 pediatric specialties – from childhood cancer to cystic fibrosis – all under one roof, according to Nester.

In February, the children’s hospital opened a new inpatient pediatric unit on the hospital’s fifth floor. It features 30 private rooms with the safari theme to provide a comfortable place to get well.

Work is underway on a project to expand the children’s emergency room from 12 to 24 beds and includes 12 pediatric observation beds for patients requiring further evaluation.