LEXINGTON, KY The SRG/EOP-designed Shriners Hospitals for Children Medical Center opened its doors to the community in a dedication ceremony that included dozens of Shriners kids, physicians, staff and hundreds of Shriners. With attendance reaching well into the thousands, the event featured the Shriners Cornerstone Dedication, the symbolic laying of the stone that supports the entire structure. The Masonic cornerstone ritual is likely the only Masonic ritual the public observes.

"Physically joining the Shriners Hospitals for Children and UK Medical Center has been an exciting process," said EOP Associate Daniel Ware, AIA, Project Manager. "We were able to design a dynamic new building that complements the UK Medical Campus while providing a refreshed identity to Shriners."

The hospital's board says the center is the first in Kentucky to have specific tools that could reduce the number of times a child needs surgery. They also put a big emphasis on making the hospital kid friendly.