Professor
03-15-2008, 04:22 PM
www.chicagotribune.com/business/content/education/chi-aurora-develop_13mar14,0,2281527.story
Old Aurora Christian High School building to become condos
West side campus will have 32 units, 22 town homes
By Rhianna Wisniewski
Special to the Tribune
March 14, 2008
When Aurora Christian High School relocated in 2004, the city was determined to find a use for the school's old building on the west side.
After all, they didn't want to see it torn down, and they definitely didn't want it to end up like the Old Copley Hospital building, which is still unoccupied after more than 12 years.
Those fears were eliminated this week after the City Council approved a plan that would turn the landmark building into condos and town homes.
"This plan goes along with the city staff and community consensus. People in the area have gone to the school. The building has beautiful curb appeal," said building owner and developer Tom Lieber. "This is a beautiful building and we want to keep it that way."
Lieber, owner of Naperville-based Allied Home Mortgage and now TomKar Development, bought the 2.8-acre high school campus at 14 Blackhawk St. for $500,000 last year with the intention of turning the original building -- built as the old West Aurora High School in 1906 -- into condos.
"This is one of the things that make Aurora a unique community. These old buildings retain history. People remember going to school at Aurora Christian or West High there. We're unlike other communities that are newly built up," said city spokeswoman Carie Anne Ergo.
The subdivision, to be called Blackhawk Ridge, follows a city-funded feasibility study from 2004 that recommended the site be redeveloped into one mixed-use residential development. Lieber's plan includes demolishing additions to the original high school building, which were built in 1924 and 1951, and gutting the insides of the original building to make room for 32 condominium units.
He'll build 22 additional town home units in four other buildings on the campus, which is bounded by New York Street to the north, Galena Boulevard to the south, and View Street to the west.
The design for the town homes includes replicating some of the original building's features.
"This is a victory for the community and the history of the community. I get excited about construction downtown, but I also get excited about redevelopment and rehabilitation," said Aurora Mayor Thomas Weisner.
Construction will depend on unit presales, which Lieber said will open before the end of the month. The condos will cost between $190,000 and $260,000, and the town homes between $290,000 and $300,000. Despite the bad housing market, Lieber is banking on the location, in the midst of a growing downtown, to draw in business.
___________________________________________
I feel bad for the school. It's been there since 1906 and now they have to close their doors. Losing a historic building, a peice of their community and a good institution is a raw deal. I wish there was some way to work it out, but I'm sure there isn't or else they would have done it.
I know now is a hard time for Christian schools, my sister's is hard up as well. In her sports league a lot of the schools have closed down, so they have fewer games.
But obviously this guy is not bad. He bought the building and has a right to do with it as he pleases.
Old Aurora Christian High School building to become condos
West side campus will have 32 units, 22 town homes
By Rhianna Wisniewski
Special to the Tribune
March 14, 2008
When Aurora Christian High School relocated in 2004, the city was determined to find a use for the school's old building on the west side.
After all, they didn't want to see it torn down, and they definitely didn't want it to end up like the Old Copley Hospital building, which is still unoccupied after more than 12 years.
Those fears were eliminated this week after the City Council approved a plan that would turn the landmark building into condos and town homes.
"This plan goes along with the city staff and community consensus. People in the area have gone to the school. The building has beautiful curb appeal," said building owner and developer Tom Lieber. "This is a beautiful building and we want to keep it that way."
Lieber, owner of Naperville-based Allied Home Mortgage and now TomKar Development, bought the 2.8-acre high school campus at 14 Blackhawk St. for $500,000 last year with the intention of turning the original building -- built as the old West Aurora High School in 1906 -- into condos.
"This is one of the things that make Aurora a unique community. These old buildings retain history. People remember going to school at Aurora Christian or West High there. We're unlike other communities that are newly built up," said city spokeswoman Carie Anne Ergo.
The subdivision, to be called Blackhawk Ridge, follows a city-funded feasibility study from 2004 that recommended the site be redeveloped into one mixed-use residential development. Lieber's plan includes demolishing additions to the original high school building, which were built in 1924 and 1951, and gutting the insides of the original building to make room for 32 condominium units.
He'll build 22 additional town home units in four other buildings on the campus, which is bounded by New York Street to the north, Galena Boulevard to the south, and View Street to the west.
The design for the town homes includes replicating some of the original building's features.
"This is a victory for the community and the history of the community. I get excited about construction downtown, but I also get excited about redevelopment and rehabilitation," said Aurora Mayor Thomas Weisner.
Construction will depend on unit presales, which Lieber said will open before the end of the month. The condos will cost between $190,000 and $260,000, and the town homes between $290,000 and $300,000. Despite the bad housing market, Lieber is banking on the location, in the midst of a growing downtown, to draw in business.
___________________________________________
I feel bad for the school. It's been there since 1906 and now they have to close their doors. Losing a historic building, a peice of their community and a good institution is a raw deal. I wish there was some way to work it out, but I'm sure there isn't or else they would have done it.
I know now is a hard time for Christian schools, my sister's is hard up as well. In her sports league a lot of the schools have closed down, so they have fewer games.
But obviously this guy is not bad. He bought the building and has a right to do with it as he pleases.