3 Aurora Sites Transformed Into Apartment Complexes Now Open

AURORA, IL — One week into November, and it's already been a busy month for Aurora officials. Last week, they celebrated the grand opening of three residential buildings throughout the city.

One ribbon-cutting ceremony was hosted per day Wednesday through Friday to mark the opening — or reopening, in the cases of the latter two downtown Aurora properties — of the Lumen of Fox Valley, Terminal Building and Hobbs Building.

After decades of vacancy, the Terminal and Hobb buildings were revitalized to accommodate 51 new apartments. The upper five floors of the history Terminal Building, at 2 N. Broadway, have been empty since the 1960s, and the last commercial tenant left the ground floor in 2003, Chief Communications Officer Clayton Muhammad said.

When the six-story Hotel Arthur, built in the Second Renaissance Revival style, was completed in 1905, it became Aurora's first skyscraper. The hotel came to be regarded as one of the finest in northern Illinois, according to nonprofit organization Aurora Downtown.

In its lifetime, the Terminal Building has also been the home of the former Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad and Broadway Diner. Now called Lofts on Broadway, the historic site features 20 loft apartments on the upper levels and retail space on the ground floor.

A similarly historic and vacant property, the Hobbs Building, at 2 N. River St., has also been transformed into an apartment complex, featuring 31 units and ground-floor retail space. The top floors of the building, initially built in 1892, have been unoccupied for more than 70 years, according to Muhammad.

The Romanesque Revival building is most recognizable by its copper onion dome. The Hobbs was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.

Across town, 304 more apartments opened at Fox Valley Mall. Built in place of the torn-down Sears store, the Lumen consists of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in three contemporary buildings. The complex features a two-story lounge, private dining room and parlor, game room and fitness studio. Outside, there's a swimming pool with a sundeck and grilling station.

The community's first tenants moved in last week as apartments continue to be leased, city officials said.

The Lumen of Fox Valley is considered phase one of the "Reimagining Fox Valley" renovation. Phase two consists of building additional 500-plus apartments, including a four-story luxury community and five-story senior living center, Patch reported.

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