The former Copley Hospital stood as an eyesore for nearly a quarter of a century on the east side of Aurora.
Its vacant buildings attracted vandals and trespassers. The deterioration of the 9-acre property at Lincoln and Weston avenues was affecting the neighborhood and community.
“No one knew what to do or had the resources or wherewithal to make something happen,” Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin said.
But that changed, thanks to some visionary and resourceful cooperation between a private company and several public agencies.
The city planned to spend as much as $10 million to demolish the roughly 340,000 square feet of buildings and turn the site into green space. However, Irvin says he always hoped the property could be something more.
Then Fox Valley Developers LLC got involved in late 2017. The group of local investors envisioned converting the campus into senior housing, residences for adults with disabilities and medical offices.
