In 1980, the first legal lofts came to Chicago at 501 N. Wells St, in a project developed by Jack and Marc Berger called the Loftworks On Wells. Critics predicted that lofts would never come to Chicago – that it was a “New York thing.”  In 1980 and 1981, three dilapidated old buildings were redeveloped into open spaces with a sculptured interior core containing the kitchen, bathrooms and mechanical areas. This unique development sold out in a matter of months, and the area now called River North was born.  River North – once a vagrant-ridden area of vacant lots, warehouses and buildings and cheap greasy-spoon restaurants – became the place to be over the next five years.  Warehouse turned into residential homes and art galleries, on vacant lots arose high-rise condominiums, empty buildings became office space for the creative arts, and what once was old and tired became new and exciting.

Downtown Aurora stands at the threshold of a new beginning.  Planned for the Old Burlington Depot site is a development of “at least 650 residential units and …125,000 square feet of commercial space.”  The old Baje industrial site is now also under consideration for a major residential development, and at the other end of downtown, another development is underway for over 200 new residential units, complimented by retail, commercial, and restaurants, called River Street Plaza.  With these residential developments other amenities will follow.  Downer Place Lofts is in the forefront of the exciting new downtown being planned as the Aurora development called “Seize the Future.”  The time is now to become part of the exciting future of downtown Aurora.