Developer moving Aurora house block away

An Aurora developer is moving a historic century-old house down the block to a larger lot he bought from the city for $1.

Paul McCue anticipates spending roughly $300,000 on the move and renovation of the Colonial Revival-style house at 409 W. Downer Place once owned by former Aurora Mayor John Raymond, who served form 1903 to 1904.

However, McCue gets the house for free, a $75,000 city reconversion grant, a $7,500 city de-siding grant, a $4,000 window restoration grant and a $15,000 preservation loan that has to be paid back when the house is sold or changes ownership. And he paid a buck for the 21,000-square- foot parcel at 444 W. Downer Place where the house will be moved and that the city purchased for $92,000 in 2005.

All told, McCue's savings amount to $193,499.

Mayor Tom Weisner said the project benefits the city because it will restore the relocation parcel to the city's tax rolls and eventually generate $8,000 to $10,000 a year in property taxes to various taxing bodies. Roughly $2,000 of that will wind up in city coffers each year, he said.

"It's a return on our investment and it stabilizes the neighborhood," Weisner said.

Officials said the relocation parcel has been off the tax rolls since 2004 when the city purchased it to prevent a developer from constructing a multifamily housing development. The parcel has been vacant since the 1950s.

McCue said once the house is moved, he'll restore it as a single-family home. The three-story structure currently is configured as five individual apartments.

The 8,700-square-foot parcel where the house currently rests will be used by New England Congregational Church to expand its preschool program. The church donated the house and property to the city in 2008, city officials said.

Aldermen Rick Lawrence and John "Whitey" Peters voted against the plan at Tuesday's council meeting.

"I know most of the residents around the area support this, but I have some concerns about what this is going to do with their view," Lawrence said. "I also have concerns it still has some harm to Our Savior (Lutheran Church.)"

Our Savior is located adjacent the new property. Church officials are suing the city because it refused to allow the church to build a parking lot and drop-off area because it wouldn't fit the character of the neighborhood.