Aurora converts third shuttered elementary school into affordable apartments

Aurora on Wednesday unveiled its third repurposed formerly shuttered school building this year.

The second phase of Fox Valley Apartments, which encompasses two formerly shuttered elementary schools in West Aurora District 129, was inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday at 641 S. Lake St.

The first phase at Todd Elementary School was opened this past spring, and the final neighborhood transformation will take place at the former Lincoln Elementary School.

Shuttered for 15 years, the 39,000-square-foot Lincoln Elementary School, originally built in the late 1800s, has been transformed into 14 new apartment units. The renovations incorporated historical elements from the school buildings, including trim, flooring, chalkboards, windows, doors, and locker-lined hallways.

On the same campus adjacent to the former school is a newly constructed two-story, 28,000-square-foot building with 22 new apartment units, with a shared parking lot between both buildings.

The combined 36 apartments include one-, two- and three-bedroom units, a community room, laundry, computer lab/library, and a private parking lot.

Apartments are available to tenants making between $18,000 and $63,000 a year, depending on family size.

The first phase of the Fox Valley Apartments at Todd Elementary School apartments was unveiled earlier this year. Located at 100 Oak Ave., the 25,000-square-foot Todd Elementary School building was renovated into 11 apartment units and a health clinic for low-income families.

Another vacant elementary school, Emmanuel Lutheran School, was reopened last month on Aurora’s east side as a new youth center after being closed for 20 years.