Naperville senior housing community hosts ribbon-cutting

On Sept. 16, guests came together to celebrate the grand opening of the low-income senior housing community, the new Martin Avenue Apartment Community, 310 W. Martin Ave. in Naperville. They unveiled 120 refurbished studio and one-bedroom apartments, as well as 68 additional units in a new five-story structure.

In 2018, Naperville Elderly Homes received low-income tax credits from the Illinois Housing Development Authority and DuPage County for the purpose of constructing a new 5-story building and completely renovating all the existing Martin Avenue Apartments and community space. The new construction was completed in late 2020, and the community now holds nearly 200 residents.

Naperville city officials, including Naperville's Mayor Steve Chirico, spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which had been delayed due to the pandemic.

The Rev. Ken Lehman also spoke along with the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce.

There was a presentation to the Hacker family, who have three generations of family members that have worked for Martin Avenue Apartments over the years.

Executive Director Dave Weeks spoke about the history of the project and what it means for the community.

To learn more, visit martinave.org.

Naperville Elderly Homes is the nonprofit owner and operator of Martin Avenue Apartments. It was founded almost 50 years ago when a group of local citizens wanted to create affordable homes for Naperville's elderly and disabled residents. It is still run by an all-volunteer board of directors and has helped thousands find residences they are proud to call home.