By Amy Roth –
A plan to clean up the site of the former Copley Hospital at 502 S. Lincoln Avenue, Aurora, will go before Aurora aldermen as an item on the City Council’s consent agenda at the Tuesday, Aug. 28 City Council meeting.
Aldermen heard details of the two-phased project from representatives of Fox Valley Developers, LLC at the Committee of the Whole Tuesday.
Attorney Michael Poulakidas is one of six principals involved in the project, the final aim of which is to remediate the dilapidated buildings (Phase 1) and then develop the buildings into a medical and housing facility that would cater to seniors and those with special needs (Phase 2).
Other individuals involved in the project include Russell Woerman, a Montgomery-based construction company owner, physician Stathis Poulakidas, and Jason and Paul Konrad with Konrad Construction of Johnsburg. Paul Konrad is a WGN television morning weather anchor.
The former Copley site encompasses eight buildings on nine acres of land. The total cost to complete Phase 1 is estimated by the developer to be $12 Million. Fox Valley Developers asked that the Aurora government reimburse them in the amount of $3 Million. “Incentives are the catalyst to redevelop these buildings,” Michael Poulakidas said, adding that the developers would “not be asking for a penny until the benchmarks are met, that it is a clean and remediated site.”
Rick Mervine, alderman for the Eighth Ward, rhetorically asked, “Where will the money come from?” He answered that Council will not know until the budget process is complete next year.
The owners of the property, Raghuveer P. Nayak and Anita R. Nayak, may have a part in the cleanup of the property, in the amount of $1.6 Million. An ordinance approving a settlement agreement between the city government and the Nayaks is on the consent agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.
The Nayaks bought the old hospital in February 2007 for $1.2 Million. Copley Hospital operated at the site from the late 1800s until 1994, when it moved to its current location on Ogden Avenue.
The partnership is currently negotiating with the Nayaks, of Oak Brook, to buy the property.
Other items that will appear on the consent agenda next week include:
• Keeping the “Seasonal Decorations” ordinance “as is,” instead of changing the timeline from 60 days to 90 days to take down outdoor holiday decor;
• Approving the provisions in an ordinance pertaining to local preference in bidding for city contracts;
• Approving payments to Embassy Suites Naperville for $29,302.72 for a joint Active Shooter Training as part of the Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attack Grant;
• Execution of the labor agreement between the city of Aurora government and the Association of Professional Police Officers (APPO) from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2019. Wage increases will be kept under three percent for the three-year contract, which is retroactive to the beginning of 2017. The contract expired in 2016;
• Acceptance of an agreement between Aurora University and the city government regarding local law enforcement cooperation, handling violence and sexual offenses, information sharing, issuance of timely warnings and emergency notifications and mutual aid. A separate resolution will approve an agreement for Aurora University Police to use city police radio equipment;
• Approval of the first Pooch Parade at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9 in Phillips Park in Aurora.
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Click here for city of Aurora government former Copley Hospital FAQs.