The City of Aurora Public Library has acquired the site for its new downtown main library.
The Aurora Public Library announced today that it completed the acquisition of property in downtown Aurora from The Vanstrand Group for its new central library.
The new main library site is at the intersection of Benton Street and River Street, just a block west of the site of its current downtown main branch.
“We are very excited about this site for our new library because it will accomplish all of our long-range goals for both expansion and modernization of the main downtown library,” said Library Director, Eva Luckinbill.
“We now have the site where we can develop a modern facility to efficiently and effectively serve Aurora’s fast-growing need for information and vital library services,” she said.
The Aurora Public Library chose this site for its proximity to downtown, its size and the ability to serve as both an administrative hub as well as a central library service center for the many residents of the populous Aurora downtown.
The site is one block from the new Waubonsee Community College main downtown campus which is set to open in early 2011. It is also adjacent to the new River Street Plaza mixed-use development which features 96 new riverside condominiums and 50,000 square feet of retail shops along the Fox River.
The Vanstrand Group, developer of River Street Plaza, was instrumental in the sale of the new library site.
“After almost a year of working with the library staff and board members during the thorough site selection process we are extremely pleased that the library chose this site for its new central library development,” said Joseph Vantreese, president of The Vanstrand Group.
He added, “We were one of four possible sites being considered and through our mutual work, analysis and meetings, the library board has selected the optimum site.”
“We welcome the intellectual and economic progress which this will bring to downtown Aurora,” said Robert Allan of The Vanstrand Group.
“We know that new library developments are excellent additions to communities and have the added benefit of being tremendous economic engines for downtown locations,” he said.
The new site acquisition culminates the Library Board’s thorough site selection process. The Mayor of the City of Aurora, Thomas Weisner, said “For decades, the downtown library has provided a central location for residents throughout our community to gather, read and exchange ideas.”
He added, “I am happy that the Library Board chooses to remain downtown. Along with Waubonsee Community College and our private sector partners, the library will be a major factor in our downtown’s bright future.”
Preliminary plans are for the new library building to be a state-of-the-art facility that will feature not only additional space for the library collections but also provide for modern educational space, cultural exhibit and programming space and advanced technology services for the community.
“I’m happy to see the City of Aurora taking the next step towards realizing its new central library branch downtown,” said Gov. Pat Quinn.
“I look forward to working with the people of Aurora to make sure the central library is a model of service and community education”, he added.
The new library design and development will now enter the planning phase. Acquisition of the site was the first step in the process.
“We will continue our process of careful planning as we move forward to the next steps of the new central library’s development,” said Ms. Luckinbill.