The city of Aurora has witnessed the historical transformation of the old Lincoln School site into a new affordable housing development, Fox Valley Apartments. Jennifer Schaidley, a new resident of the development, expressed her anticipation to the Chicago Tribune, "This is a lot better than Plum Street where I used to live and I’m excited to see this development start to fill up. I want to meet more people." The project's ribbon-cutting event showcased 36 affordable housing units ready to serve the West Side community of Aurora.
According to the coverage by the Chicago Tribune, the former Lincoln Elementary School, which closed in 2007, has been repurposed to include 14 apartment units within the original 39,000-square-foot building. Adjacent to it, a new edifice provides an additional 22 apartment units, attempting to meet the city's growing need for affordable housing options. Historical elements from the old school, such as chalkboards and locker-lined hallways, have been preserved during the renovations.
Former teacher James Stallman, who taught at Lincoln Elementary from 1979 to 1998, reflected on the transformation during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. "My old classroom is now the trashroom," Stallman expressed with a hint of nostalgia in an interview with CBS News Chicago. The new apartment complex aims to cater to families making between $18,000 to $63,000 a year, scaling the rent based on family size.
Aurora has made strides in addressing affordable housing shortages by reinventing existing structures to serve community needs. Clayton Muhammad, the city’s chief engagement and equity officer, told the Chicago Tribune, "We have three formerly shuttered schools which are now open and vibrant with families in two of them. We are excited and we know the need for affordable housing and this helps us close that gap and have more spaces available." West Aurora School District Superintendent Michael Smith also commended the project for providing stability to families, which in turn supports the district's educational mission.
Local Aurora resident Clary Eubanks, who lives about five minutes away from the site, praised the project's innovative approach, stating to the Chicago Tribune, "It’s a clever idea. It’s awesome." In her view, repurposing schools to create housing acknowledges the past while rendering a service to the present and future of the Aurora community.
