Imagination, perseverance, and investment from local, state, and federal governments transformed a 25-year-old eyesore into a magnificent residential and office space on Aurora’s east side.
Old Copley Hospital 1916 and 1932 additions. Photo taken c. 2015.
Old Copley Hospital 1916 and 1932 additions. Photo taken in 2022.
Copley Hospital, constructed in the East Aurora neighborhood in 1888, was the only hospital in Aurora until 1900. Over the following century, several additions were made to the hospital. In 1916, a 5-story addition was added to the north of the 1888 building and included a state-of-the-art operating room. A seven-story neoclassical addition was added east of the 1916 addition and included more rooms, a maternity ward, and a radiology department. Another addition was made in 1932. A nursing school and dormitory were added to the campus in 1947. Further additions were made in the 1970s and 1980s.[1]
Originally named the City Hospital of Aurora, Copley Hospital was named after Ira Clifton Copley in 1937. His family moved to Aurora when he was two, just after the end of the Civil War. Copley ran the Aurora Gas Light Company and served in Congress from 1911 to 1923. He made substantial donations for the hospital’s 1932 addition and the hospital honored his contribution by renaming it the Copley Memorial Hospital.[2]
The hospital was a significant contributor to the health and well-being of all in Aurora, especially those in the surrounding neighborhood who could easily walk to the hospital for healthcare. By 1995, however, a new hospital was built about 4.5 miles southeast, replacing Copley Memorial Hospital. Without a use, the buildings deteriorated, were significantly vandalized, and soon became a blight on the East Aurora neighborhood.
Around 2017, the city of Aurora planned to demolish the buildings and redevelop the site. Frequently, demolition and redevelopment are the answer to ugly and deteriorating old buildings. As Kelee Katillac, an interior and architectural designer wrote in her 2023 book, Historic Style, “The fate of many historic homes that meet the wrecking ball is attributable, more than anything else, to a poverty of imagination.”[3]
“The Old Copley Hospital rehabilitation project ranks as one of the largest recipients of federal and state historic tax credit projects in Illinois.”
Fortunately, three sets of brothers—Paul and Jason Konrad, Michael and Stathis Poulakidas, and Russell and Ron Woerman, all of whom grew up in Aurora—had a tremendous amount of imagination.[4] Instead of demolition, they came to the city with a rehabilitation plan.[5] The over $130 million rehabilitation project named “Bloomhaven Innovative Living Community” was completed in 2023. Investments were made from the city of Aurora and, after being approved for the National Register of Historic Places in 2019, from federal and state tax credits. The Old Copley Hospital rehabilitation project ranks as one of the largest recipients of federal and state tax credits given to a project in Illinois. Recently, the project received a much-deserved Richard H. Driehaus Award for Adaptive Reuse.
Original 1888 Copley Hospital, c. 2015.
Original 1888 Copley Hospital, 2022.
The rehabilitated 1947 nursing school and dormitory are now the administration offices of the East Aurora School District. The 1970s and 80s additions were opened for Weston Bridges, a 53-unit facility for adults with intellectual or cognitive disabilities. The 1916 and 1932 additions are now a 99-unit senior living center called Bardwell Residences. The original 1888 building has returned to a medical center where neighbors will once again be able to walk to a doctor.[6]
The Old Copley Hospital rehabilitation is a perfect example of how historic preservation can improve a community and why federal and state tax credits are available for historic properties. A significant eyesore is being made into beautiful apartments and offices. Property values will undoubtedly increase in the neighborhood. Tons of construction materials will not end up in a landfill. And Aurora receives a major boost to its economy from state and federal tax dollars.
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[1] “Copley Hospital (Aurora),” Wikipedia, accessed March 20, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copley_Hospital_(Aurora,_Illinois).
[2] “Ira C. Copley,” Wikipedia, accessed March 20, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ira_C._Copley.
[3] Kelee Katillac and Jorge S. Arango, Historic Style: Honoring the Past with Design for Today (Rocheport, MO: Missouri Life, 2023), 11.
[4] Steve Lord, “A New Beginning,” The Beacon-News, September 14, 2022, https://www.gardant.com/bardwellresidences/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2022/09/Aurora_Beacon_News_091422.pdf.
[5] “Old Copley Hospital/Bloomhaven,” Kluber Architects + Engineers, accessed March 20, 2024, https://kluberinc.com/old-copley-hospital-redevelopment-aurora-illinois/.
[6] Becki Drake, Director of Sales and Marketing for Bardwell Residences, interview by Al Watts, October 19, 2022.