May 22, 2008 10:00 am US/Central
133-Year Old House Will Cost $1 If You Move It
Aurora Preservation Division Is Selling 1875 Italianate Style House
AURORA, Ill. (Aurora Beacon News) ―
The Aurora Preservation Division is assisting with the sale a the circa 1875 Italianate style house in the far southwest suburb -- for the low, low price of just $1.
It comes with a catch, however. The new owner must move the house from its current location at at 128 W. New York St. in Aurora to another site.
The house, in an area slated for commercial redevelopment, is owned by Aurora Redevelopment Co. LLC.
"While the house has not been designated as historically significant by city ordinance, it is still a piece of Aurora's history and should be salvaged," said Jan Mangers, director of the preservation commission.
"Preserving the building for reuse is also more 'green' than putting the house in a landfill."
Mangers said the house was first owned by Joseph Slaker, an Aurora building contractor.
The exterior of the house is relatively intact, with the original elaborate front and side porches with square columns and decorative brackets, Mangers said.
On the interior, paneled arched pocket doors separate the formal sitting room from the dining room, and the original multi-sided newel post and unique turned spindle railings lead both upstairs and to the lower level.
"The detailed craftsmanship found in these details is outstanding," Mangers said.
The 16-room house is approximately 2,000 square feet.
Some financial assistance may be available, depending on the moving plan.
If the new lot is in Aurora, it must meet the surrounding lot area requirements, Mangers said.
For more information, or to schedule a showing, contact the Preservation Division at (630) 844-3648.
(CBS 2, the Naperville Sun and the Aurora Beacon-News are news partners covering stories in the western suburbs. Send story tips to tips@cbs2chicago.com. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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