Northside Lofts
The former Aledo Junior High School is on its way to being transformed into vibrant workforce housing. Economic Growth Corporation (GROWTH), a non-profit community-based development organization, is working to redevelop and revitalize the historic Aledo Junior High into 30 high-quality rental apartments.
Known as Northside Lofts, the adaptive-reuse development will feature 30 units of rental housing ranging from studios to two-bedroom lofts. Energy-saving, green technology will be implemented to allow for lower utility bills and make the development more attractive for long term affordability. Parking will accommodate 34 parking stalls, and plans include a basketball court, community garden, and internet café for residents are some of the many amenities planned for Northside Lofts. GROWTH is working with the school’s owner WJ Albertson, local community champion for the project, who purchased the former school with the intention of working with GROWTH to create Northside Lofts, an affordable, high quality workforce apartment development effort that will infuse nearly $15 million of new investment and create new housing opportunities for those that wish to live and work in Aledo. Northside Lofts complements our ongoing efforts to remake historic downtowns into a thriving destination for new business and resident growth. The intent of the development is to create vibrant workforce housing for those holding the jobs our efforts are creating downtown and throughout Aledo. This will increase the residential base of downtown and also creates a new tax base for the City of Aledo while promoting all the great amenities that downtown has to offer. GROWTH submitted its request for the final piece of its multi-tiered financing to the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) on February 14, and anticipates hearing on its financing on June 16. GROWTH is confident that Aledo will stack up well against any other proposal because of our public and private dedication, coordination, and thoughtful planning, not to mention the great demand for more housing options downtown! If successful, construction is slated to begin before the end of the year with completion in 2024. |
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