Less than six months after the Aurora Public Library moved to its new location, the former library building could soon have a new owner and be placed on the tax rolls, according the a city of Aurora news release.

On Tuesday, Nov. 24, the city of Aurora Finance Committee will consider an intergovernmental agreement between the city, the Aurora Public Library and Support Companies, LLC to purchase and re-purpose the building located at 1 E. Benton St. in downtown Aurora.

“We are very pleased with the proposal of Support Companies, LLC. Not only will the move bring more than 100 jobs to historic downtown Aurora, it will also place the former library on the tax rolls for the first time ever,” said Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner. “Aurora continues to grow into a hub for arts, entertainment and culture. With the recent moves of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, ByteGrid and now Support Companies LLC, Aurora is becoming an emerging center for technology, as well.”

About The Support Companies

The Support Companies, and its sister companies, are among the premiere technical and customer support enterprises in the Midwest, In business for more than 20 years, they currently comprise more than 100 full-time permanent employees, more than 75 percent of them Aurora residents.

Specializing in providing support for cutting-edge technologies, clients include large counties, banking institutions, hotels and national corporate users. All of its major clients are traded on the New York Stock Exchange and new start-up clients are being added regularly.

“Our work environment is built to engage and support our workforce. We invest heavily in people and the community,” said The Support Companies, LLC President Ron Janusz. “Downtown Aurora is buzzing with new energy, and we want to be a part of that. This is an ideal location for our continued growth and development.”

The former Aurora Public Library building will house its 24/7 contact center, training and product labs, IT and server operations and administrative offices.

Property Sold for $10

Under the terms of the purchase agreement, Support Companies, LLC will purchase the property for $10, and it will be placed on public tax rolls for the first time ever, benefitting local taxing bodies including the city of Aurora and East Aurora School District 131. Property taxes cannot be challenged for five years. Support Companies, LLC also will donate $50,000 per year to the Aurora Public Library Foundation for a minimum of five years.

Under the agreement, the city of Aurora maintains approval rights of any purchaser in the sale of the property and will maintain the first right of refusal if Support Companies, LLC desires to ever sell it.

Aurora Public Library Board of Directors President John Savage said, “One of the goals of the library’s board was to not leave the former library vacant. This agreement accomplishes that goal and so much more. To say that we are excited about the opportunities that Support Companies, LLC can provide to our community would be an understatement.”

Building a Prepared Workforce

A large percentage of the workforce at Support Companies, LLC are young tech-focused millennials who are in college or recent graduates. The proximity to Waubonsee Community College in the heart of Aurora’s downtown was one of the main attractions for the move to the former library site.

In partnership with Waubonsee Community College and the Kane County Workforce Development Division, Support Companies, LLC will establish an on-site training program to provide technical skills training and career connections.

“We are looking forward to providing opportunities right here in Aurora for young professionals looking to start their tech careers. Our relatively young workforce will help to increase a demand for housing, food and other cultural amenities,” said Support Companies Vice President Melinda Kruder. “Collaborating with local institutions will be a win for all involved.”

Support Companies, LLC has also partnered with OnLight Aurora to provide redundant internet and broadband services to the facility and is working with local architects for the internal renovations of the property.

Design work and floor plans will start immediately and buildout will begin in January. While the main floor requires no build-out work, the basement and second floor will undergo extensive renovations to accommodate staff, IT servers and the professional levels of technology and accessibility needed to provide high quality services to its global clients.

Support Companies LLC expects to have all operations and employees moved to the new location by the summer of 2016.

SOURCE: city of Aurora news release