Latest news with #Society57
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Aurora mayor warns residents that property tax hike likely: 'They know we're in trouble'
The Brief Mayor John Laesch says Aurora faces a fiscal crisis after years of tax giveaways and rising costs. The city must borrow $88 million, and a property tax hike is likely on the table. Laesch promises transparency and says residents are prepared for tough choices. AURORA, Ill. - Aurora's new mayor isn't sugarcoating the financial state of the city—and says a property tax increase may be unavoidable. What we know It isn't often that a mayor enters office telling residents he's going to have to raise their property taxes. But that's the situation John Laesch says he's inherited in Aurora from two-term Republican Richard Irvin. Laesch took over as leader of the state's second-largest city last Thursday after defeating Irvin in the April runoff election. He says the town has to borrow $88 million just to make ends meet — because the previous administration has given tens of millions in tax incentives to development projects — some have panned out, many have not. Big picture view Laesch says residents elected him because they knew that a financial mess would have to get cleaned up. "We didn't get into this mess overnight and we're not going to get out of it overnight," Laesch said over a cup of coffee at downtown café Society 57. "I've got a lot of support from the community. They know we're in trouble. I think they're going to be patient as I work through some solutions as long as I communicate with the community on where we're at, and I plan to be open and transparent moving forward." Laesch says some of the big spending involves infrastructure for the new Hollywood Casino facility on Farnsworth Road, as well as incentives and tax breaks given to developers with connections to former Mayor Irvin. He says that half the projects that the town helped fund are now underwater. He also says the former mayor signed generous public employee labor contracts, saddling the town with escalating costs — thus the potential for a tax hike. "I let the public know that was a likely outcome. I'm going to do my best to cut back, but many of these contracts that were signed are already a done deal," Laesch said. The Source FOX 32's Paris Schutz reported on this story.
Chicago Tribune
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
New bar-arcade proposed for downtown Aurora would include bocce ball, arcade games and more
A newly-proposed arcade and activity bar, which would be located in downtown Aurora in the space above Society 57, is looking to 'redefine what social entertainment is.' That's according to Erik Gilly, who proposed the concept to the Aurora City Council's Committee of the Whole last week. Unlike a typical bar, Rec Haus would include a variety of games and activities ranging from bocce ball and shuffleboard tables to pinball and arcade games, though it would still offer an 'impressive selection' of local beer on tap along with wine and signature cocktails, he said. 'We really want to inspire people to come downtown and to get them used to treating downtown Aurora as a place you can do more than just get dinner or just see a show at the Paramount,' Gilly said. 'We want to have Rec Haus be another great addition to somebody's night out.' The arcade bar is proposed for the second floor of 100 S. River St., which was originally planned to be occupied by Society 57, the coffee shop and event space on the building's first floor. However, Society 57 never expanded into the second floor, and Gilly has now signed a lease to put Rec Haus in that space if approved by the Aurora City Council. According to Gilly's presentation at Feb. 4's Committee of the Whole meeting, Rec Haus would feature seven game lanes of bocce ball, putter-pong and bags; a number of table games like shuffleboard, pool and foosball; darts; Skee-Ball and basketball; pinball and arcade games, but not the kind played for redeemable tickets. The arcade bar would also feature games that people probably haven't heard of, like Terraball, which is a blend between pool, shuffleboard and miniature golf, Gilly said. Gilly worked for 14 years in the coin-operated amusement industry, including six years at arcade-game company Bandai Namco, he said. His most recent job with a pinball manufacturer took him around the country to work with bars, bar arcades and other businesses with a similar concept to Rec Haus, and he saw those businesses working and thriving within their communities, he said. A floor plan included with Gilly's presentation showed a 32-seat central bar with circular tables built into the two corners and other separate tables scattered around. Rec Haus would also feature a self-serve tap wall, similar to Tapville in the Fox Valley Mall, Gilly said. Those renting out one of the seven game lanes could expect bartenders to bring them drinks and food, he said. Rec Haus is not looking to compete with restaurants in downtown and is instead looking to support them by getting more people on downtown streets, particularly during weeknights, in part by hosting leagues for many of its activities and events like bingo, trivia and karaoke, according to Gilly. The bar is not proposed to have a kitchen and would instead serve packaged food like pretzels and jerky. While guests could make those things a meal, they would also be encouraged to visit downtown restaurants before or after they come to Rec Haus, Gilly said. Plus, QR codes would be featured on each of the bar's tables to allow guests to order food from nearby restaurants like New China Hut and Taqueria El Tio, according to Gilly's presentation. Guests would be allowed to bring their own food or get food delivered to the bar, according to a staff report about Rec Haus included with the Feb. 4 Committee of the Whole meeting agenda. Rec Haus would be open Tuesday to Thursday from 3 p.m. to midnight, Friday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to midnight. Although the bar would likely be closed on Monday to start, Gilly said he'd consider opening that day too if the demand was high enough. Similar to how many breweries work, children would be welcome in Rec Haus before 9 p.m., Gilly said. After that, only those 21 or older would be allowed in. If the Aurora City Council approves at its meeting on Tuesday items related to Rec Haus, then the arcade bar would look to open June 1, according to Gilly. He said construction would likely take around 12 weeks. Two items related to Rec Haus will be on Tuesday's Aurora City Council agenda: one that adjusts the River Street Plaza Plan Description for 100 S. River St. to allow for arcade uses, and another would increase the number of downtown fridge on-site consumption liquor licenses to allow the Liquor Commission to issue a license to Rec Haus. The Committee of the Whole placed both items on the Aurora City Council's consent agenda, which is typically used for routine or non-controversial items that are all approved with one vote and without discussion instead of needing to vote on and talk about each individual item.
Chicago Tribune
10-02-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Aurora indoor market offers warm way to shop for Valentine's Day
Organizers for the city of Aurora's farmers market offered a special Valentine's Art & Market event Saturday at Society 57 at 100 S. River St. in downtown Aurora. Beginning at 9 a.m., the four-hour indoor market featured a number of the popular vendors found at the summer farmers market in the city as well as a few new ones. The market included hand-crafted gifts and items that organizers hoped would help those looking for a Valentine's Day gift. Market manager Felicia Freitag explained that the winter market had previously been organized by the Aurora Downtown group and that the city was following the same schedule of winter markets former organizers had put in place. 'We had a November and December market this past year,' Freitag said, in addition to the one held Saturday. There will be another one in April, she said. Freitag said having the market just before Valentine's Day 'was pretty intentional as a lot of our vendors at this market are artisan vendors that are doing various things that would be great as a Valentine's gift.' 'Many will have Valentine's Day themed products. One of our vendors does custom-engraved wood products,' she said. 'I know there will be heart-shaped things.' A total of 24 vendors were on hand including three or four that have not appeared at Saturday farmers markets in Aurora in the summer. Merchants like Cindy Fonseca, owner of FeedCin, who lives in Oswego and sells original art and jewelry, said she has been part of the market before and admitted shoppers seemed pretty excited about the event. 'It's awesome. It's so nice and convenient for people. The coffee's here, the food's here and the art and everything else. It makes it nice because when the weather is bad you can be indoors,' Fonseca said. 'We now have the regular farmers market group behind us and it seems like they are trying to do a lot more variety this time and push the market and help the smaller businesses.' Andrea Tapia of Aurora came early to the market on Saturday. She said she lives only 'five minutes away' and likes coming to Society 57. 'I'm super happy to see the market back,' Tapia said. 'I'm a line cook and I like to see a lot of things they have – there is a different culture out here. I like crafts and food stuff, especially baked goods. I'm definitely going to have a pastry before I go home and I'm ready to shop. It's going to be exciting.' Mary Lou Ruder of Sugar Grove came with her husband Wayne and said she met one of the vendors Saturday weeks ago at the Vaughan Center in Aurora and found out 'she had a business and wanted to come and check it out.' 'This is our first time here but we love homegrown stuff and small businesses,' Ruder said. House of Ivy owner Chelsie Kliese of Aurora was the vendor Ruder came to see and said she had been a member of the indoor market for a while. 'I started as an online home decor shop and then I sourced these concrete planters and just loved it and decided to figure it out for myself,' she said. 'Now it's all I do.'
