2017 Downtown Aurora Master Plan (City of Aurora, prepared by CMAP)

The 2017 Downtown Aurora Master Plan presents a community-driven vision for revitalizing and enhancing the downtown area, rooted in robust public engagement and supported by local, state, and federal partnerships. The plan focuses on creating a vibrant, walkable, and inclusive downtown that embraces its cultural, historical, and natural assets. Through extensive outreach—engaging over 5,800 residents and stakeholders—the plan reflects broad community priorities such as increasing safety, attracting diverse businesses, supporting the arts, and improving access to the scenic Fox River.

Key goals of the plan include transforming downtown into a regional destination filled with unique businesses, cultural venues, and inviting public spaces. A strong emphasis is placed on leveraging the Fox River as a central natural and recreational asset, enhancing wayfinding and signage, and improving key gateways into the city. The plan also identifies the need for targeted infrastructure improvements and marketing strategies to change outdated perceptions and attract more foot traffic, tourists, and investment.

A major component of the plan is economic revitalization through support for small and niche businesses, updated residential and office spaces, and potential boutique hotels. It calls for collaboration between the City of Aurora, Invest Aurora, and Aurora Downtown to streamline permitting, activate vacant properties, and facilitate redevelopment. These efforts aim to increase the downtown population, support entrepreneurs, and provide amenities like grocery stores, gyms, and green spaces that make downtown living attractive.

Finally, the plan elevates arts and culture as a cornerstone of downtown’s identity, recommending a coordinated Arts and Culture Alliance, expanded public art, and simplified approval processes for creative initiatives. By aligning the arts with economic development, transportation, and community engagement, the plan sets the stage for a downtown that is not only economically resilient but also uniquely Aurora—diverse, welcoming, and alive with possibility.

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