Two vacant buildings at the corner of Main Street and Aurora Avenue could be replaced by a three-story office building if the Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission approves a rezoning request at its Wednesday, July 15 meeting.
john greene Real Estate, which has operated in Naperville for 50 years, wants to build a 24,850-square-foot office building on the roughly half-acre site at 115 Aurora Ave. and 405 S. Main St. The company has owned the Aurora Avenue property since 2020 and is under contract to buy the Main Street parcel. The proposal calls for demolishing both existing structures.
The proposed site sits at what the company calls "the gateway" to downtown — the same intersection where the Walgreens site to the east is being marketed for mixed-use redevelopment and the $93.1 million Water Street District sits directly to the north. Neighbors include a dental office and housing to the south and a financial services office to the west.
"It's an area of the downtown that serves as the gateway," said Kristine Noren, vice president of operations at john greene Real Estate. "We've seen a lot of investment in that area so we felt like it was a very well-located site for our building."
What the company is asking for
The properties are zoned single-family and low-density multifamily residential despite sitting at a major commercial intersection. john greene is requesting rezoning to transitional use, a category meant to buffer busy commercial areas from residential neighborhoods.
The company also needs three variances:
- Height: The building would stand 43.8 feet tall, nearly nine feet above the 35-foot limit for transitional use districts. The third-floor rooftop terrace would be stepped back to reduce the building's perceived height from the street.
- Building style: A variance to allow a commercial design rather than a residentially styled building. The architecture is described as traditional brick masonry with contemporary detailing and large windows, inspired by the adjacent Water Street District.
- Parking setback: A variance to allow parking spaces within five feet of the public alley at the rear of the building, where 25 on-site spaces are planned.
What it means for the neighborhood
john greene Realtor and john greene Commercial would anchor the building. Tenants for the remaining office space have not been identified. The third floor would include an enclosed terrace opening to a rooftop deck.
For residents and business owners along Aurora Avenue and South Main Street, this proposal is one of several zoning decisions converging on the same corridor. The Walgreens site immediately east is being marketed for housing, retail, and restaurant development. The Beidelman Furniture building nearby is being repositioned for new restaurant and retail tenants after the 165-year-old furniture store closed in April 2026. And in March 2026, the City Council approved a six-unit multifamily development at 222 S. Mill St.
No community reaction, neighbor opposition, or position from the Downtown Naperville Alliance has been reported. The ward council member representing this district has not been identified in available records.
What happens next
The Planning and Zoning Commission will review the case at its meeting Wednesday, July 15. PZC meetings now begin at 6 p.m. following a bylaw change approved in April 2026. No construction timeline or cost estimate has been made public.
Residents can monitor the case through the city's Legistar portal at naperville.legistar.com. The PZC agenda for July 15 had not been posted as of Wednesday, July 9.
City Hall week ahead
- Wednesday, July 15, 6 p.m. — Planning and Zoning Commission. Review of john greene Real Estate rezoning and variance request for 115 Aurora Ave./405 S. Main St. Agenda expected at naperville.legistar.com.
