Company 251

Disciplines

  • Architecture
  • Historic Tax Credit Consulting

Types

  • Historic/Reuse
  • Feasibility
  • Hospitality

Location
Aurora, IL

Size
20,000SF

a 1900s industrial building is transformed into a luxury event space
GWA Dots

Company 251 is a 20,000 square foot event space imbued with industrial charm and modern luxury.  Formerly the home of the International Harvester Manufacturing Company, this 1908 industrial building in Aurora’s Middle Avenue Historic District retains a raw and historic character with ghost lines of the original building’s use.

Industrial charm meets modern luxury

The first two floors of Company 251 were designed to include open banquet space, a kitchen, and restrooms. Studio GWA aimed to provide a flexible, modern venue space that emphasized the building’s industrial elegance and original architectural elements including wood columns, exposed brick walls, and more. The use of marble, brass, and custom lighting highlight the attention to detail employed throughout Company 251.

GWA Dots

enlivening existing structures

Studio GWA helped envision a new life for this beautiful building as an event space, capitalizing on its history and character while managing the practical implications of feasibility through tax credits analysis and thoughtful design. 

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