Integrated Development II, Affinius Capital and HPI Target May 2028 Opening for 214-Unit Sophia Fox Valley Senior Living in Aurora

Integrated Development II, in partnership with Affinius Capital and HPI Real Estate Services & Investments, is on track for a May 2028 opening of Sophia Fox Valley, a 214-unit senior living community adjacent to the Fox Valley Mall in Aurora, Illinois. Ground was broken on the project in July, and Denver-based Solera Senior Living will operate the community.

Sophia Fox Valley Senior Living Community: Project Details

Sophia Fox Valley will offer a continuum of care that includes 108 independent living apartments, 84 assisted living units and 22 memory care units, for a total of 214 units. The building totals approximately 288,300 square feet.

The community sits on a site of roughly eight acres in the northeast portion of Fox Valley Mall, near the Route 59 corridor. The land largely consists of former surface parking and nearby retail-area land. Earlier project coverage described a five-story development with two residential wings and a central common building. The broader mall property is located at 195 Fox Valley Center in Aurora.

Planned amenities include in-house restaurants and a bar, a central social pavilion, rooftop gardens, a wellness and fitness center, pickleball courts and walking paths. Residents also will have access to the retail, dining and entertainment amenities at Fox Valley Mall.

The community was designed by Northbrook, Illinois-based SAS Architects & Planners, with interiors by RD Jones. Walsh Construction, part of The Walsh Group, is serving as general contractor. The May 2028 target replaces earlier projections for a 2025 opening.

Solera Senior Living Will Operate; Adam Kaplan Comments

Solera Senior Living founder and CEO Adam Kaplan said in a statement that the groundbreaking marks a milestone for the operator and a step in the transformation of Fox Valley Mall.

"Breaking ground on Sophia Fox Valley marks an exciting milestone for Solera and an important next step in the transformation of Fox Valley Mall. We believe the next generation of senior living should be deeply connected to the communities around it — bringing together great design, hospitality, wellness and a strong sense of place," Kaplan said. "Fox Valley represents exactly the kind of environment where that vision can come to life. At a time when new senior living development remains limited and demand continues to grow, we are especially proud to be moving this project forward alongside Affinius Capital, HPI and Integrated Development II."

Matt Phillips of Integrated Development II also commented in a statement. "Sophia Fox Valley represents the next generation of senior living, one where residents enjoy a hospitality and wellness centered culture with well-appointed homes, woven into the local community," Phillips said. "By transforming part of Fox Valley Mall into vibrant, walkable senior housing, we're giving residents daily access to the shops, restaurants and energy of a new neighborhood right outside their door."

Mall Redevelopment and Senior Housing Trend

The project reflects a growing trend of repurposing shopping malls into residential communities. Sophia Fox Valley is part of the broader redevelopment of Fox Valley Mall into a mixed-use, live-work-play destination, according to the principals. The stated aim is to create an intergenerational community among mall-goers and residents.

Fox Valley Mall opened in 1975 and contains approximately 1.4 million square feet and roughly 150 stores. Its redevelopment has already included multifamily housing, including the 304-unit Lumen at Fox Valley on an approximately 11.11-acre former Sears parcel and a separate 323-unit apartment phase. The senior community is being built near the former Sears area and adjacent to a market-rate multifamily development.

Integrated Development II and its capital partners have pursued a similar mall-based concept at Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills, Illinois. Sophia at Hawthorn is a 166-unit community designed around independent living, assisted living and memory care.

Market Context: Occupancy and Limited Development

Senior living occupancy is above 90% amid a persistent development gap, with new construction remaining limited. The mall setting allows the operator to draw on existing retail and dining infrastructure as an amenity platform rather than provide every amenity internally.

The Fox Valley project's unit count was reported at 211, 214 and 216 units at different points during planning. The current announcement specifies 214 units.

Outlook

With construction underway, the Integrated Development II, Affinius Capital and HPI team is working toward a May 2028 opening for Sophia Fox Valley, which would add senior housing to a mall property that already includes apartment communities.

Sources

Solera Senior Living: Sophia Fox Valley senior living community slated for 2028 opening as part of mall transformation