Work began this week to demolish the former Luigi’s Pizza and Fun Center in Aurora after ATMI Precast, a concrete manufacturer, bought the property and plans to use it for storage.
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Former owner Bill Poss said the beloved pizza parlor property was bought Jan. 6 by ATMI Precast to use as a storage facility for the cement slabs they produce. ATMI Precast already has a facility in Aurora about half a mile away from Luigi’s, formerly located at 732 Praire Street.
“They need the space,” Poss said. “They are already sold out for this year and next year and taking orders for 2025, so they’d like to be able to store precasts over there so once a prospective buyer is ready they can ship it out.”
Many Aurora residents took to social media this week as the pizzeria and arcade center was demolished, sharing memories of birthday parties and even the building’s former life as a grocery store.
Meanwhile, Poss has retired to the Orlando, Florida area and was unable to see the demolition himself.
“After 41 years, it was time to retire,” Poss said. “You get a business, you build it up and you hope to sell it for a profit. It did and I’m grateful and blessed for that.”
City spokesman Clayton Muhammad said a full structure demolition permit was issued to ATMI. The company will be putting up fencing around the property with a 25-foot landscaped setback.
The property is zoned for limited manufacturing, which allows for this use, Muhammad said, and no trucks will be allowed to enter or exit off of Prairie Street. Instead, trucks will use Rathbone Avenue as they currently do.
Attempts to reach ATMI Precast were unsuccessful.