THE FOLLOWING IS AN ARUM DEVELOPMENTS RELEASE
The Orlando-based development and construction firm passed over the Midwest’s larger metros to plant its flag on Vermilion Street, backing Danville’s downtown turnaround with private capital, full-service construction, and a new investment partnership with ZDE Capital Group. Public open house July 3 during the Downtown Carnival.
DANVILLE, Ill. — June 19, 2026 — Aurum Developments LLC, an Orlando headquartered development and construction firm, has chosen downtown Danville for its Midwest headquarters — passing over the region’s larger cities to commit to a
community of roughly 27,000 that is in the middle of a hard-won turnaround. The firm has opened its Midwest HQ at 57 N. Vermilion St., in the heart of downtown, and is partnering with ZDE Capital Group, a capital and real estate investment firm, to put private money and construction capacity behind the storefronts along Vermilion Street. The two companies will host a public open house beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026, timed to the Downtown Carnival a block north at 102 N. Vermilion St. The announcement is made in coordination with Downtown Danville, Inc.
A deliberate choice, not a default. Most development capital chases the biggest city on the map. Aurum went the other way. Its founders are rooted here, and they built the company to invest where they actually live — in a place where a single finished project moves the needle, where local relationships still mean something, and where the dollars put to work stay in the community instead of leaving it.
“I’ve lived here long enough to remember when downtown was a place you drove through, not to. It’s taken years, but this town is finally turning a corner — new businesses opening, a real plan from the City, people betting on Danville again. We could have set up shop in a bigger city. We chose to put our Midwest headquarters right here on Vermilion Street, because this is home — and because every dollar we put to work here stays here.”
— Colton Z. Morris, Co-Owner & Operator, Aurum Developments LLC
Adding private muscle to real momentum. Aurum is not trying to recreate some bygone version of Danville — it is investing in the one being built right now. The City adopted a downtown revitalization plan in 2024 and has committed millions in public dollars to the core, while new shops and restaurants continue to open along Vermilion Street, near the historic Fischer Theater and the downtown murals. Aurum’s role is to bring the private capital, general construction, and new-build capacity that turn that public groundwork into finished, occupied space — faster.
An end-to-end model for local entrepreneurs. The firm is built to remove the barriers that keep good ideas from opening their doors. Aurum partners with local entrepreneurs who have a strong concept but don’t know where or how to start, offering everything from funding the deal to the full setup — financing and complete build-out of a new location. Its work spans retail redesign and tenant build-outs of vacant downtown storefronts, general construction, and new-build construction.
The capital partner. ZDE Capital Group supplies the investment engine behind the effort. Focused on capital and real estate investment, ZDE is led by owner Zack Edwards — a Bismarck, Illinois native who returned home to invest in the Danville area — and connects a network of outside investors directly to local opportunities.
“I came back home to put real money to work in the place that raised me. The investors we work with are genuinely excited about where Danville is headed, and they want to build it hand in hand with the people who live here. Paired with Aurum’s ability to actually deliver the construction, we can move on opportunities most outside money walks right past.”
— Zack Edwards, Owner, ZDE Capital Group
Open house — July 3. Aurum and ZDE invite residents, business owners, property owners, and prospective partners to the new headquarters at 57 N. Vermilion St. on Friday, July 3, beginning at 5:00 p.m. The open house runs alongside the Downtown Carnival a block north, making it easy for neighbors to stop in, tour the office, and meet the teams investing in the district.
A B O U T A U R U M D E V E L O P M E N T S L L C
Aurum Developments LLC is a development and construction company headquartered in Orlando, Florida, with its Midwest headquarters in downtown Danville, Illinois. The firm specializes in general construction, new-build construction, commercial and residential exterior restoration, and large-loss restoration. Operating under the principle Fundamenta Valida — strong foundations — Aurum pairs disciplined construction with a commitment to strengthening the communities it builds in. It is the sister company of Florida Gold Roofing.
A B O U T Z D E C A P I T A L G R O U P
ZDE Capital Group is a capital and real estate investment firm led by owner Zack Edwards. ZDE connects outside investor capital with high-potential opportunities across Danville and the surrounding Vermilion County area, partnering with local operators to turn community potential into productive, lasting investment.
M E D I A C O N T A C T
Colton Z. Morris
Co-Owner / Operator, Aurum Developments LLC
57 N. Vermilion St., Danville, IL 61832
Office: (217) 920-0388 | Direct: (480) 297-5715
Cmorris@aurumdevelopments.com
