Revitalized West Dundee theater to open early next year
The transformation of a century-old theater into a state-of-the-art live music venue is beginning to take shape in downtown West Dundee.
With an exterior design plan finalized and an interior renovation well underway, owner Kevin Krak says he can start to visualize success at what will soon be known as RocHaus.
The historic building at 96 W. Main St. has been vacant since the former Clearwater Theater shut down in 2011. Though originally hoping to begin operating this fall, Krak anticipates the revitalized theater will be open in early 2017.
"The motivating force was, 'Let's get it done right,' rather than, 'Just get it done,'" said Krak, who bought the property in 2012. "It's going to be right, and I'm really getting excited to show people the work that's been put into it."
A full renovation inside the theater includes a refurbished balcony, a new bar, updated production equipment, freshly painted walls and decor, new flooring and restored finishes, Krak said.
He is also transforming part of an adjacent building, which was once a hotel, into a green room and lounge similar to the House of Blues Foundation Room in Chicago. The property contains a former art store at the corner closest to the Fox River that may be converted into a merchandise store or a radio studio.
The facades of both buildings, which were originally going to receive only minor updates, are now being entirely replaced, Krak said - a decision that contributed to the delayed timeline. "But in the long-run, it'll be worth it," he said.
While the new exterior will complement the other buildings along Main Street, a RocHaus sign and marquee will set it apart from its neighbors, said Tim Scott, West Dundee community development director. The design was approved last week by the village's appearance review commission.
"The theater will have ... an energy to it with the branding of the business that will essentially convey the energy of the music that'll be performed in that space," Scott said.
The revitalized theater is expected to help West Dundee by bringing economic activity to nearby restaurants and stores, he added.
"RocHaus is an entertainment anchor that will provide a lot of new foot traffic to the historic downtown business," Scott said. "It'll be an integral part of activating and bringing to life our downtown plan."