Bloomingdale chamber's ready to go to school

Bloomingdale's 19th-century schoolhouse has been everything from a police station to a village hall to a Western-wear store.

Now, following a $1 million overhaul, the historic structure is poised to become the new home of the Bloomingdale Chamber of Commerce.

A 10-year, $10 lease agreement between the chamber and village paved the way for the chamber to move from a small office on Franklin Street into Bloomingdale's most famous piece of real estate.

Chamber President Bob Allen said the move has been "talked about, hoped for and dreamed of" for years.

"There is no better symbol of the village, or icon, than that schoolhouse," Allen said. "So moving into there seems like a natural fit.

"If you want to create a Bloomingdale identity, you can't get more familiar than that building," he added.

Allen said the chamber expects to be fully operational in its new home by Dec. 19, but the gradual move-in process has already begun. An open house is scheduled Feb. 21 so the public can see the renovation work.

Michael Marchi, Bloomingdale's director of village services, said the renovation project was a nice diversion from his usual projects, which often include road resurfacing and other public works-type assignments.

Knowing the chamber will use the building for at least 10 years adds to his enjoyment.

"Our goal was to bring it back to its original appearance in the mid-1800s, but use updated materials to ease any future maintenance," Marchi said.

In recent years, the village has put about $750,000 into the renovation of the building, including new siding, windows, doors, roof and stabilizing the bell tower.

Another $250,000 was spent repaving the parking lot and updating the lighting and landscaping.

"Believe it or not, there are still a few people in the village who remember when it was a schoolhouse," Marchi said.

"So it's neat to play a part in preserving such an important piece of the village's history," he added. "That building has been around for a lot longer than you or I and, because of what we've done, it will be around for long after you and I are gone."