Barrington White House approaching $5.3 million in pledges

About six weeks after the public unveiling of the Barrington White House on the Fourth of July, the village announced Monday that donors have pledged nearly $5.3 million to the project, putting organizers close to their fundraising goal sooner than they expected.

Jason Hayden, Barrington's director of financial services, said about 35 percent to 40 percent of the pledged money has been collected to date. Many of the large donations - and there are several in the six- and even seven-figure range - initially were planned to be paid over the course of five years, but some are arriving sooner, he said.

"A lot of the donors' finances are going well," Hayden said. "The stock market has been good."

Hayden said the money pledged so far is about 80 percent of the project's $6.5 million cost.

The donations are paying for the extensive work to convert the 117-year-old building into a community center that will serve as a gathering space for the public, as well as office space for local nonprofit organizations.

The work is quickly wrapping up and some space is already being used, said White House project coordinator Beth Raseman.

Raseman said skilled carpenters - who have already done much to restore ornate woodwork - now are working on the house's front stairway. Other components of the house that will come together in the coming weeks are the carpet installation on the top two floors, completion of the interior decorating throughout the house and readying office space on the second floor.

The house already has hosted several cultural and culinary events.

Raseman said the top-floor ballroom, which can hold 150 people and will be rented out for banquets and wedding receptions, has been the site of several musical performances.

"The acoustics have been great on the third floor and will only get better when we put the carpet in," Raseman said. "It's a very intimate space."

The first-floor kitchen was the site of a culinary demonstration from Dominic Green of The Gentleman Farmer and Jeramie Campana, the chef at Lake Barrington-based Wild Asparagus Catering.

Raseman said an open house is planned for Sept. 26 and 27, once all the work is complete.

"We wanted to get everyone in the house for the (Fourth of July); now it will be the chance to see the house totally finished," she said. "We're getting really excited to be able to re-unveil the house."