Elgin warehouse reborn as 'dream wedding space'

Exposed brick walls, wood-beamed ceilings, plank floors, the rough-hewed charm of something old made new again - venues like that dot the landscape in Chicago. But that sort of ambience is a rarity in the suburbs.

When Doree Haight was planning her wedding three years ago, she hit upon the idea of turning a family holding, a three-story building on the north end of Elgin's downtown area, into her dream wedding space.

"She was looking for a rustic warehouse but couldn't find anything that justified the expense," said her sister, Kari.

So her family and her impending in-laws got to work.

"Over the course of six months, the two families came together and gave it a little facelift," Doree said, readying it for her October 2012 wedding.

Since then, the space has been further refined. Now known as the Haight, the building at 166 Symphony Way has become an event space where weddings, charity fundraisers and other special events are hosted.

"It's really starting to take off," said Doree.

The vintage 1890 building was once home to the Elgin Storage and Transfer Company, a company that provided horse-drawn transportation to commuters headed for the Elgin watch factory. Evidence of horse stalls still remain on the main floor, Doree said.

Later, the building housed a piano company and several milk companies. The building was purchased by their father, the late John Haight, in 1980, said Doree. Preserving much of the original structure, the building was restored and leased to several tenants, including a cheese company and a chalkboard company.

These days the building hosts weddings and other occasions. Beginning in October, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra plans to use the space for special events, Doree said.

On Friday, Sept. 18, the site will host Trashion Show 2015, a fashion show featuring recycled fashions and benefiting Educate the Children International in Nepal, Kari said.

"We are open to any type of event," Kari said.

Doree, along with Kari and brother, John, manage The Haight, which is owned by their mother, Linda.

Doree said she handles marketing and advertising, while John takes care of the facilities and property management. Kari handles the finance and accounting functions, she said.

"We've been working side-by-side since childhood," said Kari.

"It's working out. So far, so good," said Doree.

The building has 2,000 square feet of space available for rent on the first floor and 7,000 square feet of space on the second floor and can accommodate up to 420 people. Private offices are located on the third floor. The event space had a soft opening about a year ago, she said, followed by a more recent official opening after clearing the last of the city's regulatory hurdles.

"It's wide open space," said Doree. "We have tables in there, restrooms, a stage. We have a prep kitchen. We like to give our clients a blank slate. They bring with them their own personal tastes."

Kari said the Haight provides a full-time event coordinator for each client.

For the most part, clients book their own vendors, Doree said.

"We give you a list of preferred vendors," she said, adding that they encourage clients to use their florists and caterers.

"Other than that, they're free to go out to work with whomever they want," she said.

Kimberly Grosser Doren had her wedding reception at the Haight on Dec. 6, 2014.

"It was straight out of a dream for me. The place lit up so beautifully!" Doren wrote in an email message. "We had our cocktail hour downstairs, then the dinner upstairs. I loved the two levels, the fact that most of the materials used were recycled, the history of the building, and just the all-around warm vibes."

For information, visit www.thehaight.net or call (224) 801-4166.