Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
The new home of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame is a beehive of activity, with Phase 1 of construction in the rearview mirror and Phase 2 well underway. Indoor demolition was completed in March on the building, located at 3417 N. Harlem Ave. in Chicago, with a mural on the north wall offering a taste of the pageantry and passion to come.
“The Harlem Avenue location will be a multimedia experience focusing not only on athletic achievements, but also on the life lessons that go along with them,” says NIASHF President Ron Onesti.
The Hall of Fame celebrates the careers of the well over 300 Italian American athletes who have been inducted since its beginning in 1977. Its collection of priceless memorabilia includes Mario Andretti’s No.1 Indy Car, Vince Lombardi’s handwritten playbook and hundreds of other one-of-a-kind items that offer a peek into the lives of these sports legends.
With full financing for the construction project in place at Wintrust Bank, Building Committee Chair Eddie Greco has secured M&J Works as the general contractor.
Chicago Alderman Nicholas Sposato is looking forward to the grand opening of the Hall of Fame in the 38th Ward, which he represents. “The NIASHF will be an anchor for increased development of a ‘Little Italy-West’ corridor being formulated by the city of Chicago,” Sposato reports.
The community has rallied around the project, with the Harlem Avenue Little Italy Business Association showing its support. The Hall is scheduled to open in the fall.
