Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Since the start of 2025, Casa Italia has undergone a dramatic transformation after switching landlords for the first time in its history. To lead the group through this rinascimento, Casa Italia’s board chose a man with a lifetime of experience in banking and finance.
“They wanted my guidance and I was honored,” says Peter Volpe, whose term as Casa’s Chairman runs the rest of the year.
Casa Italia has been a “home away from home” for the Chicago-area Italian-American community for more than a quarter of a century, according to Volpe.
For most of that time, the Casa leased the 17-acre grounds and buildings of the former Sacred Heart Seminary in Stone Park, which had been owned since the 1930s by the Missionaries of St. Charles, better known as the Scalabrinians.
Last year, the village of Stone Park bought the property, extensively repurposing the property for use by village residents while allowing the Casa to continue to occupy two of the four buildings and use the grounds at no cost.
“In the Italian Cultural Center at their expense, they put new windows, a new roof, a new smoke and fire alarm system,” Volpe says. “And when they’re done with their work on the property there’s going to have a new police station, a new soccer field and new senior citizen housing on the grounds.”
For an in-depth exploration of recent events at the Casa, click here.
With costs and effort dramatically reduced, the Casa is now able to devote much more of its human and financial resources to cultural events while hosting special events in the community center, which underwent a major renovation last year.
The capacity of the ballroom has been boosted from 140 to 350 guests in the wake of the work, which included raising the floor of the old gymnasium to match the rest of the main level. The facility now features a full-service kitchen, whereas before food had to be prepared off-site and brought in.
Volpe says they’ve hosted a half-dozen dinners in the renovated space so far. The largest yet was for the Grand Chamber by O’Hare, which brought in more than 200 people.
“There was not a single complaint, everything is brand new and it all looks gorgeous,” Volpe says.
Volpe says the group is in the process of putting together a monthly dinner event in the new space.
“It’s not a meeting, it’s a social event where people can come dine with us in our new community center,” he says.
The Casa is in the process of obtaining a liquor license, according to Volpe, which he says will create additional revenue for the organization.
Despite ongoing construction, the only regular Casa event that has had to be moved off-site has been the bocce tournament, which took place last year at the Elmwood Park Community & Recreation Center. He says they are looking to bring it back to the grounds but there is no timeline for that yet.
“It’s going to exist one way or another. People love it,” Volpe says. “The village of Elmwood Park has three different facilities for it so we may end up being able to have the leagues go year-round now.”
Volpe has spent 46 years as a banker including stints at Fidelity Federal, Lincoln Park Savings Bank, ABC Bank and Wintrust Bank Chicago. He currently serves as the market president for Time Bank in Park Ridge.
Volpe has been doing public service work since the start of his career.
“I’ve always been involved because I enjoy helping the communities that I live and work in,” Volpe says. “And from a selfish standpoint it helps to always be building out a network.”
He has been involved with the Lions Club and the Columbian Club of Chicago for more than 30 years.
After years as a Casa Italia board member, he served his first two-year stint as chairman from 2018 to 2019. He describes that term as being a good learning experience for a more challenging second term. Volpe plans to remain on the board after his term-limited second term is up.
“We have an incredible board of directors that give 110 percent. There are major executives on the board, there’s leaders from Turano Baking Co., Supreme Lobster, Tony’s Finer Foods and Greco & Sons. The fact that they allow me to guide their organization is an honor,” Volpe says. “I know whoever steps in next is going to do as good of a job or better.”
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