Spring 25 OP Newsletter

Newsletter

A PUBLICATION FOR THE ORLAND PARK COMMUNITY Spring 2025

SPRING WEATHER SAFETY pg. 6 WELCOME TO ORLAND PARK! pg. 18

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

A

Upcoming Village Events Police & Public Safety TABLE OF CONTENTS

Keith Pekau Mayor

Brian Gaspardo Village Clerk

2 4

Weather Safety Inquiring Minds Rental Resources

6 8

Brian Riordan Trustee William Healy Trustee Joni Radaszewski Trustee

Cynthia Katsenes Trustee Michael Milani Trustee Sean Kampas Trustee

12 14 16 18

Around Town

Community Pride

Welcome to Orland Park

Veterans Information

20 22

Heritage Sites

Jim Culotta Interim Village Manager

Brian West Interim Assistant Village Manager

May 5 May 19 June 2 June 16 July 7 July 21 BOARD MEETINGS

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

B

LETTER FROM THE MAYOR

Dear Orland Park Residents, It’s spring in Orland Park! With the warmer weather, it is great to see everyone out enjoying all Orland Park has to offer. It is my favorite time of the year when Orland Park’s facilities and parks are full of families and events are in full swing. Within this issue of the Village of Orland Park Newsletter you will find information about upcoming events, programs and projects in Orland Park. We hope that you find it useful and informative. We will officially welcome summer to Orland Park during Memorial Day Weekend. All are invited to honor and remember our fallen heroes at the Village’s annual Memorial Day Ceremony on May 26 at 11 a.m. The ceremony takes place at Ara Pacé, the Veterans Memorial, located at the Village Center. Centennial Park Aquatic Center will be opening for the season and is the perfect place to escape the summer heat. See page 14 for more information. In addition, we have many concerts, movies, events and new video boards this summer at Centennial Park West. Visit orlandpark.org/events for a complete list of upcoming special events. Be on the lookout for our concert lineup announcements for our many summer events! Lastly, thank you to the Orland Park Police Department and you, the residents of Orland Park, for staying vigilant and keeping Orland Park safe. Always remember that if you SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING and give us a call at (708) 349-4111 for non-emergencies or 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency. Thank you again for your part in keeping Orland Park one of the safest towns in Illinois. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone around town during the rest of this spring and into the summer! Sincerely, Keith Pekau Mayor of Orland Park

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

1

Calendar of Events May ~ June

May Day Celebration Saturday, May 3, 12 p.m.

Board of Trustees Meeting Monday, June 2, 7 p.m. @ Orland Park Village Hall 14700 S. Ravinia Ave. Food Truck & Touch-a-Truck Fest Thursday, June 12, 5 p.m. @ Centennial Park West 15609 Park Station Blvd. Board of Trustees Meeting Monday, June 16, 7 p.m. @ Orland Park Village Hall 14700 S. Ravinia Ave.

Movie in the Park: Kung Fu Panda 4 Monday, June 16, Dusk @ Centennial Park West 15609 Park Station Blvd. Elvis Night Thursday, June 26, 5 p.m. @ Centennial Park West 15609 Park Station Blvd.

@ Stellwagen Farm 17701 108th Ave.

Board of Trustees Meeting Monday, May 5, 7 p.m. @ Orland Park Village Hall 14700 S. Ravinia Ave. Board of Trustees Meeting Monday, May 19, 7 p.m. @ Orland Park Village Hall 14700 S. Ravinia Ave.

Vintage Movie Night Tuesday, June 24, 7 p.m.

@ Stellwagen Farm 17701 108th Ave.

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

2

FOLLOW THE VILLAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY INFORMED Scan using the camera on your phone!

Facebook Events, fun highlights of the community and important information are featured on our page. Give us a “follow” to stay up-to-date on all that’s happening.

Instagram Capturing fun and lighthearted sights around Orland Park, as well as keeping the community up-to-date on Village happenings is what you’ll find on our feed.

X Receive timely posts about events, traffic, public announcements and more.

YouTube Check out the many videos featuring local events, cable programs and updates from the Mayor. Catch our board meetings and events LIVE and be sure to subscribe to be notified when we go live.

Water Billing................................................... (708) 403-6175 Register for Programs....................................... (708) 403-5000 Non-Emergency Police .................................... (708) 349-4111 Mayor’s Office................................................ (708) 403-6160 General Information........................................ (708) 403-6100 Have Questions?

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

3

POLICE & PUBLIC SAFETY

POLICE & PUBLIC SAFETY

Safety Forum Orland Park, Tinley Park and Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison co-hosted the second annual Southwest Suburban Safety Forum on December 4. It was an informative evening full of fantastic questions and conversation about keeping our suburbs safe. For those who missed the event, a recording of the meeting can be found on the Village’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/@Villageoforlandpark Gray Carns’ Birthday Parade The Orland Park Police Department was honored to participate in a special 4th birthday parade for Gray Carns, son of fallen Illinois State Trooper Clay Carns. Police agencies from across the state helped to make this birthday a special one. Guns & Hoses Hockey Game March 14 marked the second annual charity match between the Orland Park Police Department/Orland Fire Protection District and the Eagles Hockey Club. All proceeds benefited the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois and the Eagles Hockey Club. Thank you to everyone who attended, participated and donated to such a great cause.

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

4

POLICE & PUBLIC SAFETY

(LEFT) Sgt. Michael Freeman, Sgt. Casey Wall, Inv. Hank Schoonveld, Inv. John Folliard, Inv. Alex Vainer and Sgt. Doug Kein (not pictured) received the Exceptional Service award.

February 17 was the Orland Park Police Department Bi-Annual Awards Ceremony. Congratulations to all of the recipients and thank you for your dedication and service to our community.

Investigator Miranda Nickel was presented with the 2024 Officer of the Year award.

Telecommunicator Alan Labno was presented with the 2024 Civilian of the Year award.

Officer Jacquelyn Skender was presented with the Life Saving award.

Officer Mallory Janozik and Officer Chris Pratl received the Exceptional Service award.

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

5

The Orland Park Police Department currently has sixteen outdoor weather warning sirens placed throughout the Village. As a reminder, outdoor weather sirens are to alert people who are outside for impending severe weather and not intended for those already indoors. Those individuals, who may not hear the audible warning while inside, should monitor radio, television and/or weather apps for the most-up-to-date information on the path of any severe weather. As an important reminder, the Orland Park Police Department does not sound an “all-clear” by activating the outdoor weather warning sirens after the passing of a severe storm. Upon the issuance of a TORNADO WARNING or during a severe weather incident, the Emergency Warning Siren System should be activated in the event of one of the following: • A CONFIRMED sighting of a tornado or funnel cloud aloft by a trained weather spotter within five miles of the Village. - This five-mile perimeter should be extended geographically around the perimeter of the Village from the farthest northern, southern, eastern and western borders at a minimum. - Towns within this five-mile perimeter include Oak Lawn, Hickory Hills, Chicago Ridge, Worth, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Palos Heights, Alsip, Midlothian, Oak Forest, Markham, Crestwood, Country Club Hills, Matteson, Tinley Park, Frankfort, Mokena, New Lenox, Lockport, Lemont & a portion of unincorporated Will County & Cook County. WEATHER SAFETY This policy is in effect because a situation may arise where a storm has cleared and another one, following on the heels of the first, meets the conditions for re-activation.

• A CONFIRMED sighting by a trained weather spotter of severe winds causing structural damage within five miles of the Village.

• A CONFIRMATION of severe winds in excess of 70 miles per hour within the Village.

• The receipt of a tornado warning, issued by the National Weather Service, indicating that Orland Park is in the direct path of an oncoming tornado.

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

6

WEATHER SAFETY

WHAT IS CODERED? The Villages uses CodeRED, an emergency alert system, to call, email or text residents to alert them of major emergency situations.

Be Informed With CodeRED

1

The CodeRED Emergency Notification System is a high-speed telephone communication service the Village uses to notify residents and businesses of an emergency or urgent situation that requires immediate attention. Residents and businesses are urged to complete the CodeRED Community Notification Enrollment and update their contact information. Required information includes first and last name, street address (physical address, no P.O. boxes), city, state, zip code and primary phone number. Additional phone numbers, email address and text messaging are optional. All businesses should register, as well as all individuals who have an unlisted phone number, have changed their phone number or address within the last year or use a cellular phone as their primary telephone number. The information you provide is used by the Village of Orland Park for notification purposes only. Your information will be kept confidential and will never be sold or disclosed to others.

WHY SHOULD I SIGN UP? Residents should sign up each cell phone in the family to ensure each family member will be aware and up- to-date during an emergency. HOW TO SIGN UP Visit orlandpark.org/CodeRED to enroll in CodeRED public safety alerts and click the link to register all your family cell phones. Your information will be kept confidential.

2

3

SCAN ME!

Spring Weather Warnings Tornado preparedness is incredibly important during storm season to keep all of our residents safe. Registering for CodeRED will keep you up to date on inclement weather in Orland Park, including severe weather warnings.

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

7

INQUIRING MINDS The Village of Orland Park receives thousands of calls throughout the year. Below are a few of the most common questions that we receive and their answers.

Homeowners should inspect storm inlets for debris that is blocking water flow and clear the debris. Debris could be from landscaping products like wood chips or stones or leaves/branches that have washed into the inlets. Removing the debris restores water flow. Next, evaluate if there was a change to the water flow pattern, such as new landscaping, pools and sheds. If these are blocking the designed surface flow pattern when the home was built, flooding may occur. Lastly, gutter downspouts add water to the surface of backyards. They can be drained directly via a French drain to storm inlets, but Public Works should be notified to ensure it is connected to a storm drain and not a sewer drain. Call Public Works at (708) 403-6350 for inspection. As a last resort, take pictures of the flooding and then call Public Works to help evaluate what is causing the flooding condition.

Containers are recommended to be put out on the night before, as drivers start as early as 6 am. You can call Waste Management at (800) 964-8988 to request they return. If possible, they may return to pick up, otherwise it will be the next week.

Call Public Works at (708) 403-6350. Public Works will first evaluate the defect, which must present some type of hazard (ex: a vertical separation of ¾” or more) to be replaced. Minor surface spalling or common cracks do not constitute a hazard. If a hazard is found, the work could be accomplished by Public Works staff or a contractor.

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

8

INQUIRING MINDS

Although residential parkways are Village of Orland Park property, the trees must be trimmed by the homeowner. By ordinance, trees must have an eight foot clearance from the ground and sidewalks. If you have a concern regarding a parkway tree, please contact the Public Works Department at publicworks@orlandpark.org or call (708) 403 6350.

For most work, (fences, roofs, hot water heaters, furnaces, pools, decks, etc.) a permit is required. Please visit the Village of Orland Park website, orlandpark.org/permits for further information. Permits are available on the website and can be filled out before bringing to the Development Services Department at Village Hall (14700 S. Ravinia Ave.) Fees are listed in the permit section.

Do the holidays impact Waste

Yes, when your collection day falls on or after one of the holidays listed below, your pick-up will be one day late during the week.

• New Year’s Day • Memorial Day • Fourth of July • Labor Day • Thanksgiving Day • Christmas Day

No, all garbage must be placed at the curb in a covered container with a tight fitting lid. Garbage cans may only be placed at the curb for 24 hours from placement to retrieval of cans. Cans must be stored on the side or rear of the home, not in the front.

Collection days and times may be altered due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances. For more information, call (800) 964-8988 or visit the Village website at orlandpark.org/WM.

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

9

INQUIRING MINDS

For homeowners, the one item to inspect yearly is the toilet flapper system. Often the toilet flapper leaks water by not sealing when it is not in use. Flappers become deformed due to age or when the chain gets hung up. The toilet tank runs to fill up and often residents don’t hear it. During colder months, humidifiers often run continuously as well. Software notifies the Village if a home has higher than-normal usage. Homeowners are proactively contacted by the Village so they don’t get an even larger water bill. For questions on water bills, call (708) 403-6170.

Removal of a dead animal is a responsibility of the homeowner. Any concerns about health and safety can be directed to Animal Control at (708) 364-4990.

Construction projects can be Village, utility companies, Oak Lawn, Cook County or IDOT. Notification letters are sent out at the start of Village projects. Updates to projects are on the Village’s website at orlandpark.org/roads.

Further info can be obtained from Engineering and Public Works by email or phone.

Call Public Works at (708) 403-6350 to report damages. Repairs to lawn edge will take place in spring, and a temporary mailbox will be provided until a new mailbox can be installed. The Village can install a standard metal mailbox or owners wanting to select their own mailbox and post can request reimbursement up to $168.86. Brick mailboxes are not approved in parkways, and homeowners choosing to install them do so at their own risk. The standard mailbox would be provided to replace brick mailboxes.

It is best to wait to spray the nest in the evening when it is colder and when they are inactive.

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

10

INQUIRING MINDS

In order to protect and ensure a safe water supply to consumers throughout the State, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) created a state regulation for public health. Section 18 of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act requires municipalities to maintain an active Water Cross Connection Control Program, which ensures residents and commercial facilities that possess backflow prevention devices are inspected and tested, and the verification of inspection must be submitted to the Village or Orland Park at the time of installation and at least annually thereafter to ensure continued proper operation. The Village uses Backflow Solutions Incorporated (BSI) to manage the Cross Connection Control Program by overseeing and ensuring the inspections are completed. Please call BSI at (888) 966 6050 if you have questions.

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

11

RENTAL RESOURCES The Village’s new Rental Property Registrations Ordinance went into effect January 1, 2025. Per the Ordinance, Rental Licenses shall be capped at 10% of the existing dwelling units in any Census Block, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, regardless of housing type (whether detached, attached or multi-family). Exemptions to the cap include the following, though subject to the licensing requirement: • Dwelling units developed and approved through the Village’s development approval process as rental units. • Dwelling units owned and rented by individuals on active military duty. • Dwelling units owned and rented for no less than five months and no more than six months by “snowbird” residents who temporarily reside elsewhere. Additionally, please be advised that no person, corporation or business entity can rent a Dwelling Unit to the public unless a valid and current Residential Rental License has been issued by the Village Clerk for the specific location. Any landlord found in violation of the Rental Property Registration Regulations will, in addition to any applicable and assessed fines ranging from $250 - $1,000 per day for non compliance, be prohibited from applying for any rental license in the Village for a period of one year. Furthermore, a designated owner’s agent may be responsible for no more than eight dwelling units unless the rental units are part of a rental-only development that was approved as a rental development by the Village Board of Trustees. For the purposes of an emergency response to a residential rental property, the owner or owner’s designated agent must be located within 15 miles of the Village corporate limits for building and tenant emergencies. The owner or owner’s agent must be physically present at any time that an unleased dwelling unit is accessed by potential lessees. The Village has an online GIS map listing the number of rental licenses available in every census block. A landlord with an active rental license may continue to rent their unit, even in a block that currently does not have rental licenses available. However, no new rental licenses will be granted for that block, until such time that a rental license becomes available. Rental licenses are not transferable - a unit with a current license is not guaranteed a new license once sold to a new owner, and your license cannot be transferred to any other physical address within the Village. Any resident interested in purchasing an investment rental property is advised to consult the online GIS map or call the Village to verify that a rental license is available for the census block where the dwelling unit is located.

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

12

RENTAL RESOURCES

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

13

AROUND TOWN

CPAC Opening Day The Centennial Park Aquatic Center (CPAC) will open for its 34th season on May 24 and will be open until September 1! CPAC is a fun and exciting family water park offering a zero-depth pool surrounded by plenty of deck and lawn for lounging and a water play feature for little ones. You’ll enjoy using two body speed slides, 328-foot tube slide, 200-foot flume slide, platform cliff jump and drop slide surrounded by the lazy river, which offers a relaxing ride around bends and under waterfalls. Children 11 years of age and under must be supervised by an adult 18 years of age or older.

Daily Admission Fees/Membership Resident: $12 | $9 - After 4 p.m. Non-Residents: $25 Monday-Thursday | $26 Friday-Sunday & Holidays (May 26, July 4, Sep. 1) Children 2 years and under are free. To ensure residents receive the resident rate for their pool membership as well as drop-in and recreational activities, a Resident ID must be issued to all Orland Park residents 3 years of age and older. This Resident ID will be required as proof of residency to ensure that resident privileges are not abused. Resident ID cards are available free of charge at the Sportsplex and Village Hall cashier’s office during regular business hours. To obtain a Resident ID card, proof of residency is required by showing a valid driver’s license/state ID. The Resident ID cards must be renewed annually by presenting a current driver’s license/state ID denoting the same address. Non-resident rates will be charged to all participants without a valid photo ID.

For weather conditions for pool closings, residents can download the Rainoutline.com app or call (708) 401-0043 ext. 66.

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

14

AROUND TOWN

Cinderella’s Ball Princesses of all ages enjoyed a magical evening at the annual Cinderella’s Ball on Februrary 8 at the Orland Park Civic Center. Attendees enjoyed princess and prince party games, castle crafts, meet and-greets with Cinderella and her royal friends, dinner in the royal dining room and a DJ-hosted dance party.

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

15

COMMUNITY PRIDE

The second annual Southwest Job Fair was held on January 16 at the Tinley Park Convention Center. The event brought together over 1,200+ job seekers, triple the attendance levels from the 2024 event, and over 100 employers, bridging the gap between talent and opportunities in the southwest suburbs.

Orland Park Troop 318 attended the January 20 Meeting of the Village Board and were welcomed to lead attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance.

At the January 6 Meeting of the Village Board, Mayor Keith Pekau presented the Orland Park Vortex 2024 Girls Soccer Team with the Community Pride Award. The team competed in the Lou Fusz Midwest Junior Championships that were held in St. Louis in November, winning the U12 Team Championship.

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

16

COMMUNITY PRIDE

At the March 3 Meeting of the Village Board, Mayor Keith Pekau presented the D230 Gymnastics Team with the Community Pride Award. The team qualified for the IHSA State Finals, placing 2nd at Conference, 2nd at the IHSA Regional and securing 3rd place at Sectionals.

February 18 marked the annual Village/Family Basketball game against the Orland Park Owls! Thank you to everyone who attended and for your continued support of our Special Recreation Division!

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

17

WELCOME TO ORLAND PARK

PORTILLO’S -- >> -- On January 9, Mayor Keith Pekau, the Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce and Orland Park Village Staff celebrated the grand opening of Portillo’s (20 Orland Square Dr.) with an official ribbon cutting ceremony.

<< -- EGG HARBOR CAFE -- Mayor Keith Pekau, Village Staff and Chamber Officials welcomed Egg Harbor Cafe (14301 LaGrange Road) to Orland Park. Egg Harbor Cafe is a family owned resaurant chain that offers an extensive selection of breakfast and lunch

WILD FORK FOODS -- >> -- Mayor Keith Pekau and Orland Park Village Staff celebrated the grand opening of Wild Fork Foods (14860 LaGrange Road). Wild Fork Foods is a modern-day meat and seafood market on a mission to transform the way consumers shop for and eat protein.

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

18

<< -- PETE’S FRESH MARKET -- Mayor Keith Pekau, Trustees Kampas, Riordan and Radaszewski, the Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce and Village Staff celebrated the grand opening of Pete’s Fresh Market (15080 La Grange Road) with an official ribbon cutting ceremony.

STEINHAFELS -- >> -- Orland Park Trustee Sean Kampas and Village Staff celebrated the grand opening of Steinhafels (203 Orland Park Place) with an official ribbon cutting ceremony.

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

19

VETERANS INFORMATION Memorial Day Ceremony

The community is invited to come together to honor our veterans this Memorial Day, Monday, May 26 at Ara Pacé ~ Place of Peace (14700 S. Ravinia Ave.). The event, beginning at 11 a.m., will feature a welcome address from Veterans Program Coordinator Dan Marsan, Memorial Day reflections from guest speakers and reading of the newly-engraved names. The ceremony will close out with a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps. Do you want to Honor and Remember a Veteran? Each Memorial and Veterans Day the Village’s Veterans Commission adds the names of veterans to the Village’s Memorial, Ara Pacé ~ Place of Peace Memorial at the Village Center. You can find this application on the next page. The form is also available in person at Village Hall or on the Village’s website at: orlandpark.org/veterans.

Veterans Center

On Veterans Day in 2024, the Village of Orland Park held a ribbon cutting for the new Veterans Center. The new Veterans Center is located at 14671 West Avenue and will house meetings for the American Legion Post 111, VFW Orland-Palos Post 2604, Veterans Voices and Disabled American Veterans (DAV), in addition to the Orland Park Veterans Commission.

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

20

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

21

Each newsletter, we will delve into a different piece of Orland’s past. This season we will be exploring the history of the Chiappetti Slaughterhouse. This small limestone building has played a part in the larger history of Orland. It is connected to the Rust family, an early and influential family in Orland, the Chiappetti family, who rose to prominence in Chicago’s historic Union Stockyards and the Andrew Corporation, a global company that put Orland on the map in the 1950s. In June 1873, Joseph Rust purchased the land that would eventually house the Andrew Corporation. In 1915, the Rust family built a small limestone building to use as a smokehouse. According to legend, the limestone was mined from the stones used for the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal; however, since Rust did not come to Orland until the early 1870s, it is more likely that limestone came from the building of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, a project that ran from 1887-1922. When Joseph Rust sold the land in 1916, it was sold and resold frequently until a man named Karl D. Stahulak bought it in 1920. The Stahulak family, who were immigrants from the old Austro-Hungarian Empire and most likely of Hungarian descent, farmed the area until 1934, when they sold the land to the Orland State Bank. Later that year, Herman Gee, who was working as a bank clerk in the 1930s, sold the land to Fioremante “Fiore” Chiappetti. CHIAPPETTI SLAUGHTERHOUSE

Fiore played an important role in the story of this building. In 1916, Fiore immigrated from Calabria, Italy to Chicago. He worked for the railroad. After work, he’d occasionally kill a lamb or goat for his family to eat. His co-workers and neighbors asked him if they could purchase meat from him. Word quickly spread about Fiore’s abilities, and he eventually quit his job at the railroad and opened a small butcher shop on Taylor and Jefferson Street in Chicago with his brother, Salvatore.

Joseph Rust, c. 1870-1900

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

22

HERITAGE SITES

When Fiore Chiappetti opened his first slaughterhouse in the 1920s, the Chicago meatpacking industry had been flourishing for decades. Though there had been small slaughterhouses and cattle yards in the city before the nineteenth century, it was not until the 1860s that Chicago developed a consolidated stockyard district. The expansion of railroads during the 1850s to the 1870s drove more business to Chicago due to its central location; this led to an increase in the commercialization in the city center. Furthermore, during the Civil War, the federal government purchased meat primarily from Chicago to feed Union troops. As a result, the meatpacking industry quickly grew. On Christmas Day, 1865, the Union Stockyards opened with the following boundaries: 39th Street to the north, Halsted Street to the east, 47th Street to the south and South Racine Avenue to the west. According to the Encyclopedia of Chicago, “by the beginning of

Fiore Chiappetti, c. 1960s (Photo courtesy of the Chiappetti Family)

the 1890s. . .the Union Stock Yard could hold more than 400,000 live animals at a time,” and, over the course of 1865 to 1900, more than 400 million animals were processed within it. By 1921, 40,000 people worked in the Union Stockyards, including Fiore and his family. Fiore’s business was a great success, and he had saved a good deal of money in the bank by 1929. However, as the story goes, since the bank could not afford to pay him back his money when the Great Depression hit, he was instead offered a deed to a farm in Orland Park, which he accepted. In 1934, Fiore received a deed for the land that Karl Stahulak had sold back to the Orland State Bank only weeks before. He now owned a 400-acre farm on 153rd Street, where Crystal Tree Golf Course now stands. That year, Fiore and Salvatore moved their business to Orland Park. On the farm they grew corn, soybeans and oats. Fiore converted the limestone building constructed by Joseph Rust into a slaughterhouse because it was cool on the inside during the summer. At this location, he processed lambs, calves and cattle. The meat was sent to the Union Stockyards in Chicago and the bones were sent to Darling & Co. to be made into fertilizer. Fiore’s use of the building gave it the name we refer to today: the Chiappetti Slaughterhouse. Fiore’s business grew considerably after his move to Orland Park. To better expand their operation, in the 1940s he and his children opened another slaughterhouse on Halsted Street in Chicago. On June 2, 1948, he sold his land on 143rd Street to the Andrew Corporation for $42,000 (approximately $548,000 in 2025).

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

23

HERITAGE SITES

In addition to the land, the Andrew Corporation bought five outbuildings: the farmhouse, the tenant house, the large barn, the milk house and the stone pump and slaughterhouse. The Andrew Corporation used the large barn as an electrical engineering and antenna laboratory from 1949 1960. Inside the barn, they built a full-size dual frequency antenna for the Empire State Building, which was installed in 1953. The slaughterhouse was used as storage. In 1986, the Village of Orland Park saved the slaughterhouse from demolition when the Andrew

Chiappetti Farm, c. 1948

Corporation wanted to further develop their site and could no longer maintain and upkeep the building. The building was moved carefully along 144th Place from the Andrew Corporation property and placed in its current location. Believing the location to be temporary, the building’s entrance is facing Humphrey Woods – the side you see from the path is the back!

Chiappetti Farm, April 1952 (Photo courtesy of Andy Andrew)

| Spring 2025 | orlandpark.org

24

HERITAGE SITES

When Fiore passed away in 1973, his family continued on with Chiappetti Lamb & Veal, which ceased operations in Chicago in 2018. Many dub Chiappetti’s business as having been “Chicago’s last major slaughterhouse” in the Union Stock Yard community. The family is still active in the meat packing and food industries today, upholding the tradition Fiore began in the 1920s. To properly commemorate the Chiappetti family and the slaughterhouse, the Heritage Sites will be placing a sign outside of the building, which is currently located on the walking path south of 144th Place, this spring. This article was written by Heritage Sites Supervisor Libby Paulson. For more information on the Orland Park Heritage Sites, visit orlandpark.org/heritagesites or email heritagesites@orlandpark.org.

Dennis, Mike and Franco Chiappetti, 1993 (Photo courtesy of the Chiappetti Family)

orlandpark.org | Spring 2025 |

25

Prsrt Standard U.S. Postage Orland Park, IL Permit Number 33 PAID

14700 SOUTH RAVINIA AVENUE ORLAND PARK, IL 60462 orlandpark.org

VILLAGE FACILITIES

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 15655 South Ravinia Avenue (708) 403-6350 ORLAND PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT 15100 South Ravinia Avenue (708) 349-4111 (non-emergency) Dial 9-1-1 for emergency RECREATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENT 14600 South Ravinia Avenue (708) 403-5000

VILLAGE HALL 14700 South Ravinia Avenue (708) 403-6100 VILLAGE OF ORLAND PARK SPORTSPLEX 11351 West 159th Street (708) 403-5000 FRANKLIN E. LOEBE RECREATION CENTER 14650 South Ravinia Ave. (708) 403-6259 SENATOR JOHN HUMPHREY HOUSE 9830 West 144th Place (708) 403-5000

CENTENNIAL PARK AQUATIC CENTER 15600 West Avenue (708) 349-4386

ORLAND PARK HEALTH AND FITNESS CENTER 15430 West Avenue (708) 226-0555 ORLAND PARK CIVIC CENTER 14750 South Ravinia Avenue (708) 403-6200 CENTENNIAL PARK WEST 15609 Park Station Boulevard (708) 226-0555