Olivieri Bros. Pick Their Firm's 5 Favorite Building Projects

Seventy years is a good chunk of time to build a legacy for a family business. And when that family business specializes in architecture and building design, that legacy can have a profound presence.

Since its founding by Henry Olivieri in 1942 in southeast Chicago, the Frankfort-based architectural firm has completed more than 2,000 building design projects around the area. Now in the hands of architects Don and John Olivieri, the firm has been working on structures throughout the Lincoln-Way area.

On the occasion of the firm's anniversary, Patch asked the brothers to spotlight the five favorite buildings their business has worked on over the years. Here's what they listed with some background on what makes them special.

1. Mr. Benny's Steak and Lobster House (Mokena)

When Olivieri Brothers worked on it: 1997
What's special about it: This 12,000 square-foot restaurant and banquet hall unique angles allow for maximum customer service, and many bay window “nooks” give customers a sense of private rooms. The building features prairie-style architecture, three banquet rooms, a main dining room and a bar and casual dining area.

2. International Code Council Headquarters (Country Club Hills)

When Olivieri Brothers worked on it: 2000-01
What makes it special: The Olivieris were the architects and construction managers for this project. This undertaking had some added pressure to it because ICC consists of the engineers and architects that develop the code books for municipalities across the country.

3. CD Sundberg Co. Headquarters and Distribution Facility (Chicago)

When Olivieri Brothers worked on it: 2011
What makes it special: The firm restored an abandoned warehouse that had leaky roofs and broken windows. It hadn’t been renovated since the 1960s, and Olivieri Brothers turned it into an energy-efficient distribution facility with fully automated systems. The building for the 100-year-old appliance repair company also includes a museum of appliances.

4. Olivieri Business Park (Mokena)

When Olivieri Brothers worked on it: 2005 and 2009
What makes it special: This business park has seven buildings built and occupied with 16 approved. With a struggling economy and a downturn in the office-building market, the park is almost 100 percent leased.

5. The Trolley Barn (Frankfort)

When Olivieri Brothers worked on it: 1996
What makes it special: is one of the signature buildings in downtown Frankfort. In its lifetime, the building has been a storage barn, an auto parts store, a car dealership and, of course, the location of a trolley system that ran from Joliet to Frankfort. When Olivieri Brothers renovated the building, turning it into a retail shopping center, the firm retained many of the features of its trolley car history, including keeping intact the brick paver flooring and trolley crane system.