Roti relatives rebuild Bridgeport, Chinatown

Bridgeport and Chinatown, two of Chicago's oldest neighborhoods, are enjoying a rebirth, thanks to the extended Roti family.

Fred Bruno Barbara -- a grandson of family patriarch Bruno Roti Sr. and friend of Mayor Daley -- was part of a deal to build 16 townhomes at 33rd and Archer two years ago. His partners included top mayoral adviser Tim Degnan.

Their other partners were Richard Ferro and Thomas DiPiazza, whose company, Ferro-DiPiazza Inc., has been building homes in the Daley's 11th Ward for two decades. Ferro and DiPiazza are related by marriage to the Roti family.

Ferro bought the vacant industrial land on Archer, and hired Daley and George, the mayor's brother's law firm, to get City Hall rezoning to build townhomes. Ferro, Barbara, Degnan and DiPiazza sold the land for $2.7 million.

"I consider them crucial because they live here and have a vested interest in the community,'' Ald. James Balcer (11th) said of Ferro and DiPiazza.

Ferro and DiPiazza have been partners with Anthony DeGrazia, another Bridgeport developer. DeGrazia's aunt, Donna Barbara DeGrazia, is a member of the Roti family. She was a secretary to former Ald. Pat Huels (11th). Huels' successor, Balcer, lives in a home built by Anthony DeGrazia. As alderman, Balcer has signed off on DeGrazia's developments, including a townhome project on an industrial site across from the 11th Ward offices.

DeGrazia also sold land a few blocks north of Sox Park to Michael A. Tadin, a former business partner of Fred Barbara. Tadin plans to build townhomes there and on another nearby site.

Tim Novak, Robert Herguth