Mt. Prospect developer left mark on Northwest suburbs
A Mount Prospect builder whose commercial buildings and developments stretched across the suburbs has died.
Bennett Trapani died Sunday after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 85.
Trapani Construction is widely regarded as one of the top construction companies in the suburbs, with hundreds of projects listed on its websites.
They range from 29 hotels across the area and another 14 currently in development, 50 Jewel-Oscos, CVS pharmacies and Walgreens, hospital projects, mixed-use retail projects, schools, banks, hotels and shopping centers.
“Back in ’60s and ’70s, Ben had the vision to see the development and construction possibilities in the suburbs,” said David Cartwright, president of Trapani Construction. “Many of his early projects were in Mount Prospect, and because of his active involvement in the community and impeccable integrity and honesty, the business grew.”
Trapani moved to Mount Prospect with his wife, Millie, in 1948, after he had served in the Army in Iceland during World War II. He joined his brother-in-law, Bill Bolash, in the home remodeling business, but by 1952 he started his own company.
His early projects were homes in Mount Prospect, including his own house, which he built in 1954 and remained in until his passing.
By the 1960s, Trapani began building some small office buildings on Prospect Avenue in Mount Prospect, as well as Countryside Court Shopping Center in Mount Prospect, where the construction office was located for more than 20 years.
The construction office was located above Countryside Bank, one of three community banks Trapani helped to start. The others came later and were First National Bank of Lake Zurich and the Mount Prospect National Bank.
Trapani began to develop additional commercial properties, including Arlington Executive Court in Arlington Heights and the Salem Plaza Shopping Center in Schaumburg.
When Trapani’s son Greg joined the company in 1973, they made the decision to focus strictly in the commercial construction area and never looked back.
Some of their office buildings include Kay & Associates in Arlington Heights, Indeck Inc. in Buffalo Grove, and Systems Research in Schaumburg, as well as additions to municipal buildings in Rolling Meadows, Mundelein and Wheeling.
Despite his success, Trapani never left Mount Prospect, where his wife also ran a Hallmark shop up until four years ago. In 2001, the couple earned the “Home Town” award at the village’s Celestial Celebration dinner.
That same year, Trapani personally served as the general contractor for the $7.2 million addition to St. Raymond School, which was his parish.
“As a parishioner, he had a great commitment to this project,” said the Rev. Bernard Pietrzak, former pastor, now at St. Anne’s Church in Barrington. “But as a contractor, he had the passion, expertise and attention to detail to making sure it was done well.”
In addition to his wife and son Greg, Trapani is survived by children Dan (Beth) and Jan (Luther) Abernethy, all of Arlington Heights, and Joan (John) Hastings of Des Plaines, as well as nine grandchildren and his brother, Frank, in Mount Prospect.
Visitation will take place from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, before an 11 a.m. Mass on Saturday, both at St. Raymond de Penafort Catholic Church, 301 S. I-Oka St. in Mount Prospect.