Louis "tomatoes" Marino & Robert Bellavia are both set to be released within the next year. I believe Mike Spano is right behind them. Along with Jimmy I, Solly D & C, Marco, Albie, & Toots should put some serious guys back on the street and give the outfit a level of strength they haven't been at in quite some time. My question is this: do you guys think they still have it in them to return the syndicate to a source of power?

Of course Marino will probably re-up & reactivate his crew, and be given more power. He's no dummy either. Spano may lay back. The feds adore that family.

Bellavia is a member of a dying crew and will have a lot of heat on him. I don't see him getting back into the street life. He owns one of the more popular Italian restaurants in town (better than La Scarola ;)) plus lots of other property, and will be content to kick back. The Cozzo kid is the one to save Grand Ave, if that's even something remotely possible. He'd be the one to do it. It would take a lot of planning & tireless effort, and man power. Elmwood Park would no doubt be a huge recruitment pool for them. No one said this shit was easy though, it would be a monumental task. Odds are it will never happen. Places like the Patch/Melrose Park/etc were unique moments in time where everything came together. Doesn't happen twice.

The Chicago Outfit (Cicero & Chinatown) aren't going anywhere though. They've got hordes of young guys in their ranks & will be on the street for a long time. And they have good, quiet leadership. The public had never even heard of a guy named Carparelli prior to two months ago.

Marino is in his 80s and will not be "activating" anything. Bellavia will not be either. These guys are both wealthy and will likely retire nicely.

The entire Spano family is out of the rackets.

Phil Cozzo is far from leading anything on Grand Ave. Vena and Spina run that neighborhood.

You folks are obviously familiar with the goings-on with these guys, so help me understand something. Most of these fellows are in their 70's or 80's, right ? Why in the world would they risk going back to prison at this stage of their lives ? Surely they have family who, in all probability, are urging them to "get out." According to what has been said they are wealthy. The only reasons I can think of are greed and this is the only "life" they know. But it also seems that the possibility of going back to prison would outweigh any other reason for continuing in a criminal organization. It seems to me that just about any conviction would result in a life sentence, considering the age of these guys.

Everyone feel free to weigh in.

Guys in theyre 70s and 80s jumping bk in happens all the time
Some guys do all that time and feel entitled to everything

Neil miglore is wealthy beyond belief and he will never walk away

These Guys have that mentality and swore an oath to be mobsters for life

And these guys might need money unless they were running rackets from the inside
They have been away almost 25 years

I mean look at solly d, he's rich , he's got legit business and this past July he's sending people out to break legs and he's in his 70s
It's what these guys do and most of them love the life , strip away the life and they would be nobodies

Bellavia owns Bella Notte doesn't he? Bellavia is 73 and doesn't get out until 2016 according to the BOP and Marino is 81 and also doesn't get out until 2016. Seems unlikely he'lll be getting back into anything.

Spano gets released in '15 and is also 72.

Marino's crew is still active & so is his son. I could see him getting back on the streets.

Precisely, it's the life. Bellavia wont really have many avenues back into it because his crew is borderline defunct. Marino has a son who has a crew of his own, who're an extension of the largest crew in the Outfit. And Louis Tomatoes is a true Outfit street guy.

I mentioned Cozzo because he's young & he's got the pedigree.

Yes bellavia owns bella Notte in the heart of the patch.

What is Marino's sons name and where does his son operate out of?

Isn't it Dino? Or is that another of his relatives?

What is Cozzo's status...associate?

Dino Marino is a member of the Cicero crew. He is in his early 50s, is allegedly made, and is the son of Louis 'Tomatoes' Marino.

I believe one of the Dinos was listed by the feds as a top threat to Nick Calabrese. Pretty sure it was Dino Marino, who is Louie's son, right? Lives in Riverside? (or used to)

Huron Bellavia and Marino were in the same Cicero crew. Dino Marino was caught in Cicero on a ghost payroll scam and served a year in prison. I would highly doubt either return to oversee the rackets in a significant way. Though I could always be wrong.

Phil Cozzo works for Spina's crew (was recently released from prison).

I imagine gangstering has changed considerably in the 20 years since they went away.

Most 80-something aren't capable of conspiring to put their shoes on.

But, I guess who knows.

Yes I know Gabeet was in the Infelice crew, but I always thought he was a journeyman & flopped crews during the 80s, and was closer to northside people before he went Away. Maybe I'm thinking of Someone else.

I believe Bellavia owns Bella Via in Highland Park as well. Bella Notte is a hidden gem. Last time I was there I saw several people from Bridgeport who made the trip up - people who usually don't go North of Jackson so you know it is good.

Mini-Ditka over Hurricane Katrina this weekend. Bear Down...

You never know, Matty the Horse and Sonny Franzese seemed to be pretty good a tying their shoes and even more way past 80.

Bella Notte cooks a mean steak....not to mention the bartender, whose name I forget, was a very attractive lady.

Heh well I'm not sure about hidden gem, it is in a yuppy neighborhood and very popular, but it can tend to get overshadowed by Scarola & Piccolo Sogno.

Read a Yelp review for Bella Notte bitching about the service and "the rude wannabe mobster manager" haha.

I wouldn't describe near Grand Ave as yuppie. About half the storefronts are still vacant and while there are some newer condos the majority of the residents down that way are still Hispanic. Just try going to Mass down the street. As you get closed to the patch it's more old white people.

It is fairly rapidly gentrifying though, and maybe 10 percent old Italians.

I live at Noble and Chicago...it's fairly yuppified. My family has owned in the area for about 15 years. The Hispanic numbers are getting smaller and smaller.

Yeah but that's a ways from Grand.

Do you disagree that approximately half the store fronts are still empty ?

It's literally a five minute walk to grand/Ogden. Half might be a bit much, but like a lot f places yes there are some empty storefronts. Honestly the neighborhood is doing pretty well as far as I can see.

It's a very fun neighborhood. And very yuppie. Just no getting around it. They think the Grand Avenue Crew guys are cute & kitcschy. I saw a few of them taking photos of Albie & his friends at the Burger Baron.

Here is a map showing racial distribution in Chicago according to the 2010 US Census. If you are capable of finding Grand and Ogden you will see not only that area but the entire are to the immediate northwest, aka the Grand corridor, is still largely Hispanic.

http://www.radicalcartography.net/index.html?chicagodots

is grand avenue still going or are they dwindling away?

They're still a functioning crew but they're dwindling. They don't have a young crop of 20/30 somethings to select from like Cicero does. They're essentially a poor man's version of Chinatown at this point.

Didn't you say last time that grand ave has many young guys?