Dominic Averza, a leader in Baltimore’s Italian American community who led a firm that completed numerous downtown sidewalk, road and bridge projects, died of congestive heart failure Dec. 11 at his Baltimore County home. He was 94.

Born in Baltimore and raised in Little Italy on South High Street, he was the son of Joseph Averza and Vittoria Procopio who were immigrants from Davoli in Calabria, Italy. His family later moved to Fairmount Avenue near Patterson Park. He attended Baltimore City schools, played football, delivered newspapers and worked in a pickle factory. As a boy he dressed as a Roman soldier at pageants associated with St. Leo’s Church in Little Italy.