The iconic Little Village arch that welcomes visitors to the bustling 26th Street shopping district and acts as an important symbol for Chicago’s Mexican immigrant community stands on the cusp of landmark status following a vote by aldermen Tuesday.
The City Council Zoning Committee approved the landmark designation, setting it for approval by the full council Wednesday.
Local Ald. George Cardenas, 12th, has said he expects landmarking the two-story arch that spans 26th Street east of Kedzie Avenue will make it easier to secure funding to protect and repair it.
Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
The arch features a wrought-iron grille with a metal banner that reads, “Bienvenidos a Little Village.” It houses a mechanical clock.
Speaking to the Zoning Committee Tuesday, Cardenas said it was high time the city is “finally acknowledging contributions from phenomenal artists and architects” like the late Mexican-born architect Adrían Lozano, who designed the arch, built in 1990.
And Ald. Michael Rodriguez, 22nd, who represents much of the Little Village neighborhood, said the arch is a beacon of sorts for Mexican Americans throughout the Midwest who come to the area to shop, work and live.
Rodriguez also noted the recent shooting death of 8-year-old Melissa Ortega, who was struck down Saturday by a stray bullet while walking with her mother on 26th Street about eight blocks west of the arch. Little Village has suffered from violence and from the impact of the COVID-19, Rodriguez said.
“But to cast a positive light on our neighborhood, and to look at the strengths and build off those strengths to address some of those issues, part of which is recognizing the architectural treasure and the economic impact that 26th Street has with the architectural treasure that the arch is,” Rodriguez said.
Twitter @_johnbyrne
