The Little Village Arch, which has served as an entry to the largest MexicanAmerican community in the Midwest since 1990, was proposed for a formal Landmark designation by Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today.

Located at 3100 W. 26th St. within Little Village’s main retail district, the two-story archway was designed by Chicago architect Adrián Lozano to recognize the neighborhood’s pervasive Mexican heritage and culture.

Inspired by Colonial-era gateways built at Mexican religious sites, haciendas, and walled towns, the Little Village Arch features a pair of dome-capped stucco towers with sidewalk passageways, a tile roof, a mechanical clock, and a metal banner that reads, “Bienvenidos A Little Village.” It may be the only arch of its type north of the Rio Grande, according to a Commission on Chicago Landmarks designation report.

Today, 77% of Little Village’s population is estimated to be of Mexican descent. The two-mile long 26th Street commercial corridor is claimed to be the second highestgrossing retail sales district in the City of Chicago after North Michigan Avenue.

If approved by City Council, the Landmark designation would protect the structure from significant alteration or demolition.