Rally held to save Little Village Plaza, scheduled to be torn down

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Young people in Little Village held a rally Wednesday to save a discount mall.

Little Village Plaza was purchased by Novak Construction in February, with the intention to tear it down and build new stores in its place.

The group that gathered at the Little Village Arch on 26th Street the evening of Mexican Independence Day said tearing down the mall will displace vendors and gentrify the neighborhood.

The protesters said the vendors at the mall sell culturally unique goods, and that replacing them will only speed up the gentrification of the area and push Little Village residents out of their neighborhood.