LA GRANGE, Ill. (WLS) — The La Grange Village Board voted on Monday night to approve a controversial plan that could permanently alter the heart of downtown.

For generations, shoppers have wandered the halls of Jackson Square Antique Mall, hunting for one-of-a-kind treasures. The century-old building, beloved by residents and small business owners, is comprised of 70 vendors.

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For the past four years, a stall has housed Mandy Levy’s business, called Junkie Vintage.

“It has been the thrill of my life to operate a little business out of this place,” Levy said.

But time in the mall for Levy and the other vendors is coming to an end. The property was sold last year to a developer who wants to tear it down and build a 39-unit condominium complex in its place.

Supporters of the building say its art deco architecture helps to give downtown La Grange character.

An online petition titled Save Jackson Square has collected thousands of signatures, urging village leaders to preserve the structure. But the board approved the developer’s plan at a Monday night meeting.

“We are jumping at an opportunity to tear it down when it should be repurposed, reused recycled,” Levy said.

Therese O’Sullivan, who owned the property and sold it to the developer. She says she tried to do just that, but upgrading the 100-plus-year-old building would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“We wholeheartedly did explore different options with the building,” O’Sullivan said.

And O’Sullivan says zoning code restrictions should prevent a condo from moving into the existing footprint.

The developer’s plans also won a recommendation from the La Grange Plan Commission.

“It’s tough though to see it happen, but i think it’ll be great. It’s a good use for the building,” O’Sullivan said.

O’Sullivan in the process of finding another space to house the antique mall.

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