1038-1040 West Polk Street, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 1038-1040 West Polk Street have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 19 permits, 8 not closed, and 32 violations, 3 open.
- What is the 2026 conforming loan limit in Cook County?
- $832,750 for a single-unit home, per FHFA. Larger loans are jumbo loans.
- Is radon a problem here?
- EPA radon zone 2, moderate potential.
- What natural disasters is 1038-1040 West Polk Street at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area relatively low overall, with elevated tornado and cold wave risk.
Permits and code violations
8 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 3 open violations.
- Permit – express permit program Sep 2026Active
Repair/replacement affecting 1 systems : 1 boiler - hot water(weil mclain, ecotec80, basement) . electrical work under this permit = no . locations: 1 residential unit(s), 0 non-residential unit(s), basement.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jun 2020Complete
Self-cert: new garage roof deck on existing 1 story, iii-b, 2 car garage as per plans
- Permit - easy permit process Oct 2017
Revision to permit # 100697723 to change brick mason contractor to monimat construction, inc.
- Permit - new construction Aug 2017Complete
Self-cert: erect new 4 story, iii-b, 2du apartment building w/basement and detached iii-b 2 car garage as per plans *structural peer review *current use: vacant lot/proposed use: residential
- Permit - easy permit process Nov 2014
Install 2 furnace in sfr with plans.
- Permit - easy permit process Oct 2014
Residential remodeling: install one unico 5 ton and one rheem 3 ton split system, air cooled, r410a, located on the roof. the units serve the first and second floors.
- Permit – express permit program Oct 2014Complete
Change of electrical contractor for original permit #100524742
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jul 2014Complete
Interior and exterior alterations to existing 2 dwellling unit building - same use no additions
- Permit - renovation/alteration Feb 2014Complete
Replace existing (3) story rear open wood porch on (3) story building, same size and location, per plans
- Permit - new construction Aug 2012Complete
Erect a 4 story 3b masonry 6 unit apartment building with basement & roof deck and car port in rear yard per plans
- Permit - elevator equipment Mar 2011
Install one (1) max. cap. 937.50lb. max rise 50 feet, 40fpm,6-stop private residence passenger elevator located near rear of home. must be single family residence. pursuant to plans submitted.
- Permit - easy permit process Nov 2010
Revision of the permit # 100356897 to change general contractor to "brahar design+build, llc".
Chicago Department of Buildings
Safety and environment
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively Low
Highest for this area: tornado, cold wave. These drive insurance cost here.
FEMA National Risk Index, census tract
Leaking fuel tanks
11 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: University Of Il Chicago, 14th & Halsted (1,300 ft), open. 3 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Toxic release facility
3,700 ft
Us Customs House Firing Range and 4 more within a mile. Reports chemical releases to air, water or land to EPA each year.
EPA Toxics Release Inventory
Radon potential
Moderate
Average indoor levels of 2 to 4 pCi/L. EPA still suggests testing ground-floor and basement units.
EPA and USGS Geologic Radon Potential Map
Nearest public schools
400 ft
Galileo Elem Math & Sci Schol Acd (400 ft), Chicago World Language Academy (2,400 ft), Smyth J Elem School (2,450 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
7.8 mi
Chicago Midway (MDW). Aircraft may be audible under approach paths.
FAA large-hub airports
Sinkhole-prone ground
Limestone karst
The bedrock here (dolostone (dolomite), Silurian) can dissolve and open sinkholes. Ask for a geotechnical report and check whether sinkhole coverage is in the insurance policy.
USGS Karst in the United States (OFR 2014-1156)
Conforming loan limit 2026
$832,750
Cook County. Mortgages up to this amount qualify for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pricing. Above it, the loan is a jumbo with stricter terms.
FHFA Conforming Loan Limit Values, one-unit
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Who lives and works in Chicago
Trading floors, logistics and the deepest architecture stock in America
Chicago carries a full corporate economy at a price the coasts do not match. Neighborhoods are distinct and walkable, two and three flats are everywhere, and the Loop still sets the commute for finance, law and consulting.
- $71,673
- median household income
- 18.9%
- residents aged 25 to 34
- 45%
- households that own their home
What pays the bills
- Finance and trading
- Logistics and rail
- Law and consulting
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
Who anchors the economy
CME Group · Boeing suppliers · University of Chicago · Northwestern Medicine · United Airlines
The market is shaped around
- Young professionals
- Families buying space
- Two and three flat owners
More on West Polk Street
All addressesViewing recommendations
What's worth checking in person before deciding.
- Test water pressure and temperature at the tap, in the bathroom and kitchen, for at least a minute.
- Knock on a neighboring door and ask two things: what bothers them most often, and what work is planned for the building.
- Schedule a viewing on a weekday too, between 6:00 and 7:30 PM, the window when the building is busiest: neighbors, parking, elevator.
- Ask specifically where you'd park: is there paid city parking, who currently holds it, what the permit costs, and how long the waitlist is.
- Ask for the latest maintenance bill from a winter month, not a summer one: that's where the real cost of living there shows up.
- Look at the stairwell (cleanliness, smell) and the association's notice board: unpaid dues, conflicts, recent decisions.
Neighborhood recommendations are derived from public OpenStreetMap data and may be incomplete. Checking in person is still what matters most.