1234 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 1234 South Michigan Avenue have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 13 permits, 6 not closed, and 32 violations, 23 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 1234 South Michigan Avenue at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area relatively high overall, with elevated tornado and inland flooding risk.
Permits and code violations
6 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 23 open violations.
- Permit - signs Oct 2019
Install one set of internally illuminated channel letters sign to be mount on east side of building elevation
- Permit - signs Oct 2019
Install one set of internally illuminated channel letters sign to be mount on east side of building elevation (ming hin and chinese name)
- Permit - signs Jul 2019
Install one set of internally illuminated channel letters sign to be mount on north side of building elevation
- Permit - elevator equipment Jun 2019
Installation of one(1) 2-floor, 2500lb capacity, 100fpm, mrl, hydraulic, passenger elevator, pursuant to the scope of work plans submitted.
- Permit – express permit program Jul 2018Complete
Revise single line electrical diagram on existing permit number (100681921). consolidate five transformers into one larger transformer in basement
- Permit - elevator equipment Mar 2018
Installation of one (1) waupaca 500lb.cap, 60 fpm, 2-floors, 1/4" cable machine in pit dumbwaiter. pursuant to the plans submitted.
- Permit - easy permit process Jan 2018
Revision to permit # 100681921 for alternative code approval request: drainage & vent pipe & fittings (request to use schedule 40 pvc for plumbing system include underground & above ground drain & vent pipe)
- Permit - renovation/alteration Dec 2017Complete
Revision to permit #100681921. revision is to modify a non-egress stair, create a floor opening between floors 1 and 2, reconfigure dining room on ground and second floor, eliminate one type 1 exhaust hood, reconfigure ground floor toilets, associated mep changes.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Feb 2017Complete
Interior alteration to convert existing 2 story + basement building to a 2-story restaurant with associated mechanical, electrical, plumbing. new masonry trash enclosure. replacement of windows. new rooftop mechanical equipment platform.
- Permit – express permit program Dec 2014Complete
Installation of low voltage burglar alarm interior work only # 4011-80770
- Permit – express permit program Nov 2012Complete
Installation of low voltage burglar alarm # 340-16513-01 sm busi
- Permit – express permit program Feb 2010Complete
Install low voltage burglar alarm
Chicago Department of Buildings
Safety and environment
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively High
Highest for this area: tornado, inland flooding, heat wave, cold wave. These drive insurance cost here.
FEMA National Risk Index, census tract
Leaking fuel tanks
15 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: 1325 State Street, Llc, 1347 South State Street (950 ft), open. 4 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Toxic release facility
4,800 ft
General Packaging Products Inc and 2 more within a mile. Reports chemical releases to air, water or land to EPA each year.
EPA Toxics Release Inventory
Historic listing nearby
50 ft
Curtiss--Wright Aeronautical University Building. Exterior changes can need preservation review; listed buildings can qualify for rehabilitation tax credits.
National Park Service, National Register
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
1,200 ft
South Loop Elem School (1,200 ft), Jones College Prep High School (2,700 ft), Perspectives Chtr - Joslin Campus (3,850 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
8.6 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 South Michigan Avenue
All addressesViewing recommendations
What's worth checking in person before deciding.
- The building has commercial space on the ground floor. Ask about their hours, check where the ventilation or refrigeration units are, and what time deliveries happen in the morning.
- 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.
- 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.
- Schedule a viewing on a weekday too, between 6:00 and 7:30 PM, the window when the building is busiest: neighbors, parking, elevator.
- 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.