1251-1259 South Halsted Street, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 1251-1259 South Halsted Street have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 20 permits, 11 not closed, and 11 violations, 7 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 1251-1259 South Halsted Street 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
11 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 7 open violations.
- Permit - signs Sep 2026
Channel letters on raceway reading "popeyes"
- Permit - signs Sep 2026
Channel letters on raceway reading "popeyes"
- Permit - renovation/alteration Apr 2026Active
Spr 2019 cbrc: new freestanding aluminum roof canopy over existing patio to existing 3-story brick building (occupancy group a-2, type iiia construction)
- Permit – express permit program Mar 2024Suspended
Scope: nonstructural interior alteration to finishes, electrical fixtures and vent grills within dining area at existing restaurant. renovate existing restrooms .locations: 0 residential unit(s), 1 non-residential unit(s), 1st floor.
- Permit - signs Apr 2017
4' x 2' pole banner attached to building and and extending over sidewalk
- Permit – express permit program Dec 2016Complete
Installation of low voltage burglar alarm interior work only # 4021-25040
- Permit - renovation/alteration Dec 2016Complete
Self cert: interior alterations to ground floor retail space for hair salon as per plans.
- Permit - signs Dec 2013
Channel letters on raceway mounted to store front
- Permit - signs Jul 2013
Channel letters on raceway mounted to store front
- Permit - easy permit process Apr 2013
Change plumber to r.c.o. plumbing for permit 100477067
- Permit - renovation/alteration Mar 2013Complete
**certified plan corrections** - interior build out of exsting ground floor and partial basement for new popeyes restaurant as per plan. (subject to field inspection)
- Permit – express permit program Mar 2013Complete
Installation of low voltage burglar alarm # 339-05461-01 resi
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
9 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: University Of Il Chicago, 728 West Roosevelt Road (650 ft), open. 3 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Brownfield site
1,600 ft
Bnsf Cermak Paseo Segment 7. Former industrial land in EPA's cleanup and reuse program.
EPA ACRES Brownfields
Toxic release facility
2,800 ft
Farley Tool Engineering Co and 10 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
1,900 ft
Smyth J Elem School (1,900 ft), Galileo Elem Math & Sci Schol Acd (2,800 ft), Joseph Jungman Magnet Elem School (3,000 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
7.7 mi
Chicago Midway (MDW). Aircraft may be audible under approach paths.
FAA large-hub airports
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 Halsted Street
All addressesViewing recommendations
What's worth checking in person before deciding.
- This is a dormitory or university space. Ask who manages the building, what the access hours are, and how noisy it gets during the semester versus break.
- Test water pressure and temperature at the tap, in the bathroom and kitchen, for at least a minute.
- 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.
- Look at the stairwell (cleanliness, smell) and the association's notice board: unpaid dues, conflicts, recent decisions.
- Knock on a neighboring door and ask two things: what bothers them most often, and what work is planned for the building.
- 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.
Neighborhood recommendations are derived from public OpenStreetMap data and may be incomplete. Checking in person is still what matters most.