1401 North Wells Street, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 1401 North Wells Street have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 29 permits, 18 not closed, and 60 violations, 37 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 1401 North Wells Street at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area relatively moderate overall, with elevated tornado and heat wave risk.
Permits and code violations
18 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 37 open violations.
- Permit - signs Aug 2025
Third coast stitchesreplacing lettering on existing wall signlocation: west elevationsign facing: wells st.reads: third coast stitches
- Permit – express permit program Apr 2025Suspended
Scope: nonstructural interior alteration to remove dropped ceiling, partitions, cabinetry and raised platform. new lvt flooring. new countertop and cabinets. wall repairs (no electrical work, no plumbing work or no mechanical work under this permit). locations: 0 residential unit(s), 1 non-residential unit(s), 1st floor commercial space.
- Permit - signs Dec 2020
Essa dora salon & spanew id illuminated channel letterslocation: west elevationsign facing: wells streads: essa dora salon & spa
- Permit - easy permit process Jul 2018
Tuckpointing - no structural work - 1700 sqft
- Permit - renovation/alteration Apr 2018Complete
[self-cert project] interior alterations to the existing 1st floor rear retail tenant space. convert existing 1st floor rear retail accessory storage space into expanded acessory retail support for the existing 1st floor tenant (winnie couture).
- Permit - signs Mar 2018
Aluminum box sign mounted on west elevation. sign facing west to wells st.
- Permit - signs Mar 2018
Awning on east elevation. awning facing wells st
- Permit - signs Mar 2018
Awning on west elevation. awning facing west to wells st
- Permit - signs Mar 2018
Awning on north elevation of building. awning facing north to schiller st.
- Permit - easy permit process Sep 2017
All work in (1) 4th floor commercial space: patch/repair existing 5/8" drywall as needed (appx 1200sf). work also to include minor cosmetic work. paint: tile. carpet. millwork. replace (2) lav & 2 toilet (no structural work)- all work same as existing; subject to field inspections
- Permit - renovation/alteration Aug 2017Complete
Interior alterations to the 1st floor rear commercial space as per plans. replacement of existing plumbing fixtures, minor electrical work and drywall. no change to existing hvac system. the proposed inactive storage space (1st floor rear) will be an accessory storage to the 1st floor retail tenant (which the ti permit is being processed via seperate permit #100711613; for reference purposes).**certified corrections- - subject to field inspections & audit **
- Permit - renovation/alteration Aug 2017Complete
Interior alterations to the existing basement and 1st floor (front) retail/tenant space as per plans (winnie couture).**certified corrections- - subject to field inspections & audit **
Chicago Department of Buildings
Safety and environment
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Highest for this area: tornado, heat wave, cold wave. These drive insurance cost here.
FEMA National Risk Index, census tract
Leaking fuel tanks
14 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Marshall 1232, Llc, 1232 North Lasalle Street (1,150 ft), open. 2 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Toxic release facility
1,500 ft
Oscar Mayer Foods Corp Chicago Plant and 7 more within a mile. Reports chemical releases to air, water or land to EPA each year.
EPA Toxics Release Inventory
Historic listing nearby
200 ft
Emmel 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
700 ft
Franklin Elem Fine Arts Center (700 ft), Manierre Elem School (1,550 ft), Payton College Preparatory HS (2,250 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
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 North Wells 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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