209 East Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 209 East Lake Shore Drive have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 60 permits, 30 not closed, and 45 violations, 8 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 209 East Lake Shore Drive 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
30 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 8 open violations.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Oct 2026Active
Spr 2019 cbrc: (electrical work only) installation of 28 new electric vehicle charging stations in the existing high-rise residential building parking garage, as per plans. (occupancy group a-2; type ia construction)
- Permit – express permit program Sep 2026Active
Temporary scaffolding: qty: 1, max. length: 16 ft., max. height: 140 ft. location: 14th floor. permit expiration date: 365 days from permit issued date
- Permit – express permit program Aug 2026Active
Low voltage/communication electrical work. install data/video. specific location: unit 14.
- Permit – express permit program Jul 2026Active
Scope: nonstructural interior alteration to include minor selective partition demo and door infill along with new interiors and light fixtures (area of work 1773 sq ft) (no mechanical work, no plumbing work under this permit). locations: 1 residential unit(s), 0 non-residential unit(s), unit 3w.
- Permit – express permit program Jul 2026Complete
For permit 101079995: additional mason contractor. new contractor(s) listed under "other applicants and contractors" on permit certificate.
- Permit - renovation/alteration May 2026Active
Self-cert 2019 cbrc: interior alterations to existing 14th floor residential unit as per plans. unit 14e & 14w. work to include demolition and construction of non-load bearing partitions, ceilings, finishes, and associated mep updates. exterior work to include infill of existing windows at southwest corner. structural peer review included. no change in use. a-2 residential ia construction
- Permit – express permit program Jun 2025Complete
Temporary scaffolding: qty: 1, max. length: 32 ft., max. height: 215 ft. location: east and south elevation. permit expiration date: 365 days from permit issued date this permit is not valid without corresponding cdot public way permit.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Mar 2025Active
Spr 2019 cbrc: interior alterations to existing residential unit 8w to include new windows in existing masonry openings in internal light wells, mechanical, electrical and plumbing. no alterations to primary facades.
- Permit - elevator equipment Aug 2024
Modernization of one (1) 2500lb.cap, 19-floors, 600 fpm, gearless traction passenger elevator #2. pursuant to the scope of work submitted. ev003463
- Permit – express permit program Apr 2024Complete
Revision to permit #101038935. to change of electrical , other (hvac) contractor.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Mar 2024Complete
Self-cert 2019 cbrc: alterations to an existing residential unit 6e on the 6th floor in an existing high rise multi-unit residential building as per plans. work to include demolition, new partitions, replacement of windows within same opening, infill of one window, lighting, finishes, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical. no structural work. no change in use. (construction type: 1a; occupancy: r-2 residential)
- Permit - easy permit process Jul 2023
Resset 70 lf of coping, rebuild 100 sf of brick, replace 5 cracked limestone pieces, replace 200 lf of sealant
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
12 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Chicagoland Management & Realty, 227 East Walton Street (800 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
4,850 ft
Oscar Mayer Foods Corp Chicago Plant and 1 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
2,100 ft
Ogden Elem School (2,100 ft), Salazar Elem Bilingual Center (3,400 ft), Payton College Preparatory HS (3,750 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 East Lake Shore Drive
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.
- 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 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.
Neighborhood recommendations are derived from public OpenStreetMap data and may be incomplete. Checking in person is still what matters most.