221 East 31st Street, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 221 East 31st Street have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 17 permits, 6 not closed, and 19 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 221 East 31st 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
6 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 7 open violations.
- Permit - new construction Mar 2026Active
Proposed 2 story sfr w/basement, front stairs/landing, rear deck, 6' wood fence, and 2 car garage, per plans.(conditional permit subject to field inspections)
- Permit - new construction Aug 2025Suspended
Permit expires on 10/12/2025 erection starts: 8/26/2025, erection ends: 9/3/2025. cbc 2019. one 30ft x 40ft tent for the north side archery club at dunbar high school athletic field on aug 27-31, 2025. set-up is aug 26 and takedown is sept 3, 2025. indestructo rental co inc.
- Permit - signs Feb 2021
Install a set of internally illuminated channel letters sign to be mount on south side of building elevation (state farm)
- Permit - wrecking/demolition Jun 2018Complete
Wreck and remove a 1 story brick building
- Permit – express permit program Feb 2013Complete
Installation of low voltage burglar alarm # 340-16638-01 sm busi
- Permit – express permit program Jan 2013Complete
Installation of low voltage burglar alarm # 339-04871-01 resi
- Permit - renovation/alteration Sep 2011Complete
Installation of new non-loadbearing cmu wall and steel door with associated electrical work to inhibit access to open space at rear of building . retail - 3 dwelling units
- Permit - easy permit process Jul 2009
All elevations: tuck-pointing to existing. all work same as existing. subject to field inspection
- Permit – express permit program Jun 2009Complete
Install low voltage security system
- Permit – express permit program Sep 2008Complete
Installation of low voltage burglar alarm
- Permit - easy permit process Apr 2008
Repair/replace drywall, cabinets, replace 18 plumbing fixtures. electrical repair: lighting & receptacles- all work same as existing (no electrical work); work to residential units only (no work to commercial space); subject to field inspections
- Permit – express permit program Nov 2007Complete
Changing of electrical contractor only. scoope of work stays the same
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
3 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Amoco Oil Co. #15062, 3103 South Michigan Ave. (700 ft), no further action. Every release here is closed by the state regulator.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Toxic release facility
1,750 ft
Maurey Manufacturing Corp. Reports chemical releases to air, water or land to EPA each year.
EPA Toxics Release Inventory
Historic listing nearby
450 ft
Unity Hall. 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
800 ft
Dunbar Vocational Career Acad HS (800 ft), John J Pershing Magnet Elementary (1,050 ft), YCCS-McKinley-Lakeside Leadership (1,750 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
7.6 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
Have you lived here? Share your experience.
Leave a reviewThe Address Story
Every address has a context. Read its story.
How much it costs to live here
Price, rent, mortgage, and the city's economic context, all in one place.
The money at this address
Renting, buying, and investing, on the same numbers. Enter the listing price to see all calculations.
Enter a rent and the yield calculation fills in on its own.
Loan calculator for this address
Enter the listing price. The calculation uses only your numbers.
Rough estimate, with a fixed rate. The bank's offer may include fees and insurance.
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 31st 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
The year built, height regime, structure, and elevator for this address are being indexed right now, city by city. Save the page and check back: it fills in over time. If you live here, you can fill it in yourself in a minute by leaving a review.