221 West Ohio Street, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 221 West Ohio Street have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 60 permits, 20 not closed, and 48 violations, 18 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 West Ohio Street at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area very high overall, with elevated tornado and inland flooding risk.
Permits and code violations
20 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 18 open violations.
- Permit - elevator equipment Nov 2023
Replacement of governor cables on one(1) 3000lb capacity, 7-floor, ewgd freightelevator, and one(1) 2000lb capacity, 6-floor, passenger elevator, pursuant to the scope of work submitted.(ev005082)
- Permit – express permit program Mar 2023Complete
Change of electrical contractor on original permit # 100976293 at 225 w ohio st. job name is foursquare.
- Permit – express permit program Oct 2022Complete
**fire alarm permit**seeking non-jurisdictional stamp for a non required tenant build-out to an existing fire alarm system protecting a 4 story building.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Oct 2022Complete
**self cert project** interior renovation of existing tenant mercantile suite on floor 1. renovation includes demolition of existing space in preparation for new interior partitions, ceilings, lighting and finishes, as well as the reworking of existing hvac, electrical, sprinklers and fire alarm. current use: mercantile / proposed use: mercantile
- Permit - signs Sep 2022
Installation of (1) non illuminated double sided banner to be mounted to the front building elevation. sign to read (logo) urban grind
- Permit - signs Sep 2022
Installation of (1) non illuminated double sided banner to be mounted to the front building elevation. sign to read (logo) urban grind
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jun 2022Expired
Self cert project. interior renovation of existing tenant office suite on floor 5. renovation includes demolition of existing space in preparation for new interior partitions, ceilings, lighting and finishes, as well as the reworking of existing hvac, electrical, sprinklers and fire alarm. current use: office/proposed use: office
- Permit - elevator equipment Sep 2019
2017 fire service upgrade mandate to only hydraulic 2500lb.cap, 7-floor passenger elevator all work to meet the ciy of chicago codes. pursuant to the scope of work submitted. ev005080
- Permit - easy permit process Sep 2018
Revision to permit # 100733272 to change vent contractor to lifeline plumbing, inc.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Aug 2018Complete
Interior remodeling/reconfiguration of existing office space on the 6th floor into an open office layout to a 6 story masonary office building. work includes selective demolition of partitions and any electrical associated with partition removal install new partitions as per plans. no work to existing plumbing and mechanical systems.self certification program.
- Permit – express permit program Jun 2018Complete
Structured cabling, 5th floor; zoro tools, j#64698
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jun 2018Complete
Self-cert: interior alterations to existing 5th floor office space. existing/proposed use: business
Chicago Department of Buildings
Safety and environment
FEMA natural hazard risk
Very High
Highest for this area: tornado, inland flooding, heat wave, cold wave, winter weather. These drive insurance cost here.
FEMA National Risk Index, census tract
Leaking fuel tanks
25 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Chicago Transit Authority, Lawndale Garage On Cermak Rd. (50 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
1,600 ft
Wesley Jessen Corp and 9 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
3,350 ft
Ogden Elem School (3,350 ft), Salazar Elem Bilingual Center (3,450 ft), Payton College Preparatory HS (3,500 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
9.4 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 West Ohio 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.
- Look at the stairwell (cleanliness, smell) and the association's notice board: unpaid dues, conflicts, recent decisions.
- 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.
- 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.
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