227-231 East 51st Street, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 227-231 East 51st Street have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 14 permits, 4 not closed, and 60 violations, 45 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 227-231 East 51st Street at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area relatively low overall, with elevated cold wave risk.
Permits and code violations
4 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 45 open violations.
- Permit – express permit program Jul 2025Complete
Tuckpointing and unit masonry repair / replacement: 80 sq. ft., lintel qty. 0, max. length 0. concrete masonry repair / replacemnt: 20sq. ft., excavation = no. location: north and south exterior walls. guardrails.
- Permit – express permit program Mar 2025Complete
Scope: roof replacement. area: 3300 sq. ft. roof covering: built-up roof. location: roof of property. il roofing contractor license: 104018960.
- Permit – express permit program Jun 2024Complete
Tuckpointing and unit masonry repair / replacement: 100 sq. ft., lintel qty. 0, max. length 0. location: exterior walls.
- Permit – express permit program Nov 2023Complete
**electrical only permit**remove and replace plastic exit signs with city of chicago approved signs
- Permit - signs Mar 2020
Installation of non-illuminated flat single face sign centered on store
- Permit – express permit program Sep 2018Complete
Conduit for camera
- Permit - signs Nov 2017
Installation of channel letter sign on raceway
- Permit – express permit program Feb 2017Complete
Installation of low voltage burglar alarm interior work only # 4021-94211
- Permit - renovation/alteration May 2016Complete
Self certification- remove and replace 3 existing rear wood open porches and stairs
- Permit - renovation/alteration Apr 2016Complete
1st floor interior restaurant buildout within an existing 3 story mixed-use building.tenant space address - 235 e. 51st street as per plans**certified corrections- - subject to field inspections & audit **
- Permit - easy permit process Mar 2016
Spot tuckpoint front elevation.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Feb 2016Complete
Interior alteration of three story, 12 residential & 2 commercial units masonry building.
Chicago Department of Buildings
Safety and environment
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively Low
Highest for this area: cold wave. These drive insurance cost here.
FEMA National Risk Index, census tract
Leaking fuel tanks
4 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: First Lien Company, 5048-58 South Michigan Ave. (800 ft), open. 3 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Brownfield site
1,000 ft
5222 S Indiana Ave and 2 more within half a mile. Former industrial land in EPA's cleanup and reuse program.
EPA ACRES Brownfields
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
Wildfire risk
Very Low
Wildfire risk is low enough that standard home insurance usually covers it.
FEMA National Risk Index
Nearest public schools
1,700 ft
Williams Medical Prep High Sch (1,700 ft), Bronzeville Scholastic HS (1,700 ft), Beasley Elem Magnet Academic Ctr (1,750 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
6.9 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 East 51st 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.
- Look at the stairwell (cleanliness, smell) and the association's notice board: unpaid dues, conflicts, recent decisions.
- 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.
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.