229 East Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 229 East Lake Shore Drive have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 37 permits, 14 not closed, and 28 violations, 1 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 229 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
14 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 1 open violation.
- Permit – express permit program Sep 2024Complete
Temporary scaffolding: qty: 1, max. length: 135 ft., max. height: 185 ft. location: east elevation. permit expiration date: 365 days from permit issued date
- Permit - easy permit process Jan 2021
Unit 8e; replacement of kitchen cabinets, refinish hardwood floors & replacement of kitchen sink & painting- all work same as existing
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jul 2020Complete
Interior renovation of single family condominium unit. new 1'-8" x 12' window balcony.
- Permit - easy permit process Mar 2020
South elevation, repair/replace concrete spalls 70 sq. ft., tuck-point 250 sq. ft., repair/replace window sealant 300 linear ft., only
- Permit - scaffolding Oct 2019
Erect 1 scaffold 10/07/2019 to 10/07/2020
- Permit - easy permit process Jul 2018
Replace 3 windows same as existing on south elevation only. unit 7e.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Mar 2018Complete
Self-cert permit. existing/proposed use: multi-residential. existing/proposed occupancy: a-2. interior alterations to existing 6th floor co-op unit with mechanical, plumbing, and electrical renovations.
- Permit – express permit program Nov 2017Complete
Low voltage alarm system for 9th floor unit
- Permit – express permit program Oct 2017Complete
New speakers and stereo system in 2 condominium 9 west and 9 east
- Permit - scaffolding Oct 2017
Erect 1 altrex power climber wscaffold from 10/23/2017 to 10/23/2018.
- Permit – express permit program Aug 2017Complete
Adding 3 receptacles to existing circuit in apartment 10w
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jul 2017Complete
Existing 11-story (20) unit residential bldg. scope: interior renovations to unit 10w as per plans. **certified plan corrections project - conditional permit: subject to field inspections **
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
11 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Chicagoland Management & Realty, 227 East Walton Street (1,050 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
5,100 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
2,350 ft
Ogden Elem School (2,350 ft), Salazar Elem Bilingual Center (3,650 ft), Payton College Preparatory HS (4,000 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.
- 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.
- 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 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.