3838-3842 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 3838-3842 West Chicago Avenue have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 10 permits, 5 not closed, and 60 violations, 53 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 3838-3842 West Chicago Avenue at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area relatively high overall, with elevated tornado and heat wave risk.
Permits and code violations
5 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 53 open violations.
- Permit – express permit program Oct 2026Active
Line voltage electrical work. new permanent 400 amp service disconnecting means with 8 circuits. receptacle outlets: 7 . lighting outlets: 24. specific location: office and shop area.
- Permit – express permit program Oct 2026Active
Tuckpointing and unit masonry repair / replacement: 150 sq. ft., lintel qty. 0, max. length 0. location: overhead door- exterior.
- Permit – express permit program Sep 2026Active
Scope: roof recover. area: 2600 sq. ft. roof covering: mineral - surfaced roll roofing. location: roof of building. il roofing contractor license: 104004063.
- Permit - easy permit process Jun 2023
Fences: 25ft 0in x 6ft 0in: qty 1
- Permit - renovation/alteration Feb 2019Complete
Front elevation - existing brick repair and erect new back metal porch on existing 1 & 2 story brick building w/basement per plan.
- Permit – express permit program Sep 2012Complete
Remove and replace 4 outdoor light fixtures.
- Permit - signs Feb 2012
Installation of pole sign on east end of property (entire sign set back on private property)
- Permit - new construction Nov 2011Complete
Covered open air parking with non combustible cnaopy over 10 truck spaces and paved site with required landscaping as per plans & 44 ln. ft. of hanging sliding track 14' high, 21 ln. ft. x 7' wrought iron fence & 22 ln. ft. x 7' wrought iron sliding gate.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Dec 2006Complete
Replace existnig single story open wood porch and stairs. sae. conditional permit subject to filed inspection.
- Permit - new construction Apr 2006Complete
Rear addition to existing 1 story building per plans.
Chicago Department of Buildings
Safety and environment
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively High
Highest for this area: tornado, heat wave, cold wave. These drive insurance cost here.
FEMA National Risk Index, census tract
Leaking fuel tanks
8 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Pulaski F.D. Building, Llc, 729 North Pulaski (950 ft), open. 6 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Brownfield site
2,350 ft
Ujima Garden. Former industrial land in EPA's cleanup and reuse program.
EPA ACRES Brownfields
Toxic release facility
1,650 ft
Strombecker Corp and 17 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
1,200 ft
Orr Academy High School (1,200 ft), KIPP One Academy (1,200 ft), Noble St Chtr-Rowe-Clark MS Acad (1,300 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
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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 Chicago Avenue
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Neighborhood recommendations are derived from public OpenStreetMap data and may be incomplete. Checking in person is still what matters most.
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