4921 South Prairie Avenue, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 4921 South Prairie Avenue have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 14 permits, 8 not closed, and 60 violations, 30 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 4921 South Prairie Avenue at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area relatively low overall, with elevated cold wave risk.
Permits and code violations
8 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 30 open violations.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Oct 2026Active
Spr 2019 cbrc - complete renovation and conversion of existing 3-story masonry church building to (6) residential units, 3a construction; (2) stair additions, new concrete pad for (6) parking spaces, trash enclosure, per plan**certified corrections subject to field inspections & audit **
- Permit – express permit program Dec 2023Suspended
Revision to permit 101015927 to change from the originally approved (1) 1000 amp service to (1) 600 amp service and (1) 400 amp service due to the lead time of certain equipment.
- Permit – express permit program Oct 2023Complete
We will be replacing the existing electrical contractor permit # 101035906 scope of work to remain the same.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jul 2023Expired
Spr 2019 cbrc: interior renovation of of existing 3-story w/ basement level. (6) existing units to (8) new residential units (r-2). non-sprinklered, masonry iii-a building per plans.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jun 2023Phased permitting
Spr 2019 cbrc: non-structural interior demolition of existing iii-a building, (6) existing units r-2 building with no-exterior work. existing rear porch to remain.as per plans **certified corrections subject to field inspections & audit **
- Permit - easy permit process May 2021
Repair treads at existing rear porch (2nd & 3rd flrs)
- Permit - renovation/alteration Nov 2018Complete
2 story 2 unit apt. building and 1 story coach house. replace 3 open wood porches and stairs
- Permit – express permit program Jan 2018Complete
Replace existing exit signs to existing 3 story 7 unit blg
- Permit - easy permit process Jan 2018
Repair deck boards & new hardware on an existing 3 story rear porch to address violations. all work subject to field inspections.
- Permit - easy permit process Jun 2010
Work to building & garage: repair roof (no tear off) & tuckpointing (appx 200 sq ft) (no structural work)- all work same as existing; subject to field inspections
- Permit - easy permit process Jun 2010
Reroof using modified bitumen roofing materials and tuckpoint front of masonry building. grinding.
- Permit – express permit program May 2010Complete
Install three carbon monoxide detectors and replace existing emergency lights.
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
3 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Emerald Properties, 4942 South Calumet Avenue (400 ft), open. 2 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Brownfield site
1,650 ft
510 E 50th St 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
Nearest public schools
1,550 ft
Williams Medical Prep High Sch (1,550 ft), Bronzeville Scholastic HS (1,650 ft), Walter Henri Dyett HS for Arts (2,300 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
7.0 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
Visited 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 South Prairie 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Look at the stairwell (cleanliness, smell) and the association's notice board: unpaid dues, conflicts, recent decisions.
- Knock on a neighboring door and ask two things: what bothers them most often, and what work is planned for the building.
Neighborhood recommendations are derived from public OpenStreetMap data and may be incomplete. Checking in person is still what matters most.