51 East 51st Street, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 51 East 51st Street have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 6 permits, 2 not closed, and 27 violations, 9 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 51 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
2 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 9 open violations.
- Permit – express permit program Aug 2017Complete
Add outlets remove cord and plug violation
- Permit - easy permit process Oct 2016
Plumbing only: correct plumbing per building violations,subject to field inspection.
- Permit – express permit program Sep 2016Complete
Repair electrical violations including adding 2 outlets by counter to eliminate use of extension cord, covering 2 light fixtures and support of low voltage cable.
- Permit – express permit program Apr 2016Complete
Add 3 outlets, close all open box's, replace fire & co detectors and support low voltage wires.
- Permit – express permit program Sep 2013Complete
Repair violations related to inspection done in 8/30/13 witch includes removal of mixed low voltage and power lines, replace the main electrical panel and properly ground the main, secure and support all electrical conduit and boxes, cover all boxes and exposed wires.
- Permit - easy permit process Jun 2013
Replace existing 3 compartment sink with associated piping in same location.plumbing only.subject to field inspection.
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: Jone'S Automotive, 5100 South Wabash (150 ft), open. 2 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Brownfield site
1,200 ft
5222 S Indiana Ave. Former industrial land in EPA's cleanup and reuse program.
EPA ACRES Brownfields
Toxic release facility
4,950 ft
Pepsiamericas. 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
Wildfire risk
Very Low
Wildfire risk is low enough that standard home insurance usually covers it.
FEMA National Risk Index
Nearest public schools
1,050 ft
Bronzeville Scholastic HS (1,050 ft), Beasley Elem Magnet Academic Ctr (1,050 ft), Williams Medical Prep High Sch (1,150 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
6.7 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.
- The building has commercial space on the ground floor. Ask about their hours, check where the ventilation or refrigeration units are, and what time deliveries happen in the morning.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.