523-531 West Melrose Street, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 523-531 West Melrose Street have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 16 permits, 8 not closed, and 4 violations, 3 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 523-531 West Melrose Street at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area relatively low overall, with elevated tornado and heat wave risk.
Permits and code violations
8 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 3 open violations.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jan 2025Active
Spr 2019 cbrc interior alterations to combine 2 units (1b and 1c) in existing 3 story condominium building. change from 17 to 16 total dwelling units.(const type iiia occ r2)**certified corrections subject to field inspections & audit **
- Permit – express permit program Nov 2024Suspended
Scope: nonstructural interior preparatory demolition of drywall and m.e.p. systems with demo drawings and all other work to be performed on 101061105. locations: 1 residential unit(s), 0 non-residential unit(s), condo unit 1c.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Sep 2024Suspended
Self-cert: interior rehab. in unit 1-a only to reconfigure the interior layout and to add a new bathroom, new hvac and remove an interior wall, as per architect¿s plans in existing 3 story with basement brick building. the scope of work includes: architecture, plumbing, hvac & electric. current & proposed use: residential w / 19 units area of work in unit 1a only
- Permit - elevator equipment Mar 2020
Modernizing controller, fixtures, door operator, power units, cylinder, and hatch doors on one (1) 2000lb.cap, 5-floor hydrauic passenger elevator # "lobby". pursuant to the scope of work submitted.
- Permit - easy permit process Sep 2017
Unit 1d work only. replace load bearing wall. all work same as existing. no structural work. subject to field inspections.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Nov 2016Complete
Combining of 2 units (2b & 2c) for 1 unit in existing multi-unit condominium, a-2 residential. existing building is 18 units. after combining, new unit count will be 17. existing building is 3 stories plus basement storagepartial renovation of existing spaces new condensing unit located on rooftopnew washer dryer location repair/replace plumbing fixtures at master bathroom**certified corrections- - subject to field inspections & audit **
- Permit - easy permit process Sep 2014
Total roof tear off.
- Permit – express permit program Oct 2012Complete
Installation of low voltage burglar alarm # 326-62371-01
- Permit – express permit program Apr 2012Complete
Installation of electrical timer switch for unit 208
- Permit – express permit program Apr 2010Complete
Installation of electrical timer switch
- Permit - easy permit process Apr 2010
Replace sealant around windows & doors- (no structural work) all work same as existing; subject to field inspections
- Permit - renovation/alteration May 2008Complete
Rebuild three porches as per plans.
Chicago Department of Buildings
Safety and environment
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively Low
Highest for this area: tornado, heat wave, cold wave. These drive insurance cost here.
FEMA National Risk Index, census tract
Leaking fuel tanks
5 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: 3180 Condominium Association, 3180 North Lake Shore Drive (1,250 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
4,800 ft
Craftsman Plating Tinning Corp 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
600 ft
Nettelhorst Elem School (600 ft), Inter-American Elem Magnet School (3,650 ft), Hawthorne Elem Scholastic Academy (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 West Melrose 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.
- 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.
- Look at the stairwell (cleanliness, smell) and the association's notice board: unpaid dues, conflicts, recent decisions.
- 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.
Neighborhood recommendations are derived from public OpenStreetMap data and may be incomplete. Checking in person is still what matters most.
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