5400 West Van Buren Street, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 5400 West Van Buren Street have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 5 permits, 2 not closed, and 16 violations, 11 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 5400 West Van Buren Street at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area relatively high overall, with elevated tornado and inland flooding risk.
Permits and code violations
2 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 11 open violations.
- Permit – express permit program Mar 2022Complete
Replace electrical contractor on permit #100814030
- Permit - elevator equipment Sep 2020
Installation of one (1) 750lb.cap, 10 fpm, harmar cpl 600 vertical wheelchair lift located at the front of the residence although the plans state the installation will be on the north elevation which is the rear of the home and will require a handsfree ada emergency phone. pursuant to the plans submitted.
- Permit - easy permit process Aug 2020
New pressure treated deck & associated concrete for new vertical platform lift in front
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jun 2019Complete
Fire damage repair at second floor apartment of existing 2 du masonry apartment building. interior alterations including plumbing, hvac and electrical too 2nd floor apartment. no work to the basement and first floor. all work as per plans.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Mar 2009Complete
Replace exist'g enclosed wood porch with new enclosed wood porch (same size, same location), minor electrical work (receptacles only), replace all broken window panes & replace front/rear entry doors for exist'g 1 story brick single family home
Chicago Department of Buildings
Safety and environment
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively High
Highest for this area: tornado, inland flooding, heat wave, cold wave. These drive insurance cost here.
FEMA National Risk Index, census tract
Leaking fuel tanks
5 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Kooy, Larry, 5447 West Harrison St. (850 ft), open. 1 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Brownfield site
1,850 ft
5534 W Monroe St. Former industrial land in EPA's cleanup and reuse program.
EPA ACRES Brownfields
Toxic release facility
2,350 ft
Anderson Shumaker Co and 6 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
1,400 ft
Plato Learning Acad Elem School (1,400 ft), Depriest Elem School (2,050 ft), Clark Acad Prep Magnet High Schl (2,050 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
6.1 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 Van Buren 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 specifically where you'd park: is there paid city parking, who currently holds it, what the permit costs, and how long the waitlist is.
- Knock on a neighboring door and ask two things: what bothers them most often, and what work is planned for the building.
- 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.
Neighborhood recommendations are derived from public OpenStreetMap data and may be incomplete. Checking in person is still what matters most.
The year built, height regime, structure, and elevator for this address are being indexed right now, city by city. Save the page and check back: it fills in over time. If you live here, you can fill it in yourself in a minute by leaving a review.