55 East Ontario Street, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 55 East Ontario Street have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 40 permits, 21 not closed, and 13 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 55 East Ontario Street at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area relatively moderate overall, with elevated tornado and heat wave risk.
Permits and code violations
21 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 3 open violations.
- Permit - signs Sep 2026
Non-iilluminated, wall, vinyl, business id sign 2
- Permit - elevator equipment Jul 2026
Elevator cab interior renovations on two(2) 2000lb capacity, 17-floor, 350fpm, passenger elevators(#1 & 2), pursuant to the scope of work submitted.(ev005905) 55 e. ontario
- Permit – express permit program May 2026Active
Fire alarm: repair existing system. affects: 0 dwelling units; 323 non-residential units. high-rise building: yes. voice communication: no. special locking: no. monitoring type: supervising station . specific location: floor 3 - floor 17 rooms.
- Permit – express permit program Feb 2026Active
Scope: nonstructural interior alteration at level 1 luggage and gift shop for installation of new door and partition. at level 2 meeting room, remove and replace partition. no floor plan alterations. locations: 0 residential unit(s), 1 non-residential unit(s), 0 interior common areas, level 1 front desk, level 2 meeting room.
- Permit - elevator equipment Mar 2025
Replacement of compensation cables on one(1) 2000lb capacity, 17-floor, 200fpm, passenger elevator(#1), pursuant to the scope of work submitted.(ev005905) 55 e. ontario
- Permit - elevator equipment Dec 2024
Replace compensation ropes on passenger elevator car 1, 2000lbs capacity, 17 stops, subject to city of chicago dept. of buildings elevator bureau inspection.
- Permit - elevator equipment Sep 2024
Replacement of door operators on one(1) 2000lb capacity, 17-floor, 200fpm, passenger(#1), and one(1) 2000lb capacity, 16-floor, 600fpm, passenger(#2) elevators, pursuant to the scope of work submitted.(ev005905) 55 e. ontario 21c museum hotel
- Permit - signs Mar 2023
One (1) 2'-0" x 2'-0" diameter internally illuminated single face sign reading "lure fishbar" mounted to the north elevation of building facing rush street (94586_cab-01_c01_21c_museum_hotel_lure_fishbar_chicago_il).
- Permit - signs Oct 2022
Change of face for one (1) existing 8'-0" x 58'-6" d/f display to read "21c" w/vertical graphic (87310_fc-01_c01_21c_museum_hotel_chicago_il).
- Permit – express permit program Jun 2022Complete
Replace canopy and entry lighting. exterior up lighting. new front desk location. various lighting changes in the lobby.
- Permit - signs Jul 2020
Install one internally lit cabinet facing e ontario st (89110_cab-01)
- Permit - signs Jul 2020
Install one internally lit cabinet facing n rush st (89110_cab-02)
Chicago Department of Buildings
Safety and environment
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Highest for this area: tornado, heat wave, cold wave. These drive insurance cost here.
FEMA National Risk Index, census tract
Leaking fuel tanks
21 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Poetry Foundation, 61 West Superior Street (1,600 ft), open. 1 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Brownfield site
1,550 ft
Chicago Hometown Award Boathouse Project and 1 more within half a mile. Former industrial land in EPA's cleanup and reuse program.
EPA ACRES Brownfields
Toxic release facility
3,600 ft
Wesley Jessen Corp and 2 more within a mile. Reports chemical releases to air, water or land to EPA each year.
EPA Toxics Release Inventory
Historic listing nearby
450 ft
Nickerson, Samuel, House. Exterior changes can need preservation review; listed buildings can qualify for rehabilitation tax credits.
National Park Service, National Register
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
2,750 ft
Ogden Elem School (2,750 ft), YCCS-Innovations of Arts Integr (3,800 ft), Salazar Elem Bilingual Center (3,800 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
9.8 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
Stayed 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 East Ontario 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.
- 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.
- Look at the stairwell (cleanliness, smell) and the association's notice board: unpaid dues, conflicts, recent decisions.
Neighborhood recommendations are derived from public OpenStreetMap data and may be incomplete. Checking in person is still what matters most.