5516-5518 North Winthrop Avenue, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 5516-5518 North Winthrop Avenue have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 14 permits, 11 not closed, and 41 violations, 17 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 5516-5518 North Winthrop Avenue at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area very low overall, with elevated cold wave risk.
Permits and code violations
11 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 17 open violations.
- Permit – express permit program Oct 2026Active
Parapet rebuilding: 700 sq. ft. location: reper existing exterior brick walls & parapet wall.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Oct 2020Complete
Spr 2019 cbrc: 1. replacement of in unit kitchen cabinets, countertops,faucet, sink, light fixture and flooring. 2. replacement of in-unitbathroom vanities, light fixture, cabinet, sink & toilet. **all itemsreplaced in existing location** as per plans
- Permit - easy permit process Nov 2019
Replace an existing 2470 cfm make-up air unit with same.
- Permit - easy permit process Nov 2019
Replace the existing make up air unit with one aaon 13 ton make up air unit, self contained, air cooled, r410a, located on the roof. the unit serves the common spaces/corridors.
- Permit - easy permit process Sep 2019
Remove and replace roof system
- Permit - easy permit process May 2019
Tuckpointing - no structural work - 100 sqft; brick replacement and caulking all elevations
- Permit - elevator equipment Jul 2013
Modernization of (1) 7-stop 1500# hydraulic passenger elevator pursuant to scope of work submitted. all work to comply with 2010 city of chicago elevator code & subject to field inspection by city of chicago elevator bureau. (ev007630)
- Permit - easy permit process Aug 2012
Window replacement.
- Permit - easy permit process Apr 2012
Window replacement thru out entire building all same size and location
- Permit – express permit program Mar 2011Complete
Raise 14 existing duplex receptacles from 12" to 15" aff for ada compliance add 6 light switches to existing pull chain fixtures replace 12 fixtures on existing openings all work is in the public areas
- Permit – express permit program Dec 2010Complete
Replace damaged cables in a service riser. (damaged by squirl)
- Permit - easy permit process Nov 2010
Revision to permit to change the mason contractor of record to aaa-masonry.
Chicago Department of Buildings
Safety and environment
FEMA natural hazard risk
Very Low
Highest for this area: cold wave. These drive insurance cost here.
FEMA National Risk Index, census tract
Leaking fuel tanks
8 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Tubring, Sam, 5734 North Broadway Avenue (1,600 ft), open. 1 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Toxic release facility
4,550 ft
Metalmasters 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
Wildfire risk
Very Low
Wildfire risk is low enough that standard home insurance usually covers it.
FEMA National Risk Index
Nearest public schools
2,350 ft
Goudy Technology Academy (2,350 ft), Peirce Elem Intl Studies School (2,350 ft), Swift Elem Specialty School (2,500 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 North Winthrop 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 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.