635-637 North Western Avenue, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 635-637 North Western Avenue have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 9 permits, 4 not closed, and 10 violations, 6 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 635-637 North Western Avenue at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area very low overall, with elevated cold wave risk.
Permits and code violations
4 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 6 open violations.
- Permit – express permit program Feb 2021Complete
Repair and replace electrical switches, outlets and fixtures in coach house unit 1 (first floor) and coach house unit 2 (second floor).
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jan 2020Complete
Self cert project: interior buildout of existing single story building. new partitions, plumbing, ventilation and electrical as per plans. (no change in use)
- Permit – express permit program Aug 2014Complete
Installation of low voltage burglar alarm interior work only # 4010-53834
- Permit - easy permit process Jun 2014
Build pergola
- Permit - easy permit process Mar 2014
Remove closet walls and construct 4 1/2 ft partition wall in front of commercial space.
- Permit - easy permit process Aug 2011
Replace one (1) furnace on 1st floor commercial space and one (1) furnace on 3rd floor residential. no ac work or any other work to be done under this permit. subject to field inspection.
- Permit – express permit program Feb 2010Complete
Install low voltage burglar alarm
- Permit – express permit program Sep 2007Complete
Install new lighting on outside of building
- Permit - easy permit process Jan 2007
Repair replace 5/8" gyp bd. all work same as existing, with electrical
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
10 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Pepper Construction, 417 West Chicago (950 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
2,500 ft
Milliken Design and 16 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
1,000 ft
Mitchell Elem School (1,000 ft), Chopin Elem School (1,600 ft), Ruth Bader Ginsburg Elementary (2,700 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
8.1 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 North Western 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Neighborhood recommendations are derived from public OpenStreetMap data and may be incomplete. Checking in person is still what matters most.