636 North Saint Louis Avenue, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 636 North Saint Louis Avenue have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 5 permits, 3 not closed, and 40 violations, 30 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 636 North Saint Louis Avenue 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
3 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 30 open violations.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Aug 2026Active
Spr 2019 cbrc: interior and exterior renovations at an existing 2-story + basement, multi-unit (2 du) masonry building to add a new accessory dwelling unit (adu) at the basement level. lowering of the basement slab with no underpinning to provide a new 8'-0" basement ceiling height. existing rear enclosed (2-story) wood porch to be reduced in size due to significant fire damage. the existing north portion to be removed, while the existing west and south portions to be repaired per plans. existing rear concrete stairs to be removed and replaced. existing rear open deck and stairs to be removed and replaced with a new 2-story open wood porch. remove existing detached 1-car garage and provide two (2) new 8'-0" x 18'-0" concrete parking spaces. install new 6'-0" high iron fence, sliding gate, and pedestrian gate per plans. mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work per plans. (occupancy classification r-5, construction type iiia.)
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jul 2026Active
Spr 2019 cbrc: interior renovation of an existing 3 story brick residential building (3 dwelling units). fire damage repair at unit 3 and interior reconfiguration of all dwelling units. remove existing fire-damaged open wood porch & replace with a new in-kind open wood porch. mechanical, electrical & plumbing per plans (occupancy group: r-5; construction type: iii-a) **certified plans corrections: conditional permit subject to field inspections
- Permit - wrecking/demolition Sep 2017Complete
Emergency wreck and remove a 2 story masonry multi unit residence
- Permit - easy permit process Dec 2014
Repair/replace drywall throughout. repairs to plumbing. tuckpointing and masonry repairs to parapet wall. electrical on separate permit. work to address violations.
- Permit – express permit program Dec 2014Complete
Install new 100-amp service with 3-meters (1-pubic) adding 4-new circuits
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
3 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Midwest Fence, 3319 West Chicago (1,500 ft), open. 2 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Brownfield site
750 ft
Ujima Garden. Former industrial land in EPA's cleanup and reuse program.
EPA ACRES Brownfields
Toxic release facility
2,150 ft
Mike S Anodizing Co 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
1,350 ft
Noble St Chtr-Rowe-Clark MS Acad (1,350 ft), Ward L Elem School (1,350 ft), Polaris Elem Charter Academy (1,650 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
7.6 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
Have you lived 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 North Saint Louis 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.
- 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.
- Knock on a neighboring door and ask two things: what bothers them most often, and what work is planned for the building.
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.