68-70 East Walton Street, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 68-70 East Walton Street have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 60 permits, 28 not closed, and 60 violations, 23 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 68-70 East Walton 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
28 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 23 open violations.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jun 2026Active
Demolition of existing vacant retail jewelry space. build-out to follow by separate permit.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Mar 2026Active
Spr 2019 cbc: replacement of selected steel framing members in an existing 12-story building (m, r-2, construction type iia) as per plans.
- Permit – express permit program Oct 2025Active
Temporary scaffolding: qty: 2, max. length: 20 ft., max. height: 155 ft. location: north and west elevation. permit expiration date: 365 days from permit issued date
- Permit – express permit program May 2025Complete
Low voltage/communication electrical work. install audio. specific location: back of building.
- Permit – express permit program Aug 2024Complete
Temporary scaffolding: qty: 8, max. length: 40 ft., max. height: 155 ft. location: east and west. permit expiration date: 365 days from permit issued date
- Permit – express permit program Aug 2024Active
Tuckpointing and unit masonry repair / replacement: 10000 sq. ft., lintel qty. 0, max. length 0. parapet rebuilding: 305 sq. ft. location: all elevations.
- Permit – express permit program Jul 2024Complete
In-kind replacement of exterior windows and doors in existing openings. replacement windows: 4; replacement skylights: 0; replacement doors: 2. affects: 0 residential unit(s), 1 non-residential unit(s), location: windows and doors on first floor only.
- Permit - signs Jun 2024
Paul rehder salon - wall sign - 0'-8"h x 5'-0"w (3 sqft)
- Permit - signs May 2024
Awning with text; 36 sq/ft; 1 sq/ft of text; south elevation
- Permit - signs May 2024
Single faced flat illuminated wall sign; 12 sq/ft; south elevation
- Permit - signs May 2024
Double faced projecting blade illuminated wall sign; 3 sq/ft; 1 sq/ft of text; south elevation; e/w facing text
- Permit – express permit program Apr 2024Complete
Furnishing 6 speakers
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
17 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Wh Investment Properties, 105 East Delaware Pl. (400 ft), open. 4 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Toxic release facility
3,850 ft
Oscar Mayer Foods Corp Chicago Plant and 3 more within a mile. Reports chemical releases to air, water or land to EPA each year.
EPA Toxics Release Inventory
Historic listing nearby
400 ft
Drake Hotel. 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
950 ft
Ogden Elem School (950 ft), Salazar Elem Bilingual Center (2,300 ft), Payton College Preparatory HS (2,650 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 East Walton 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Neighborhood recommendations are derived from public OpenStreetMap data and may be incomplete. Checking in person is still what matters most.