837-839 South Wells Street, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 837-839 South Wells Street have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 8 permits, 3 not closed, and 0 violations.
- 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 837-839 South Wells Street 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.
- Permit - easy permit process Feb 2019
Replace existing furnace
- Permit - renovation/alteration Oct 2018Complete
Self cert: interior alterations to ground floor space for a building fitness center at an existing residential apartment building per plan
- Permit - elevator equipment Jul 2016
Installation of one (1) 3500 lb.cap,5-floors, 4-30mm belts, 2:1, 3300 electric traction passenger elevator. pursuant to the plans submitted.
- Permit - elevator equipment Jul 2016
Installation of one (1) car # 2, 3500lb.cap, 150fpm, 5-floors, 4-30mm belts, 2:1, 3300 electric traction passenger elevator. pursuant to the plans submitted.
- Permit – express permit program Jan 2016Complete
Non-required fire system
- Permit – express permit program Dec 2015Complete
Install 100amp 120/240v single phase temp service
- Permit - new construction Oct 2015Complete
New 4 story residential building of type iii-b construction w/ type i-c construction at first floor. ground floor commercial space with 42 rssidential units and 43 parking spaces at the ground floor. building is fully sprinklered. 839 s wells street.
- Permit - new construction Aug 2015Complete
New 4 story residential building of type iii-b construction. ground floor commercial space and 42 residential units with 42 parking spacea at the ground floor. building is full sprinkled. 837 s. wells st.
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
9 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: B&B Parking, 633 South La Salle St. (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
2,000 ft
Us Customs House Firing Range 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
Nearest public schools
1,650 ft
Jones College Prep High School (1,650 ft), South Loop Elem School (2,050 ft), Intrinsic 2 Charter High School (3,500 ft). Confirm the assigned school with the district.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES
Major airport
8.4 mi
Chicago Midway (MDW). Aircraft may be audible under approach paths.
FAA large-hub airports
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 South Wells 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.
- 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.
- 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.