8701 South Commercial Avenue, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 8701 South Commercial Avenue have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 12 permits, 3 not closed, and 57 violations, 53 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 8701 South Commercial Avenue 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
3 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 53 open violations.
- Permit - easy permit process Mar 2017
Repair parapet wall on front, spot tuckpoint garage. all work same as existing.
- Permit – express permit program Sep 2016Complete
Install 120v power to the ups access locker on existing circuit. job# 578-607/051
- Permit - renovation/alteration Aug 2016Complete
Replacement of one back porch same size and location.
- Permit - signs Feb 2013
Over entrance-west elevation
- Permit - signs Feb 2013
North elevation
- Permit - renovation/alteration Mar 2011Complete
Remodel interior buildout for currency exchange..
- Permit - new construction Aug 2010Complete
Build new commercial one story building
- Permit - wrecking/demolition Jul 2010Complete
Wreck & remove 2 story multi family frame/brick mixed use building
- Permit - wrecking/demolition Dec 2008Complete
Wreck and remove a 2 story commercial building
- Permit - wrecking/demolition Dec 2008Complete
Wreck and remove a 2 story commercial building
- Permit - new construction Apr 2008Complete
Replacement of existing open wood porch, same size and location.
- Permit – express permit program Sep 2006Complete
Install five meter 200 amp service only, reconnect existing circuits
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
3 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Clark Refining & Marketing, Inc., 2924 East 87th (450 ft), open. 2 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Brownfield site
2,000 ft
Calumet Region Area Wide Planning. Former industrial land in EPA's cleanup and reuse program.
EPA ACRES Brownfields
Toxic release facility
3,850 ft
Nalco Chemical Co. 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
2,000 ft
Bowen High School (2,000 ft), Noble St Chtr-Baker Campus (2,000 ft), Mireles Elem Academy (2,250 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 South Commercial 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.
- The building has commercial space on the ground floor. Ask about their hours, check where the ventilation or refrigeration units are, and what time deliveries happen in the morning.
- Knock on a neighboring door and ask two things: what bothers them most often, and what work is planned for the building.
- 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 specifically where you'd park: is there paid city parking, who currently holds it, what the permit costs, and how long the waitlist is.
- 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.