953-963 West Belmont Avenue, Chicago
technical data · neighborhood and transit
Quick answers
- Does 953-963 West Belmont Avenue have open permits or code violations?
- Chicago Department of Buildings lists 42 permits, 29 not closed, and 34 violations, 24 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 953-963 West Belmont Avenue at risk for?
- FEMA's National Risk Index rates the area relatively low overall, with elevated tornado and cold wave risk.
Permits and code violations
29 permits not closed out. Unfinished permits pass to the next owner. 24 open violations.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jan 2026Active
Revision to permit # 101073104 to revise electrical riser diagram. all other work from previous permit to remain as permitted.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Oct 2025Active
Remove existing building electrical service from exterior ground floor and provide new electrical service to basement floor level.**certified corrections subject to field inspections & audit **
- Permit - renovation/alteration Sep 2025Active
Spr 2019 cbrc remove existing gutter and downspout. provide new roof parapet and new storm drains. extend new storm piping downto basement and exit building underground. provide new sewer connection to street main.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Aug 2025Active
Self cert -2019 cbrc. interior restaurant - former restaurant - new restaurant brand same space - interior alterations only within demised premises
- Permit – express permit program Jul 2025Active
Tuckpointing and unit masonry repair / replacement: 200 sq. ft., lintel qty. 0, max. length 0. location: back facade.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Jul 2025Suspended
Lowering floor of comed mechanical room in existing 2 story commercial buildingin order to accommodate installation of taller electrical equipment*****no electrical work on this permit **** (conditional permit subject to field inspections)
- Permit - signs Mar 2025
Installation of illuminated wall sign at 959 w belmont ave chicago, il 60657
- Permit – express permit program Jun 2024Complete
**electrical only permit**repair existing 400 amp service. replace damaged ct cabinet and add missing service disconnect within 5 ft. of service feeder entrance.
- Permit - renovation/alteration May 2024Suspended
Remove 4 existing roof top units and their respective ducts to 1st floor ceiling. provide 2 new roof top units with new duct shaft to 1st floor ceiling.
- Permit - renovation/alteration Apr 2024Complete
Self-cert 2019 cbrc: interior alterations to an existing 2 story building to construct a new dental office in an existing 1st floor retail space per plans.(occupany group b, construction type iiia)
- Permit – express permit program Feb 2024Suspended
Scope: nonstructural interior alteration.locations: 0 residential unit(s), 1 non-residential unit(s), 1 interior common areas, basement. remove wooden service stair and install steel service stair.
- Permit - signs Nov 2023
Dentologie - wall sign - (n shefield ave) - 3'-0"h x 14'-1"w (42 sqft)
Chicago Department of Buildings
Safety and environment
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively Low
Highest for this area: tornado, cold wave. These drive insurance cost here.
FEMA National Risk Index, census tract
Leaking fuel tanks
5 within 1,650 ft
Nearest: Advocate Healthcare, 836 West Nelson Street (1,200 ft), open. 1 still open. Ask whether groundwater or soil vapor testing was done.
EPA UST Finder, leaking underground storage tank releases
Toxic release facility
1,950 ft
Craftsman Plating Tinning Corp 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
300 ft
Belmont-Sheffield Trust and Savings Bank Building. 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
1,450 ft
Hawthorne Elem Scholastic Academy (1,450 ft), Harriet Tubman Elem School (2,150 ft), Nettelhorst Elem School (2,450 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 West Belmont Avenue
All addressesViewing recommendations
What's worth checking in person before deciding.
- 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.
- Test water pressure and temperature at the tap, in the bathroom and kitchen, for at least a minute.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Neighborhood recommendations are derived from public OpenStreetMap data and may be incomplete. Checking in person is still what matters most.