City In Review: Chicago

Armour Square · Then vs Now

Armour Square: 2024-12 vs 2025-12

A side-by-side look at how Armour Square shifted between two periods.

2024-12 2025-12 Change
Building permits 5 4 -20%
Construction value ($) $774,264 $61,800 -92%
New business licenses 13 9 -31%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 230 366 +59%
Reported crimes 71 94 +32%
Violent crimes 16 28 +75%
Failed food inspections 6 2 -67%

2024-12

Armour Square permit value drops 55% to $774k

Armour Square pulled just five permits in December, down from eight the month before, and their combined value fell to $774,264—a 55% drop from November's $1.74 million. No new businesses opened or closed. Graffiti removal requests led 311 calls with 57, nearly triple the next category. Violent crime fell 58%, from 38 incidents to 16, while overall crime dropped 38%. Six food establishments failed inspections, down from nine.

2025-12

Armour Square permit value drops 61% to $62k

Armour Square pulled four permits in December, same as November, but their combined value fell from $159k to $62k. The drop came even as new construction accounted for two of the four permits. Service requests climbed 19% to 366, led by 85 graffiti removal calls—more than double any other category. Reported crimes dropped 16% to 94, with violent offenses nearly flat at 28. No businesses opened or closed during the month.

New businesses — 2024-12

  • EVERGREEN RESTAURANT (Consumption on Premises - Incidental Activity)
  • HONGLI FLOWER (Limited Business License)
  • B B Q KING 88 INC. (Shared Kitchen User (Long Term))
  • ZERO DEGREES KARAOKE BAR LLC (Public Place of Amusement)
  • ZERO DEGREES KARAOKE BAR LLC (Retail Food Establishment)
  • BUSY BEES CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER II (Children's Services Facility License)
  • TSAOCAA TEA (Retail Food Establishment)
  • EVERGREEN RESTAURANT (Retail Food Establishment)
  • DOLO GARDEN RESTAURANT & BAR (Consumption on Premises - Incidental Activity)
  • ZERO DEGREES KARAOKE BAR LLC (Tavern)

New businesses — 2025-12

  • ELITE BOBA (Retail Food Establishment)
  • J FRESHMART (Retail Food Establishment)
  • J FRESHMART (Package Goods)
  • SHINHWA (Consumption on Premises - Incidental Activity)
  • QING XIANG YUAN (Consumption on Premises - Incidental Activity)
  • SHINHWA (Retail Food Establishment)
  • QING XIANG YUAN (Retail Food Establishment)
  • MAGONGLAPO (Retail Food Establishment)
  • BEST PICK INC. (Regulated Business License)