City In Review: Chicago

Belmont Cragin · Then vs Now

Belmont Cragin: 2024-05 vs 2025-05

A side-by-side look at how Belmont Cragin shifted between two periods.

2024-05 2025-05 Change
Building permits 50 31 -38%
Construction value ($) $7,051,371 $997,688 -86%
New business licenses 56 46 -18%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 2,163 1,832 -15%
Reported crimes 423 320 -24%
Violent crimes 142 96 -32%
Failed food inspections 11 12 +9%

2024-05

Belmont Cragin permit value hits $7M in May

Permit value in Belmont Cragin shot up 1,386% in May, from $475k to over $7 million, though the details don't specify what drove it. The neighborhood issued 50 permits total, up from 18 the month before—41 of them through the express program. 311 requests climbed 28%, led by 197 abandoned vehicle complaints. Violent crime stayed flat at 142 incidents. Food inspection failures jumped 83%, from six to eleven.

2025-05

Belmont Cragin permit value drops 81% to under $1M

Permit value in Belmont Cragin fell from $5.2 million in April to just under $1 million in May, an 81% drop. The month brought 31 permits, down from 50, with 24 of them through the express program. Violent crime declined 16% to 96 incidents. Residents filed 209 abandoned vehicle complaints—the most common 311 request—and another 106 rodent complaints. Food inspection failures held steady at 12.

New businesses — 2024-05

  • Level Nails Bar (Limited Business License)
  • MASTER GREEN CLEANING SERVICE LLC (Regulated Business License)
  • HANGRY'S RESTAURANT (Special Event Food)
  • PYLONE (Limited Business License)
  • ECUA CLEANERS (Regulated Business License)
  • HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS #400 (Limited Business License)
  • CECYLIA'S TAILORING (Limited Business License)
  • T-MOBILE (Limited Business License)
  • ISIDRO JARAMILLO (Peddler License)
  • WALGREEN #03948 (Tobacco)

New businesses — 2025-05

  • MAY YIN YANG (Limited Business License)
  • WOK DONG (Retail Food Establishment)
  • CRESPO TRUCK (Shared Kitchen User (Long Term))
  • WALGREENS #4986 (Tobacco)
  • WAVEMAX LAUNDRY (Regulated Business License)
  • FIVE BELOW (Limited Business License)
  • FIVE BELOW, INC. (709) (Limited Business License)
  • SOMETHIN SWEET (Retail Food Establishment)
  • INTERNATIONAL STAR LEAGUE (Public Place of Amusement)
  • Walach Manufacturing Company (Manufacturing Establishments)