City In Review: Chicago

Chicago Lawn · Then vs Now

Chicago Lawn: 2024-05 vs 2025-05

A side-by-side look at how Chicago Lawn shifted between two periods.

2024-05 2025-05 Change
Building permits 40 29 -28%
Construction value ($) $666,434 $659,009 -1%
New business licenses 25 18 -28%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 2,396 1,551 -35%
Reported crimes 453 409 -10%
Violent crimes 187 148 -21%
Failed food inspections 5 2 -60%

2024-05

Chicago Lawn permit count quadruples, 550 tree requests

Permits jumped from 9 to 40 in May, up 344 percent, with 32 of those coming through the express program. Total construction value hit $666,434, an 18.6 percent rise. Service requests climbed 58 percent to 2,396, driven by 550 tree planting requests—an unusually high count for one category. Graffiti removal requests followed at 265. Violent crime rose 15.4 percent (187 incidents, up from 162), while overall crime ticked up 3.7 percent. Food inspections flagged five failures, compared to one the previous month.

2025-05

Chicago Lawn permit value drops 88% to $659k

Chicago Lawn logged $659,000 in permit value this month, down 88% from April's $5.5 million. The 29 permits issued—seven fewer than last month—were mostly express program filings (24 total), with five renovation or alteration permits rounding out the batch. No new businesses opened and none closed.

New businesses — 2024-05

  • LISANDRO CASTENEDA (Limited Business License)
  • AURA GALLERIES (Limited Business License)
  • KYLEYS BEAUTY BAR (Limited Business License)
  • WALGREENS #05034 (Package Goods)
  • DEJOB LLC (Regulated Business License)
  • ROUX (Filling Station)
  • SPEEDY CONVENIENT (Retail Food Establishment)
  • WALGREENS #05034 (Retail Food Establishment)
  • WALGREENS #5089 (Tobacco)
  • ROUX (Retail Food Establishment)

New businesses — 2025-05

  • DONALD COLEMAN (Peddler License)
  • MICHELLE SOLANO (Peddler License)
  • PARTY R UZ (Limited Business License)
  • WALGREENS #05034 (Tobacco)
  • SEE THRU CHINESE KITCHEN (Retail Food Establishment)
  • HILDA'S KITCHEN (Retail Food Establishment)
  • JUANITAS MEXICAN FOOD (Special Event Food)
  • HILDA'S KITCHEN (Food - Shared Kitchen - Supplemental)
  • ROUX (Tobacco)
  • LITTLE CAESAR ENTERPRISES, INC. (Retail Food Establishment)