City In Review: Chicago

Clearing · Then vs Now

Clearing: 2025-01 vs 2026-01

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

2025-01 2026-01 Change
Building permits 10 11 +10%
Construction value ($) $879,215 $406,664 -54%
New business licenses 12 82 +583%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 588 607 +3%
Reported crimes 105 70 -33%
Violent crimes 32 22 -31%
Failed food inspections 2 1 -50%

2025-01

Clearing permit value hits $879k in January

Permit value in Clearing jumped 471% to $879,000 in January, even as the count dipped by one to ten total. Six were express permits; three were renovations. Rodent complaints led 311 calls, which rose 33% to 588—135 were for rat baiting. Crime reports climbed 35% to 105. Violent offenses ticked up 14% to 32. Two food establishments failed inspections, double December's tally.

2026-01

Clearing permit value jumps to $407k

Clearing pulled 11 permits worth roughly $407k in January, up more than 300% from December's $100k. Most were express permits. New licenses included Cipriani's (retail food), First Class Auto Repair, and Karolinka Club, which got both a tavern and a retail food license. The neighborhood logged 607 service requests, up 30% from the prior month—94 of them for potholes. Crime dropped 12.5% overall to 70 incidents, though violent offenses ticked up slightly to 22. One food establishment failed inspection.

New businesses — 2025-01

  • TOY WORLD (Regulated Business License)
  • MICROBADDIE CO. (Limited Business License)
  • TWO HOLY MARTYRS (Raffles)
  • FAIR SHARE FINE FOODS INCORPORATED (Tobacco)
  • PUSH INDOOR CYCLING (Regulated Business License)
  • RICHARDS BUILDING SUPPLY (Limited Business License)
  • JV Design & Manufacturing LLC (Manufacturing Establishments)
  • THE SPOT ON 63RD (Tobacco)
  • 7-ELEVEN (Tobacco)
  • BARGAIN WORLD OUTLET INC. (Limited Business License)

New businesses — 2026-01

  • WHOLESALE DIRECT, INC. (Limited Business License)
  • CIPRIANI'S (Retail Food Establishment)
  • FIRST CLASS AUTO REPAIR (Motor Vehicle Services License)
  • RAY AUTOMOTIVE, INC. (Motor Vehicle Services License)
  • KAROLINKA CLUB (Tavern)
  • KAROLINKA CLUB (Retail Food Establishment)
  • Villa's Nuts & Candy (Retail Food Establishment)
  • LISA NAILS (Limited Business License)
  • C & R TIRE & AUTOMOTIVE (Motor Vehicle Services License)
  • FAIR SHARE FINE FOODS INCORPORATED (Tobacco)