City In Review: Chicago

Grand Boulevard · Then vs Now

Grand Boulevard: 2024-05 vs 2025-05

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

2024-05 2025-05 Change
Building permits 33 23 -30%
Construction value ($) $3,502,557 $2,075,975 -41%
New business licenses 18 6 -67%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 703 526 -25%
Reported crimes 300 295 -2%
Violent crimes 103 76 -26%
Failed food inspections 0 0

2024-05

Grand Boulevard permit value jumps to $3.5 million

Grand Boulevard logged 33 permits in May, up from 8 the month before, with total value climbing to $3.5 million—a nearly five-fold increase. Eighteen permits came through the express program, and eight were for renovation work. Service requests rose 19% to 703, led by weed removal (51 calls) and abandoned vehicle complaints (43). Crime ticked up slightly—300 incidents versus 296—with violent offenses at 103. No businesses opened or closed, and no food establishments failed inspection.

2025-05

Grand Boulevard permit value drops 73% to $2.1M

Grand Boulevard pulled 23 permits in May, down from 28 the month before, but the bigger story is the dollar figure: $2.1 million, a 73% slide from April's $7.8 million. Most of the activity was small-bore—13 permits came through the express program, typically lower-value work. Seven renovation permits and a single new-construction filing rounded out the month. No new businesses opened, no 311 requests logged.

New businesses — 2024-05

  • BUILDING LIFE LLC (Regulated Business License)
  • WALGREENS #2211 (Tobacco)
  • HAJI HEALING SALON (Regulated Business License)
  • WALGREENS #2211 (Retail Food Establishment)
  • 1822 Enterprises (Regulated Business License)
  • TWO FISH (Retail Food Establishment)
  • 200 LIQUORS (Package Goods)
  • CARA CHICAGO (Raffles)
  • JOHN NAYLOR (Peddler License)
  • HATCH 41 INC. (Limited Business License)

New businesses — 2025-05

  • CHICAGO URBAN LEAGUE (Limited Business License)
  • SC CLEANERS (Regulated Business License)
  • PAUL JONES TIRE REPAIR (Motor Vehicle Services License)
  • WALGREENS #2211 (Tobacco)
  • 200 LIQUORS (Tobacco)
  • KEVIN DUGAN (Shared Housing Unit Operator)