City In Review: Chicago

Kenwood · Then vs Now

Kenwood: 2024-05 vs 2025-05

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

2024-05 2025-05 Change
Building permits 22 14 -36%
Construction value ($) $7,869,363 $383,776 -95%
New business licenses 12 6 -50%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 429 289 -33%
Reported crimes 158 191 +21%
Violent crimes 47 46 -2%
Failed food inspections 1 2 +100%

2024-05

Kenwood permit value jumps to $7.9 million

Permit value in Kenwood shot up nearly 7,000% in May, landing at $7.9 million compared to $112k the month before. The 22 permits filed included a dozen through the express program and nine renovation jobs. A BP station on Woodlawn opened under new licenses—filling, retail food, and tobacco—while Queen Noir Body Waxing got a limited business license. Service requests climbed 27%, led by 90 tree trim requests (a category the city no longer accepts). Violent crime ticked up from 38 to 47 incidents.

2025-05

Kenwood permit value drops 75% to $384k

Fourteen permits issued in May totaled $384k, down from $1.55 million the month before. Eleven of those were express permits; two covered elevator equipment. Service requests ticked up slightly to 289, led by 33 tree emergencies and 23 abandoned vehicle complaints. Crime climbed 14% to 191 incidents, with violent offenses up from 43 to 46. Two food establishments failed inspections, double April's count. No new businesses opened and none closed.

New businesses — 2024-05

  • WOODLAWN AMOCO DBA BP (Filling Station)
  • QUEEN NOIR BODY WAXING (Limited Business License)
  • Walgreens #4519 (Tobacco)
  • WOODLAWN AMOCO DBA BP (Retail Food Establishment)
  • Walgreens #4519 (Retail Food Establishment)
  • WOODLAWN AMOCO DBA BP (Tobacco)
  • Walgreens #4519 (Package Goods)
  • FINANCIAL AID 4 SUCCESS LLC (Regulated Business License)
  • HAWTHORN PRIVATE YACHTS LLC (Commercial Passenger Vessel)
  • JUST RIGHT BOATING LLC (Commercial Passenger Vessel)

New businesses — 2025-05

  • CHEF MAURICE (Special Event Food)
  • NUTS TO GO CORP. (Special Event Food)
  • WOODLAWN AMOCO DBA BP (Tobacco)
  • Walgreens #4519 (Tobacco)
  • JASMINE MACK (Peddler License)
  • JUST RIGHT BOATING LLC (Commercial Passenger Vessel)