City In Review: Chicago

Lincoln Square · Then vs Now

Lincoln Square: 2024-11 vs 2025-11

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

2024-11 2025-11 Change
Building permits 32 29 -9%
Construction value ($) $12,361,041 $3,670,704 -70%
New business licenses 21 40 +90%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 855 962 +13%
Reported crimes 166 157 -5%
Violent crimes 45 42 -7%
Failed food inspections 2 3 +50%

2024-11

Lincoln Square permits drop 29%, Yard Waste leads 311

Permit activity dropped sharply in November—32 filed, down from 45 the month before. Dollar value slid 21% to $12.4 million. Express permits (14) led the way, followed by nine renovation jobs. No new businesses registered. Service requests fell 11% to 855, paced by 120 calls for yard waste pickup. Graffiti removal drew 65 requests. Crime dropped 19% to 166 incidents; violent crime held steady at 45. Two restaurants failed inspections, down from seven.

2025-11

Lincoln Square permits drop 64% to 29

Lincoln Square issued 29 permits in November, down from 80 the month before. Most were express permits — 23 of the 29 — with permit value falling 36% to $3.7 million. A couple wrecking permits and two new construction jobs rounded out the roster. No new businesses opened, no 311 calls logged, and nothing else much moved.

New businesses — 2024-11

  • KRISPY CHICKEN AND MORE (Retail Food Establishment)
  • RFC PERSONAL TRAINING & SPINNING STUDIO (Limited Business License)
  • WINDY CITY LIQUOR (Tobacco)
  • QUEEN OF ANGELS PARISH (Raffles)
  • MY COLONIAL PAINTING (Regulated Business License)
  • DRAKE & SON FUNERAL HOME #2202 (Limited Business License)
  • ROSEHILL CEMETERY (Regulated Business License)
  • NORWOOD DAMEN HAND CAR WASH, INC. (Limited Business License)
  • Daniela's Facial Studio (Limited Business License)
  • Becker Medical Supply (Limited Business License)

New businesses — 2025-11

  • GLOSSHAUS NAILS & SPA (Limited Business License)
  • BUGBEAR BIKES (Limited Business License)
  • FEED YOUR HEAD (Shared Kitchen User (Long Term))
  • EASEL ART STUDIO (Children's Services Facility License)
  • VERIZON WIRELESS PREMIUM RETAILER (Limited Business License)
  • BORELLI'S (Retail Food Establishment)
  • KIDDIE ACADEMY OF CHICAGO - LINCOLN SQUARE (Children's Services Facility License)
  • BORELLI'S (Consumption on Premises - Incidental Activity)
  • H&M CLEANERS, INC. (Limited Business License)
  • Budacki's Drive In (Retail Food Establishment)