City In Review: Chicago

Loop · Then vs Now

Loop: 2024-09 vs 2025-09

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

2024-09 2025-09 Change
Building permits 198 239 +21%
Construction value ($) $42,422,026 $148,458,244 +250%
New business licenses 607 164 -73%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 961 1,009 +5%
Reported crimes 788 754 -4%
Violent crimes 179 186 +4%
Failed food inspections 2 34 +1600%

2024-09

Loop permit value falls to $42M, half of August

The Loop issued 198 permits in September, down from 221 in August. Permit value dropped harder: $42 million, compared to $86 million the month before. Express permits made up 139 of the total. Renovation work accounted for 32 permits, elevator equipment for 16. Seven permits went to new construction.

2025-09

Loop permit value doubles to $148M on renovation work

Permit value in the Loop jumped 127% to $148 million in September, driven by 146 express permits and 45 renovation or alteration jobs. Total permit count rose 39% to 239. No new business licenses appeared in the data. Service requests climbed 16% to 1,009, with graffiti removal leading at 262 calls. Crime fell nearly 10% to 754 incidents, including 186 violent offenses. Food inspection failures more than doubled to 34, up from 15 the month prior.

New businesses — 2024-09

  • NDI ARO HOLDINGS (Limited Business License)
  • SIYU YU (Peddler License)
  • Oliver Wyman Actuarial Consulting, Inc. (Limited Business License)
  • DQ LUXURY REFLEXOLOGY MASSAGE RELAXATION RETREAT (Regulated Business License)
  • LOXX HAIR CHICAGO (Limited Business License)
  • SAN LAE LAE CHO (Shared Housing Unit Operator)
  • B2B Strategic Solutions, Inc. (Limited Business License)
  • GAAPY SERVICES (Regulated Business License)
  • THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Limited Business License)
  • Premium Parking Service, L.L.C. (Commercial Garage)

New businesses — 2025-09

  • TRADER'S MARKET (Tobacco)
  • MERCURY CRITICAL COURIERS (Limited Business License)
  • SKYLIGHT BODY THERAPY (Regulated Business License)
  • ROLL UP (Consumption on Premises - Incidental Activity)
  • CHICAGO LOOP ALLIANCE (Pop-Up Retail User)
  • TRUSPARK TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS LLC (Limited Business License)
  • HAVAS ANNEX (Pop-Up Retail User)
  • Strathmore Management Inc (Limited Business License)
  • RGP (Limited Business License)
  • 7-Eleven #33086H (Tobacco)