City In Review: Chicago

Near West Side · Then vs Now

Near West Side: 2024-06 vs 2025-06

A side-by-side look at how Near West Side shifted between two periods.

2024-06 2025-06 Change
Building permits 167 144 -14%
Construction value ($) $159,502,713 $38,851,345 -76%
New business licenses 110 115 +5%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 57,480 57,991 +1%
Reported crimes 954 877 -8%
Violent crimes 260 218 -16%
Failed food inspections 10 17 +70%

2024-06

Near West Side permit value jumps to $160 million

Permit filings in June hit $159.5 million, up 159% from May's $61.7 million. The 167 permits included 78 through the express program, 37 for signs, and 23 for renovations. Fourteen were tagged as new construction. No new business licenses or closures showed up in the data this month.

2025-06

Near West Side logs 144 permits, $39M total

Permit filings climbed to 144 in June, up from 121 the month before, but total dollar value dropped 89% to $38.8 million—down from $354.5 million in May. Express permits accounted for 89 of the 144 filings, suggesting quick-turnaround work rather than big projects. Sign permits (20) and renovation jobs (18) rounded out the activity. No new businesses registered this month.

New businesses — 2024-06

  • IGGYMAX BY GRANJA AND SONS INC. (Regulated Business License)
  • Cloud9 Windy City LLC (Regulated Business License)
  • EASTEND (Limited Business License)
  • MiMi's Tacos And French Fries (Retail Food Establishment)
  • MHUB (Manufacturing Establishments)
  • BUB CITY (Pop-Up Retail User)
  • BUB CITY (Special Event Liquor)
  • INNER ARTS (Indoor Special Event)
  • 235 ASHLAND HOLDINGS, INC. dba COBRA LOUNGE (Pop-Up Retail User)
  • AMORINO GELATO (Retail Food Establishment)

New businesses — 2025-06

  • PREMIER CATERING & EVENTS (Special Event Liquor)
  • TACOBOUT PILSEN (Shared Kitchen User (Long Term))
  • MonoSol, LLC (Regulated Business License)
  • Taco Bell (Retail Food Establishment)
  • PITAKI (Special Event Food)
  • CHICAGO 1 FOODS (Retail Food Establishment)
  • MS. TITTLE'S CUPCAKES (Special Event Food)
  • COFFEE UNLIMITED (Limited Business License)
  • SANDRA JACKSON (Peddler License)
  • RESTAURANT COLLECTIVE LLC (Special Event Food)