Near West Side · Then vs Now
Near West Side: 2025-03 vs 2026-03
A side-by-side look at how Near West Side shifted between two periods.
| 2025-03 | 2026-03 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building permits | 136 | 108 | -21% |
| Construction value ($) | $58,996,979 | $91,500,077 | +55% |
| New business licenses | 139 | 86 | -38% |
| Business closings (proxy) | 0 | 0 | — |
| 311 service requests | 48,366 | 56,656 | +17% |
| Reported crimes | 751 | 813 | +8% |
| Violent crimes | 227 | 212 | -7% |
| Failed food inspections | 11 | 10 | -9% |
2025-03
Near West Side permit count jumps 17%, value drops by half
Near West Side issued 136 permits in March, up from 116 the month prior, but total value fell 50% to $59 million. Express permits led the way with 62 approvals, followed by 36 renovation permits and 24 sign permits. Six new construction permits were in the mix. No new business licenses or closures showed up in the data this month.
2026-03
Near West Side permit value hits $91.5M, up 441%
Permit value in Near West Side jumped to $91.5 million in March, up from $16.9 million the month before. The surge came despite 26 fewer permits issued—108 this month versus 134 in February. Express permits led the way with 65, followed by 22 renovation jobs. New businesses included Hibachi Go and Bacci Pizza. Crime rose 10%, with violent offenses up 16% to 212. Service requests climbed 11% to 56,656, though more than 54,000 were logged as information-only calls. Failed food inspections dropped to 10 from 17.
New businesses — 2025-03
- Imperial Recycling (Regulated Business License)
- WORLD OF ASTROLOGY BOUTIQUE AND MORE (Limited Business License)
- ADDA INDIAN CUISINE (Shared Kitchen User (Long Term))
- ALLURE NAIL SPA SELINA INC. (Limited Business License)
- STEELCASE INC. (Limited Business License)
- LA LAGARTIJA (Consumption on Premises - Incidental Activity)
- Walsh Vinci Transit Community (Limited Business License)
- ALL BODY SPA (Limited Business License)
- PAC LEADERS CONSTRUCTION LLC (Limited Business License)
- LOVERS PLAYGROUND (Limited Business License)
New businesses — 2026-03
- VIPER ROOM INC (Special Event Liquor)
- Leopardo Companies, Inc. (Limited Business License)
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Raffles)
- STROOP (Shared Kitchen User (Long Term))
- SALON LOFTS (Limited Business License)
- BLUEOAK HEALTH LLC (Limited Business License)
- PARKING IN CHICAGO (Commercial Garage)
- BACCI PIZZA (Special Event Food)
- Objective Arts, LLC (Limited Business License)
- Hibachi Go (Retail Food Establishment)