Near West Side · Then vs Now
Near West Side: 2025-04 vs 2026-04
A side-by-side look at how Near West Side shifted between two periods.
| 2025-04 | 2026-04 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building permits | 131 | 127 | -3% |
| Construction value ($) | $18,975,335 | $72,186,679 | +280% |
| New business licenses | 138 | 88 | -36% |
| Business closings (proxy) | 0 | 0 | — |
| 311 service requests | 49,465 | 48,338 | -2% |
| Reported crimes | 870 | 479 | -45% |
| Violent crimes | 198 | 117 | -41% |
| Failed food inspections | 7 | 7 | 0% |
2025-04
Near West Side permit value drops 68% in April
Permit value on the Near West Side fell from $59 million in March to $19 million in April, a 68% drop. The neighborhood still processed 131 permits, down just five from the prior month. Express permits led the way with 71 filings, followed by 24 renovation permits and 22 sign permits. Six elevator permits and four demolition permits rounded out the activity. No new business licenses or closures appeared in the dataset for April.
2026-04
Near West Side crime falls 41%, permit value down $19M
Crime dropped 41% in April to 479 incidents, down from 813 the month before. Violent crime fell 45%, from 212 cases to 117. Permit count rose 18% to 127, but total dollar value slid 21% to $72 million, down from $92 million in March. Express permits led with 62 issued. New business licenses included a cluster of Alvarez & Marsal consulting entities and Courtyard by Marriott Chicago at Medical District/UIC, which added an outdoor patio. Service requests dropped 15% to 48,338. Most of those—46,452—were logged as information-only calls.
New businesses — 2025-04
- Raymonds Tacos LLC (Retail Food Establishment)
- CHICAGO VINTAGE FESTIVAL (Pop-Up Retail User)
- SpeedPro Imaging of Chicago (Manufacturing Establishments)
- AUTO - CHLOR SYSTEM OF THE MID SOUTH, LLC (Regulated Business License)
- E-Elements (Public Place of Amusement)
- Zendable Card (Regulated Business License)
- E-Elements (Retail Food Establishment)
- E-Elements (Consumption on Premises - Incidental Activity)
- EVERYDAY FOOD MART (Tobacco)
- THREAD 'N' WAX AWAY (Limited Business License)
New businesses — 2026-04
- Alvarez & Marsal Healthcare Industry Group, LLC (Limited Business License)
- Alvarez & Marsal Corporate Performance Improvement, LLC (Limited Business License)
- Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group, LLC (Limited Business License)
- Alvarez & Marsal Holdings (Limited Business License)
- Alvarez & Marsal Claims Management Services, LLC (Limited Business License)
- Alvarez & Marsal Public Sector Services, LLC (Limited Business License)
- Alvarez & Marsal Disputes and Investigations, LLC (Limited Business License)
- Courtyard by Marriott Chicago at Medical District/UIC (Outdoor Patio)
- DOLLS KITCHEN AND CATERING LLC (Retail Food Establishment)
- Courtyard by Marriott Chicago at Medical District/UIC (Regulated Business License)