City In Review: Chicago

Uptown · Then vs Now

Uptown: 2025-01 vs 2026-01

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

2025-01 2026-01 Change
Building permits 25 14 -44%
Construction value ($) $6,492,579 $1,628,340 -75%
New business licenses 15 22 +47%
Business closings (proxy) 0 1 +1
311 service requests 907 1,123 +24%
Reported crimes 297 269 -9%
Violent crimes 89 75 -16%
Failed food inspections 5 7 +40%

2025-01

Uptown permit value drops 78% despite count uptick

Uptown pulled 25 permits in January, up from 21 the month before, but the total dollar value collapsed from $29 million to $6.5 million—a 78% plunge. Most of the work was minor: 14 permits came through the express program, which handles smaller jobs. Four were for renovations, three for signs, three for elevator equipment. One new construction permit rounded out the list. No record of new businesses, closures, or service requests in the data this month.

2026-01

Uptown permit value drops 70% in January

Permit value in Uptown fell from $5.5 million to $1.6 million, even as the count slipped just three projects (17 to 14). Ten of those permits were express-program jobs. New businesses included Carino, a retail food spot with on-premises consumption, and Clark El Ranchito Corp., operating both a shared kitchen and a retail location. Failed food inspections jumped from one to seven. Service requests dropped 18%, led by 146 calls about uncleared sidewalks—likely snow. Crime ticked down slightly, with violent incidents falling from 79 to 75.

New businesses — 2025-01

  • BROADWAY BIKES, LLC (Limited Business License)
  • OENOTATED TRAVEL (Regulated Business License)
  • Vandross Beauty & Barber (Limited Business License)
  • MERAKI INC. (Regulated Business License)
  • EVERY FASHION (Limited Business License)
  • Jumbo Laundry (Regulated Business License)
  • LINCOLN SQUARE MASSAGE (Regulated Business License)
  • CHIC SMOKES (Tobacco)
  • SALON 929 (Limited Business License)
  • THE CARLTON AT THE LAKE (Regulated Business License)

New businesses — 2026-01

  • AMIN LEARNING (Regulated Business License)
  • Master Wireless Uptown - Boost Mobile (Limited Business License)
  • TARGET OPTICAL #4963 (Limited Business License)
  • RAVENOUS LIFE HEALING CENTER (Limited Business License)
  • CLARK EL RANCHITO CORP. (Food - Shared Kitchen - Supplemental)
  • Carino (Retail Food Establishment)
  • WASH U LAUNDRY (Regulated Business License)
  • CLARK EL RANCHITO CORP. (Retail Food Establishment)
  • WASH U LAUNDRY (Limited Business License)
  • Carino (Consumption on Premises - Incidental Activity)