City In Review: Chicago

Uptown · Then vs Now

Uptown: 2025-02 vs 2026-02

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

2025-02 2026-02 Change
Building permits 28 16 -43%
Construction value ($) $8,268,838 $919,422 -89%
New business licenses 22 23 +5%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 938 1,086 +16%
Reported crimes 306 260 -15%
Violent crimes 109 82 -25%
Failed food inspections 6 3 -50%

2025-02

Uptown permit value jumps 27% to $8.3 million

Uptown pulled 28 permits in February worth $8.3 million, up from $6.5 million the month before. Half were filed under the express program. Four sign permits and four renovation jobs rounded out the top categories. Two new construction permits accounted for a chunk of the dollar total. No new business licenses or closures showed up in the city's data this month.

2026-02

Uptown logs 172 graffiti removal requests in February

Uptown fielded 1,086 service requests in February, up 44% from January. Graffiti removal topped the list at 172 calls, followed by tree trim requests (101) and potholes (79). Crime reports jumped 54% to 260, including 82 violent incidents. Permit value dropped 44% to $919k despite 16 permits, most of them express jobs. Twenty-three new businesses opened, including Great Lakes Oyster Club, a shared kitchen tenant, and Loud Pizza. Food inspection failures fell to three.

New businesses — 2025-02

  • G&S SUPERMARKET (Package Goods)
  • YOOYEE (Retail Food Establishment)
  • JT TRAINING STUDIOS (Regulated Business License)
  • FOURSIDED (Limited Business License)
  • Just Tires #1262 (Motor Vehicle Services License)
  • SOMBOON AUTO SERVICE, INC. (Motor Vehicle Services License)
  • MAYDEL (Limited Business License)
  • Banana Video (Limited Business License)
  • Foursided (Limited Business License)
  • KFC (Retail Food Establishment)

New businesses — 2026-02

  • GREAT LAKES OYSTER CLUB LLC (Shared Kitchen User (Long Term))
  • JACINTO GUAMAN CHIMBOLEMA (Peddler License)
  • PREMIER CATERING & EVENTS LLC (Special Event Liquor)
  • LOUD PIZZA (Limited Business License)
  • LAS PINATAS (Consumption on Premises - Incidental Activity)
  • TARGET #T-2373 (Package Goods)
  • TARGET #T-2373 (Retail Food Establishment)
  • lowercase inc (Regulated Business License)
  • TARGET #T-2373 (Commercial Garage)
  • NAVYBLACK Studio, LLC (Limited Business License)