City In Review: Chicago

Washington Park · Then vs Now

Washington Park: 2025-03 vs 2026-03

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

2025-03 2026-03 Change
Building permits 11 10 -9%
Construction value ($) $877,863 $1,998,958 +128%
New business licenses 5 1 -80%
Business closings (proxy) 0 0
311 service requests 395 429 +9%
Reported crimes 228 203 -11%
Violent crimes 79 86 +9%
Failed food inspections 0 1 +1

2025-03

Washington Park permits hit $878k on express work

Permit values in Washington Park jumped from $66k to $878k in March—a twelve-fold increase driven by eleven permits, nine of them express. Violent crime rose 55% to 79 incidents, part of a broader 56% climb in total crime reports. Residents filed 106 tree-trim requests despite the city no longer accepting that category, plus 29 pothole complaints. No new business licenses or closures this month.

2026-03

Washington Park crime up 28%, violent offenses hit 86

Washington Park logged 203 crimes in March, up 28% from February's 158. Violent offenses climbed to 86, a 23% jump. Permits ticked up to 10 (from 7), carrying nearly $2 million in declared value—a 54% increase driven mostly by seven express-program filings. Service requests rose 17% to 429, led by 57 tree-trim calls despite the category no longer being accepted. One new business opened: Lemme Get Ummm, a retail food spot. Potholes and busted streetlights rounded out the 311 activity.

New businesses — 2025-03

  • TAILORED LUBRICANTS LLC (Regulated Business License)
  • REFORMED SCHOOL (Limited Business License)
  • CENTER COURT DEVELOPMENT (Regulated Business License)
  • LITTLE WOK (Retail Food Establishment)
  • Juan and Only LLC (Regulated Business License)

New businesses — 2026-03

  • LEMME GET UMMM (Retail Food Establishment)