West Town · Then vs Now
West Town: 2025-04 vs 2026-04
A side-by-side look at how West Town shifted between two periods.
| 2025-04 | 2026-04 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building permits | 113 | 111 | -2% |
| Construction value ($) | $7,345,752 | $51,560,663 | +602% |
| New business licenses | 117 | 52 | -56% |
| Business closings (proxy) | 0 | 0 | — |
| 311 service requests | 2,927 | 3,394 | +16% |
| Reported crimes | 518 | 333 | -36% |
| Violent crimes | 94 | 77 | -18% |
| Failed food inspections | 19 | 7 | -63% |
2025-04
West Town permit volume jumps 15%, dollars plunge 77%
West Town logged 113 permits in April, up 15% from March, but total declared value cratered from $31.6 million to $7.3 million. More than half the permits—62—came through the express program, which typically covers smaller interior jobs. Nineteen renovation permits and 16 sign permits rounded out the activity. The drop in dollar value suggests big projects wrapped or stalled while routine work kept the count steady.
2026-04
West Town permit value crashes 91% in April
Permit value in West Town fell from $597 million in March to $52 million in April, a 91% drop. The 111 permits issued in April included 42 under the express program and 23 renovation jobs, but no big-dollar construction drove the total. New businesses included CAVA, a McDonald's, and BEST SUB #2. Crime dropped 40%, from 558 incidents to 333. Violent offenses fell from 100 to 77. Residents filed 3,394 service requests, up 9% from March. Graffiti removal led the list with 682 calls, followed by 430 pothole complaints.
New businesses — 2025-04
- WESTERN FOOD & GROCERY (Tobacco)
- INDUSTRIOUS CHI 1720 WEST DIVISION STREET LLC (Limited Business License)
- CHILLS ITALIAN ICE (Special Event Food)
- SISTER LAVENDER NAIL & SPA, INC. (Regulated Business License)
- SIX HAND BEAUTY SALON (Limited Business License)
- Wolf & Company Chicago (Package Goods)
- JAMES W. QUINN (Peddler License)
- Wolf & Company Chicago (Outdoor Patio)
- Wolf & Company Chicago (Retail Food Establishment)
- GRAND LUXURIOUS SPA (Limited Business License)
New businesses — 2026-04
- BEST SUB #2 (Retail Food Establishment)
- IT'S OKSANA, LLC (Limited Business License)
- McDONALD'S (Retail Food Establishment)
- MICHAEL KIRIAZIS (Shared Housing Unit Operator)
- CAVA (Retail Food Establishment)
- CHARTWELLS (Retail Food Establishment)
- CHARTWELLS (Retail Food Establishment)
- CANTEEN @ TRIBUNE (Limited Business License)
- CARRECTLY, INC. (Regulated Business License)
- MATTHEW JAMES KELLEN (Regulated Business License)