City In Review: Chicago

Loop · 2026-01

Loop permit value falls to $68 million on minor work

The Loop issued 197 permits in January, up 15% from December, but their value dropped 66% to $68 million. Most of the work was small-scale—128 permits ran through the express program. Seventy-nine new businesses opened, including Henrietta, a restaurant on the retail food license. Graffiti topped the 736 service requests with 174 complaints, followed by 119 pothole reports. Police logged 343 crimes, 83 of them violent. Health inspectors failed 25 food establishments.

By the numbers

Building permits197
Declared construction value$67,885,791
New business licenses86
Business closings (proxy)0
311 service requests1091
Reported crimes544
Violent crimes134
Failed food inspections27

New businesses

Top permit types

Top 311 request types

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