New-construction permits in Chicago totaled $91.6M across 55 filings in the two weeks ending October 9, 2026, up 25% in value from the prior two weeks even as the count held flat. BizPulse data shows three projects carried 71% of the dollars, and two of them are senior housing.
Key stats — two weeks ending October 9, 2026:
- 55 new-construction permits worth $91.6M citywide, versus 54 worth $73.3M in the two weeks ending September 25, 2026
- 21 permits at $500,000 or more, and 9 at $1M or more; the median permit was $350,000
- $25.0M, 52-unit senior residential building at 8332 S Martin Luther King Jr Dr in Chatham, issued October 9
- $19.0M, 9-story mixed-use building at 315 S Jefferson St on the Near West Side, issued October 5
Where Is New Construction Happening in Chicago Right Now?
Three addresses set the total. The Chatham senior building ($25.0M), the Jefferson St tower ($19.0M, with an office and retail tenant space on the first floor and 52 residential units above), and $21.0M of pile work at 4717 S Calumet Ave in Grand Boulevard for a 2-story senior building add up to $65.0M of the $91.6M.
By count, four neighborhoods tied at the top: Near North Side, Near West Side, Near South Side, and North Center each recorded 4 new-construction permits. The values couldn't be more different. Near West Side's 4 permits total $19.1M; Near South Side's 4 total $12,000. According to BizPulse's permit tracking, North Center's 4 add up to $4.6M, led by a $2.18M five-story, 8-unit building with first-floor retail at 2353 W Byron St, issued October 7.
Compared with the same two weeks in 2025 (September 26 to October 9), BizPulse recorded 66 permits worth $189.8M, so this year's window is down 17% in count and 52% in value. Year-over-year comparisons swing hard on a handful of large permits. For the pace of the weeks before, see our September new-construction slowdown report.
So what: Count and dollars tell different stories. If you sell by volume (small trades, signage, insurance), the 35 permits above $100,000 are your list. If you sell big-ticket systems, 21 permits at $500,000 or more is the pool.
What Should B2B Vendors Do With These Permits?
Sort by what the building becomes. BizPulse's permit data tags each of these with buying intents such as furniture, security systems, commercial cleaning, plumbing and electrical contractors, and waste removal. Two projects stand out for commercial buyers: the Jefferson St building has office and retail tenant space on its ground floor, and a $1.2M gas station with a convenience store at 4509 S Cottage Grove Ave in Kenwood needs POS, signage, and security before it opens.
Then check who's already licensed nearby. BizPulse's license database reveals that 10 of the 55 permits sit at addresses with a business license issued in the last 120 days. The largest is $5.7M of caisson work at 10000 W O'Hare St, where Ermc Aviation LLC was licensed July 28, 2026. A licensed operator plus a foundation permit means the project has funding and a timeline.
So what: Residential-heavy pipelines still create commercial demand: lobbies, ground-floor retail, parking, and post-construction cleaning. Call the general contractor now, before the sub list closes. Track the next filings on BizPulse's construction hot blocks map, and filter by size in BizPulse search.
Looking for office-side work instead? Our Loop office buildout analysis covers $82.3M in fit-outs. The permit records themselves are public on the City of Chicago Data Portal.
Bottom line: BizPulse recorded 55 Chicago new-construction permits worth $91.6M in the two weeks ending October 9, 2026; three senior-housing and mixed-use projects hold most of the value.