Bathroom Remodeling in Lincoln Park, Chicago
Lincoln Park has many Chicago Landmark districts, and a housing stock that mixes older rowhouses and flats with newer mid-rise buildings. About 62% of units are in buildings of five or more units, but 8.9% are attached houses such as rowhouses and townhomes, a share well above the city’s 3.5%. This page covers what the data says, what the landmark districts mean for a bathroom job, and what to ask a remodeler. It is general information, not a bid or a price.
Updated October 22, 2026. Housing figures are from CMAP’s Community Data Snapshot for Lincoln Park (ACS 2020-2024 estimates); every source is listed at the end. We are a free referral service, not a remodeler, and we do not have projects in this neighborhood to show you.
What the housing data shows
| Measure | Lincoln Park | City of Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing units in buildings of 5 or more units | 61.6% | 43.1% |
| Detached and attached single-family homes | 10.7% and 8.9% | 25.6% and 3.5% |
| Two-flats (2 units) and 3- or 4-unit buildings | 4.0% and 14.6% | 13.1% and 14.4% |
| Built before 1940 | 34.0% | 38.8% |
| Built 1970 to 1989 | 27.0% | 12.9% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1953 |
| Owner-occupied households | 44.8% | 46.0% |
| Units with four or more bedrooms | 12.7% | 13.1% |
| Median household income | $137,914 | $77,902 |
The pattern is two housing markets side by side. About 12,750 units were built before 1940, which is where the greystone, rowhouse and flat blocks sit. Another 27.0% date from 1970 to 1989, double the city’s 12.9%, which fits the many mid-rise buildings. The census does not tell condominiums from rentals, so the figures show building type, not ownership, but owners are a minority: 44.8% of households own their home. Median household income is $137,914 and 46.3% of households earn $150,000 or more. That does not set what a job costs, but it is context for the finishes and detail many owners ask about. For real prices, use itemized written scopes from remodelers.
Landmark districts: the main local rule
Lincoln Park has a long list of Chicago Landmark districts. By the City’s designation dates, they include Mid-North (1977, roughly Armitage to Fullerton, Lincoln Avenue to Clark Street), Old Town Triangle (1977, mostly buildings from 1871 to 1900), McCormick Row House (1977), Arlington and Roslyn Place (1989), Burling Row House (2000), Armitage-Halsted (2003), Fremont Row House (2004), Arlington-Deming (2007), Bissell Street (2007) and the Lincoln Avenue Row House district (2009).
If your home or building is inside one, the Department of Buildings routes your permit application to the Commission on Chicago Landmarks staff. The City says the review is meant to protect significant historical and architectural features, and that it covers only the area of work you propose. In its 2011 FAQ, the City said that for most districts the significant features are generally the exterior elevations visible from the street. Its 2026 training lists interior rehabilitation among common scopes handled at staff level, so a bathroom remodel that stays inside is the lighter case. Exterior changes such as windows and new vents are checked against the district’s standards, and an addition or dormer visible from the street can need review by the Commission or its Permit Review Committee at a public meeting. The City encourages a pre-permit conversation with Landmarks staff before filing. Ask each remodeler whether they have worked through landmark review, and who files.
Rowhouses, greystone flats and the water question
In a rowhouse or a small flat building, the bathroom often sits against a party wall and over or under a neighbor’s plumbing. Tell the other households before work begins, and ask each remodeler how they will protect the unit below. Buildings of this age can have original pipes and tile set in thick beds, so ask for an allowance for hidden conditions in writing. If your home was built before 1978, a firm that is paid to disturb paint must hold EPA lead-safe certification; see our lead-safe remodeling guide and older Chicago bathrooms.
Condos and mid-rise buildings
Because 42.8% of units are in buildings of 20 or more units, many Lincoln Park projects start with association paperwork. The City’s Express Permit application for a condo unit needs a signed association approval letter, and many buildings add insurance, work-hour and elevator rules. See remodeling a condo bathroom in Chicago.
Permits and licenses
A bathroom job that replaces or moves a pipe, valve or fixture needs a City permit, and Chicago requires licensed general and plumbing contractors for most of the work. Read the permit guide, verify a license or see full bathroom remodeling. For a neighborhood with larger buildings and more small units, compare Lake View.
How to compare remodelers
- Find out if your address is in a landmark district using the City’s landmark address list, and tell each remodeler.
- Ask for an itemized written scope and price that names the permit, who files it and what is left out.
- Verify every license, including the plumber.
- Get building or association rules in writing if you share walls or plumbing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my Lincoln Park home in a landmark district?
The City lists many districts in Lincoln Park, including Mid-North, Old Town Triangle, Armitage-Halsted and Arlington-Deming. Check your address on the City's Chicago Landmark address list, and tell each remodeler what you find.
Does landmark review apply to a bathroom remodel?
The Department of Buildings routes permit applications in a district to Landmarks staff. The City's training lists interior rehabilitation among scopes commonly handled at staff level, but exterior changes such as windows or vents, and additions visible from the street, get closer review.
What types of homes does Lincoln Park have?
CMAP's 2020-2024 estimates show 61.6% of units in buildings of five or more units, 10.7% detached houses, 8.9% attached houses such as rowhouses and 18.6% in two- to four-unit buildings. The census does not separate condos from rentals.
Do I need approval to remodel a condo bathroom here?
Usually yes. The Express Permit application for a condo unit asks for a signed association approval letter, and many buildings set rules on work hours, insurance and elevators.
Is this service a contractor?
No. Chicago Bathroom Remodeling Experts is a free referral service. We do not remodel, plumb or do electrical work. We connect you with independent, licensed remodelers, who are responsible for their own licenses, permits, insurance and contracts.
Sources
- CMAP, Community Data Snapshot: Lincoln Park, June 2026 release (ACS 2020-2024; housing type, age, tenure, bedrooms, income; City of Chicago comparison): cmap.illinois.gov. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- City of Chicago, Chicago Landmarks name list (districts, dates and boundaries): chicago.gov; residential districts by neighborhood: chicagolandmarkreports.org. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- City of Chicago, Landmark Permit Review: chicago.gov; Pre-Permit Submission Requirements (2026): chicago.gov. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- City of Chicago, Commission on Chicago Landmarks FAQ (2011; significant features of districts): chicago.gov. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- City of Chicago Historic Preservation, Self-Certification Training (August 2026; scopes reviewed at staff level): chicago.gov. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- City of Chicago, Chicago Landmark Address List (August 2026): chicago.gov. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- Chicago Municipal Code 2-120-740: amlegal.com. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- US EPA, Renovation, Repair and Painting Program: epa.gov. Accessed October 22, 2026.
- City of Chicago, Express Permit Program, interior alterations: chicago.gov. Accessed October 20, 2026.
Related
Get matched with licensed Chicago remodelers
Tell us about your Lincoln Park rowhouse, flat or condo and we will connect you with independent, licensed Chicago remodelers so you can compare written scopes and prices for the same job.
Permit guide