Elmhurst issued about 1,650 building permits through the end of August, an 18 percent jump over the prior year. Acting City Manager Kent Johnson presented the figures to the City Council on Monday, Nov. 2, as first reported by Patch.

Johnson said he expects brisk construction activity to continue in both residential and commercial properties. He listed major private-sector projects across the city, some completed and others in the works.

The list is long.

Among the projects Johnson cited:

  • McMaster-Carr Supply Company expansion. The industrial equipment supplier at 600 County Line Road has proposed an office renovation and parking deck expansion. The company said the completed project would give it capacity for 1,900 employees, Patch reported in April.
  • Elmhurst Hospital campus work. Johnson said the hospital has completed a new cardiac center and a standalone office building. An expansion of the cancer center is in the works. The hospital's owner, Endeavor Health, filed a state application in December 2024 for a $101 million expansion that includes a two-story addition above the cancer center and three new operating rooms.
  • Rush University Medical Center office building. Johnson described a new medical office building as underway at 107 N. York St., the former York Furrier site. Elmhurst-based Peerless Development proposed demolishing the old building and replacing it with a three-story structure for Rush, according to Patch coverage from October 2025.
  • LA Fitness-to-Club Studio conversion. The gym at 620 N. York St. closed Aug. 23 for a renovation estimated at $3 million. The same parent company, Fitness International, runs both brands, with Club Studio considered a more upscale chain.
  • Timothy Christian Schools addition and a 36-unit townhome development on Lake Street, approved years ago, also appeared on Johnson's list.

Single-family home permits alone rose to 66 from 55 at the same point a year earlier, according to Patch's account of the meeting.

Inspection delays draw aldermen's concern

The permit boom has strained the city's inspection staff. Johnson said Elmhurst has been without a building inspector for a year. The building commissioner has filled the role while handling other duties, he said.

Alderman Jacob Hill called the situation "fairly dire." He said he would be open to spending more city money to fix it.

"This is one of the things I've heard consistently from contractors in the city," Hill said.

Johnson said the city hired a contract inspector in the weeks before the meeting, already reducing wait times. Finding a permanent hire with the right certifications has been difficult, he said.

Alderman Michael Bram said he was concerned when he had work done at his house the previous year.

The city is still searching for a full-time inspector. Johnson said Elmhurst is competing with other municipalities for a limited pool of qualified candidates.