New Construction Wiring in Logan Square, Chicago
Logan Square's boulevard system and landmark status creates the same exterior electrical considerations as Lincoln Park and Wicker Park. Properties on Logan Boulevard, Kedzie Boulevard, and Palmer Square — and their contributing side streets — sit within the Logan Square Boulevards District. For new construction on these blocks, exterior electrical features like meter placement, visible conduit, and service entrance weatherheads may need to be designed to minimize visual impact. We plan for this during the design phase, preferring alley-side service entrances whenever the lot permits.
The ADU boom has added a distinct project type to Logan Square's new construction mix. Since Chicago legalized additional dwelling units in the Logan Square pilot zone, coach house construction has increased significantly. Building a new coach house from the ground up requires a complete electrical system: separate service from the main building panel, a 100-amp or 125-amp panel in the new structure, all branch circuits, bathroom GFCI, kitchen dedicated circuits, and hardwired smoke/CO per Chicago code. The permit package includes both the main building's permit and the accessory structure's separate permit.
Milwaukee Avenue's commercial corridor generates new construction build-out work as well — new mixed-use infill with ground-floor commercial and residential units above, and standalone new commercial builds where the city's investment in the corridor has attracted development. These projects require commercial-grade electrical with separate metering for commercial and residential uses.
Our New Construction Wiring Process in Logan Square
For Logan Square new construction, we start with a design-phase review of the architectural set. The key items we confirm early are the service entrance location relative to boulevard setbacks, the metering structure for multi-unit or ADU projects, and the EV charger provisions for the garage. On boulevard-adjacent lots, we prefer to design the service entrance on the alley side or on a non-street-facing wall to avoid any Landmarks review complications.
ADU electrical design in Logan Square typically involves one of two approaches: a sub-feed from the main building's panel (one ComEd account with internal billing between the main dwelling and the coach house) or a completely separate service drop and meter from ComEd (two independent accounts). For owners planning to rent the coach house to a separate tenant, a separate meter eliminates any billing complexity. We design both options and present the tradeoffs.
Rough-in for new Logan Square construction follows Chicago code's metallic wiring requirement — MC cable, EMT conduit, or FMC throughout. All panels and boxes are steel. We coordinate rough-in timing with the framing and HVAC contractors to avoid conflicts in tight mechanical spaces, and we stage work around the framing inspection.
Common New Construction Electrical Needs in Logan Square
- New two-flat construction — 400-amp building service with individual 200-amp unit panels; house-load circuit for common areas; separate metering per Chicago code for rental two-flats
- Coach house / ADU new builds — Independent service and 100-amp or 125-amp panel; kitchen circuits, bathroom GFCI, hardwired smoke/CO; full permit package for the accessory structure
- Infill single-family homes — 200-amp service on standard Logan Square lots; EV provisions for attached or detached garage; smart-home prewire where the buyer's spec calls for it
- Townhome and multi-unit developments — Individual unit panels, common-area electrical (exterior lighting, common-area heat, intercom), and shared metering infrastructure designed for the building's total load
- Milwaukee corridor mixed-use — Three-phase commercial service for restaurant or retail ground floors; separate residential metering above; commercial permit filed independently from residential permit
- Boulevard district landmark-aware design — Service entrance on alley side; meter bank concealed from street-facing elevation; exterior conduit minimized and confined to non-contributing wall faces
Why Logan Square Builders Choose E&P Electric
Logan Square's development market is moving fast, and the builders active on the Milwaukee corridor and the boulevard streets need an electrical contractor who can keep pace. We hold residential and commercial supervising electrician licenses, and our permit experience with the Chicago Department of Buildings includes both residential plan review and commercial plan review. Getting the permit right on the first submission keeps the project on schedule.
The ADU pilot program has created a permit process that is still evolving, and Logan Square has more ADU activity than almost anywhere else in the city. We have completed enough Logan Square ADU electrical projects to know the current permit requirements, what the inspectors expect at rough-in, and how to close out the final inspection cleanly. That experience is worth a lot when your coach house conversion is waiting on an electrical final to record the ADU permit.
For boulevard district projects, our experience designing landmark-aware service entrances means you don't get an unexpected Landmarks Commission review request mid-project. We identify the constraints at design phase and build around them.
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