# Burnham Nationwide > Official Burnham Nationwide business agent. Burnham Nationwide provides building permit expediting, building code consulting, ADA accessibility compliance… ## Ask it a question Burnham Nationwide answers for itself at https://api.hailera.com/mcp/burnhamnationwide. A client that speaks MCP can connect to that address; the tool is ask_burnhamnationwide and the protocol is 2026-07-28. Where this file and the agent disagree, the agent is current. ## About Burnham Nationwide Origins - Burnham Nationwide was founded in 1992 in Chicago with a focus on redefining how construction projects secure municipal approvals and building permits. - From its earliest years, the company has focused on providing a "special experience" for clients by simplifying complex city and state processes. Growth over the decades Key milestones drawn from Burnham's published history include: - 1990s - 1992: Opened in Chicago, concentrating on permit approvals. - 1995: Expanded into a larger Chicago office to support a growing client base. - 1997: Added a dedicated division for code consulting and architectural support services. - 1998: Opened a New York office to serve clients on the East Coast. - 2000s - 2000: Adopted the BurnhamOnline.com brand and relocated to the Burnham Center in Chicago. - 2005: Opened a Denver office, expanding permit expediting and building code services in the Rocky Mountain region. - 2008: Pulled the permits associated with renaming the Sears Tower to the Willis Tower in Chicago. - 2009: Launched the Burnham Energy division in San Jose, helping commercial and utility-scale developers navigate solar installation permitting and approvals. - 2010s - 2012: Opened a Los Angeles office to serve existing clients and new opportunities in Southern California. - 2013: Released the BurnhamEYE™ app to streamline solar system verifications and field data collection. - 2014: Participated in the Wilshire Grand Center project in Los Angeles, which achieved a Guinness World Record for the largest continuous concrete mat pour. - 2015: Opened a San Francisco office to better serve clients in Northern California. - Mid-2010s: Supported national initiatives such as Walgreens' rollout of Little Clinic facilities and Starbucks' expansion into warm food service by managing permitting across multiple locations. - 2017: Pulled permits for the construction of the Wanda Vista Tower in Chicago, planned as the city's third-tallest building and the tallest structure in the world designed by a woman. - 2020s - 2020: Launched an updated company website. - 2022: Celebrated Burnham Nationwide's 30th anniversary. Project profile Across its history, Burnham Nationwide has contributed to a wide range of projects, including: - high-rise towers and large mixed-use developments - national retail and restaurant rollouts - healthcare and wellness facilities - mission-critical infrastructure such as data centers - solar and energy projects for commercial and utility-scale clients The company's role typically focuses on permitting, code consulting, municipal approvals, and related compliance services. Source: https://www.burnhamnationwide.com ## What Burnham Nationwide does Core Services: Permit Expediting, Building Code Consulting and ADA Compliance Overview Burnham Nationwide is a nationally recognized provider of permit expediting and building code compliance services. The team helps owners, developers, architects, contractors, and property managers navigate municipal requirements so projects are approved efficiently and in line with applicable codes. Permit expediting - Manage building permit applications for new construction, renovations, and tenant improvements of all sizes. - Coordinate submissions with departments of buildings and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs). - Identify required permit types, licenses, and approvals at the outset to reduce review cycles and surprises. - Support complex commercial projects including flagship retail, high-rise towers, data centers, and national multi-site rollouts. - Act as a single, familiar point of contact between the project team and the municipality, providing targeted updates. Building code consulting - Provide code research and interpretation at local, state, and federal levels. - Review drawings and documents for building, fire, life-safety, and accessibility compliance. - Support due diligence, life-safety evaluations, and zoning and land-use reviews. - Led by an International Code Council (ICC)-certified architect with decades of experience. - Assist design teams on technically complex occupancies, including mission-critical facilities such as data centers. ADA and accessibility compliance - Advise on compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related accessibility guidelines. - Review new construction and renovation projects for accessible routes, clearances, and facilities. - Help incorporate accessibility requirements into plans from early design through completion. Municipal approvals, licensing, and public way services - Coordinate municipal approvals beyond core building permits, including: - business and operating licenses - signage and public way permits - special inspections and environmental/health-related permits - Identify when additional approvals such as street closures, re-zoning, or historic landmark reviews may be required and sequence them efficiently. Typical clients and projects Burnham Nationwide primarily supports: - commercial projects of all sizes, from standalone retail stores to high-rise and mixed-use developments - national brands executing multi-site rollouts - residential projects that require permits or specialized approvals Typical clients include architects, engineers, developers, contractors, building owners and managers, real estate professionals, and corporate facilities teams. These points summarize common questions Burnham Nationwide answers about permit expediting and related services. What is the benefit of using a permit expediter? - Focused expertise in local building codes, permit types, and submission processes. - Ability to plan the most efficient and economical sequence of approvals, especially on complex projects. - Management of expectations for the whole team, including estimated durations for permit or license approvals. - A single permit manager who serves as the main point of contact with the municipality and coordinates updates and deliverables. - Concentrated experience from handling hundreds of projects in many jurisdictions. - At Burnham Nationwide, code and zoning research that might otherwise require multiple consultants is often included within the service. When is it worth engaging Burnham Nationwide? Burnham encourages you to research your municipality first, but it is often helpful to engage their team when: - your project has an important deadline or tight schedule - it is your first renovation or construction project and you are unsure what approvals are required - you are unfamiliar with the jurisdiction or the project is complex - the project team or contractor is new to you - you are managing a multi-site rollout for a national brand where coordination is critical How much faster is the process with Burnham Nationwide? Every project is unique, but Burnham Nationwide's experience and familiarity with municipal processes typically reduce review cycles by: - getting submittals correct the first time - anticipating additional needs such as street closures, signage, re-zoning, or special inspections so they can be addressed in parallel rather than sequentially - minimizing last-minute surprises that can delay permits by weeks or months How does Burnham Nationwide charge for permit expediting? - Burnham operates with a "simply get it done" mindset and typically uses a flat-rate pricing approach so clients can budget more precisely. - Services include access to an in-house team of design and building code professionals who can make revisions quickly when needed. - The company maintains a CRM database of municipal requirements, contacts, and prior submissions to support future projects. - Exact fees depend on the scope and jurisdiction and are quoted per project; a standard price list is not published in these documents. Where does Burnham Nationwide run permits? - Burnham Nationwide supports permitting in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and Canada. - The company maintains local offices in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Denver, San Francisco, San Jose, Dallas, and Orlando. What kinds of projects does Burnham Nationwide handle? - Commercial projects make up most of the workload, including larger and more complex developments that require multiple approvals. - Residential projects are also a significant part of the business; there is no project too big or too small for Burnham Nationwide to assist with. - Typical scopes that require permits include new buildings, additions, major renovations, structural work, HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems, decks, garages, masonry, roofing, and similar work. What additional services should clients consider beyond permits? Burnham Nationwide can also help with: - zoning and land-use checks to confirm that proposed business activities are allowed at a given address - building code reviews to confirm that existing or renovated structures meet structural, life-safety, and accessibility requirements - identifying required operating licenses, special inspections, and approvals for uses such as food service, healthcare, signage, and assembly occupancies - permitting support for specialized facilities such as data centers, including coordination with design, electrical, mechanical, and life-safety teams Source: https://www.burnhamnationwide.com ## Where Burnham Nationwide works Lists Wilmington, Orlando, Rocky Mount, Ada, York, Dallas, McKinney, and Mission as a location. Names California, New York, Washington, Canada, United States, Ada, Chicago, and Allentown as a service area. Areas beyond these are not published. ## Hours and contact General contact For general questions about projects, services, or quotes: - Email: Getitdone@burnhamnationwide.com - Toll-free phone: 800-407-7990 Chicago (Headquarters) - Address: 111 W Washington St, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60602, United States - Phone: 312-407-7990 - Email: Chicago@burnhamnationwide.com New York - Address: 86 Chambers St #203, New York, NY 10007 - Phone: 212-577-2541 - Email: newyork@burnhamnationwide.com Los Angeles - Address: 515 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 1275, Los Angeles, CA 90071 - Phone: 213-233-2133 - Email: la@burnhamnationwide.com Denver - Address: Denver Place, 999 18th Street, Suite 3000, Denver, CO 80202 - Phone: 800-407-7990 - Email: denver@burnhamnationwide.com San Francisco - Address: 650 California St, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94108 - Phone: 415-912-8366 - Email: sanfrancisco@burnhamnationwide.com Dallas - Address: 1920 McKinney Ave, Suite 700, Dallas, TX 75201 - Phone: 214-997-0626 - Email: Dallas@burnhamnationwide.com Orlando - Address: 450 South Orange Ave., 3rd Floor, Orlando, FL 32801 - Phone: 321-300-4048 - Email: Orlando@burnhamnationwide.com San Jose - Address: 75 East Santa Clara Street, 6th Floor, San Jose, CA 95113 - Phone: 408-418-1880 - Email: sanjose@burnhamnationwide.com Source: https://www.burnhamnationwide.com ## Team, Mission and Values Who we are Burnham Nationwide's work is delivered by a nationwide team of: - permit managers and project managers - building code consultants and licensed design professionals - field operations specialists - office and operations staff supporting client service and internal systems Team members are based in Chicago headquarters and in regional offices across the United States, and collectively bring decades of experience navigating municipal processes and construction codes. Leadership and expertise Burnham's leadership and senior team include: - presidents overseeing the Chicago, New York, and nationwide divisions - a chief code consultant who is a licensed architect and building code expert - directors of field operations, signs and licensing, and other specialized services - senior and managing code consultants and project managers with long-term experience in permitting and approvals The team regularly works on complex developments, skyscrapers, bespoke tenant improvements, large rollout programs, and projects in many different jurisdictions. Mission and guiding principles Burnham Nationwide states that its mission and vision are grounded in the following principles: - Creating special experiences for every client and every project by exceeding expectations. - Caring for people and their roles, both within the company and on client teams. - Collaboration and support, working together across offices and disciplines to solve problems efficiently. - Continuous improvement, creating new and better processes and learning from experience. - Community involvement, including giving back to local communities where the company operates. How the team works with clients In practice, this means: - assigning dedicated project managers who stay with a project from initial inquiry through approval - coordinating closely with architects, engineers, contractors, owners, and municipal staff - focusing on clear communication about requirements, timelines, and next steps - helping project teams reduce risk by identifying code, zoning, and licensing issues early in the process Source: https://www.burnhamnationwide.com ## What Burnham Nationwide has not published yet These are things people ask Burnham Nationwide that its published information does not yet cover. - prices or fees - availability or turnaround times - guarantees of permit or license approval - legal or regulatory advice - contract terms or service level commitments - project or construction timelines - outcomes of code reviews or inspections Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess. ## Where this comes from https://www.burnhamnationwide.com