David Reifman

David Reifman

David L. Reifman was appointed Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) in August 2015. A native Chicagoan, Reifman is responsible for leading the department's Housing, Economic Development, and Planning & Zoning bureaus while fostering community-improvement projects and initiatives throughout the city. In his previous capacity as an attorney, including 27 years with DLA Piper, Reifman specialized in a wide range of urban issues and public-private partnerships involving commercial, residential, and industrial development; land use planning; taxing districts; property evaluations; contract negotiations; and historic preservation. Notable projects that Reifman helped bring to fruition in Chicago include several mixed-use projects, such as the redevelopment of the CTA’s Wilson Yard site in Uptown and Block 37 in the Loop; the modernization of several historic landmarks, including Wrigley Field and the Wrigley Building, as well as the adaptive reuse of the Medinah Temple as a Bloomingdale home store and the Old Dearborn Bank as a Virgin Hotel; the construction of new downtown office buildings like 191 N. Wacker Drive and 1 S. Dearborn St.; new industrial projects including Method Home product’s first U.S. factory in Pullman and the planned expansion of Unilever’s Hellman’s mayonnaise factory in Little Village; numerous retail buildings including a new Whole Foods Store in Englewood and a multi-phase shopping center in Pullman; and new hotel investments like the Wit and the Blackstone, both downtown; among many other projects in Chicago and across the country. As Commissioner, Reifman coordinates the City of Chicago’s efforts to foster economic development, affordable housing, and strategic planning in conjunction with elected officials, sister agencies, and community stakeholders. Among his responsibilities are the refinement of the city’s industrial land use policies; the implementation of the City’s new Transit-Oriented Development regulations; the coordination of the City’s new affordable housing policies; final planning for the Obama Presidential Library; the expansion of pedestrian-oriented amenities along the Chicago river; the reactivation of urban infrastructure assets for new uses; the revitalization of neighborhood business corridors; the expansion of the Large Lots program to additional neighborhoods; and other initiatives that align with the goals and responsibilities of the Department of Planning and Development. Reifman has served on the Board of Leadership Greater Chicago and worked with various other organizations such as the Urban Land Institute, Metropolitan Planning Council, Illinois Tax Increment Association, and others. Reifman grew up in Rogers Park, attended Sullivan High School, and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Illinois. He received his law degree from Northwestern University. He lives with his family on the North Side.