David Reifman

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Friday named David L. Reifman as the City of Chicago’s next commissioner for the Department of Planning and Development, effective September 1, 2015. Mr. Reifman is currently a partner at DLA Piper in Chicago where he has spearheaded a variety of major economic development projects and large-scale planning initiatives throughout the city. A native Chicagoan, Mr. Reifman specializes in zoning, land use planning, tax increment financing, historic preservation, and public-private partnerships. Some of Mr. Reifman’s other projects include representing Unilever Manufacturing in seeking development expansion of its Hellman’s facility in Little Village; redevelopment of the Chicago Transit Authority’s Wilson Yard site, which now has a Target, Aldi, and affordable family and senior housing; redevelopment of the 200-acre Ryerson site in Pullman which includes Method, as well as additional space for neighborhood retail and commercial uses. He also represented the Chicago Cubs during the team’s renovation and expansion of historic Wrigley Field. Mr. 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 School of Law.