Kiferbaum Development Group Wins Approval for Six-Story Mixed-Use Project on Chicago’s Division Street

• Kiferbaum Development Group secured Zoning Board of Appeals approval for a six-story mixed-use project at 225 W. Division Street, Chicago, between North Wells and North Orleans streets.
• The planned 87-foot building will include 40 apartments, 2,200 square feet of retail, eight parking spaces and 40 bike spaces.
• The approval allows a reduced rear setback and eliminates the required loading berth, clearing a key zoning hurdle ahead of permitting and construction.

Zoning Approval Clears Path for Redevelopment

A two-story structure at 225 W. Division Street is slated for demolition following the Chicago Zoning Board of Appeals’ approval of variances for a new mixed-use development. Kiferbaum Development Group is planning the project in the city’s Near North Side. Designed by Jonathan Splitt Architects, the proposal calls for a six-story building reaching approximately 87 feet. The approval allows the developer to advance toward permitting and construction.

40 Apartments and Ground-Floor Retail

The development will feature 40 residential units across five floors above the ground level. The unit mix includes 10 studios and 15 one-bedroom apartments, with the source listing the remaining 15 units as one-bedroom apartments as well. The ground floor will include 2,200 square feet of retail space facing West Division Street, alongside a residential lobby and bike room. Eight parking spaces and mechanical areas will be located toward the rear of the building. Residents will have access to a shared rooftop deck, while select apartments are planned with private balconies. The project will also provide 40 bicycle parking spaces, a notable amenity in a dense urban location.

Variances Address Site Constraints

The ZBA approved two variations: reducing the required 30-foot rear setback to 2.33 feet on floors containing dwelling units, and eliminating the required loading berth. These approvals allow the proposed building to move forward without those zoning requirements, supporting redevelopment of the existing site into a compact residential and retail property. For landlords and investors, the project highlights continued infill development in Chicago’s central neighborhoods, where developers are using zoning relief to add housing and street-level commercial space. With zoning approval secured, the next milestones are permitting and construction.