ZSD

What ZSD does

ZSD Corp is a Chicago-based boutique residential real estate development corporation founded by Zev Salomon in 2018 (succeeding the prior Ranquist Development Group vehicle). The firm develops new-construction for-sale and rental housing across Chicago's neighborhoods, with a portfolio spanning luxury condominiums, premium rental apartments, row homes, and single-family homes. ZSD runs the full development lifecycle — land acquisition, zoning and entitlements, financing, consultant oversight, construction, and sales/marketing — and operates a wholly-owned general contracting subsidiary, ZSD Construction (established 2020), that supplies in-house building services across the portfolio. Differentiated capabilities include adaptive reuse of historic structures (notably St Boniface cathedral and the 1904 UE Hall), LEED-certified construction (District House), and panelized construction systems that reportedly save roughly $20,000 per home at Basecamp SFH.

The revenue model combines one-time unit-sale economics on condominium, row-home, and single-family projects (with pricing ranging from approximately $479,900 for entry-level Basecamp row homes up to $3.5M for flagship West Loop product such as Madison+Carpenter) with managed-services economics on the larger rental developments (310 West, 1333 N Kingsbury). Sales and marketing are executed directly to end buyers — affluent urban households and luxury renters — through a dedicated partnership with Corwin Partners Development Strategies under the Jameson Sotheby's International Realty brand, supplemented by a website, email list, and earned-media coverage in Chicago's real-estate press. The company has developed over $375MM of residential real estate across 18+ completed and active projects, accumulating multiple industry design awards, and has no disclosed outside equity investors.

Name

ZSD

Legal name

ZSD Corp

Website

https://zsdcorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZSD Corp is a Chicago-based boutique residential real estate developer founded in 2018 that builds and sells luxury condominiums, apartments, row homes, and single-family homes — including adaptive reuse of historic structures — to affluent urban buyers, with an in-house construction subsidiary and exclusive sales partnership with Corwin Partners / Jameson Sotheby's International Realty.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Real Estate Development

NAICS

New Housing For-Sale Builders (236117), Land Subdivision (23721), Residential Property Managers (531311)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Land Development & Subdivision Homebuilding (Build-to-Sell Communities) (IMAFABAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAB)

Keywords

• Residential real estate development
• Luxury condominium construction
• Adaptive reuse projects
• New construction housing
• Urban property development

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Residential Real Estate Development and Sales: ZSD Corp develops new construction residential real estate across Chicago's neighborhoods and sells completed units (condominiums, row homes, single-family homes) to buyers. The company manages the full development lifecycle from land acquisition through zoning, financing, construction oversight, and sales/marketing. Revenue is generated through one-time unit sales at project completion.
2. Apartment/Rental Development: ZSD develops luxury apartment communities (e.g., 310 West with 149 units, 1333 N Kingsbury with 272 units) for rental income or eventual sale as stabilized assets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ZSD Corp is a Chicago-based boutique real estate development corporation that develops and sells new construction residential properties, including luxury condominiums, apartments, row homes, and single-family homes, across Chicago's neighborhoods. The firm manages the full development lifecycle from land acquisition, zoning, and financing through construction oversight and sales/marketing, and through its ZSD Construction subsidiary provides integrated general contracting. It has developed over $375 million of residential real estate with specialization in adaptive reuse of historic structures and LEED-certified construction.

Product overview

ZSD Corp is a Chicago-based boutique real estate development corporation offering a diversified portfolio of residential properties. The company develops luxury condominiums, premium apartments, row homes, and single-family homes across Chicago's neighborhoods. Key product lines include urban condominiums with resort-style amenities, adaptive reuse projects transforming historic buildings into unique residences, and new construction developments ranging from boutique mid-rise buildings to large-scale mixed-use projects. The portfolio includes completed projects like St Boniface (adaptive reuse cathedral), Madison+Carpenter (luxury West Loop condominiums), and District House (LEED certified development), as well as active projects such as 1282 Washington (single-family condos in West Loop), RiverWard (row homes along Chicago River), 310 West (luxury apartments in River North), West End Club (adaptive reuse), and 1333 N Kingsbury (high-rise apartments on Goose Island). ZSD manages projects from conceptualization through completion including land acquisition, zoning, financing, construction oversight, and sales/marketing. The company has developed over $375MM in residential real estate.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• St Boniface 18-unit adaptive reuse of a cathedral in West Town/Noble Square featuring preserved architectural elements such as bell towers, limestone entries, lancet windows, exposed steel roof trusses, and 16-ft rose windows. A luxury condominium development targeting buyers seeking architecturally significant residences.
• 1508 State 4-unit adaptive reuse boutique building in the Gold Coast neighborhood featuring 100% new construction mechanicals and restored historical mansion details. Luxury condominiums positioned as a high-end, intimate residential offering.
• Madison+Carpenter 13-home boutique condominium building in West Loop with private elevator entry, 4–5 bedroom suites, 1–2 offices, family rooms, and the largest private outdoor spaces in West Loop, with 3,000–5,700 sqft units priced $1.75M–$3.5M. Target buyers are affluent families seeking family-scale luxury condos.
• Peoria Green 15 private elevator residences in West Loop near Mary Bartleme Park, offering the most bedrooms and baths in the Skinner West District with two-car parking included. Boutique luxury condominium community.
• Hampden 73 30-condominium luxury residence in East Lincoln Park with custom modern finishes, open floor plans, private outdoor spaces, and rooftop terrace. Unit pricing approximately $900,000–$1.5M. Targeted to buyers seeking luxury condos in Lincoln Park.
• District House 28-unit LEED-certified contemporary mid-rise in Oak Park with 4,500 SF of retail space, green-roof terraces, indoor heated-garage parking, and proximity to Metra and Green Line trains. Sustainable condominium development with units from $550,000–$800,000.
• Basecamp (Old Irving Park) 47 new construction row homes and 10 new construction condominiums with open floor plans, urban modern design, and proximity to dining, shopping, and entertainment in the Old Irving Park neighborhood. Targets first-time and move-up urban buyers.
• 1282 Washington 16 single-family-scale condominiums in West Loop with 4 and 5 bedroom layouts, elevated design, and private outdoor living. 75% presold. Targets affluent families seeking condo living at single-family-home scale. Expected completion 2027.
• RiverWard Row Homes 35 new construction extra-wide row homes along the north branch of the Chicago River in West Lakeview, situated in an exclusive cul-de-sac community. Targets affluent buyers seeking premium urban row-home living. Phase 2 already 65% presold.
• 310 West Nine-story boutique multifamily development in River North delivering 149 luxury apartments and 3,800 SF of ground-floor retail. Designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners. Premium apartment community expected to complete 2027.
• West End Club 22-unit adaptive reuse development in West Loop transforming historic UE Hall (1904) into distinctive one-to-four-bedroom apartments designed by ISA Architects. Boutique luxury rental community. Expected completion 2025.
• The Residences at St Boniface 17 new construction condominiums in West Town/Noble Square; the first new construction elevator condo building in the neighborhood, featuring unobstructed views of Eckhart Park and the Chicago skyline. Premium new construction product adjacent to the St Boniface adaptive reuse project.
• 1333 N Kingsbury 23-story residential tower with 272 apartments on Goose Island developed in partnership with Structured Development. Replaces a surface parking lot while preserving an existing office building and southern parking lot. Premium rental community expected to complete 2026.
• ZSD Construction (general contracting) Wholly-owned subsidiary of ZSD Corp providing general contracting services for ZSD's real estate developments. Established in 2020 to enable integrated quality control and cost efficiency on all company projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $375MM of residential real estate developed
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Corwin Partners Development Strategies / Jameson Sotheby's International RealtycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorwin Partners serves as ZSD's exclusive sales and marketing partner across all projects, leveraging Jameson Sotheby's International Realty's network of high-net-worth buyers for luxury residential properties. Cory Robertson of Corwin Partners handles sales for projects including The Hampdens.
• ISA ArchitectsstrategicTechnology or IntegrationPhiladelphia-based ISA Architects served as Design Architect for West End Club, an adaptive reuse of historic UE Hall (1904) into 22 distinctive apartments in Chicago's West Loop.
• Structured DevelopmentstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlanned in partnership with Structured Development, the 1333 N Kingsbury project on Goose Island features a 23-story residential tower with 272 apartments, replacing a surface parking lot while preserving an existing office building and southern parking lot.
• Campbell Coyle Real EstateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZSD (then Ranquist Development Group) partnered with Campbell Coyle Real Estate for the District House project in Oak Park, a 28-unit LEED-certified condo building with ground-floor retail.
• Pappageorge Haymes PartnersstrategicTechnology or IntegrationChicago-based architecture firm Pappageorge Haymes Partners designed multiple ZSD projects including 310 West (River North, nine-story/149-unit multifamily), Basecamp SFH (48 single-family homes in New Irving Park), and other developments.
• Stocking Urban LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStocking Urban LLC partnered with Ranquist Development Group (now ZSD) on Basecamp SFH/Old Irving Park, a 48 single-family home development at 3700 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Nick Stocking of Stocking Urban cited panelized construction savings.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Structured Development: Chicago-based development firm with which ZSD is partnered on the 1333 N Kingsbury 272-unit tower project. Operates similar mid-rise Chicago residential product and shares deal flow / JV economics in the same neighborhood set.
• Akara Partners: Chicago-based boutique developer with comparable focus on adaptive reuse of historic structures into residential product, and a similar project scale and Chicago neighborhood footprint. Competes head-to-head on adaptive reuse opportunities like St Boniface/UE Hall in Chicago.
• Ranquist Development Group: Chicago boutique residential developer from which ZSD's team (including Bret Gray and the Salomon principal lineage) originated. Operates with comparable boutique-luxury new-construction condominium focus and overlapping Chicago neighborhood footprint.
• JDL Development Corporation: Chicago-based developer of luxury for-sale condominium and rental residential product across the city's prime neighborhoods (West Loop, River North, Lincoln Park) at boutique-to-mid scale. Directly comparable product type, customer (affluent urban buyer), and price band ($1M+).
• Nimes Homes: Chicago boutique homebuilder focused on design-forward single-family and attached housing in urban Chicago neighborhoods at similar scale and price point to ZSD's Basecamp SFH and Madison Park Row offerings.
• Tandem Ventures: Chicago-area boutique homebuilder/developer focused on urban infill and for-sale residential product in walkable Chicago neighborhoods, comparable in scale and customer segment to ZSD's for-sale portfolio.
• Cedar Street Companies: Chicago-based boutique development and investment firm focused on mixed-use and residential product in the city's urban neighborhoods at comparable scale to ZSD's development program.

Broad incumbents

• The Habitat Company: Larger Chicago-based residential developer/manager with a broader portfolio spanning market-rate and affordable multifamily across the Chicago metro. Competes for land and rental tenants in the same neighborhoods, but at materially larger scale and with a property management focus alongside development.
• Magellan Development Group: Major Chicago developer behind large-scale master-planned communities (Lakeshore East, etc.) and high-rise residential product. Overlaps with ZSD in the same neighborhoods but operates at much larger unit volumes and with broader mixed-use capabilities.
• Sterling Bay: Large Chicago real estate developer active across commercial, mixed-use, and increasingly residential projects in neighborhoods such as Fulton Market and Lincoln Park. Competes for urban infill sites and high-end buyer demand in overlapping submarkets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zsdcorp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZSD