Sauer Center’s next phase gets a development partner

Richmond’s West Broad corridor is about to keep growing. Sauer Properties, the family-owned real estate company that’s shaped this part of the city for more than 130 years, has picked a partner to take The Sauer Center into its next phase: Hoffman & Associates, a national developer known for large mixed-use projects.

The move comes as Phase I of The Sauer Center has already changed how this stretch between the Fan District and downtown functions. That first phase brought in a Whole Foods and turned old office space into something new, setting the tone for what the Sauer family has planned across the full 37-acre site. Phase II is where things scale up significantly, and pre-development work is already underway ahead of a groundbreaking targeted for late 2027.

What’s coming is a mix of housing, offices, and retail, with ground-floor spaces designed to actually pull people in rather than sit empty. Green space and pedestrian connections are central to the plan too, tying the district more tightly into the surrounding neighborhood instead of treating it as a self-contained development plopped into the corridor.

It’s a big step for a company that’s largely built and preserved this part of Richmond on its own terms for over a century. Bringing in an outside partner for a project this size says something about the scale Sauer Properties is aiming for.

“Sauer Properties has a long-standing commitment to Richmond, and The Sauer Center represents a defining chapter in that legacy,” said Marshall French, president of Sauer Properties. “The success of Phase I reinforced what’s possible when development is approached with care and a long-term perspective. As we look ahead, Hoffman & Associates brings experience and alignment to help carry that vision forward in a way that remains true to our roots while thoughtfully evolving the neighborhood.”

Hoffman & Associates isn’t a stranger to Richmond. The firm recently broke ground on 3200 W Moore, a 400,000-square-foot project in Scott’s Addition that’s bringing 366 residential units and more than 18,000 square feet of retail to the neighborhood, along with pool decks, courtyards, and other amenities. That project gives a sense of what Hoffman brings to the table, and now the firm is stepping into a bigger role here as a development partner rather than just another builder in town.

“We’re proud to join Sauer Properties in shaping the future of this historic site,” said Maria Thompson, president of Hoffman & Associates. “The Sauer Center represents the kind of ambitious, community-rooted development that defines our work, and Richmond is a city where we are excited to deepen our presence. This partnership allows us to scale the neighborhood with intention, honoring its history and creating lasting value for the city.”

For the Sauer family, this next chapter is about protecting what’s already worked while pushing the district further. The Sauer Center has always been about connecting a historic site to the rest of the city rather than isolating it, and Phase II looks like the point where that vision starts to take on its full shape. With pre-development underway and a 2027 groundbreaking on the horizon, this stretch of West Broad is going to look pretty different in the next few years.