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A rendering of part of the next phase of Sauer Center. (BizSense file photos)
The local firm behind Sauer Center has brought in a major out-of-town developer to help it with future phases of the project.
Sauer Properties recently enlisted Washington, D.C.-based Hoffman & Associates to carry out the next leg of the Whole Foods- and CarMax-anchored mixed-use development just west of VCU.
Hoffman confirmed its involvement in Sauer Center last week. The company said it is working as a consultant for Sauer Center but is not a co-developer.
Hoffman spokespeople declined to comment further, and requests for comment sent to Sauer Properties went unreturned by press time.
Scheduled to span nearly 40 acres around Hermitage Road, West Broad and Leigh streets, the Sauer Center's next phase was unveiled two years ago with plans for over 2 million square feet of new residential, commercial and hospitality buildings along with pedestrian plazas, parks and green spaces. It'd be among the largest new construction projects to rise in the city limits.
Hoffman's most notable project in its portfolio is The Wharf, a multibillion-dollar development that runs a mile along the Potomac River with hotels, and multifamily, office and commercial buildings, including The Anthem music venue.
A 12-story Art Deco tower is one of many new buildings Sauer Properties is planning.
The majority of Hoffman's portfolio is in the DMV but also has been bullish on Richmond in recent years.
Hoffman was a finalist to lead the Diamond District project and earlier this year bought a whole block in Scott's Addition, where it's planning a 367-unit mixed-use mid-rise building.
Last week Hoffman announced an expansion of its headquarters in D.C. in which it confirmed its involvement with Sauer and described Richmond as a "key part of (its) next chapter."
The initial iteration of the Sauer Center's second phase was led by former Sauer Properties President Ashley Peace, who left the company last year. It's unclear whether the scope of the next phase of the Sauer Center has changed and when work might begin.
Sauer Properties remains controlled by the Sauer family, known for its namesake spice factory that still operates on Broad Street under new ownership. The family has controlled the 37 acres around Hermitage Road between West Broad Street and North Allen Avenue for decades. Much of the land slated for redevelopment is either green space or industrial use.
The first phase of the Sauer Center is anchored by the Broad Street-facing buildings housing Whole Foods and CarMax. Other buildings on the campus were renovated for smaller office tenants, including the recently vacated one-story building at 840 Hermitage Road. Sauer also built a new, four-office building that's been quickly filling out, most recently inking a deal with accounting firm PwC.
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