The Sawyer Place Company is actively engaged in the East End neighborhood, home to their business. Involvement includes serving on community committees, developing relationships with the residents and businesses, and maintaining vacant properties to improve the area to attract reinvestment in the neighborhood.

Collaboration to Create a Sustainable Neighborhood

Along with residents, property owners and community council members, the Sawyer Place Company participated in several planning efforts for the neighborhood that began in 2012 with neighborhood research conducted through the Niehoff Studio Center of Urban Design at the University of Cincinnati.The UC work led to a housing design competition for students, and eventually to the East End Garden District Plan, adopted by City Council in 2017. The Plan looked at Community Gathering Space, Parking & Traffic Flow, Land Use & Zoning as well as implementation.

The Sawyer Place Company envisions development in the East End of underutilized land in close proximity to downtown Cincinnati. New infill will also need to be environmentally sensitive to the riverbank and hillsides over the long-term.  During the 2019 academic year, The Sawyer Place Company and neighboring large property owners worked with architecture and planning students from the DAAP College at University of Cincinnati. The sponsored student studios allowed for research and engagement in real community projects through the. The initiative is in the formative stages, with potential to become a signature project in the city while rethinking our urban futures.

The Sawyer Place Company has sponsored student research and engagement in real community projects through the Niehoff Center and the Department of Planning at the University of Cincinnati. A new research initiative is in the formative stages, with potential to become a signature project in the city.

Non-Profit Support

As developable land is absorbed by the market, The Sawyer Place Company seeks to retain affordable housing, garden plots and community spaces in the mix of land uses in the area.

Rent-Free Leases to Urban Farmers:

Turner Farm: Beginning in 2010, the Sawyer Place Company has made land available to veterans’ groups and to Turner Farm, Inc. (an Ohio Non-profit Corporation).  These urban farmers are growing an array of fruits and vegetables as part of their therapeutic, social and educational missions.

Urban Blooms: Corner of Strader and Babb Alley. From 2017-19, the ground is leased (gratis) to Urban Blooms in support of its community efforts to educate, eliminate food deserts and provide urban green space.

Housing Support for Veterans:

In Prior years, The Sawyer Place Company leased a house in the area for a veteran to live with family in coordination with a CMHA/VA program.