Sauer Buildings Historic District

The Sauer Buildings Historic District consists of nine residential buildings along Center Avenue constructed with buff brick and varied architectural details. These properties currently function as rental housing units situated on a hillside.

German architect Frederick C. Sauer created this district starting in 1898 with his family home and gradually added rental buildings over time. The complex developed across several decades as his architectural vision took shape on the hillside property.

The buildings display a mix of Victorian, Colonial Revival, and Medieval Revival styles that you can observe on the facades. This variety gives the district a unique character as you walk through the neighborhood.

The district is situated in Aspinwall and can be explored on foot to appreciate the architectural styles of the buildings. Since the properties are private rental residences, viewing them from the street provides the best way to observe the details.

The Heidelberg apartment building was converted from a chicken coop between 1928 and 1930, showing Sauer's creative ability to transform existing structures. This unusual origin makes it one of the more memorable examples of adaptive reuse on the hillside.