Hamilton native and jack of all trades, Brandon Saurber, dives into his new role of rejuvenating neighborhoods
Renaissance means ‘re-birth.’ Maybe something has to die to be reborn, and there is no denying that Hamilton never died, regardless of what local communities tell us. Though, it’d be hard to deny that Hamilton is in the midst of a renaissance– and Lin-Manuel Miranda had nothing to do with it. You know who did? Well, several people, but on the shortlist of that roster is Brandon Saurber.
Saurber, a Hamilton native and Badin High School graduate, has been a jack of all trades for the city since joining forces with City Manager Joshua Smith in 2011.
Currently, Saurber holds the title of Director of Neighborhoods and is the Public Information Officer within the city ranks. The former of those two titles was created in recent memory, as Hamilton allocated funds for a push towards that initiative. Before those roles, Saurber held several roles. Starting just after Smith took over the role of city manager, he soon weaved his way to find where his talents were most vital.
“I’ve been in a number of roles with the city since I started. I’m wherever I can provide value and wherever I’m needed,” said Saurber.
His start with the city came in the most unique circumstances. For two years, starting back in 2009, Saurber was a part of the ‘HUB’ (Hamilton Underground Buzz) which was a young professionals club. They would discuss ways to generate a livelihood for some semblance of nightlife in the city. One night during a night out with the group, he ran into the new City Manager. After bending his ear all night, Smith encouraged Saurber to apply for a job.
“He asked me what I did. Asked me if I was interested in economic development, then gave me his card,” said Saurber. “I didn’t know what economic development meant.”
By virtue of his previous experience, he slowly started to understand what that phrase meant. While working with Baker Concrete he began to see the development in Cincinnati, and he saw the same potential.
Since coming on with the city, Saurber has been a part of several different initiatives and strategies that have greatly benefitted Hamilton.
“I’m very proud to be a part of the team that created that initial strategic plan in 2012,” he said. “That plan set us on a path to where we are today.”
The idea was to revamp the city, after the Great Recession took its toll on not only Hamilton but most mid-size rust belt cities. The one vibrant downtown area was withering away. The problem was clear, the solution was hazy.
“We are very intentional about owning who we are,” said Saurber. “Think about the greatest cities in the world. You don’t think about their suburbs. You think about those iconic, historical buildings in the city.”
Thanks to the strategic planning of that group, Hamilton has a prime opportunity to strike towards greater prosperity. Saurber’s current role is towards building up the neighborhoods that make this great city.
The department of neighborhoods was created to support the growth and pride in each smaller community in Hamilton, which is where 17Strong was conceived.
Saurber was personally invested in rejuvenating those neighborhoods long before the current department he leads was created.
Even before he started with the city, Saurber went to a German Village meeting where he immediately saw the potential of the older neighborhood’s central location.
“I went to the meeting and I thought that German Village had the opportunity to be an ‘it’ community in Hamilton,” he said. “I thought I wanted to live there one day.”
A few years later, in 2013, he found a house.
“The house was sitting vacant. A water pipe had burst. The house was completely gutted by thieves stealing copper,” Saurber recalls. “I knew I wanted to live in an older community. I walked into this house with my Dad, who works in construction, and he said he loved it because he could see what’s behind the walls. So we essentially built a new house in an old house.”
Of the houses Saurber was looking at during that time, the one in German Village was by far in the worst shape. But he committed every free moment for a year, pouring sweat equity into that house. And since 2014, he and his family have lived in that house in German Village.
“A lot of people were telling me, ‘are you kidding me? You’re moving your young family there,” Saurber remembers. “But my wife and I were completely bought into where the city was going.”
“That was before River’s Edge and Marcum Park. We thought, if not us, then who? If not now, then when?” he said. “It’s been great.”
Ask around this town and the buzz is electric. For the first time in a while, there is a unison of belief in Hamilton. We aren’t just moving in the right direction, we have our foot on the gas, pedal to the floor.”
“The momentum has me optimistic,” he said. “We’ve been very fortunate, a lot of things have gone our way.”
Saurber knows the work isn’t done. With the town riding the wave it’s on, it’s hard to deny progress Hamilton has made.