Why Woodborn
The name Woodborn was chosen as a reflection of the neighborhood in which our dreams were born - the Historic Old West End in Toledo, Ohio. It was a beautiful and varied neighborhood, filled with both classic mansions and homes that weren’t in the best condition. The lives of the people who lived there reflected this diversity. We grew up with a passion to understand these conditions and to change things for the better. The streets of the Old West End included Scottwood, Robinwood, Parkwood, Collingwood… etc. Thus, “Woodborn,” is a constant reminder of where we come from and what we are striving to accomplish.
Our Mission
To change people’s lives via real estate development.
Neighborhood Criteria
Our work is focused on development in specific neighborhoods that fit the following criteria:
Proximity to downtowns or strong city centers
Near current or future public transit
Proximity to inimitable natural resources
Within the city, foundation and funders’ investment zoneS
near economic or educational centers
Our Promise
Building value for partners and landowners, delivering results on time, paying attention to detail, and going above and beyond.
We believe that if you put people first while focusing on sound economic drivers and understand the marketplace; wealth will come.
Core Values
Always do the right thing.
Deliver results on time.
Pay attention to the details.
Go above and beyond.
Our Team
Established in 2009, Woodborn Partners was founded by two lifelong friends. Chris and Cliff believe that if you can build lives and focus on the development of communities while remaining disciplined and understanding the core fundamentals of the business, wealth will come.
Woodborn Partners is a Michigan-based full-service development company with operations in the Mid-West and Mid-Atlantic, primarily focusing on real estate development and development advisory services.
The collective experience of our team enables us to combine the efficiencies and ingenuity of the private sector with the passion and sense of purpose of the public sector. Our goal is to develop more than just buildings, but lives, by creating environments of success. We seek to provide urban communities with a superior level of planned development that is socially and commercially beneficial to the surrounding public, while creating value for our funders. Woodborn focuses on projects that create a shared sense of community through their safety, attractiveness, and ability to increase the value of surrounding communities.
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Co-Founder, President and CEO of Woodborn Holdings
Cliff brings over 30 years of real estate, corporate and investment finance and banking experience. Utilizing his core beliefs, his projects are informed by a deep sense of forward-thinking community building that includes all Detroiters.
He is responsible for setting the strategic direction for Woodborn's family of companies as well as sourcing new deals, new business development, project management and capital raising.
Cliff currently resides in Metropolitan Detroit with his wife, Sydney, and two children – Brooke and CJ (Clifford II).
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President of Woodborn Property Management
Sarah has managed 30,000 units in 13 states. She has managed for private companies and public REITs. She brings over 20 years of experience in Property and
Asset Management as well as experience acquisitions and dispositions. She oversee all levels of property performance including: day to day operating procedures, financial reviews, marketing strategy, budget development and potential for renovation/repositioning with all of the associated capital expenditure controls.
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Co-Founder
Chris is an active advocate for the economic development of underserved communities and is passionate about the intersection between affordable healthcare and affordable housing. He has over 25 years of experience financing for both affordable and market-rate developments, providing advisory services across the Woodborn family of companies.
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General Counsel
Daniel has practiced commercial real estate law in Chicago, Detroit, and nationally for nearly fifteen years. Dan serves as General Counsel to Woodborn Holdings and is a managing member of Cousino Law. Transactional real estate attorney with significant national urban development experience.
