From the early 1990s until the 2010s, the Sauerland residential area was developed in Dotzheim, southwest of Erich-Ollenhauer-Strasse, on a farmland area of around 60 hectares in four construction phases. The aim was to achieve a social mix and thus a looser settlement structure, which was to be achieved through a combination of different building types.

In addition to predominantly publicly subsidized multi-storey apartment buildings, condominiums and owner-occupied homes in the form of terraced houses and residential courtyards were built. The main developers were GWH (Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft mbH Hessen) and GWW (Gemeinnützige Wiesbadener Wohnbaugesellschaft). The focal point of the residential area, whose streets are named after German North Sea islands, is a so-called local center with a school, daycare centers and a market square as well as a church and community center of the Evangelische Erlösergemeinde Sauerland.

The topographical and climatic conditions were taken into account in the design and orientation of the buildings and preference was given to ecological and energy-saving construction methods. The mostly award-winning designs for the residential buildings, which have a maximum of five storeys, come from various architectural firms, including some from outside the region, resulting in highly individual buildings. Towards the edges of the residential area, the heights were graded in order to achieve a harmonious transition into the surroundings.

At the end of 2014, the estate had around 4,700 residents in approximately 1,800 apartments.