Allium Place :: Innovation in Affordable Housing
Allium Place
4024 Gannon Road
Silver Spring, MD
280,926 Square Feet
192 Affordable Units
Located in Silver Spring, Maryland, an existing underutilized county-owned civic center and auditorium are re-envisioned as Allium Place as part of the Veirs Mill Corridor Master Plan that better connects communities to improved transportation and urban infrastructure. The design further capitalizes on its prominent location at the intersection of Randolph Road and Veirs Mill Road – the commercial core between Rockville and Wheaton – by adding density, diverse housing opportunities, affordable housing, and community spaces. The design team and community stakeholders developed and studied multiple schemes aligned with Montgomery County’s vision for enhancing the Veirs Mill Corridor for the community per the master plan.
In 2025, Allium Place has been awarded the Innovation Award from the Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition, and Best Small Project (Under 200 Units) by the LAI George Washington Chapter Awards.
It was the unanimous opinion of all the jurors that Allium Place should be the winner of the Small Project Award. The project’s attempt to address the ‘missing middle’, which is so badly needed in the market, with a very well-designed, healthy mix of affordable housing options including common spaces for child play, a childcare center and community center, made the project a unanimous choice. Its attractive aesthetic and functional design, coupled with its affordability, makes it a potential model for other, future housing developments.
LAI George Washington Chapter Awards 2025 Jury
Thank you to the LAI George Washington Chapter and the jury for this honor, as well as the Montgomery County Housing Coalition. We congratulate our clients, contractor, partners, and our B|HA design team for their excellent work in creating this incredible affordable community!
Allium Place successfully addresses the “missing middle” housing stock by providing both affordable multifamily housing, and for sale condominiums and single family homes. Previously, single-family housing directly abutted the central commercial core, leaving a clear housing typology gap. The completed development bridges this divide with a thoughtful spectrum of housing types offering a variety of options at different income levels and life stages. With the objective of delivering a vibrant, inclusive, and affordable community that strengthens Montgomery County’s housing supply, Allium Place promotes human interaction, and supports long-term sustainable growth aligned with the county’s broader vision.
A total of 192 affordable housing units were delivered to provide new opportunities for cost-burdened families. New apartment buildings now anchor the west edge of the site, adding much-needed density and a mix of uses adjacent to the commercial core. Along the southern edge, single-family homes were introduced to reflect and respect the existing neighborhood context. These homes were developed in partnership with Habitat for Humanity.
A series of 12-unit, 3-story multiplexes offer a critical transition between high- and low-density housing. The linear community park acts as the spine of the development, connecting existing neighborhoods to new residential and commercial uses along an East-West axis, with key intersections enhancing connectivity via Collie Drive and Gannon Road. The surrounding buildings promote human-scale interaction and community connection along the adjacent park, with framed views and family-sized decks that engage directly with the park’s activity.
Vital community infrastructure was implemented, including a childcare center, and community center, within the main multifamily building to support residents and enhance local services, and a landscaped courtyard with gathering space and playgrounds.
Allium Place Building 1 Amenity Level
Architecturally, the development establishes a cohesive visual language across all housing types. Consistent use of brick, aluminum panels, window types, and a unified color palette tie the buildings together and ground the development in a human-scaled, neighborhood-oriented design. Together, these design decisions create a context and community-driven affordable project that will add to its larger context while providing necessary housing to the people of Montgomery County.
CLIENT: AHC; ARCHITECT: Bonstra | Haresign ARCHITECTS; ZONING COUNSEL: Lerch, Early & Brewer;
CIVIL ENGINEER: Johnson Bernat Associates, Inc.; LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS: ParkerRodriguez; MEP ENGINEER: Capitol Engineering Group;
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Rathgeber / Goss Associates; GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Harkins Builders
Photography © Anice Hoachlander
