'Maximum Impact Without Jeopardizing Budget': One Architecture Firm's Approach To Affordable Housing

While many things divide U.S. states, there is one thing they all have in common: a need for more affordable housing. No state has an adequate supply of affordable housing for its lowest-income renters, and the country needs 7.1 million additional units to meet the need. 

There are several issues contributing to this dearth, including zoning restrictions, supply chain issues and the gap between income and rent. While all of this has discouraged many in the commercial real estate industry from working on affordable housing developments, some remain determined to help solve this crisis. 

“Renters make up one-third of all U.S. households,” said Mel Esser, CEO of Geheber Lewis Architects. “At GLA, our entire focus is on multifamily housing — it is 100% of the work we do. With that, we’re dedicated to providing the homes that renters truly need — and that usually means at a more reasonable price.”

Esser walked Bisnow through three affordable housing projects designed by Geheber Lewis Architects and how they are benefiting their local communities. 

55 Milton: Atlanta, Georgia 

The Atlanta Beltline is a 22-mile loop of trails, parks and planned transit development that connects 45 neighborhoods in the city. Esser said that years ago, when the Beltline was first conceived, the idea was that it would be home to affordable housing for Atlanta residents.

“While that idea on a grand scheme fell flat, certain pockets of the Beltline do have affordable housing and 55 Milton is one of the first projects to accomplish that,” Esser said. 

This nearly 185K SF building includes 156 affordable one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and a retail section that is currently home to a coffee shop. It is just one block from the Beltline and features double-height amenity spaces, stainless steel appliances, a fitness center and a vibrant community garden. 

Esser said that lots of prep work was required before the first design could be put in place, including existing site conditions that had to be overcome such as an old taxi depot — which often means some type of soil mitigation — and removal of an abandoned radio tower. 

“The steep slopes of the site also posed challenges, because these, paired with the fact that we wanted to fit as many units as possible on the site, meant that we had to think outside of the typical construction-type box,” she said. 

This meant moving to Type IIIA construction, building a 5/6-story split, and utilizing a sprinkler type and construction type not often seen in affordable projects due to cost and constructability challenges. 

“It was a team effort through every challenge. And together with our team, Prestwick Development, Varium Construction and of course the city, we created something we’re all proud of, ” she said.

North Block: Atlanta, Georgia 

Located in the Beltline Overlay District, this nearly 200K SF building features 187 Department of Housing and Urban Development and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit qualifying units. 

Esser said that the project's stakeholders needed to go through several rounds of zoning acceptance before this project was approved, starting with the Neighborhood Planning Unit, where they sought approval from the neighbors, and then moving on to the Special Administrative Permit process. Along with the administrative hurdles that had to be overcome, GLA was challenged to make the building design fit a very specific vision with a limited budget. 

The initial building design, done in 2020, had to change due to cost, so there were two rounds of SAP, Esser said. “

She explained that on the second round, the team had to meet with the city again as they wanted to make sure the building design was in line with what they expected to see in the area.

"We leaned on some creative tactics to achieve maximum impact without jeopardizing the budget," Esser said. "A play on texture and color was the route we took to accomplish that. It was a great experience to collaborate with the general contractor, JM Wilkerson, and the developer, Wingate Companies, to bring this to life." 

Townes at Clarkston Centre, Clarkston, Georgia 

While Clarkston, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, has been referred to as "the most diverse square mile in America,” it, like the rest of the state, still struggles to provide its residents with adequate affordable housing. Built in 2024, the Townes at Clarkston Centre is working to change that. 

This more than 70K SF, five-story building provides 54 units of affordable housing. There are three retail spaces on the first floor, structured under-building parking, and amenities that include a fitness center, a residential garden, a barbecue and picnic area, in-unit air conditioning, energy-efficient appliances and service available 24 hours a day. The building has also achieved National Green Building Standard Bronze Level certification. 

One of the tallest buildings in the area, it is within walking distance of the city center and MARTA bus line and is already leased to 98% capacity. 

Esser said that the grades on the site were fairly significant, leading to several design challenges. For example, the zoning did not allow for residential units on the first floor, which inspired GLA to design it as a mixed-use building with apartment amenity facilities, under-building parking and retail spaces all located on the first floor. 

“Through the efforts of the developer, Blue Ridge Atlantic, the GC NorSouth Constructs and the city, we get to be a part of delivering housing that this community has long needed and that feels really good,” Esser said.

Esser shared that these three projects highlight GLA’s excitement and continued commitment to providing more affordable housing throughout Atlanta and the surrounding suburbs. 

“We know there is a need and we’re trying to meet it. We plan to take our affordable housing designs into many more states this year,” she said.

This article was produced in collaboration between GLA and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.