Hidden in Plain Sight: Wheaton’s Underground Homeless Encampment

Main photo shows site of former Ambassador Apartment. Inserts show encampment underneath. (Photos: Montgomery Fix)

At one of Montgomery County’s busiest intersections, hidden just below street level, a multi-level homeless encampment has quietly taken shape beneath a major redevelopment site in downtown Wheaton.

The location is the former Ambassador Apartment building at the corner of Veirs Mill Road and University Boulevard, now part of the planned Wheaton Gateway mixed-use development. While the apartment and adjacent retail buildings were demolished in 2020, a massive underground parking structure beneath the site remains intact and accessible.

Over the past several months, Montgomery Fix has visited the property periodically and documented activity inside the underground structure. What initially appeared to be a spot for occasional vagrancy has since been revealed as an expansive encampment spread across multiple underground levels.

Behind a chain link fence covered with decorative mesh screens, one entire side of the underground structure’s first level is accessible. An additional access point exists in the rear of the area. (Photo: Montgomery Fix)

The entire property is surrounded by chain-link fencing, with barbed wire added along the top in several sections. Portions of the fencing show evidence of recent repairs and reinforcement, and some gates are padlocked. Nevertheless, the site is easily breached. There are multiple locations where individuals can duck under the fencing. In other areas, chain-link panels are loose and can be pulled aside. A large gap exists between two fence sections, where footprints in the snow track directly into the underground structure.

Gaps in the perimeter fencing allow easy access to the underground structure. (Photo: Montgomery Fix)

The condition of the perimeter strongly suggests that property owners or site managers are aware that people are accessing the site and have attempted to deter entry. Those measures, however, have proven largely ineffective.

Inside the Underground Structure

In exclusive photos and video obtained by Montgomery Fix, it is clear that the underground structure is an active encampment. The first underground level is vast. Inside are at least ten makeshift sleeping areas consisting of old mattresses, pallets, and lawn chairs.

(Photo: Montgomery Fix)

There is an enormous volume of trash and debris throughout the space, along with clear signs of recent activity. Bags of clothing are piled in corners, and blankets and bedding are scattered across sleeping areas. In several places, bags of perishable food are hung from overhead pipes, likely to keep them away from rodents or other animals.

Doors within the garage lead to additional underground rooms that were not destroyed during the demolition of the building above. These rooms also contain bedding and signs of recent occupancy.

A ramp inside the garage descends to a second underground level. From the top of the ramp, an additional garage level is visible. Beyond a bend in the ramp, the space becomes pitch black. While that lower level was not explored, a trail of debris leading down and sheets tied to the entrance grating suggest additional activity occurs there.

The lower level of the parking garage is pitch black. A trail of debris leads into the darkness. (Photo Montgomery Fix)

A Hazardous Environment

The original building was constructed with two levels of underground parking. During the 2020 demolition, the seven-story residential portion was removed, but the concrete base was left intact to secure the site until the new Wheaton Gateway project begins.

With the building above demolished, the structural integrity of the remaining underground garage is surely compromised and unfit for entry. There is no lighting, no ventilation, no fire suppression system, and no emergency egress. Any open flames, makeshift heating devices, or electrical improvisations present an obvious fire risk. Debris, unstable surfaces, and darkness create significant hazards; if a medical emergency occurred, responders would face serious challenges accessing the space.

Hidden in Plain Sight

The encampment sits beneath land slated for one of the largest redevelopment projects in Montgomery County. Wheaton Gateway is planned as a major mixed-use development with hundreds of residential units, retail space, and structured parking, transforming a long-underutilized corner of the community. The project has received county planning approvals, and construction is anticipated in the coming years.

The site sits at the crossroads of Veirs Mill Road and University Boulevard, directly across from Westfield Wheaton, in the heart of one of Montgomery County’s busiest commercial corridors. A multi-level homeless encampment exists, quite literally, beneath daily traffic. It represents a failure of site security and property management, a lack of coordination between property owners and local government, and a failure to adequately engage people who are clearly in need of help.

The individuals living underground are enduring brutal winter conditions in unsafe, unsanitary, and dehumanizing circumstances. They are exposed to extreme cold, potential violence, health risks, and structural hazards. At the same time, leaving a hazardous underground space accessible to the public poses broader safety risks for the surrounding community.

(Photo: Montgomery Fix)

The problem cannot be solved by fencing alone, as recent efforts make clear. Montgomery County and the property owner should move quickly to secure the underground structure in a meaningful, effective way. The county should conduct outreach to the people living inside to connect them with emergency shelter, transitional housing, and support services, including mental health and substance use treatment.

While you might have been unaware of what was happening beneath your feet, others certainly weren't. Beneath one of Wheaton’s most prominent redevelopment sites, people are living underground. Now that it has been exposed, it demands action.

Exclusive Video! Take a 10 minute narrated tour of Wheaton’s underground homeless encampment. (Video: Montgomery Fix)