Rockville Town Square

Rockville, Maryland

In the early 2000’s, the City and Federal Realty Investment Trust decided to remove the shopping mall that dominated the center of Rockville, MD. The mall was built in the 1970’s, when the common practice in urban design was to create a place convenient to drive to, but it has since become obsolete. Federal Realty felt that the location was a good site for a mixed-use, urban place that could attract new businesses and clienteles into the area.

The Investment Trust spent years building a coalition with the City of Rockville, Montgomery County, and RD Rockville to develop something that would benefit the entire community. They concluded that a Town Square were businesses and people could interact with one another was ideal, and Street-Works Studios was brought on to design the Master Plan.

Row of shops and apartments in Rockville Town Square.

The Rockville Town Square incorporates both commercial and residential property across 675,000 square feet of real estate and 983 parking spaces. The Square includes a public library, a business innovation center, a Metropolitan Center for the Visual Arts, shops and restaurants, a grocery, a drug store, and more than 600 residential units. It is also well within walking distance to the Rockville METRO Stop, providing easy access to Public Transportation and reducing the visitor’s dependence on the car.

The introduction of the Town Square has radically changed central Rockville, and it later received the 2017 Design Excellence Award

Photo above: View of the Square.

Similar Projects


SMTX Tactical Urbanism #thisisCNU

San Marcos, Texas

For one day in June 2014, the City of San Marcos worked to re-envision downtown using "Tactical Urbanism." Workers converted two blocks of street from one-way to two-way traffic using temporary paint.


Strategic Area Investment Plan

Charlottesville, Virginia

Charlottesville’s Strategic Area Investment Plan guides the redevelopment of a former industrial stream valley into a mixed-income, mixeduse urban area that remains connected to its riparian roots.


Mueller

Austin, Texas

The redevelopment of the 711-acre former Mueller airport includes, as of 2020, more than 4,000 diverse living spaces, major employers, and a mixed-use town center. Mueller’s parks attract visitors from across the city.