Rockville’s downtown area is undergoing a transformation. And with a visual transformation comes a new name, as the area has been renamed from “Rockville Town Square” to simply “The Square.”
The Square’s owners and managers, Morguard Management Company, have been working with local events agency Viva Creative to revitalize the already-bustling area. This project comes with the addition of not only new stores but also murals and art installations created by local artists.
The Square has been a hub of activity for the Rockville area, particularly over the past year as old businesses shuttered and new ones opened in their stead. Stuffed cookie shop Dirty Dough opened its Rockville location there in December 2024, and residents are eagerly awaiting the opening of a Trader Joe’s supermarket in The Square in Spring 2025.
Morguard Management Company acquired the retail area of The Square in 2022 from its former owners, Federal Realty, having already purchased the nearby Fenestra Apartments in 2017.
“The Square is a central part of Rockville Town Center and we are thrilled to see new momentum to make it an even greater place for residents, businesses and visitors,” says Rockville Mayor Monique Ashton. “Rockville is open for business and our city is excited that The Square is becoming a more vibrant destination where people can live with joy, dine and enjoy global bites and work and play.”
This rebrand and revitalization project is in line with the Rockville Town Center Master Plan Update, which seeks to build on the original Rockville Town Center Master Plan from 2001 by modernizing the area and how it operates. A community engagement report on the project was published in October 2023, noting that residents showed an interest in better pedestrian infrastructure and wanted more businesses to open and more community events to be held in the town square.
They won’t have to wait long for the latter, either — the annual Hometown Holidays music festival, which was previously held at RedGate Park, is set to take place at The Square for the first time on May 25, and will feature an all-new artisan shopping area.
“When Morguard acquired The Square in 2022, we saw an opportunity to refresh the space to better reflect Rockville’s vibrant and evolving community,” says Joshua Nolan, associate vice president at Morguard Management Company. “Our focus has been on creating a welcoming environment and curating a mix of brands that align with the community. … Residents can expect to see physical changes to The Square starting in May, including the addition of new tenants, refreshed signage, improved event space and more. While The Square revitalization is Morguard’s own project, we anticipate collaborating with the city to work on elements such as public art and community engagement.”
