Much of the Mid-City Project is no longer visible in downtown Rockville. Most of the mall was demolished in the 1990s. In the 21st century, new planning ideas and modern visions continue to reimagine the area. The housing and businesses along Courthouse Square and East Montgomery Ave. developed over site of the mall, replacing it with restaurants, retail, and apartment and condominium housing.
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1980s Rockville
1980s Rockville
The great experiment which was the Rockville Mall lasted until 1983, when it finally closed. By 1993, the buildings were demolished. In the early 2000s, a new Town Center began with the construction of the Public Library, which opened in 2005. Today, this area is occupied by many homes, businesses and restaurants, as well as host to numerous City sponsored activities such as holiday celebrations and cultural events.
This photograph from the early 1980s shows Courthouse Square with the mall, courthouses, and colonnade.
Demolition of Rockville Mall
The demolition of the mall was a slow process. It took ten years from the time the mall closed until it was finally gone. People can recall a time in the late 1990s when downtown Rockville consisted of large, empty lots. A Farmer's Market was hosted on the site for a time.
Today, in 2024, an echo of the past may be seen in a small section of the Rockville Mall that remains. It stands at the end of East Montgomery Ave. and anchors the bridge connecting the Metro station to downtown. The entrance to a subterranean garage at Truck Street is also a remanent of the Rockville Mall.
It is hard to imagine that the many apartments, restaurants, and businesses were once covered by an enclosed shopping mall!
Downtown Rockville Today
Pictures by the City of Rockville
Rockville Town Square
The contemporary business district in downtown Rockville opened in 2007. It consisted of six-blocks of urban infill featuring 28,000-square-foot public plaza with pavilion and water feature, as well as the 102,000-square-foot county library and five-story VisArts building. It continues to evolve and change, as the needs of the community change over time. This area now bears very little resemblance to how it looked during the lifespan of the Rockville Mall, nor to the streetscape that proceeded it.
Debate continues over what features will attract residents and consumers to patronize this comparably young area, including many of the same issues that spurred Urban Renewal: parking, economic struggles, changing shopping habits, and new planning trends. The face of downtown Rockville continues to change.
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Except where noted all images and documents used in this exhibit are from the collections of Peerless Rockville, except where noted.
Permission to use reuse images must be obtained from Peerless Rockville.
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