Rockville Town Square, a new mixed-use community in downtown Rockville, MD, has received a 2008 Charter Award from The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU). Selected from 130 submissions representing major developments from throughout the nation, the five-block project was cited by the jury as "superb" and "absolutely extraordinary."
The prestigious national award recognizes projects that reflect the principles of new urbanism, including the development of walkable and transit-friendly neighborhoods that minimize sprawl and promote the revitalization of downtown communities. Each year, the CNU convenes a jury of the highest caliber to review submissions and select winning entries that best embody and advance the principles of the Charter of the New Urbanism.
An integral component of a broad vision for redevelopment in the city of Rockville, located just outside Washington, DC, Rockville Town Square transformed a deteriorating strip retail center into a vibrant mixed-use setting with restaurants, shops, condominiums, apartments, a public library, an arts and innovation center, and a landscaped plaza with expansive green space. The project represents a highly successful public-private collaboration in which the city teamed with local developers to redevelop an aging 12.5-acre parcel and create a robust new community with a lively, pedestrian-friendly town center.
Key team members include the following:
- WDG Architecture — residential, office and retail architecture
- Federal Realty Investment Trust — retail development/project master planning
- city of Rockville — master planning and design guidelines
- Ross Development & Investment — residential development
- DANAC Corporation — residential development
- The Foulger-Pratt Companies — office development
- Street-Works, LLC — design guidelines
- D'Agostino Izzo Quirk Architects — Center for Visual Arts architecture
- Grimm & Parker Architects — library architecture
