Former Shopping Center Will Be Razed on Thurs., Aug. 19, Opening Way to Start Rockville Town Square Construction
[ASSIGNMENT EDITORS NOTE: Good photo opportunities throughout the day on Thursday, Aug. 19. All photographers and reporters who want to tour inside the construction fence must call the Rockville Public Information Office IN ADVANCE at 240-314-8115.]
ROCKVILLE, Md., August 17, 2004 - The end of a commercial era in downtown Rockville will symbolically come to an end starting at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19, as what was formerly the major strip shopping center in the City will be demolished. Once demolition is complete, construction will begin immediately on the new Rockville Town Square project, which is part of Phase I of Rockville’s future Town Center.
Interior demolition preparation began on Saturday, Aug. 14, on the shopping center that was anchored by a Magruder’s Grocery Store. Interior preparation continued Aug. 16-18 to prepare for major exterior demolition of the center located along North Washington Street (between East Middle Lane and Beall Avenue).
Demolition and removal of debris, which is being done by Whiting-Turner Construction, is expected to be completed within days.
Preliminary work on the site began on July 13 after the last of the 23 tenants of the shopping center were moved to new locations. The shopping center will be razed to make way for a public parking garage and some of the residential and retail projects that will be part of Phase I. The 12.5 acres that cover this portion of Phase I of the plan will be called Rockville Town Square by developer RD Rockville, LLC.
Work on the site began less than a month after the official June 15 groundbreaking for Town Center. That ceremony was attended by more than 350 people including Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Montgomery County Executive Douglas Duncan and Congressman Chris Van Hollen. The new Town Square Development will be the focal point of the City’s new redeveloped downtown.
A construction fence around the construction site has eliminated pedestrian access to some sidewalks in Town Center. The fence extends to the curbs of some sidewalks adjacent to North Washington Street and East Middle Lane because the sidewalks will be replaced as part of the new Town Center. Pedestrians are advised to walk on sides of the streets that have sidewalks. Construction observers are not permitted inside the construction fence.
On July 12, Rockville’s Mayor and Council approved a total initial contract of $8,045,930 with Whiting-Turner Construction of Baltimore for construction services associated with the Rockville Town Square project. On July 26, the Mayor and Council approved an additional contract of $11,038,070 with Whiting-Turner, bringing the award for public improvements to $19,084,000.
The construction funds include about $14,950,000 for public improvements (such as general construction, utilities, concrete, asphalt paving, landscaping, demolition and amenities) and about $4,134,000 toward construction of the first of three public parking garages.
Whiting-Turner, which was founded in 1909 and operates in cities across the nation, was selected among four final bidders. The selection was a joint decision of the City, RD Rockville, LLC and Federal Realty.
Phase I of Town Center, which has an estimated public-private cost of about $352 million, will be developed by RD Rockville, LLC. It will include about 630 luxury condominium and apartment homes and approximately 170,000 square feet of retail space that will be owned by retail developer Federal Realty Investment Trust.
Rockville Town Square will encompass 12.5 of the 15-acre focal point of Phase I. Eventually, other phases of revitalization will expand Town Center to more than 60 acres.
Rockville Town Square will include a mix of uses for retail, restaurant, cultural, entertainment, condominium and apartment homes and office space. It also will include the new Rockville Regional Library and a public square that will host special events, concerts and the Rockville Farmers’ Market. Three public parking garages, one private garage and on-street parking will create about 2,000 spaces to support the development.
Updates on Town Center construction, including progress photos, will be available on the City Web site at www.rockvillemd.gov.
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