Per the City of Rockville: Everyone — residents, neighbors, visitors, employees, and business and property owners — is welcome to provide feedback as Rockville plans a successful future for Town Center over the coming decades. To take part, register at engagerockville.com/towncenter, which has multiple ways to provide input. Take a short survey, add to the reaction map, ask a question and share ideas for how to reimagine Town Center.


The City of Rockville will host four interactive listening sessions to kickoff outreach and engagement for the Town Center Master Plan update, which will help guide the area’s success in coming decades.

The same material will be covered at all listening sessions, so only one needs to be attended. Light refreshments and a children’s activity area will be available at the in-person sessions. A master plan is a long-range document that establishes a vision for future growth and development, and makes recommendations for zoning, streetscapes, public infrastructure, and other aspects of land use.


Saturday morning, the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department celebrated the housing of their new fire engine, known as Engine 703, and dedicated it in memory of their Past Fire Chief, Scott Eric Emmons.

Past Fire Chief Scott Eric Emmons, who died in 2021, volunteered with the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department for more than 30 years, in every operational rank from Firefighter to Fire Chief. Chief Emmons also was a DC Metropolitan Police Detective, where he served on the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Chief Emmons’ daughter is now a Rockville Volunteer Firefighter as well.


As 2022 ends, we’re sharing a few of our most-read stories of the year, from September 2022: Morguard North American Residential REIT announced earlier this week that it has acquired the retail portion of Rockville Town Square. Having purchased Fenestra Apartments in 2017, this acquisition of the remaining retail in this mixed-use asset expands Morguard’s investment in the City of Rockville. The transaction closed at a purchase price of US$33.0 million, excluding closing costs. The news was brought to our attention by The MoCo Source earlier this month.

Per the press release: “Morguard is pleased to expand our investment in Rockville, Maryland by acquiring the retail space,” said K. Rai Sahi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Morguard North American Residential REIT. “This acquisition along with our ownership and management of Fenestra Apartments gives Morguard the opportunity to better execute on our long-term vision.” Connected to Morguard’s Fenestra apartments, Rockville Town Square at 30 Maryland Avenue encompasses 183,000 square feet of retail, dining, and municipal and financial services. The mixed-use pedestrian-friendly location offers public gathering areas, entertainment events, and serves as a neighbourhood hub in the affluent Montgomery County. A short drive from Washington D.C., Rockville Town Squarefeatures spaces to live, work and shop including:


Rockville Town Square will “light up the night” with its annual tree lighting event on Friday, November 18th from 6pm to 8pm. The event will feature a variety of activities, like live music, crafts, ice skating, and food & drink.

The retail portion of Rockville Town Square was recently acquired by Morguard for $33 million after purchasing the Fenestra apartments back in 2017. Rockville Town Square at 30 Maryland Avenue encompasses 183,000 square feet of retail, dining, and municipal and financial services. The mixed-use pedestrian-friendly location offers public gathering areas, entertainment events, and has served as a neighborhood hub.


Kick off the holiday season with a skating session at Rockville Town Square’s outdoor ice skating rink, which is now open. Reservations are required and are available two weeks in advance. Lessons are also available. Hours of operation and additional information below:

Skater admission is $10 for skaters 12 and under and $11 for skaters $13 and up. Seniors are also $10. Skate rental is $5. Per the Rockville Town Square Ice Skating website: scheduled reservation time. If you are more than 10 minutes early you will be asked to wait until your scheduled start time. If you are more than 10 minutes late your reservation time has started and you will lose the reserved time to skate.


Morguard North American Residential REIT announced earlier this week that it has acquired the retail portion of Rockville Town Square. Having purchased Fenestra Apartments in 2017, this acquisition of the remaining retail in this mixed-use asset expands Morguard’s investment in the City of Rockville. The transaction closed at a purchase price of US$33.0 million, excluding closing costs. The news was brought to our attention by The MoCo Source earlier this month.

Per the press release: “Morguard is pleased to expand our investment in Rockville, Maryland by acquiring the retail space,” said K. Rai Sahi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Morguard North American Residential REIT. “This acquisition along with our ownership and management of Fenestra Apartments gives Morguard the opportunity to better execute on our long-term vision.”


The 2022 Taiwan Bubble Tea Festival will take place on September 24th from 11am until 4pm at Rockville Town Square. The event is being held by Taiwan Sister Cities, an organization “dedicated to promoting, educating, and fostering intercultural understanding and cooperation among the people of the United States and the people of Taiwan.”

Participating in the festival will be Tiger Sugar Rockville, which recently reopened after a car crashed through their storefront. Bun’d Up, which has a Pike & Rose location nearby. Mr. Wish, which opened last year in Rockville. Bao Bei, which started operating out of a kitchen in Rockville recently. Doki Toki, which recently opened in Downtown Crown, and a lot more.


Paris Baguette, “the neighborhood bakery café where communities come together over expertly crafted baked and brewed goods”, announced that the brand is on track to open a projected 40 new locations by the end of 2022, reaching nearly 150 locations across the United States and reinforcing its status as one of the fastest growing franchises in the country. One of those location will be in Rockville Town Square with another location (currently unknown) coming to the area soon, according to a report by Bethesda Magazine. The Rockville Town Square location will be located at 101 Gibbs Street and will offer Korean and French baked goods. Doors may open by the end of 2022.

In addition to the upcoming Montgomery County locations, the growth of the bakery/cafe will accelerate in 2023 with 96 slated bakery café openings and increased interest from franchise partners. Paris Baguette currently operates in 14 states with a focus on expanding to a nationwide footprint in top-tier markets through a combined strategic approach of corporate-owned and franchise locations; franchise agreements have been signed to expand across 25 states. “The increased interest we’ve seen in franchise agreements and rapid expansion through new store openings at Paris Baguette is a testament to the success we’ve seen by focusing on the elevated bakery café experience and creating an emotional connection with our guests,” said Darren Tipton, Chief Executive Officer, Paris Baguette America. “We set an aggressive goal to open 1,000 locations in the U.S. by 2030 and we’re on track to exceed this plan with strategic direction on growth, quality products, customer experience, and innovation.”


Èkó House, a modern Pan-African restaurant located in Rockville Town Square announces its grand opening weekend on July 29 and 30, 2022. Èkó House, which celebrates Nigerian culture with fusion cuisine, art, and entertainment, has been open since February, but will have its ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration next weekend. “With exquisite cuisine, carefully curated interior, and exciting ambiance, each moment transports you to the vibrant city of Lagos. “

Attending Friday’s ribbon cutting ceremony at 5 p.m. will be: Will Jawando, Montgomery County Council Member; Marji Graf, President & CEO, Rockville Chamber of Commerce; Ricky Barker, Director, Community Planning and Development Services; and Cindy Rivarde, Director, Rockville Economic Development Inc., among others. On Saturday, July 30, SIMI, the Afrobeats singer/songwriter, Isaac Gerald and the Ayo Band will perform from 7:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Tickets start at $75 and can be purchased in advance here.  “As one of the few Nigerian restaurants in the DMV, we are excited to share the richness of Nigeria’s culture and cuisine with the Rockville community,” said Yomi Ajao, co-founder, Èkó House. “We want the community and the greater region to experience Èkó (Lagos), here in Rockville, Maryland. Rockville Town Square offers an array of culinary offerings, and we are thrilled that Èkó House is now an option.”


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