The Mayor and Council joined city staff April 23 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony dedicating the City of Rockville Taft Center and marking the move of city staff to the new facility at 6 Taft Court.
The move relocates nearly 150 employees from outdated facilities at the adjacent maintenance and emergency operations facility on Rothgeb Drive. It also relocates the Department of Recreation and Parks and the Environmental Management Division from City Hall.
The three-story 55,350-square-foot building was built in 1991 and sits on 2.3 acres. Design began in 2019, after the former commercial office space was purchased by the city. Renovations began in 2022 and included a complete renovation of the atrium, demolition of the existing interior, and new windows and a new roof on the north wing. The center includes 87 new offices and workspaces, including new furniture; six conference rooms; a training room; gender-neutral restrooms; outside break areas; and a fitness room. A new locker room is Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible and includes over 125 new lockers, nine showers, touchless sinks and toilets, and other amenities. An emergency operations center with a backup generator is still under construction.
The Taft Center’s location is an asset, putting Recreation and Parks staff adjacent to RedGate Park and Arboretum and allowing for more familiarity and increased community engagement with this important and evolving city park.
