RIO Washingtonian Center
RIO Washingtonian Center, stylized as rio, is a 760,000 sq ft (71,000 m2) hybrid power center and lifestyle center with shopping, restaurants, and entertainment in Gaithersburg, Maryland located immediately south of the interchange between Interstate 270 and 370. The original RIO building opened in 1982, while the adjacent "Washingtonian Center" and "Washingtonian Waterfront" were developed in 1997 and 2004. It underwent a $30 million renovation in 2020.[1][2][3][4] The center is adjacent to four Marriott-branded hotels. Among them, Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center was built in Phase I of construction[5], and was opened in 1993[6].
Anchors
A two-lane imitation "main street" with small shops, restaurants and parking garages is anchored by four big-box stores:
An adjacent artificial 9-acre lake featuring additional restaurants, a trail, hotels, a carousel, and paddle boats is anchored by AMC "Dine-In" Theaters and Dave & Buster’s.
Gallery
Elevators in Service
| Location | Elevator Type | Floors Served | Fixtures | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washingtonian Center/Sodexo Building Garage | TKE H-Power | 1, *2, 3, 4, 5 | Innovation Universal | Originally an OTIS Series 1 |
| Washingtonian Center (Main) | OTIS Gen2 | *1, 2, 3, (4) | Series N2 | Originally a Series 1 and served 1-3. Extended to 4 and completely replaced. Floor 4 is locked due to a lack of something on that floor. |
| Washingtonian Center (Exterior Service) | OTIS LRV | *G, 2, 3 | Series 1 | Original to the shopping center. Next to the entrance roadway to Garage A. In questionable condition. |
| Garage A | 4x ThyssenKrupp SPFs | *1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | TK VR | Often broken and in questionable condition. |
| Garage A (Side) | ThyssenKrupp Oildraulic | *1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | TK VR | Standalone elevator, does not serve the 6th floor. |
| Courtyard by Marriott | 2x KONE EcoSystems | *L, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | Series 220 | |
| Garage B | Schindler 300A | 1, *2, 3, 4 | MT Vandal-Resistant | |
| Dick's Sporting Goods | MontgomeryKONE MX Hydraulic | *1, (1M), 2, (2M) | Innovation Universal | M-Floors for staff only. In questionable condition. Has a really loud floor pass beep. |
| Garage C | 3x KONE HydroMods | *1, 2, 3, 4 | Monitor TR | Originally Montgomery Elevators, modded in the late 2010's. |
| Garage C (Side) | Montgomery Hydraulic | *1, 2, 3, 4 | Adams Classic | Not modernized along with the main cars. |
| Target | 2x KONE/MEI Hydraulics | *1, 2 | Innovation Bruiser | Originally MontgomeryKONEs, modded at some point. |
| Kohl's | 2x Schindler 300As | *1, 2 | MT |
References
- ↑ Al Urbanski (May 12, 2020). "Retail center owner in D.C. readies re-opening plan". Chain Store Age.
- ↑ Arcieri, Katie (October 2, 2018). "Peterson hits refresh on MoCo shopping center with $30M facelift. And Silver Diner's along for the ride". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
- ↑ "About Us | Rio Lakefront". www.riolakefront.com. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
- ↑ "Silver Diner to Join Gaithersburg's RIO Washingtonian Center as Part of $30 Million Redevelopment". Bethesda Magazine. October 2, 2018.
- ↑ Schwinn, Beth (June 30, 1986). "COMMERCIAL REALTYConstruction Under Way On, Washingtonian Center". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 19, 2026.
- ↑ Center, Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian. "Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center Celebrates 25 Years of Memorable Social Events". www.prweb.com. Retrieved June 19, 2026.