Leaders Celebrate Opening Of The Capitoline Center

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — Community members and officials gathered Monday to celebrate the grand opening of The Capitoline Center in historic Ellicott City.

“After nearly two years of construction, our vision of transforming this iconic landmark into a community-centered space has come to completion with the grand opening of Howard County’s new The Capitoline Center,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball at the ribbon-cutting. “This generational project represents an approximately $20 million investment from the county, the state and our federal partners and a shared commitment to preserving history while investing boldly in the future. Once a seat of justice, The Capitoline Center is now home to multiple anchors that will bring daily life and energy into this revitalized landmark.”

The Capitoline Center, located at 8360 Court Avenue, sits at the site of the former State of Maryland's Circuit Court for Howard County courthouse in historic Ellicott City. In 2021, the Circuit Court was relocated to its newly constructed, state-of-the-art facility at 9250 Judicial Way in Ellicott City.

Following the closure of the historic courthouse, the county initiated a public survey to gauge the community’s interest in the future of the property. Through this survey, nearly 600 residents, business owners and community stakeholders shared a desire to see the building repurposed into an expanded public space, for community, cultural, civic and food-related uses, as well as events.

In 2023 during his State of the County speech, Ball announced the adaptive reuse of the historic courthouse into a 80,000-square-foot transformative new center for arts, culture and history. Supported by funding from the county, the state of Maryland, and federal grants, the total project cost for Phase 1 was approximately $20 million, of which roughly $9 million was funded through grants and roughly $11 million was funded by the county.

The name, The Capitoline Center, was chosen because the building sits at the top of Capitoline Hill in historic Ellicott City. It is suspected that early settlers of Ellicott City were inspired by the town’s rocky and hilly Roman geography and named Ellicott City’s ‘Capitoline Hill’ after Capitoline Hill near the River Tiber that winds through central Italy and is one of the Seven Hills of Rome, officials shared.

Not coincidentally, The Capitoline Center overlooks Parking Lot D, where Howard County’s own Tiber River meets the Hudson branch in Ellicott City.

“In a time when our values are being challenged, this new Capitoline Center--with timeless Greek facade and granite cupola--is a clear and resounding testament that in the face of adversity, we are proud of our cultural, heritage, history and diversity. That through arts and performances, and we welcome people of all colors and stripes across our community to come together at this location once again,” said Clarence Lam, Maryland State Senator.

Inside The Capitoline Center, visitors will find the new headquarters of the Howard County Arts Council and the county's first Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Cultural Center, as well as the future home of the county's Roving Radish program and a Shared Commercial Kitchen space. Combining all these functions into one location in historic Ellicott City will help facilitate increased tourism while supporting the local economy, leaders said.

“The Capitoline Center will serve as a hub for arts, culture and history in Howard County. It is a place where residents can gather, learn, create and celebrate together,” added Christiana Rigby, vice chair of the Howard County Council. “Arts connect us; it transcends differences, bridges generations, and allows us to see one another more clearly. Culture grounds us; sharing our culture, and learning from the cultures of others, gives us roots, foundation, and a deeper sense of belonging.”