The Montgomery County Executive Office Building in Rockville will be renamed to honor former County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett in February, County Council President Andrew Friedson (D-Dist. 1) announced during a media briefing Monday.
“As we rename the Executive Office Building for Ike Leggett, someone who embodies servant leadership and public service, we hope it will be an enduring reminder of what government at its absolute best can and should be for the benefit of the public and for those who serve them,” Friedson said.
Leggett, a Democrat, was first elected to a four-year term as county executive in 2006. He is the first and only African American to be elected to that office. He was reelected in 2010 and 2014 and served until 2018. Before serving as county executive, Leggett was the first African American to be elected to the Montgomery County Council. He served four four-year terms as an at-large member and served as council president three times and vice president three times. In addition, he chaired the Maryland Democratic Party from 2002 to 2004.
Leggett could not immediately be reached for comment Monday afternoon.
Friedson noted that Leggett “guided us with a steady hand through the most devastating financial crisis in our history, and forged a path for others to follow as a trailblazer who rose from poverty to the highest levels of government, law and academia.”
“Throughout his tenure, he focused on ensuring that every part of our diverse community had a seat at the table and a voice in decision-making that would affect their lives.”
Friedson said he had recommended the name change for the building at 101 Monroe Street, which the 11-member council unanimously supported and County Executive Marc Elrich approved via executive order.
“[Leggett’s] path has not been an easy one, and yet he did not let the obstacles stop him; his successes are quite remarkable … He was intent on working with people every step of the way, and his legacy is that of a leader who has shaped Montgomery County in profound ways,” Elrich said in an email statement to MoCo360 Monday evening. “Ike has always been a champion for equity, inclusion and opportunity—principles that are core to who we are as a community. His unrelenting commitment to serve, his leadership during challenging times and his dedication to lifting up every resident has left a legacy that will continue to inspire us.”
Friedson said the formal name change and a ceremony will take place in February, which the council president said was “fitting” due to the timing of Black History Month.
This is not the first county building to be named in Leggett’s honor. The Leggett, a 267-unit, 16-story affordable senior housing complex in downtown Silver Spring, was named for the former county executive in May 2023. In September, Montgomery College officially opened its $104 million Catherine and Isiah Leggett math and science building at the community college’s Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus.
