Despite Rockland\u27s renaissance, it still retains a sense of its blue collar orig

Despite Rockland\u27s renaissance, it still retains a sense of its blue collar origins, which many residents want to preserve. A plan to develop Tillson Avenue and create a Gateway Center for visitors, dependent on relocating several businesses, blends the new Rockland with the old, a goal of Chamber of Commerce director Bob Hastings and City Manager Tom Hall. The Farnsworth Art Museum has had a rocky financial ride and is losing its director; development on Route 1 draws shoppers out of town; and MBNA, the city\u27s largest taxpayer and a regular benefactor, is closing its call center and moving 300 jobs to Belfast. Yachts and a diminished fishing industry are putting pressure on the city\u27s diverse working harbor, even as fisheries are starting to rebound