Located in Prince William County, Gainesville was once a changing point for stagecoach horses on the Fauquier & Alexandria Turnpike. In earlier times, the village that became known as “Gainesville” actually had two other names, if only briefly. In colonial days, the region was known as the “Middle Grounds,” in reference to its location between Broad Run and Bull Run. Major commercial and residential development has taken place since 2000, resulting in Gainesville having six large shopping centers. The intersection of I-66 and Lee Highway (29 Highway) has the largest shopping center with big box stores, such as Target Supercenter, Lowe's, Best Buy, DSW, Walgreens, and many other stores and restaurants. Close to US-15 are a Staples, Ross, Wegmans Food Markets, Michael's, and Harris Teeter. A proposed Haymarket / Gainesville railway station extension for the VRE was scheduled to open in 2022, connecting the region via commuter rail to Fairfax County, Manassas, and Washington, D.C. However the project was voted down by the VRE Operations Board, in favor of expanding services to the existing station in Broad Run.