The rebirth of Columbia Heights in Washington, DC, into one of the District's most vibrant neighborhoods is a colorful meld of history and triumph of urban planning.

In the early 1800s, the Washington Jockey Club race track (near the intersection of 14th and Columbia) was a major draw for horse racing. By the 1920s, 14th Street had evolved into a vibrant commercial strip with dozens of small grocery stores, cigar stores, clothing shops and nickelodeons. One of the most famous stores was the local A&W root beer stand that later became the nation's first Hot Shoppe and the beginning of the Marriott Corporation. Other venerable Washington brands, such as Hahn's shoe stores, also had early roots in Columbia Heights. By the 1960s, Columbia Heights still claimed a bustling commercial trade but was also known as a night life destination - Black Washington's equivalent of 125th street in Harlem. After sunset, 14th Street was one of the busiest blocks in town. The Waffle Shop, still located today at the corner of Park and 14th, was one of the few restaurants open 24 hours a day.

The 1968 riots following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., devastated the neighborhood. Hundreds of businesses were burned, looted or completely shut down. More than 70 acres of land were bulldozed, leaving the once active neighborhood a boarded up shell of scarred buildings and empty lots. Immigrants from Central and South America rediscovered the neighborhood in the 1980s, adding a rhythm of their own with Latin clubs and eateries. The neighborhood was still marked by high crime and a lack of major retailers, however, it wasn't until the unveiling of the Columbia Heights metro station in 1999 that the neighborhood was poised for explosive growth. The new metro station was within steps of seven virtually vacant parcels of land - government owned land. Because the government owned the tracts, acquired through eminent domain after the riots, the District could control what was built. City officials also could lure developers with unimaginably low prices and use these prices to extract commitments for affordable housing and for the type of large-scale retail long desired by residents. City and community leaders, developers, and the DC government collaborated to create a master plan for the Columbia Heights revitalization effort. They sketched out a blueprint for a thriving mix of retail, professional buildings, and small businesses that would encompass the current residents as well as lure shoppers from other areas. A billion dollars worth of development made the whole vision possible.

Today, Columbia Heights is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in DC. Its population reflects a mix of Hispanic, African-American, and White residents as well as a growing number of Asian-Americans. New luxury apartments along 14th street border the neighborhood's existing stock of subsidized housing. A Target, part of a block-long mall that features Best Buy, and a number of other retail anchors, coexists with ethnic markets, upscale eateries and small businesses. Banneker, one of the city's top-performing high schools, is part of an educational system that includes traditional public as well as charter schools.

Ironically, the scars of the riots helped pave the way for the realization of Dr. King's vision of a true blending of cultures and classes.