In the middle of the 20th century, 14th Street NW near the intersection of P Street was home to many
car dealerships and was known as "
auto row". The Casino Royal at 14th and H Streets was one of the city's most popular nightclubs. The street was the location of
race riots
in 1968 after the
assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. In the 1970s and 1980s, a portion of 14th Street became known primarily for its
red-light district. Several
strip clubs and
massage parlors were concentrated roughly between
New York Avenue and
K Street, while prostitutes plied their trade around
Logan Circle. However, rising land values eventually pushed out the adult businesses. The
Source Theatre, founded by
Bart Whiteman in 1977, was given some credit for the area's revival. Whiteman stood outside the theater to escort people inside in order to make them feel safer. With the
gentrification of the neighborhoods through which it passes – particularly downtown,
Logan Circle, the
U Street Corridor, and
Columbia Heights – 14th Street is now known for live theater, art galleries, and trendy restaurants. Moreover, while the nominal center of the city's
gay life is still
Dupont Circle, the
Washington Blade called 14th Street between U Street and
Massachusetts Avenue (
Thomas Circle) the best place to see and be seen. As of 2012, the center of gravity had shifted and Logan Circle was voted "DC's gay neighborhood." The opening of a
Whole Foods Market at 14th and P Streets in 2000 was considered a turning point for the neighborhood. The 21st century brought rapid gentrification along 14th Street, especially south of Florida Avenue. Within a decade, it had become one of the preeminent dining destinations in the Greater Washington area. In nine months of 2012 and 2013, two dozen restaurants opened on 14th Street. From 2010 to 2012, almost every block of 14th between Rhode Island and Florida Avenues had a major residential redevelopment project scheduled, adding more than 1,200 housing units and of retail. ==Landmarks==