Has any stretch of real estate in D.C. turned itself around as quickly as Barracks Row? In just over six years the stretch of Eighth Street SE south of Eastern Market and north of M Street SE. has seen rapid development changing the area from one infested with drug traffic and petty crime to a vibrant thoroughfare. Sure, the space still has some bleak spots, including a Popeye’s with astonishingly bad service (even for a Popeye’s) and a useful hardware store that has a rather unfortunate odor. But overall, the arrival of businesses like Belga Café and Plaid have been a boon to area residents. Development has also been aided by an extensive beautification project replacing the poor streetlights and broken sidewalks of the area. All this development has been aided in part by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Program, which today awarded Barracks Row the 2005 Great American Main Street Award. The award comes with a $2,500 cash prize as well as signage to recognize the honor.

But as we’ve seen with other rapid development stories, all is not well with new projects for Barracks Row.