The Washington Post has a front-pager today about the mega-development of 14th Street Northwest, which in the past 10 years or so has gone through a couple of phases of gentrification and become a magnet for investment in the wake of the 2008-2009 recession.

It’s not a surprise to anyone who’s tried to casually stroll into a restaurant anytime in the past couple of years that the place is going nutso with food and beverage offerings. What is interesting is the thought that much of the development can be traced to investors who thought the hospitality business was less volatile than the stock or bond markets.

Now that’s a vote of confidence in D.C.’s night life!

Perhaps, as Yogi Berra once said about his hometown restaurant of Ruggeri’s in St. Louis (and is sometimes credited with saying the same of New York’s Toots Shor’s): “Nobody goes there anymore because it’s too crowded.”

Fat chance if you’re trying to find a table at Le Diplomate or Cork.