When one emerges from the dark depths of the subway and receives a quick breath of fresh city air, one is quickly overwhelmed by the sights and sounds from U Street. Depending on where you are, you may smell coffee and an overwhelming aroma of chili and cheese coming from Ben's Chili Bowl as cars speed by. As you face Ben's Chili Bowl and look to your left, it's clear that urban renewal, which began in the mid-1990s, has been effective with many new luxury buildings and condominiums. However, when you look to your right, the drastic changes that U Street has undergone become evident. Depending on who you ask, U Street can be a great club scene, an African-American cultural epicenter, a historic district, or a very "shady" area. The fact is that U Street is all of those things, throughout its history many different niches have been created and there is now something for everyone in the U Street Corridor, whether you are a history buff, interested in theatrical arts, appreciated. culture and gastronomy, or unfortunately drug addicts. However, U Street has not always been what it is today, it has gone through many drastic changes during its existence. The demographics, culture, perception, and establishments of U Street changed and were affected by three specific instances: the 1968 riots, the construction of the subway in 1980, and gentrification around 1990. Many people glorified the visions of change. Barrack Obama was elected president thanks to his campaign calling for change. People believe that change is a good thing and that it is always positive. There will always be debate about whether change is good or bad, but it is inevitable that change will inevitably happen. CS Lewis believes that “...... middle of paper ......ne 2005: n. page. The New York Times. Internet. October 23, 2011. Kronholz, June. “A neighborhood to explore.” The Wall Street Journal January 16, 2009: n. page. The Wall Street Journal. Internet. October 20, 2011. Kuan, Diana. "U Street, Adams Morgan is humming again." Boston Globe January 28, 2007: n. page. Premier Academic Research. Internet. November 7, 2011.Lusane, Clarence Pipe Dream Blues: racism and the war on drugs SouthEnd Press, Boston 1991Ong, Ming. Personal interview. October 22, 2011. Ruble, Blair. Washington's U Street: A Biography. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010. Print. Smith, Kathryn S. “Remembering U Street.” Washington History 9.2 (1998): 28-53. JSTOR. Internet. October 23, 2011. Wilson, Frank Harold, Jr. Gentrifying Water and Selling out Jim Crow. Diss. University of Michigan, 1985. Ann Arbor: UMI, 2002. 8512536. Academic Search Premier. Internet. October 21. 2011.