"[2] Present-day Mount Vernon Triangle was featured on the L'Enfant Plan for the city, although it was north of the populated areas at the time and remained largely unsettled.

This led to some minor development in the area, although prior to the Civil War, most of the residences consisted of only modest frame dwellings.

As the population grew, older dwellings were replaced with permanent brick homes and businesses and the demographics changed dramatically.

[3] In addition to the Northern Liberty Market, the neighborhood experienced rapid growth due to improvements made by the Board of Public Works led by Alexander "Boss" Shepherd and the installation of streetcars.

Increased traffic on New York Avenue resulted in the addition of gas stations, garages and car repair shops, many of which replaced residential buildings.

During the 1968 riots that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., several buildings on the west side of Mount Vernon Triangle were burned.

[4][5][6] Redevelopment of large areas of Mount Vernon Triangle began in the 21st century as more people moved into the city and local government officials offered tax abatement for residential construction.

The turning point for Mount Vernon Triangle was the 2008 completion of the neighborhood's largest development, CityVista, a complex consisting of 441 condominium units, 224 apartments, and retail space.

In 2014, there were 3,691 condominium units, 2,607 apartments, 40 restaurants, and 1.7 million sq ft (160,000 m2) of office space either built or under construction in the neighborhood.

[10] The Jefferson Apartment Building, built in 1899 and designed by local architect George S. Cooper, is located at 315 H Street NW and was listed on the NRHP in 1994.

[2] Elementary and middle school students attend Walker-Jones Education Campus, which lies on the eastern boundary of the neighborhood.

Local advocates are pursuing a larger public space and "urban park for passive pursuits, including strolling, reading, and sitting.