WASHINGTON -- A Giant food store opened on Alabama Avenue in Congress Heights on Friday, giving people in Ward 8 much-needed access to a grocery store and, some said, marking a victory over economic decline.

Ward 8's last full-service supermarket, a Safeway, closed in 1998 and was not replaced, News4's Tracee Wilkins reported.

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For years, the site where the Giant now stands was empty. The city bought and renovated the land and then waited for developers. The site remained empty through several city administrations, from Marion Barry to Anthony Williams to Adrian Fenty.

Community leaders said the grocery store's opening marks a new beginning and represents a victory over decades of economic decline.

The new 63,000-square foot Giant is the largest in Washington, with a book section, a diverse produce section and a cheese market.

It offers the community filled with corner stores and fried foods a healthier option.

"This is a great day for the city, because it's not a good sign on the city when any group of residents does not have the service they deserve," Fenty said.

About 1,600 people applied for jobs at the store, and 200 people from Ward 8 were hired, making up 98 percent of the store's staff.

The Giant store anchors a shopping plaza surrounded by new housing developments.