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The Bronx Undergoes an Urban Renaissance

The Bronx, a New York City borough once synonymous with arson and crime, was turned around by a succession of mayors.

Trendy new restaurants. Tidy streets. Job opportunities. Welcome to the Bronx.

Nicole Gelinas reports for City Journal that this New York City borough once synonymous with violent crime, arson and decay is undergoing an urban renaissance.

The turnaround began in the 1980s under Mayor Ed Koch, the article says. He implemented a US$5 billion citywide loan program designed to help recipients rescue abandoned buildings. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani followed with stepped up law enforcement efforts. Mayor Michael Bloomberg helped the borough improve its business climate and infrastructure.

Challenges still remain, of course. A third of residents have incomes below the U. S. poverty line. But the Bronx is clearly on the rebound. After more than a fifth of its population moved away from 1970 to 1980, there’s now an influx of newcomers. Gelinas notes that the Bronx is on track to surpass its pre-1970 population.

The changes are prompting tourists to flock to the Bronx to see the “real” New York — before it disappears, City Journal says. And there’s already a backlash against gentrification that could drive up housing prices.

Read the full story here. This article originally appeared at Citiscope.org. Citiscope is a nonprofit news outlet that covers innovations in cities around the world. More at Citiscope. org.