In 1977, Carter gave a famous speech in the ruins of the South Bronx about rebuilding. In 1980, reporters tried to return to the place to find out what had happened. The rebuilding had been so complete, that it was impossible to figure out which intersection the speech had been given from. Literally it had turned from a moonscape to overpriced housing in four years. The housing around where Carter gave the speech now costs more than a million dollars.
The South Bronx depopulated, but has since repopulated with more people. That is the fascinating thing you can watch happen in NYC. You can see neighborhoods complete change their ethnicity, social class, and population over a decade or two.
I lived in Queens, Long Island City/Astoria & had a girl friend in the Bronx, above Fordham road, so it was a long adventure of 3+ hours on the subway..
I would be on the train @ night looking out @ the dark emptiness there, occasionally seeing a dim light (fire I guess) in the distance, in an abandoned building..
It was such a contrast to the mass of ppl & buildings, light & noise everywhere else in the city.......
I recall Carter's request, I think it was like 4 billion or so..