The Fall and Rise of New York

PBS America: Tuesday 5 December at 9.45pm

Turn the clock back three decades and New York was a city in what seemed to be an advanced state of urban decay, struggling with high levels of violent crime, depressed property values, a declining middle class and associated woes.

The story of its subsequent transformation and revival, due to astute political leadership, the questioning of long-established tradition, and grassroots-level change, is both remarkable and inspirational, as this documentary details.

In the 21st century, cities around the world find themselves increasingly challenged by those same complex issues. As the 400th anniversary of The Big Apple approaches, the programme asks, what useful insights can be gleaned from the intellectual paradigm shift that helped turn around the fortunes of this great metropolis.