NY in the 1970's was the pits. Way worse than it is now. Graffiti everywhere, squeegee guys, trash, abandoned buildings everywhere, the Guardian Angels patrolling where the cops wouldn't go. And I still took the subway every day to go to school and work.
NY today has bike lanes, car-free zones, new buildings going up everywhere. All those abandoned buildings have been renovated. I love going in several times a month to visit museums and go to my favorite restaurants. The virus has hit the economy hard, and I haven't been there for the last few months, but I can't wait to start going back again. Right now, the museums I want to go to are sold out due to reduced capacity. But soon, I'll be back. 😁