[ardecila]

I've been astonished at the regrowth.

There's no doubt that Brad Pitt helped the Lower 9 massively with his Make It Right project (which has now built ~50 new homes based on prototype designs from both local and international architects).

Beyond that... I definitely think the incredible publicity the area received after Katrina (assisted by Mr. Pitt) is a big factor in the turnaround. Before Katrina, New York Times reporters couldn't be bothered to cover anything in New Orleans except Bourbon Street on Mardi Gras. Now they seem to check in on the city every 6 months or so, providing semi-regular updates to people around the world curious to see how the devastated city is now faring. Some of those people were attracted to the city by the explosion of opportunity, and now Holy Cross (the Lower 9 between the river and St. Claude) is practically booming with renovators and young people who are eager to be part of something.