I copied this image last year, which shows the changes in the Charlotte Street area...the image is from the movie "Wolfen", a clip i got from youtube so the quality isn't good, and I tried to match that area in the Birds Eye View from Windows Live Local, which is what it looks like today.
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The second image, cant remember where i got it from, but also shows the change of the area.
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The third image is a typical house on Charlotte Street, which from what ive seen is the only single family type homes in the South Bronx.
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The fourth image is similar to new houses on lots where the buildings were demolished, but notice the older building in the background, which is typical of many streets in the area. There are several streets that have new homes, but in the middle of the block, a renovated older building will stand...and thats where you can tell which buildings survived that era. I visited a friend of mine on Simpson street, which is a few blocks south of the Charlotte Street area and she lived in the only remaining "tenement style" building on that street, which now is surrounded by Townhouse style homes. She grew up a few blocks south of that area and told me that up to 15 years ago, her building and the former police station were the only two building remaining on the block, and in the early 90s, the vacant lots were cleared and the townhouse style homes were created. And regarding her building, it was renovated, and on the inside i would consider to be like a modern condo.
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The last time i was in the South Bronx was just over a year ago and although it still looked like a rough neighbourhood, I saw only one abandoned building, which had construction on the bottom floor and it looked like it was starting renovations.
Just a comment to add, I remember as a kid visiting my family in New York, late 80s early 90s, our family told us to never get off the highway as we had to cross the Bronx into Queens, but now the south bronx is a place to get good deals and some good lunch or dinner. Its and interesting area, to anyone insecure about going there, get off the highway and look around, but obviously use common sense.
Below are two links to "Wolfen" that show the Charotte Street area in 1980.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW8Cwi6VT64
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsoKU2i65zE