In the mid-1990s, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani led an effort to clean up the area, an effort that is described by Steve Macek in Urban Nightmares: The Media, the Right, And the Moral Panic Over the City: Security was increased, pornographic theatres were closed, and “undesirable” low-rent residents were pressured to relocate, and then more tourist-friendly attractions and upscale establishments were opened.
Rudolph Giuliani ledte i midten af 1990'erne en indsats for at få ryddet området op, hvilket beskrives af Steve Macekin i Urban Nightmares: The Media, the Right, And the Moral Panic Over the City: Sikkerheden var forhøjet, pornografiske biografer var lukket, “uønskede” lavtbetalende huslejere blev presset til at flytte og flere turistvenlige attraktionener og fornemme etablissementer blev åbnet.