Filthy Rich JP Morgan
The Downtown Office District Was Vulnerable. Even Before Covid.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/07/07/upshot/downtown-office-vulnerable-even-before-covid.html
Viewing from the north side of Jackie Onassis Reservoir in Central Park there are walls of high rises to the left, ahead (supertalls abundant) and to the right, mostly expensive residential.
From the south-side reservoir looking north, the north view shows no high-rises after 110th Street, only trees, beyond is inexpensive (relatively) low-rise Harlem.
High-rise pods continue to rise throughout the five boros, even Staten Island, albeit quite a few are public or affordable housing. Starrett City in the far north Bronx is a welter of high-rises built decades ago.
The takeaway of this snapshot is zoning policy which shapes the city, and high-rise developers funded by banks (Trump only one of hundreds) have maintained dominance of that agency since its founding through generous campaign support, lobbying and revolving door officials.
Aided by publicly funded subsidies and tax relief orchestrated by revenue and legal industries and compliant politicians who just happen to be ideal tenants in the dreary high-rises, often favored with irresistable rents to lipstick the many others without PR pizzazz and country estates to host and stroke "insiders" and "winners" at the expense of their opposites, the ordinaries who keep the buildings clean and private dining rooms amply served.
"Filthy Rich" JPMorgan Chase Bank's demolition of a perfectly serviceable landmark building to erect a brand new heap of privilege exemplifies how special privileges are bestowed on the most unneedy.