To be clear, I agree that being able to let a landmarked property fall into disrepair so you can demolish it is a loophole that should be fixed. It's a tricky problem to solve without creating unintended incentives in the process, but I would certainly like to see something done about it.

As for mandating aesthetics, landmark designated buildings aside, I just disagree with you here. Property owners should be free to build according to their own preference, even if that means we end up with ugly buildings sometimes. Do I like that midtown will soon to be home to this grotesque monstrosity? Not at all. This thing will be a blight on the city's skyline for many decades, but the freedom that allows this is the same freedom that has allowed such a wide variety of architectural styles to find a place in New York, and is one thing that makes it such a joy to walk around in this city.