[JSsocal]

Hindsight is 20/20, but the area was hardly desirable for most of the 2nd half of the last century- and in the late 80's the city/developers were poised to do anything to scrub it down.

In my mind the noteworthy losses are the original NYTimes building and the Hotel Astor. I think you're right in that Times square could use a hint more glamour then what's left, but what Times square is now is pretty awe inspiring, and certainly different. For better or worse the current look of TS probably better suits the character of what it is now, (a hyper commercial tourist mecca), then the front door of the theatre district as it used to be.