Developers and Landlords "Don't Know What's Best For Them"

The New York Observer is focused on (what else?) the needs of New York, but the article could be a plea for better planning anywhere:

"...consider the success of Times Square and Broadway, which have seen retail rents rise and public satisfaction grow. Like a temperamental child, builders and landlords do not always know what is best for them. By making the space surrounding their buildings more appealing, the buildings themselves will rise in value. The rise of quality architecture and sustainable design only underscore this fact."