^ While I think Duck is off-base too, there is a lot of fail in your post too, Crawford. Enough that I felt compelled to comment when I don't really have a dog in this fight. You are purposely conflating cheap materials and systems with design choices. And, no, it's not always the 'sole' goal of developers to make money. Sometimes they also want to create an iconic building, and this was a stated goal with Verre, One Vandy, and 111 W. 57th. And, while it's not a primary consideration of most buyers and even less so commercial tenants, better design can also mean more money and better sales and lesser design worse.
Yes, One57 was the first, but it is also the ugly step sister of supertalls, and I feel fairly confident that this plays at least some role in its poorer sales compared to its more attractive siblings.
Sometimes buildings also don't have an inherent poor design (though I think this one does) but become repetitive and derivative because a certain style is overdone. I think we are there with the all glass skyscraper, at least for residential, and hope it is on its last breaths as the dominant architectural style of the city. Some believe it is:
https://www.dezeen.com/2018/05/04/bl...kyscrapers/ccc
Can we get back to Tower Fifth now?