Didn't read the whole article, but thought I'd comment on this.
New York became a great city initially because of it's geographical attributes as an ideal port city. Everything revolved around shipping until the middle of the last (20th) century. In the early 20th century, it derived much of it's power because of attributes like being an industrial, cultural and financial "tributary" to the nation at large. The last part of the 20th century it mainly thrived by living off it's established roll of having Wall St. as the financial center of not only America, but the world. It was also the heavy on all forms of media - radio, print and TV.
That's all going away now. We no longer need NYC to have our goods shipped through. With the digital age, the disintegration Wall St. and the emergence of numerous global financial hubs, we no longer need NY as a financial center. With the internet, cable and modern technology, the Big Apple media domination is now a thing of the past.
Additionally, the city, and to a large degree the state, is broke. The region is run by leftists whose only solution is to suck their citizens, property owners and economic producers for everything they have by taxing and regulating their businesses, homes and property into oblivion.
New York city has nothing to offer the world any longer. It produces little of anything of REAL value (food, goods, resources etc.), and depends on the graces of the real producers to enable their uber civilization.
It won't be long before NY resembles the decrepit, dead cities of the middle ages. As a native New Yorker who is glad to be gone, I say they deserve everything they have coming and more.
Thanks for your excellent analysis. I have only visited NYC once - had to see a game in Yankee Stadium - and was struck by the physical decay. You have put sound thinking to my ‘gut feel’ and listed the factors behind the decline of the city. Well done.