> Yeah I think some NIMBY resistance to new development would be diminished if new buildings weren't so consistently and intensely offensive to human senses.

This. Being upset that your entire neighborhood has been boxed in by ticky-tack five overs is a pretty natural response IMO.

People like to hate on NIMBY's here but for many cases (not all) I think it's reasonable to care about your neighborhood and to want to prevent outside interests from fucking it up.