The problem is those buildings are incredibly expensive to retrofit they cost 2x more than building new to convert to apartments and they're very expensive to run. And the big issue is that without the taxes from the businesses located downtown there isn't enough money to keep up all the critical Social services, sanitation, education, policing, etc... I love the idea though and will probably see it happen with a few buildings. They could be much cheaper to retrofit if people were up for SRO type units with shared kitchens and bathrooms.