having abandoned office buildings is a signifier that the city is still relatively integrated into a greater economy

no, no it’s not, it’s historically a signifier of an economic downturn. I have no idea where your mind is here.

Most vertical farms are designed for fruit and vegetable growth because the price of that produce justifies the expense of growing indoors

I think you might not get what is happening and what Im talking about. They’re not growing fruit, and they’re only growing one kind of vegetable: leaves. Im not exaggerating when I say they’re growing things with single digit calories. Im all for them growing fruit, and substantial vegetables, all full of micronutrients but also healthy calories and proteins and complex carbs. They dont grow these things because these vertical farms are always just a tech fad, not actually good at growing anything but the least demanding of plants, the stuff that basically grows from nothing but the nutrients inherent to the seeds themselves, microgreens and young lettuces. I say fad but it keeps popping up and failing as tech startups pitch it to new investors, for short lived projects that dont make it to market.