I totally agree.  I love looking at the features on older buildings, even simple stuff like window sills and gutters can be beautifully ornate.  Now everything new is so plain and there is none of that great detail.

Ad astra per aspera

Funny you should mention that.  My friend, who is a gargoyle freak, has decided to become a "Gargoylist".  She's going to make gargoyles.  She bought a spread out in Arizona and is going to try her hand at it.  She has experience working in many media, so this should be interesting.  She carved herself a gargoyle from a piece of marble she got in Italy 12 years ago.  It's only about 5" high, she keeps it on her desk.  Then she made some out of cinnabar and she kept making these tiny things.  Finally, some guy who worked with her asked her to make a couple for his out out of copper.  That was her impetus.  I think he paid her something like $9K for each of them, and she made 6 total.  So, when she gets her site up, I'll be the first to tout it.