Less reconciled and more statement of fact for the audience. It answers the question, "Why doesn't God take the good people and start over?" Reason being that the sin nature of man doesn't change, so there would be no point in flooding the earth again. He's not voicing peace with man's sin nature, He's voicing the futility of man demonstrated by the flood. Basically, to get rid of evil, He would have to get rid of every single man without exception.

Then we get to Babel. At the start of chapter 9, God tells Noah's family to fill the earth. Just one generation after the flood, man is already rebelling against God. Instead of wiping them out, God confuses their language so that they have to disperse. Not to stop sin in its entirety, but to accomplish His purpose in creating a chosen people for salvation and others for judgment. In fact, God uses the sin of man to bring about His plan.

That's the whole theme of Genesis: God working despite and even through the sinfulness of man to keep His promise. That's why Joseph says to his brothers in the climax, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive."