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~; <br />a~ <br />-~.~> . _ <br />~, <br />Hays Street today <br /> <br />In this way, the original downtown grid was interrupted and the tradi- <br />tional relationship of shops to streets and sidwalks was fundamentally al- <br />tered. The introduction of a megastructure extending across three city blocks <br />with a large parking lot in front replaced the traditional downtown pattern <br />of small, finely detailed storefronts with a monolithic shopping mall model. <br />The historic plaza was also changed in this redevelopment. Parking spaces <br />were extended into the plaza area, obscuring its original triangular shape. <br />Because Washington Avenue and its accompanying shops no longer ran along <br />its edge to the Davis Street intersection, the plaza lost its definition. It was <br />relandscaped in a park theme with raised planters, commemorative plaques <br />and benches. With no shops to activitate it, and no compelling focus, the <br />plaza became alittle-used space. Too small for public gatherings, too noisy <br />for passive park activities, and too recessive to be noticed at the speed of <br />adjacent traffic, the historic plaza fell into decline. <br />page 34 October 2000 San Leandro Downtown Plan & Urban Design Guidelines <br />Washington Street today, almost <br />appears to be a street. <br />Safeavay shopping center, 1983. <br />