Hey, someone's got to do it. Occasionally, a spasm of energy garners a bit of notice. Then in 1998, the Texas-owned MRO Managament Inc. bought the property and splashed cartoonish, bright colors on it. They generally spiffed the place up, and opened some retail shops and a handful of little cafes. Until then, no one paid much attention to the failed urban-renewal corner, dubbed La Placita Village.
Downtown certainly fades away.
If you want to enjoy a quick bite to eat, soak your feet in a fountain or sit and stare at some flowers, then flip off the fax and stroll on down to La Placita. You won't find a shortage of eateries. Certainly not the kind of cart that sells the type of hot dog you eat while reading a newspaper and pretending you are someplace else entirely. Dear god, that's the time to eat a hot dog. Only paper is appropriate.