The Episcopal Church has purchased a full city block in downtown Austin to eventually house its archives. According to the Statesman, the church paid Austin real estate attorney, Jimmy Nassour, $9.5MM. Right now the property is being used as a surface level parking lot next to the ARCH.
They only turn into dead spaces if they do not have proper programming. You have to build the plaza and think about what types of events you want to happen there. If you program correctly, then people will begin to come to you to offer programming ideas.
These plazas always turn into dead space.