1.   As shoppers switched to nearby malls, the downtown became a hangout for idlers, many of whom were left unemployed by the flight of business.

2.   But eventually, malls mushroomed and the suburbs beckoned, and the quaint downtown became increasingly empty and abandoned.

3.   Downtown probably will become a Bloomingdales.

4.   I began to understand why, for a few weeks at least, a somewhat unpleasant downtown has suddenly become a totally wonderful downtown.

5.   In recent years, however, the downtown has become increasingly ticky-tacky.

6.   Little things added up until downtown Atlanta became a lawless city, at least as defined by laws of civility.

7.   The downtown became a ghost town.

8.   The men then went to the club when downtown became crowded.