I've seen a few videos and many screenshots with people using various designs for their zoning, and I'm curious as to their reasons behind them.

The first design is what I've seen the most, though the center of the area remains unused until larger buildings are constructed.

The middle design has better coverage for early construction, though the extra cost of roads can get expensive for a city just starting out.

The last design seemed very odd to me, as it would only use half of its available space until the density of the area increased.

Is there any benefit to leaving empty space in your plots?