Nollen Plaza appeared forlorn and abandoned recently on what otherwise was a glorious fall day. Food carts that had beckoned downtown workers from their cubicles for a quick hot dog or bratwurst and a breath of fresh air had been wheeled indoors. The Brenton Fountain was silent; its companion reflecting pool, empty. A few people sat on benches near “Crusoe Umbrella,” Claes Oldenburg’s giant sculpture that looked to have been dropped into a place that time seemed destined to pass by.

The park’s lethargy is only temporary. Several proposals for its comeback are being circulated among business leaders, whose generosity will determine if Nollen Plaza becomes the city’s “living room,” as popular public gathering places like Portland, Ore.’s Pioneer Courthouse Square are known, or remains an underutilized space.

The park is proven as a place for concerts, political rallies and other planned events, and it should continue to be used for such purposes. But for Nollen Plaza to serve a growing number of urban dwellers, as well draw the 65,000 downtown workers out of the skywalks, it must invite spontaneity. That requires a robust retail component, with kiosks and food carts offering the lunches and lattés over which conversations are held. The space can be made more flexible with movable tables and chairs, and more welcoming by the removal of barriers that block the lush gardens under a canopy of maturing trees. Around-the-clock policing can make it a truly 24/7 park, as safe for a midnight stroll as it is for a lunchtime respite. If public sentiment counts for anything – and it should – the Brenton Fountain and Reflecting Pool must be repaired or replaced. Such amenities are expected of great cities and are a statement that details matter.

That’s an expensive list, with ongoing costs for security and maintenance that can’t be overlooked. The sting is still fresh from a $30,000 bill to fix a leak in the reflecting pool two years ago, but there were mitigating factors and, one hopes, lessons learned. The pool wasn’t designed for wading, but became a popular place for a quick dip on a scorching summer day. In a case of best intentions gone awry, years of chlorinating the water as a public health precaution eventually caused the mechanical equipment to fail.

Public-private partnerships will determine if Nollen Plaza is to become a crowning jewel in downtown’s rebirth. To shortchange its renovation plans would be folly.