Fountain Square East

In midtown Manhattan last week, I stepped out of a subway station and found myself staring dead-ahead at Bryant Park, probably the No. 1 model for Cincinnati's Fountain Square makeover. My feet must have been guided by the Spirit of Born-again Parks.

Even on a cold, blustery morning, people still were using Bryant. There was some kind of martial arts competition winding down with guys in white karate suits, and off to one side, some people were playing what I thought was bocci ball. It turns out it was a French variation called petanque. Anyway I could instantly see Bryant's influence on new Fountain Square, which reopens this weekend. Both have the wooded, parklike perimeter with fountain and open space in the middle. Both also have a cafe and kiosks and winter ice-skating.

Bryant has been a huge success, and the new Fountain Square could be even more popular, not just because it has a more spectacular fountain but because the designers have shamelessly stolen more features from many different sites, and 3CDC plans to "program" the place like crazy almost 24-7. Bryant Park, near Times Square, doesn't have a video screen like the one atop Macy's overlooking the new Fountain Square. They probably figured that was overkill, but in Cincinnati it's a smart move. In Hong Kong's "Times Square," crowds congregate just to stare open-mouthed at that video board.

If anything, Fountain Square's promoters may need to resist the temptation to re-clutter the square. Open spaces are worth cultivating too. We got to save enough room for people -- and people-watching. Between people-watching, video-viewing, programmed activities and new restaurant-shopping, what more is needed? Public executions? High-wire acts? What do you think?