Although details for Mellon Square's proposed restoration have not been revealed, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and The Cultural Landscape Foundation are making a strong case for why one is needed.

In a video shown at the opening reception of last week's symposium honoring the square's designer, John O. Simonds, some of the problems were noted, including non-working lighting, empty planters, unsightly spot repairs and water seepage from fountains. Worst of all, the square's signature fountain that cascades to Smithfield Street is frequently inoperable.

But what constitutes a restoration?

The conservancy has dubbed its current work on the East End's Mellon Park a restoration, but renovation or partial restoration would be more accurate. The issue goes to more than semantics; it goes to intent. The intention at Mellon Park is to create a hybrid between the original design and what is deemed necessary to make the park more enjoyable for visitors. The makeover also accommodates an entirely new feature, a memorial artwork.

So the idea of a restoration of Mellon Square should be met with close scrutiny of what is intended.

The subject came up in a Q&A session at Friday's symposium. Christina Schmidlapp, who guided the partial restoration of a section of Allegheny Commons Park, asked members of a panel if they believed there is a "tension" between the restoration of historic parks and their adaptation for contemporary use.

"I think it's important not to change the concept," said architect Lou Astorino, citing his restoration work at Fallingwater. "But if there's a better way to maintain a building, we do it. Mellon Square, I wouldn't change a thing."

Jack Scholl, who worked with Simonds for several decades and now is managing partner of Simonds' firm, Environmental Planning and Design, said, "I guess if you asked John, he'd say if there's anything we can improve, let's improve it."

As with any garden, Mellon Square has evolved over time as plant materials and trees that died or didn't perform well were replaced. And when EPD rebuilt Mellon Square in the late 1980s, more changes were made, some for safety's sake. Scholl said the firm even suggested a restaurant be added to the square to raise funds for its maintenance, an idea the city rejected.

Changes were made, too, at Gateway Center's Equitable Plaza (now TrizecHahn Plaza) that compromised Simonds' 1961 design: Part of the geometric-patterned gray and white terrazzo, so striking from above, has given way to a winding path of square pavers that seems more pastoral than urban.

The symposium afforded plenty of insight into Simonds, his professional habits and what it was like to work with and for him.

When he and his brother Phil began the firm as Simonds and Simonds in 1939, the "business plan was simply to network" with movers and shakers, said former co-worker Bob Vukich. The firm soon was producing some of the most forward-looking projects of their day, often -- as at Mellon Square -- in collaboration with architects Mitchell and Ritchey. In time, Simonds and Simonds became one of the most influential firms in the world.

"He was a true environmentalist long before anyone grasped this concept," said former co-worker Richard Bell. "I will always think of John as a sort of Zen Buddhist master. He was always searching for harmony in his work."

Scholl said Simonds planned every aspect of his professional life. He was always prepared; he was disciplined, confident, modest, strategic and passionate.

"He believed the important thing was to leave the world a better place because you've traveled through it."

The 14-minute Mellon Square video can be viewed on the conservancy's Web site, www.pittsburghparks.org.

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