The public will get its first look Thursday at preliminary designs for enhancing and unifying a public space in the heart of downtown Portland that once divided city residents.

New York City artist Sarah Sze and the Philadelphia-based WRT landscape and architectural design team are expected to present early drafts of their design concepts for Congress Square Park and other public areas surrounding the busy, five-way intersection of Congress, High and Free streets.

“We are excited to have reached this point,” said Caitlin Cameron, the city’s urban designer. “It’s a fun and engaging time to get involved for everyone. This is where the creativity happens – taking all the ideas to see where they go.”

Neither Sze nor WRT responded to requests for interviews Wednesday. But both are expected to incorporate public feedback received at Thursday’s meeting into final designs that will be presented in the spring. After that, fundraising would need to occur before any of the new design elements are implemented.

Bree LaCasse, president of the Friends of Congress Square Park, a nonprofit that led efforts to save the park from development in 2013, said it’s important that people interested in the future of Congress Square and the small park provide input about the concepts being explored.

“This is an important meeting to get feedback before designs are finalized over the winter,” LaCasse said. “The goal is to make sure the concepts are progressing in the right direction and satisfy the community desire for improved pedestrian circulation and accessibility, as well as efficient space planning to accommodate the various activities and uses our community has come to expect.”

The effort to remake Congress Square grew out of a controversial move by the City Council in 2013 to sell a portion of Congress Square Park to an out-of-state developer looking to building an event center. The proposed sale prompted residents to organize, protest and ultimately overturn the sale through a citywide referendum that also added protections to all of the city’s parks.

The referendum went forward despite the city’s attempt to block the effort – an issue that the city appealed and lost before the Maine’s highest court. The city was ordered to pay the Friends more than $50,000 in legal fees.

Over the last few years, the Friends have reinvigorated the park, adding colorful chairs, tables and umbrellas, as well as sponsoring a full series of events, including dances, movies, yoga and more. The group also conducts regular park cleanups.

Cameron said images of the design concepts would not be available until Thursday’s meeting, but LaCasse has seen drafts and believes they are meeting the community goals developed in a series of public meetings last fall.

Cameron said WRT will likely present a conceptual design that expands a plaza in front of the Portland Museum of Art. That plaza would be extended to include two pedestrian islands – one in front of the art museum and the other in front of the Hay Building at the corner of Free and Congress streets.

However, that plan, as well as other potential changes to the curbs and sidewalks to narrow crossing distances for pedestrians, would need to be approved by the Maine Department of Transportation, she said.

WRT, which is being paid nearly $80,000 for its work, is also looking to unify the public spaces around the intersection with a “green fabric.”

“It’s very focused on using landscape (material) to knit the space together and give the space an identity,” she said.

The new design will also address the sunken aspect of the park, which currently includes steps down a hardscaped area. Cameron said the new design will include some sloped areas to deal with the grade changes and include a performance area in the back corner of the park.

And the artwork?

“It’s been a little bit mysterious,” Cameron said. “(Sze) has a lot of ideas brewing but she hasn’t shown us everything yet. It’s still in progress.”

Sze, who has connections to Maine and is being paid $75,000 for her work, was chosen over three other artists to come up with public artwork for the site. During a visit to Portland in August, she discussed a desire to have one primary piece of art and several smaller pieces scattered throughout the park. She envisioned an “organic” sculpture that would provide “a sense of discovery” in the natural landscape.

“Since that interview she has continued with that general concept,” Cameron said.

After Thursday, Cameron said she would be presenting the design concepts to various city boards and committees over the coming weeks to solicit additional feedback. She also hopes to meet with the City Council, possibly in February.

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