Nohad Toulan's conception of the place that would house Portland State University's College of Urban and Public Affairs' new facility went far beyond a mere structure. A vital urban plaza that would act as a link to Portland's downtown, a transportation hub, and a gathering place for students and community members, was central to his vision. The Urban Center Plaza, over its 14-year history, has fulfilled that vision becoming an anchor of commercial, civic, and educational activity in the central city's south end. The following observations are excerpted from an article by urban historian, Carl Abbot, published in Landscape Architecture shortly after the plaza's completion in 2001.