Cambridge residents and business owners spoke passionately of preserving the character of the Square at a meeting of the Cambridge Historical Commission last night where the redevelopment of several Square buildings, including the Tasty, was discussed.

Last night's meeting was one of a series in which the commission will decide whether to recommend that the City Council designate the site a landmark.

Cambridge Savings Bank is considering plans to significantly remodel four buildings in the Square, including the one that for more than a century has contained the Tasty and the Wursthaus.

W. Easley Hammer, principal of the architectural firm working with the bank, illustrated his proposals with an elaborate styrofoam model of the area.

He emphasized that the plans are still in the discussion phase and said repeatedly that the bank wants to do everything possible to maintain the historical significance of the site.

The corner is actually composed of parts of four separate buildings united behind one facade--buildings that date back hundreds of years.

While in some cases only dismembered frames remain of the original structures, the commission as well as Hamner said they wanted to preserve the antiques.

Hamner also said the bank wanted to try to preserve the appearance of the Square. He suggested that the facade might be preserved while the inside of the site was modernized and renovated.

"Urbanistically, this facade is one of the most important in the entire city," Hamner said.

The members of the commission expressed a concern, later echoed by community members, that the site continue to house small businesses rather than large chain stores--like the Gap, Express and HMV--that have been appearing in increasing numbers in the Square.

"The quality of the uses in the building is as important as the architecture," said Anthony C. Platt, a member of the commission.

Hamner said the bank was trying to keep small businesses the focus of the site.

"We've never looked at a megastore for this area," he said.

However, members of the commission were quick to emphasize that their jurisdiction does not cover the use of the space in question.

Nevertheless, the future uses of the site was a major issue in the meeting.