Portsmouth Square Improvement Project

CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY: Portsmouth Square is now closed for renovation through mid-2028.

Scope of Work

The park, located above the Portsmouth Square parking garage, will receive a complete renovation with funding from the 2020 Health and Recovery Bond. The design is the result of a robust community engagement and participatory design process, is reflective of the significance of the neighborhood, and addresses programmatic challenges unique to Chinatown. The renovated park will include the following community-identified priorities:

• A large flexible outdoor event space with an elevated stage
• A new, larger, 8,500 sq ft community clubhouse with a large assembly area and meeting rooms
• A large shade structure
• A new consolidated playground with adult fitness equipment
• The removal of the existing Kearny Street pedestrian bridge
• Enhanced accessibility
• New planting, irrigation, lighting, and furnishings
• Generous seating and gathering areas
• Replacement of the garage roof’s waterproofing and drainage system
• Adjacent streetscape improvements

Background

Redesigning Chinatown's Historic Public Plaza - Portsmouth Square, located in Chinatown, is one of San Francisco’s most significant historic, cultural, and civic spaces. The park is eligible for listing in the California Register of Historic Resources for its role as an important cultural space for the Chinatown community and for its association with important events and early development of San Francisco. As the city’s earliest public square, the park was the site of the 1848 declaration of California independence, the proclamation of the discovery of gold in 1849, California’s first public school, and the site of a refugee camp after the 1906 earthquake and fire. Portsmouth Square has also served as both a formal and informal public square and gathering space for San Franciscans since the settlement of Yerba Buena was first platted circa 1835. Portsmouth Square has served the Chinatown community for more than a century. 

Funding

The project will be largely funded through developer impact fees and the 2020 Health and Recovery bond. The current identified funding sources include:

• 2020 Health & Recovery Bond
• Transit Center Impact Fees and Community Facilities District funding
• CA State Grant, Assemblymember Phil Ting
• CA State Grant, State Senator Scott Weiner
• Downtown Park Fund
• Sustainable Chinatown

Estimated Project Schedule

Planning, 2017

Design, 2020

Construction begins, June 10, 2026

Open to the Public, Mid 2028

Project Updates

If you would like to receive updates about the Portsmouth Square Improvement Project, please visit the News Flash section of our webpage and subscribe to "Rec Park Improvements: Portsmouth Square." To receive updates about all our active projects, subscribe to "Rec Park Improvements | All Project Updates."