Portsmouth Square Improvement Project

Portsmouth Square is located in the Chinatown neighborhood at 733 Kearny Street, between Clay Street and Washington Street, and is one of San Francisco’s most significant historic, cultural, and civic spaces. Originally a civic plaza for the Yerba Buena settlement, the square was renamed after the USS Portsmouth in 1846. Portsmouth Square has served as a backdrop to some of the most important moments in city and state history, including:

• Countless festivals, parades, and other affirmations of civic pride
• The rise and fall of the Gold Rush
• The site of the first City Hall and California’s first public school
• A staging ground and place of refuge after the 1906 earthquake

The existing terraced site includes:

• Clubhouse
• Restroom building
• Pedestrian bridge extending over Kearny Street
• Two children’s play areas
• Underground parking garage
• Various historical markers

Project Objectives

The Recreation and Park Department has identified the following objectives for this project:

1. Provide a Renovated Park that is Sensitive to the Cultural and Historic Setting of the Property

• Provide a renovated park that is architecturally compatible with the Chinatown neighborhood while maintaining the existing park character.
• Incorporate the existing monuments and art elements into a renovated park.

2. Align Park Renovation with Community Input

• Be responsive to the recreational needs of the Chinatown neighborhood and provide for diverse groups of people of various ages and abilities.
• Maximize the implementation of community input received during the engagement phase.

3. Maximize Park Cohesiveness and Usability

• Improve spatial relationships, access, and circulation, both within the park and at the park-street frontage interface.
• Maximize usable space and remove barriers or elements that divide usable space.
• Create inviting and flexible spaces that can accommodate daily recreational activities and events of all sizes.
• Establish a clubhouse that can flex to accommodate gatherings of multiple sizes.
• Create a large multi-use upper plaza that can accommodate large events but is also comfortable for all event sizes.
• Site new buildings in a manner that maximizes natural light, works with the existing garage structure and respects the topography of the site and the surrounding area.
• Maximize direct connections between the clubhouse and the park that offer opportunities for indoor-outdoor uses.
• Create a unified “active recreation” area with fitness equipment and a children’s playground with direct access to the clubhouse.

4. Create a Safe and Secure Park and Streetscape

• Create a single cohesive park that is both physically and visually connected and uses site elements and structures to connect instead of divide spaces.
• Provide direct lines of sight to and from the clubhouse to maximize safety and visibility throughout the property.
• Provide a safe pedestrian experience both within the park and on the sidewalks.

5. Maintain and Preserve the Existing Garage and its Operations

• Minimize impacts to the garage structure and its operations both during construction and at completion.
• Upgrade the waterproofing of the garage and all roof drainage components to eliminate water intrusion into the garage and its structure.
• Protect the existing restroom and garage infrastructure on the park level and seamlessly incorporate them into the renovated park.

6. Create a Sustainable and Easy-To-Maintain Park

• Provide a “Zero Carbon” clubhouse by eliminating all carbon emissions and using 100% renewable energy.
• Utilize durable and long-lasting materials and building systems to withstand intense use and not create long-term maintenance burdens.
• Minimize the need for long-term pest management.
• Design and implement a project that meets the established budget.

Project Details 

• Portsmouth Square Area Existing Conditions and Feasibility Report, December 2014 (PDF)

Commission Materials 

• N/A

Grant Award Materials

• N/A

Community Meetings - Notes and Presentations

• Workshop 5 Posters (PDF)
• Workshop 5 Presentation (PDF)
• Workshop 4 Posters, January 11, 2018 (PDF)
• Workshop 4 Presentation, January 11, 2018 (PDF)
• Workshop 3 Posters, October 25, 2017 (PDF)
• Workshop 3 Presentation, October 25, 2017 (PDF)
• Workshop 2 Feedback Worksheets, July 13, 2017 (PDF)
• Workshop 2 Framework Station Posters, July 13, 2017 (PDF)
• Workshop 2 Old Photos Poster, July 13, 2017 (PDF)
• Workshop 2 Presentation, July 13, 2017 (PDF)
• Workshop 2 Results Posters, July 13, 2017 (PDF)
• Workshop 2 Results Summary Board, July 13, 2017 (PDF)
• Workshop 1 Existing Site Conditions Board, May 18, 2017 (PDF)
• Workshop 1 Presentation, May 18, 2017 (PDF)
• Workshop 1 Site History Poster, May 18, 2017 (PDF)