News Flash

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – After years of planning and community engagement, the long-anticipated renovation of Portsmouth Square is moving closer to construction. The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department announced today that a contractor has been recommended for approval, marking a major milestone toward a planned summer 2026 groundbreaking.

Swinerton Builders submitted the lowest bid following a competitive public bidding process that began in October 2025, with a bid just under $48 million. The Recreation and Park Commission is anticipated to vote for final approval on February 19, following a presentation at the Commission’s Capital Committee on February 4. 

Often called “Chinatown’s living room,” Portsmouth Square has not undergone a comprehensive renovation in more than half a century. This once-in-a-generation investment will modernize the historic plaza while honoring its cultural and historical significance for generations to come.

“Portsmouth Square is a beloved gathering place for seniors, families, and children in the Chinatown community,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie. “These improvements will help keep the park a welcoming public space that brings people together and ensure that Chinatown continues to thrive for generations to come, and I look forward to breaking ground this summer.”

The renovation reflects years of community input and will include:

• A large, flexible outdoor event space
• A new and expanded community clubhouse
• An updated playground with adult fitness equipment
• A large shade structure
• Improved accessibility, lighting, seating, and landscaping
• Major upgrades to the underground garage’s waterproofing and drainage

The project will also remove the pedestrian bridge over Kearny Street, reopening sightlines and restoring the historic character of the square.

“Portsmouth Square has always been the heart of Chinatown and a place for seniors to gather, families to connect, and culture to thrive,” said Supervisor Danny Sauter. “This project is a major step forward in delivering a long-overdue renovation shaped by years of community input. This investment will honor the square’s history while creating a safer, more accessible, and vibrant public space for generations to come.”

The bid reflects construction costs only and is part of the project’s overall $73 million budget, which also includes design, construction management, public art, permits, inspections and other professional services related to construction.  Funding is provided through a combination of the 2020 Health and Recovery Bond, developer impact fees, the Downtown Park Fund, grants, a $6 million state budget allocation secured by former Assemblymember Phil Ting, and a recent $1 million state budget allocation from Senator Scott Wiener.

“The recommendation of a contractor means this project is officially moving from vision to reality,” said Recreation and Park Interim General Manager Sarah Madland. “Portsmouth Square will soon become a greener, safer, and more welcoming place for seniors, families, and visitors in one of San Francisco’s densest neighborhoods.”

“Swinerton is proud to continue our partnership with San Francisco Recreation and Park, Department and Public Works, and the Chinatown community to enhance Portsmouth Square,” said Swinerton Builders’ Vice President and San Francisco Division Manager Paul Hinz. “This project reflects our commitment to delivering high‑quality, community‑focused infrastructure that strengthens neighborhoods and supports Mayor Lurie’s vision for San Francisco.”

Construction is expected to last just over two years, with the park anticipated to reopen in fall 2028. The Portsmouth Square Garage is expected to remain open during construction, with elevator access maintained at Washington Street and Walter U. Lum Place. Nearby parks—including St. Mary’s Square, Woh Hei Yuen Park and Betty Ann Ong Chinese Recreation Center—will remain available for community use.

“Our community has been waiting patiently for a brand new, functional park to serve our seniors, families and children for a long time,” said Anni Chung, President and CEO of Self Help for the Elderly. “We are delighted the project is on track and the new Portsmouth Square will be here soon."

Once construction begins, Recreation and Park will share monthly project updates and continue community engagement, including a series of meetings focused on arts enrichment and interpretive programming.

For more information on the Portsmouth Square Improvement Project, click here.

###

Press Release, January 29, 2026

As we announced in October, the Portsmouth Square Improvement Project is now open for interested contractors to bid.

We’re happy to report that we’ve received enthusiastic interest from qualified contractors, many of whom requested more time to prepare thoughtful, competitive bids.

To support high-quality proposals and a strong selection process, we’re extending the bid deadline to January 7, 2026 at 2:30 PM (PST).

This extension will not change the construction schedule, which is scheduled to begin in mid-2026.

💬 Have questions or concerns? 

Feel free to contact the project manager: 

Noah Levy 

📧 noah.levy@sfgov.org 

📞 628-652-6633

Please visit the project page at:

Portsmouth Square Improvement Project

We’re excited to announce that the Portsmouth Square Improvement Project is now open for interested contractors to bid! 

Portsmouth Square, located in Chinatown, is one of San Francisco’s most significant historic, cultural, and civic spaces. The project will transform the park by constructing a new clubhouse, a large flexible event plaza, playgrounds, and fitness areas, as well as improving the park’s accessibility and lighting.

This bid package is updated from one originally posted in March 2025 and includes updates to the construction documents and scope to better align with the project budget, including refinements to paving, lighting, and architectural details.

The project is covered under the Citywide Project Labor Agreement (PLA) and includes Local Business Enterprise (LBE) participation goals.

Contractors can review the full bid documents and project details here:

• Public Works
• City Partner

There will be a pre-bid meeting for interested contractors on October 29, 2025, at 10:00 AM (PST) on site at Portsmouth Square.

Bid deadline is December 10, 2025 EXTENDED to January 7, 2026 at 2:30 PM (PST) 

💬 Have questions or concerns? 

Feel free to contact the project manager: 

Noah Levy 

📧 noah.levy@sfgov.org 

📞 628-652-6633 

Please visit the project page at:

Portsmouth Square Improvement Project

Current site plan:

Earlier this year, we announced that the Portsmouth Square project was advertised for construction bids from March 12 to May 21, 2025.

Unfortunately, all the bid proposals submitted by qualified contractors exceeded the project's budget. The significantly higher proposals reflected market-wide construction cost escalation influenced by global tariffs and supply chain pressures. This is common with large public city projects. We are working diligently to prepare a new construction bid package, which will be available from early-Fall 2025 (September) to mid-Fall (November).

The new construction bid package will include minor adjustments to the project specifications and scope to better align with the budget. Despite these changes, the project remains true to the community’s core vision.

Construction is now expected to begin Spring 2026, and we aim to complete the project and re-open the park by mid-2028.

We continue to work closely with community stakeholders and keep the public informed as we are dedicated to delivering a high-quality park project to the AAPI and Chinatown community.

💬 Have questions or concerns? 

Feel free to contact the project manager: 

Noah Levy 

📧 noah.levy@sfgov.org 

📞 628-652-6633 

Please visit the project page at:

Portsmouth Square Improvement Project

The San Francisco Arts Commission Is Seeking Your Feedback on Public Art Proposals that have been selected for Portsmouth Square Clubhouse Wall and Portsmouth Square Entrance Plaza Sculpture.

Comments may be submitted directly on the proposal page or emailed to sfacpublicartcomment@sfgov.org before Monday, July 21, 2025 by 5:00 p.m.

Public art proposals can be viewed on the San Francisco Arts Commission’s proposal display page.

===

The San Francisco Arts Commission is conducting a review process to choose an artist to design an artwork for a large interior and adjacent exterior wall located at the entrance to the new Portsmouth Square clubhouse. The artwork will measure approximately 600 square feet and may be comprised of a durable material, such as mosaic or ceramic tile. The goal of the project is to create an artwork that reflects the culture and spirit of community service in San Francisco Chinatown; offers a compelling indoor and outdoor narrative experience; strengthens the connection between Portsmouth Square and its new community clubhouse. Three artists were chosen as finalists by a Public Art Review Panel to design proposals for this opportunity: Kayan Cheung-Miaw, Jenifer K. Wofford, and Christine Wong Yap.

Share your public comments for the Clubhouse Wall

The San Francisco Arts Commission is conducting a review process to choose an artist to design an artwork for the Portsmouth Square entrance plaza, located at the corner of Walter U Lum and Washington Streets. The artwork will be a human-scale sculpture and comprised of durable, sustainable materials intended for exterior use, such as stone or metal. The goal of the project is to create an artwork that acts as a welcoming beacon to Portsmouth Square entrance plaza; is highly visible from the street; and draws people into the park space; and celebrates the people, history, and values of San Francisco’s Chinatown communities. Three artists/artist teams were chosen as finalists by a Public Art Review Panel to design proposals for this opportunity: lee + boles faw, Bijun Liang, and Cathy Lu.

Share your public comments for the Entrance Plaza Sculpture

We are happy to share the Portsmouth Square Art and Interpretive Master Plan.

This plan is the culmination of extensive community engagement and will guide our work on all new interpretive elements, existing monuments and plaques, and new public art related to the upcoming Portsmouth Square Improvement Project.

Rec Park created this plan through a series of public meetings with Chinatown community stakeholders over the past 18 months, in partnership with the SF Arts Commission and SF Planning Department, and we are delighted with the result.

We look forward to advancing this important work in the upcoming months.

Feel free to reach out with any questions.

Noah Levy, Project Manager, noah.levy@sfgov.org

For more information, please visit the project website >>

We're excited to announce that on March 12, 2025, the Portsmouth Square Improvement Project was advertised for public bid!

Interested contractors can review the bid opportunity and access the bid documents via the City’s electronic bid documents download site, see links below.

The contractor selection process takes several months, and we anticipate that we will have a contractor onboard by Fall 2025 with a groundbreaking in late 2025.

Link to press release: https://sfrecpark.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2132

Links to download the bid documents:

• SF City Partner
• SFPW Bid Opportunities

Feel free to reach out with any questions.

Noah Levy, Project Manager, noah.levy@sfgov.org

For more information, please visit the project website >>

We wanted to provide an update concerning the status of the Portsmouth Square Improvement Project, including the status of the pedestrian bridge demolition and removal.

The City and the Hotel located at 750 Kearny St, have agreed to a schedule for the key aspects of the Bridge demolition project, which includes demolition and removal of the bridge by mid- to late-2025. As a result, the City can now move forward with the park renovation. The City and the Hotel are continuing the financial negotiations for the global resolution of the cost allocation for this work.

The Hotel worked with the City, and we can now confirm that the Chinese Culture Center (CCC) will not need to vacate its offices (on the 3^rd Floor) during the project’s construction and will remain for the balance of its lease term, which ends on October 17, 2033.

In October 2024, SF Rec and Park will start seeking bids from potential construction contractors for this project. This process will take 1-2 months. Once bids are received, SF Rec and Park will review and award a construction contract that meets our project budget. If the construction contract is approved, we anticipate the green light to start construction in Spring 2025. If there are issues with the bidding process, then a contract could take longer, delaying the start of construction.

We will continue to keep you posted on the schedule.

Feel free to reach out with any questions.

Noah Levy, Project Manager, noah.levy@sfgov.org

For more information, please visit the project website >>

Thank you to all who attended the contractor meet & greet event on July 22!  It was a successful event where many valued local contractors connected with general contractors, City staff, and our two community partners: Success Centers and the A.P. Randolph Institute.

At the event we shared information on three important RPD projects that will be advertising this summer and fall:

• Buchanan Street Mall Project
• The Portsmouth Square renovation project
• India Basin Shoreline Park which is Phase 3 of the India Basin Parks initiative

We also shared detailed information about Local and Small Business Enterprise contracting requirements and Local Hire. Please visit the RPD website here >> to access the presentation slides we shared. Individual Project Manager contact info is included on the project slides if you have any questions.

Please stay tuned for updates on pre-bid meetings.

Kelli Rudnick, Deputy Director for Capital, Rec & Park, kelli.rudnick@sfgov.org

Attention General contractors and Local Business Enterprise contractors:

Please join us for a Contractor Meet & Greet event on July 22, 1pm-3pm, at 49 South Van Ness - 1st Floor, RM 2 & 3.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP >>

Learn more about Rec & Park’s investment in equity and upcoming opportunities on three exciting projects going out to bid in summer 2024:

• Buchanan Street Mall Project
• The Portsmouth Square renovation project
• India Basin Shoreline Park which is Phase 3 of the India Basin Parks initiative

This Contractor Meet & Greet event is designed to provide an opportunity for general contractors and Local Business Enterprise contractors to make new connections with each other. Our intention is that these connections will develop into the kinds of teams that will make compelling bids on upcoming Rec & Park projects.

The event will kick off at 1pm with a brief presentation that will include an overview of current Rec & Park projects and a summary of project requirements and goals from Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE), Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), and Contract Monitoring Division (CMD).

After this introduction, the event will become an open house for LBE, MBE, WBE contractors to connect with prime contractors, learn more about Rec & Park projects, and ask questions about project and contracting requirements. General contractors may request a table for handouts or other materials.

Questions? Reach out to Kelli Rudnick, Deputy Director for Capital, Rec & Park kelli.rudnick@sfgov.org

Thank you to community members who have provided input on the Public Art Project Plan for the Portsmouth Square Improvement Project!

The plan was presented and approved by the SF Arts Commission Visual Arts Committee (VAC) on May 15, 2024.

Pending Full Commission approval, the Arts Commission will publish a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for interested artists and then host a pre-application workshop for interested artists.

We will post updates about the RFQ as more information is available.

You can find more information, including the agenda and SF Art Commission report, at this SF Arts Commission webpage >>

Rec and Park is committed to sharing information for artists and community members who want to be involved with public art for the project. Stay tuned!

For more information visit the project webpage >>

For questions or comments, please contact:

Noah Levy, Project Manager, noah.levy@sfgov.org

Hello neighbors! On January 30, 2024, San Francisco residents learned more about the Arts and Interpretative Program for the upcoming Portsmouth Square project.

SF Recreation and Park Department, SF Planning, SF Arts Commission, and the project design team provided analysis and recommendation about the existing plaques and monuments at Portsmouth Square, guiding principles that will inform the development of the Interpretation Masterplan document, and potential themes for future interpretation opportunities.

To view the slide deck from the presentation, click here (PDF).

Thank you to all our meeting attendees for your valuable insight and feedback. Stay tuned for updates on the next phase of this exciting process!

For more information visit the project webpage:

https://sfrecpark.org/1166/Portsmouth-Square

For questions or comments, please contact:

Noah Levy, Project Manager, noah.levy@sfgov.org

Hello neighbors! Please join SF Rec and Park, SF Arts Commission, SF Planning Department, and community stakeholders for a community meeting on the Portsmouth Square Arts & Interpretative Program. We will be meeting in-person to review interpretive and arts themes, analyze existing plaques and monuments, and identify potential opportunities at Portsmouth Square. 

Meeting information:

Date:  Tuesday, January 30, 2024 - 4:00-5:30pm 

Location: City College of San Francisco, Room 402 (Multi-Use Room), Chinatown Campus, 808 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108

For translation, interpretation, or other language services, as well as accessibility requests, please call Pete Moore at (415) 496-6204 or pete.j.moore@sfgov.org. Providing at least 72 hours advance notice will help to ensure availability.

We look forward to seeing you at this event!

For more information visit the project webpage: https://sfrecpark.org/1166/Portsmouth-Square

Noah Levy, Project Manager, noah.levy@sfgov.org

Hello neighbors! Please join SF Rec and Park, SF Arts Commission, SF Planning Department, and community stakeholders for a community meeting on the Portsmouth Square Arts & Interpretative Program. We will be meeting in-person to review interpretive and arts themes, analyze existing plaques and monuments, and identify potential opportunities at Portsmouth Square. 

Meeting information:

Date:  Tuesday, January 30, 2024 - 4:00-5:30pm 

Location: City College of San Francisco, Room 402 (Multi-Use Room), Chinatown Campus, 808 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108

For translation, interpretation, or other language services, as well as accessibility requests, please call Pete Moore at (415) 496-6204 or pete.j.moore@sfgov.org. Providing at least 72 hours advance notice will help to ensure availability.

We look forward to seeing you at this event!

For more information visit the project webpage: https://sfrecpark.org/1166/Portsmouth-Square

Noah Levy, Project Manager, noah.levy@sfgov.org

Hello neighbors! On October 19, 2023, San Francisco residents learned more about the Arts and Interpretative Program for the upcoming Portsmouth Square project.

SF Recreation and Park Department, SF Planning, SF Arts Commission, and the project Design Team provided context and history on the themes and analysis of the existing plaques and monuments at Portsmouth Square. Click this link to view the presentation (PDF).

We got valuable insight and feedback from the public. Stay tuned for updates on the next upcoming community engagement meeting!

For more information visit the project webpage: https://sfrecpark.org/1166/Portsmouth-Square

Noah Levy, Project Manager, noah.levy@sfgov.org

Reminder! We will be hosting an in-person community meeting this Thursday, October 19, 1:00-2:30 p.m. for the Portsmouth Square Improvement Project. We will be meeting to review interpretive and arts themes, analyze existing plaques and monuments, and identify potential interpretation typologies at Portsmouth Square. See below for more information:

Date: Thursday, October 19, 2023 - 1:00-2:30pm 

Location: City College of San Francisco, Chinatown / North Beach Campus, 808 Kearny St, Room 201, San Francisco, CA 94108 

SF Recreation and Park Department and the Project Design Team are working closely with SF Arts Commission, SF Planning Department, expert scholars, and members of the community to develop the interpretation program. We look forward to seeing you at this event!

Noah Levy, Project Manager, noah.levy@sfgov.org

Hello neighbors! We want to share news of an upcoming Community Meeting for the Portsmouth Square Improvement Project. We will be meeting in-person to review interpretive and arts themes, analyze existing plaques and monuments, and identify potential interpretation typologies at Portsmouth Square. See below for more information:

Date: Thursday, October 19, 2023 - 1:00-2:30pm 

Location: City College of San Francisco, Chinatown / North Beach Campus, 808 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108 

SF Recreation and Park Department and the Project Design Team are working closely with SF Arts Commission, SF Planning Department, expert scholars, and members of the community to develop the interpretation program. We look forward to seeing you at this event!

Noah Levy, Project Manager, noah.levy@sfgov.org

Hello neighbors! We wanted to share some updates from the Portsmouth Square Improvement Project, a complete renovation of the park slated to begin next year. We have just completed construction drawing updates to include design improvements to the following project areas: 

1. Street lighting for pedestrians along the entire length of Walter U Lum Place;
2. Pedestrian safety improvements at the Portsmouth Garage Entry on Kearny Street;
3. Kitchen upgrades, including a commercial warming kitchen and a demonstration kitchen.

Currently, we are working on scheduling a series of community stakeholder meetings to define interpretive and arts themes, analyze existing monuments, and identify potential interpretation typologies at Portsmouth Square. For more information on this work, please refer to these notes from the Portsmouth Square Interpretive History and Community Art Listening Session on March 29, 2023.

We will be scheduling a series of follow-up meetings to take place this Summer/Fall 2023 to continue to develop these Art and Interpretive themes. To define the scope of this work, the Project Design Team is working closely with SF Arts Commission, SF Planning Department, expert scholars, and members of the community.

Over the next few months, we will be working to finalize all state and local Permit approvals, including Department of Building Inspection (DBI) building permits. Stay tuned for more info, and feel free to reach out with any questions.

Noah Levy, Project Manager, noah.levy@sfgov.org