SF Breaks Ground on $73M Portsmouth Square Renovation in Chinatown

Mayor Daniel Lurie and a lineup of city leaders gathered in Chinatown on Monday to launch the first major overhaul of Portsmouth Square Park in more than 50 years — a $73 million project that will close the neighborhood's de facto living room for up to three years but promises a dramatically expanded senior clubhouse, modernized playground and new accessibility features when it reopens, with construction targeted for completion in 2028.

• $73 million renovation of Portsmouth Square breaks ground, the largest single public infrastructure investment in Chinatown in decades
• Senior clubhouse expands from roughly 50 square feet to more than 7,500 square feet, doubling as a cooling center with air conditioning, dance and yoga classes, and community lunch programs
• Park closure of two to three years will disrupt daily life for 3,000-plus SRO residents who use the square as extended living space
• Mayor touts broader Chinatown investments including free Wi-Fi, permanent business permit reforms, public safety initiatives and healthcare benefit protections

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Chinatown's Living Room Gets a $73M Makeover

Portsmouth Square — the site of San Francisco's first American flag raising and California's first public school — is getting its most ambitious renovation in more than half a century. The project will add an upgraded fitness facility, improved playground, elevated community event stage and enhanced accessibility to a park that serves as the primary outdoor gathering space for one of the city's most densely populated neighborhoods.

Why it matters: For the thousands of seniors and families living in surrounding single-room-occupancy units, Portsmouth Square is not a park — it is a backyard, a social hall and a lifeline. The two-to-three-year construction closure will significantly disrupt those daily routines, even as the finished product promises to serve the community for generations.

Where things stand: Swinerton is the general contractor, with MEI Architects and SWA Group leading design. The centerpiece is a senior clubhouse expanding from roughly 50 square feet to more than 7,500 square feet — a transformation that Annie Chung, CEO of Self-Help for the Elderly, described in personal terms.

"Portsmouth Square is not just a park for us, it's part of the extended living space for our seniors and residents who live in the 3,000-plus SRO single rooms in Chinatown," said Chung. She added that the new clubhouse will serve as a cooling center with air conditioning and host dance classes, yoga, community events and senior lunch programs. "I felt goosebumps on my arms, because I am not just imagining these new activities and expanded programs, but in two to three years, all these new programs and activities and amenities of our new park will become reality."

Mayor Daniel Lurie framed the park's history as inseparable from the city's identity, noting that the first American flag raising in San Francisco happened on this site. He described the renovation as part of a broader package of city investments in Chinatown, including free Wi-Fi for the neighborhood, permanent permit reforms to ease burdens on local businesses, strengthened public safety measures and protections for residents who rely on healthcare and food benefits.

Decades of Advocacy Behind the Moment

Multiple speakers traced the project's roots to years of community organizing. Supervisor Danny Sautter, District 3, recalled that Portsmouth Square served as a COVID-19 vaccination site and a rallying point for protests against anti-Asian hate, calling it Chinatown's living room. He acknowledged the work of his predecessor, former Supervisor Aaron Peskin, in securing the project's inclusion in key public agreements.

Supervisor Connie Chan, District 1, listed the Betty Ann Ong Recreation Center, Willie Woo Woo Wong Playground and the $2 million Portsmouth Square restroom renovation as prior wins born from the same community advocacy. She credited former Commissioner Alan Lowe and decades of organizing by groups including the Chinatown Community Development Center, Chinese for Affirmative Action and the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association.

City Attorney David Chiu urged patience, putting the timeline in context by comparing it favorably to other Chinatown civic landmarks. The International Hotel rebuilding took roughly 30 years, he noted, and the Rose Pak Station took decades as well. He thanked lawyers Chris Tom, Kristen Jensen and Manu Pradhan for navigating what he described as an unusually complex set of agreements and contracts.

Safety, Construction and the Road to 2028

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins committed to maintaining public safety throughout construction, particularly for seniors. "My job will continue to be to keep this a safe space and a safe community for all," she said.

Rec and Park General Manager Sarah Madeline confirmed the park's target completion in 2028, noting this is the first major renovation of Portsmouth Square in over 50 years. Carla Short of San Francisco Public Works described the effort as a community-driven reimagination. "This new project will balance cultural identity with modern amenities to meet today's needs and benefit the generations that follow," she said.

City Controller Carmen Chiu credited voters who approved the 2020 bond measure that funds the project and urged efficient delivery. "Events like these remind us of why we do public service to begin with, and it is to center on the people that we serve," she said.

What's Next

Construction begins immediately with a targeted 2028 completion. The park will be fully closed during the construction period. City officials have signaled that maintaining services and safety for Chinatown residents during the closure will be a key test of the city's commitment to the neighborhood.