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The murals in the garage

Public art is part of what makes this the community’s garage. Our first mural, “A Chinatown Dream,” has welcomed drivers since 2023, and a second is on the way this fall.

Unveiled 2023

“A Chinatown Dream”

Artist Nancy Mora created “A Chinatown Dream” with the Portsmouth Plaza Parking Corporation board, produced by the Chinatown Visual Arts Association as an in-kind gift for the garage’s 60th anniversary. Painting began on September 9, 2022, and the mural was unveiled on February 3, 2023, on the Kearny Street level.

Mora drew on her childhood at John Yehall Chin Elementary School in Chinatown, especially her memories of lion dancers and Lunar New Year. The mural gathers the neighborhood’s landmarks in one scene, from the pagoda tower and the Dragon Gate to Old St. Mary’s, alongside lion dancers and street musicians. Sponsored by the garage’s community fund, it is paired with calligraphy of the “福” blessing character, by Zejie Zhang and student Kevin Lu, on every level of the garage.

“A Chinatown Dream” mural by Nancy Mora at Portsmouth Square Garage — “A Chinatown Dream” mural, unveiled February 3, 2023

Nine guests in Lunar New Year attire stand in front of the curtained mural before its unveiling — Guests before the unveiling, February 3, 2023

A large group of adults and children in festive clothing, some wearing rabbit ears, in front of the unveiled mural — Families at the unveiling, February 3, 2023

Guests holding gift bags pose in front of the mural at the unveiling celebration — Guests with gift bags at the unveiling, February 3, 2023

Coming fall 2026

A second mural is on the way

This fall we’ll unveil a new mural in the garage, adding to “A Chinatown Dream” and growing a small collection of public art for everyone who parks with us. Details and photos will be posted here after the reveal.

See it in person

The mural is on the Kearny Street level, free to view whenever we’re open.

Getting here