California Construction News staff writer
A major renovation of San Francisco’s Chinatown Public Health Center is officially underway, with city officials breaking ground on a project that will deliver seismic upgrades, expanded health services and a modernized facility for generations of patients.
Mayor Daniel Lurie joined representatives from the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) and San Francisco Public Works to mark the start of the modernization project, which will transform the 55-year-old health centre into a safer and more accessible healthcare facility.
The project will include a full seismic retrofit of what city officials describe as SFDPH’s most seismically vulnerable clinic, along with improvements designed to expand healthcare capacity and better serve Chinatown’s diverse communities.
“The Chinatown Public Health Center is a cornerstone for the Chinese and AAPI immigrant communities and for families across San Francisco who rely on culturally competent care,” Lurie said. “With its first renovation in 55 years, this building will undergo a renovation that will allow it to continue serving this community and our city for generations to come.”
The modernization will integrate primary care with mental and behavioural health services, expand dental care, increase exam and consultation rooms, improve accessibility with barrier-free entrances, upgrade restrooms and elevators, and enhance ventilation and indoor air quality.
The renovated facility will also become the new home of SFDPH’s Chinatown Child Development Center, bringing children’s behavioural health services together with other healthcare programs in one location.
Construction is expected to take about two and a half years. During the renovation, patients continue to receive care from their regular providers on the fourth floor of nearby Chinese Hospital.
SFDPH said it worked with community members to ensure services remained available locally throughout construction.
“We are thrilled to break ground on the Chinatown Public Health Center for the community here in Chinatown and for patients across San Francisco who rely on its high-quality, culturally competent care,” said SFDPH Director of Health Dan Tsai. “This project will deliver a seismically strengthened, modernized health care facility and will also become the new home of the Chinatown Child Development Center, bringing mental health and other critical services for children and families together in one location.”
San Francisco Public Works is managing the retrofit and upgrades while leading architectural design work. Suffolk Construction has been selected as the project contractor.
“The Chinatown Public Health Center plays an indispensable role in keeping San Franciscans healthy and cared for,” said Public Works Director Carla Short. “These critical upgrades will ensure that the services the community relies on will continue in a setting with improved accessibility, seismic resilience, and a new layout for expanded patient care.”
The project is being funded in part through the voter-approved Healthy, Safe, and Vibrant San Francisco Bond, introduced in 2024. More than $200 million of the $390-million bond is dedicated to healthcare infrastructure improvements, including $71 million for the Chinatown Public Health Center renovation and seismic retrofit.
An additional $5 million is being provided through the state’s voter-approved Behavioral Health Services Act.
District 3 Supervisor Danny Sauter said the project represents a significant investment in Chinatown residents, particularly seniors and immigrant families who rely on culturally and linguistically accessible care.
“Today’s groundbreaking represents a historic moment for Chinatown as we move forward with the renovation of the neighborhood’s key location in accessing health care,” Sauter said. “Our AAPI immigrant families and monolingual seniors in Chinatown deserve world-class health care, and this project will deliver that.”
Community organizations also welcomed the investment, including Self-Help for the Elderly, which has partnered with the health centre for decades.
“Self-Help for the Elderly has been a close partner with the Chinatown Public Health Center since the Lady Shawn Senior Center opened in 1990 and is excited to see construction begin,” said President and CEO Anni Chung. “It is important to rebuild this center to continue providing the culturally and linguistically competent medical and health services to our monolingual seniors and immigrant families in the AAPI community.”
The city said the project is part of a broader effort to strengthen San Francisco’s healthcare infrastructure and maintain access to services amid anticipated federal healthcare funding reductions. The Lurie administration has also highlighted recent investments in maternal and infant health, mental health services, drug treatment programs, homelessness prevention and childcare supports.
Once complete, officials say the upgraded Chinatown Public Health Center will provide a safer, more efficient and more comprehensive healthcare hub for residents across San Francisco.
