Mission Plaza in downtown San Luis Obispo is undergoing a $5.8 million renovation to enhance its amenities, preserve the mission’s historic landmarks and create a more accessible space for residents and visitors. The project, which began yesterday, is slated for completion in fall 2025.
Key improvements include new public restrooms, a cafe kiosk with outdoor seating, improved lighting, repairs to preserve the historic Murray Adobe, and increased accessibility, according to the project website.
The city partnered with RRM Design Group to “reimagine Mission Plaza in conjunction with the larger Downtown Concept Planning process,” according to RRM’s website.
The new public restrooms will feature better lighting, a higher capacity, and skylights, according to Sandra Golonka, capital project manager at the City of San Luis Obispo.
“Downtown needs nice, clean and safe restrooms for people and the homeless population alike,” said Daniel Glidden, the general manager for The Junk Girls and a longtime San Luis Obispo resident. “Currently, we don’t send people to those bathrooms if they ask where the nearest ones are.”
The project has been receiving funding since 2016 through the Capital Outlay Fund, Local Revenue Measure, and the Capital Improvement Plan Reserve Fund, according to an FAQ on the project website.
City and Regional Planning Professor Dave Amos also praised the upgrades.
“I love the fact that they’re improving the restrooms there; public restrooms are an under-thought-of amenity,” Amos said. “They’re looking at really making it lively and busy, and that’s great.”
Despite construction activity and some areas of the plaza being fenced off, businesses across the creek will remain open and accessible, Golonka said. Groups like Concerts in the Plaza and Makeshift Muse, which often use the space for community events, will still have access to the plaza during the 9-month project, Golonka noted.
Updates will be posted about the project on the City of San Luis Obispo’s Instagram, according to the project website.
