*New artwork set to celebrate Kalamazoo's history and leaders as massive mural wraps around new Church Street parking structure*

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A massive new mural is coming to downtown Kalamazoo, and local leaders approved the design at their April 7, 2026 meeting. The artwork will be displayed on 40 large panels surrounding a new parking garage being built on Church Street in the Northside neighborhood.

The design incorporates faces of well-known community leaders while capturing Kalamazoo's history. You'll also notice nature elements weaved in with things such as the cardinal flower and monarch butterfly.

"I want the focus to be on people that are doing things now and that also can give us inspiration to what we can do in our local community," said Patrick Hershberger, the mural's artist. "The design uses all local faces, people that are really involved in our communities. The design is facing the north side, and so is there a lot of north side representation, as well as inclusivity for a larger part of members of the county."

The parking garage will sit next to the new Kalamazoo County Administration Building. Kalamazoo County bought the McDonald's property on Kalamazoo Avenue in late 2025 for $9 million, and tore down the building earlier in 2026 to make way for the new structure.

Local Artist Selected After Competitive Process

Hershberger, whose artist name is Go Bonus Saves, was selected after a rigorous screening process. Kalamazoo County received 29 proposals from various artists, which were screened by the Arts Council and the Public Arts Commission and reduced to five finalists.

An ad hoc committee made up of local residents, members of local arts organizations and the county board were tasked with picking the final design. The goal was to select the proposal that most reflected community history, identity pride and would enhance the public space. Picking a local artist was also a priority.

"County board chair Jen Strebs says they had three good finalists," according to WWMT-TV.

Hershberger says he will be painting a couple of the panels himself, but mostly he will be designing what 31 of the larger ones will look like. Most of the $50,000 budget for the art project will be spent to have 31 large panels printed from the artist's design.

Project Timeline and Budget

Although they haven't broken ground yet on the project, Kalamazoo County Administrator Kevin Catlin has advised commissioners that they need to get the art project underway this month if they hope to have the huge panels ready in time.

The mural will wrap around three sides of the new parking ramp. The garage itself is part of a $26.8 million project approved by the county. Commissioners voted to set a "guaranteed maximum price" of about $26.8 million to build the garage at 440 N. Church St., adjacent to where the county plans to build a new county administration building.

About the Artist

Hershberger, whose work combines depictions of notable community residents with native flora and fauna, has gained recognition for his street art around Kalamazoo in recent years. His proposal was one of the largest and most comprehensive of the submissions received by the county.

The mural project represents another layer of public art coming to downtown Kalamazoo, following other recent mural installations throughout the city. Bike Friendly Kalamazoo and Clark Logic recently finalized a Public Mural Site Agreement for a new "Joys of Bicycling" mural at a major downtown gateway location.

Community Impact

The mural faces the north side of downtown, making it visible to residents and visitors in the area. The project aims to enhance the public space around the new county administration building and parking garage, creating a visual connection to Kalamazoo's rich history and community leaders.

The contract is expected to be signed after the county commission makes the final decision at their next meeting. Once the contract is approved, Hershberger will begin work on both the printed panels and the hand-painted sections.

Sources:

  • https://wwmt.com/news/local/downtown-kalamazoo-mural-church-street-parking-garage-city-history-nature-elements-art-community-commission-vote-west-michigan
  • https://wkzo.com/2026/04/06/911713/
  • https://wkzo.com/2026/03/25/907140/