New Art Installation to Honor Kalamazoo Community on Church Street Parking Structure

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A new 40-foot tall mural designed by local artist Patrick Hershberger will be installed on a downtown parking garage as part of a new county administration building complex.

Kalamazoo County Commissioners approved Hershberger's design proposal during a Tuesday meeting. The mural will span 40 large panels surrounding the Church Street parking structure that is being built adjacent to a new county administration building.

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.

Hershberger, a local artist who works under the name GOBONUSSAVES, said his design focuses on people who are making things happen in Kalamazoo now.

"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," Hershberger said. "The design uses all local faces, people that are really involved in our communities."

The design incorporates faces of well-known community leaders while capturing Kalamazoo's history. Nature elements like the cardinal flower and monarch butterfly are also woven into the artwork.

"The design is facing the north side, and so there is a lot of north side representation, as well as inclusivity for a larger part of members of the county," Hershberger said.

The proposed design includes two ground-floor murals that will be finished by hand after building construction is complete. The fabric panels will be installed once the structure is finished.

Hershberger's art can be seen on walls throughout Kalamazoo and beyond. His signature GOBONUSSAVES mural was recently painted in the Edison neighborhood.

The parking garage with a maximum price of $26.8 million will be built adjacent to the plot where the new county administration building will be constructed. The project replaces a McDonald's that occupied the site for decades.

Kalamazoo County Commissioners approved funding for the parking garage at 440 N. Church St. in March. The ad-hoc committee of commissioners recommended Hershberger's design proposal.

The mural is expected to transform the parking structure into a civic landmark that reflects community identity and pride.