Center City Digest: A Year of Progress and Possibility

A Year of Progress and Possibility

It’s a privilege to lead Center City District through its next chapter, as we transform from a founder-led organization to a founder-inspired organization. I’m grateful for Paul’s friendship, mentorship, and continued engagement. I am also inspired by the hard work and dedication of the men and women in Center City District uniforms and in our office who work to make the heart of the city welcoming, comfortable, and a place of opportunity for all.

While the author of this letter is different, Center City District’s focus is the same; “clean and safe” are the pillars upon which CCD was founded. We have heard loud and clear that safety, improving both reality and perception, is a top priority among our stakeholders. To rise to the unprecedented challenges of the last four years, we have significantly expanded our services:

• A public safety bike patrol during the evening, supplementing the work of our more than 30 Community Service Representatives.

• A twice monthly public safety collaborative meeting, convening 20 local and federal agencies and with the security forces of major private employers and building managers to coordinate and optimize resources.

• A graffiti removal team cleans street furniture, signs, light poles and parking kiosks, expanding on the work of our 110 sidewalk cleaners.

• Our life-saving Ambassadors of Hope partnership brings together Project Home, crisis intervention trained police and our own specially trained homeless outreach staff, helping 139 people last year to come off the street and connect with shelter and services.

• Signs of progress are encouraging. Over the last four years, Greater Center City’s population has increased 3%. Retail occupancy in Center City is at 85%, compared to a low of 54.5% in June 2020 and inching towards the 89% occupancy rate seen in September 2019. Weekend foot traffic has reached 95% of the 2019 levels, weekday evening traffic has reached 87%, and the positive momentum is continuing. Employment and pedestrian volumes are rebounding; many other indicators are heading in the right direction.

While visitors and residents have returned to Center City in numbers that are approaching or exceeding 2019 levels, non-resident office workers have returned at lower rates. Factors include length of commute (workers living closer to the downtown have returned in larger numbers) and industry type (hospitality and medical workers are back at higher rates than office and tech workers). Leaders including Comcast and IBX have shown leadership in bringing employees back to the office, and Mayor Cherelle Parker has called back City of Philadelphia employees to return.

While police data clearly shows that crime within the core of downtown is down more than 10% compared to 2019, we are very aware that quality-of-life challenges – aggressive panhandlers, roaring ATVs and untended dumpsters – understandably make residents, workers and visitors feel unsafe. We are delighted that Mayor Parker has made these challenges among her priorities citywide.

There is still much work to be done, and we will continue to seek ways of improving our efficiency and scaling our impact. In 2024 and beyond, we are thrilled to work with the Parker administration to cultivate a Center City that is clean and safe – but also livable, competitive, equitable, humane, and joyful – Center City that embraces growth while addressing the diverse needs of its residents and businesses. We look forward to working with Mayor Parker’s administration, which is prioritizing collaboration among key stakeholders on initiatives to stimulate economic development, enhance safety and cleanliness, attract and retain businesses, and create job opportunities that together will benefit residents and businesses in Center City and all of Philadelphia.

CCD prides itself on being both a highly effective problem-solver and a reliable source of information. Please do not hesitate to contact me or the team if there are issues that need to be addressed or if you have ideas about how we can ensure that in 2024, Center City remains one of the most vibrant and best managed downtowns in the country.

Prema Katari Gupta President & CEO Center City District

Center City at a Glance

150

graffiti tags removed monthly from building facades by CCD cleaners

379 950+ 9.6M

sidewalk planters maintained by CCD people helped by CCD homeless outreach teams since 2018

Dilworth Park visitors in 2023

1,037 80+ 43

trees tended by CCD landscape teams

new storefront businesses opened in 2023

building projects completed or underway in 2023

Celebrate Spring in CCD Parks

DILWORTH PARK

Center City Fit

presented by Rothman Orthopaedics

Tuesdays

April 23 – October 1

6 – 7 pm

Rothman Orthopaedics Roller Rink

Daily

April 19 – June 30

Matinee Skate

Mondays & Tuesdays

April 22 – June 25

11 am – 5 pm

Philadelphia Marketplace

Fridays & Saturdays

May 3 – June 29

Noon – 6 pm

Arts on Center Stage

Thursdays

May 23 – August 29

6 – 7 pm

SISTER CITIES PARK

Parkway Pals Play Day

Saturday, May 18

11 am – 2 pm

Help Us Do More in 2024

Look around any day you’re in Center City, and it won’t be long before you spot a member of Center City District’s team in teal. Seven days a week, our uniformed cleaning crews ensure that sidewalks are free of trash and graffiti, while our Community Service Representatives and bicycle Safety Patrol are always at the ready to answer questions, offer assistance and provide a reassuring presence. Our specially trained outreach teams help our most vulnerable citizens come off the street and connect with services and shelter.

With the arrival of spring, our parks come alive with performing arts, educational events and entertainment for people of all ages. Our streetscape experts maintain and plant new trees and animate shopping corridors with beautiful planters throughout the downtown.

In 2024, our commitment to improving the public environment in Center City remains as strong as when we started in 1991. This important work is only possible with the support of generous donors and sponsors, many of whom showed their commitment to CCD at our December 5 gala honoring our founding CEO Paul R. Levy’s 33 years of leadership and celebrating our new CEO Prema Katari Gupta.

Donors and sponsors of the gala, whose support will allow CCD to continue and grow its mission to a vibrant Center City, are listed on the next page.

We cannot do this work without you. Your steadfast support is more important than ever. Please use the attached envelope or contact Holly Keefe at hkeefe @ centercityphila.org or 215-440-5533 to help us sustain our wide variety of efforts to make Center City a vibrant place to work, live and visit.

Thank you to our gala sponsors and donors

Dilworth Sponsor

Brandywine Realty Trust

Sister Cities Sponsors

ABM

Comcast / NBCUniversal

FS Foundation / Michael Forman and Jennifer Rice

Urban Engineers Inc.

Collins Sponsors

Allan Domb Real Estate

Fashion District Philadelphia

Greenberg Traurig LLP

HBSE Real Estate

Pearl Properties LLC

Laura and Richard Vague

WPVI – 6ABC

Cret Sponsors

Allied Universal

Audacy

Brickstone Realty

Connelly Foundation

CosciaMoos Architecture LLC

Cozen O'Connor LLP

Day & Zimmerman

Sandy and Mike Dean

Dechert LLP

Drexel University

Duane Morris LLP

Firstrust Bank / Green Family Foundation

Five Below Foundation

Gattuso Development Partners

Grant Thornton

Hugh Wood Inc.

JLL

Kaiserman Company Inc.

Lubert-Adler

National Real Estate Development

Neubauer Family Foundation

Parkway Corporation

PECO Energy Company

Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority

Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau / Visit Philadelphia

Philadelphia Foundation

Poor Richard's Charitable Trust

Post Brothers

Rink Management Services Corporation

Savills

Seravalli Inc.

Shelly Electric

Stockton Real Estate Advisors LLC

UBS - The Greenly Group

Private Wealth Management

University of Pennsylvania / University of Pennsylvania Health System

WHYY

Tables of Ten

Ballard Spahr LLP

Binswanger

Blank Rome LLP

Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company

Conner Strong & Buckelew

Ernst & Young LLP

Faegre Drinker

Independence Blue Cross

J.P. Morgan

Kleinbard

Kline and Specter

KPMG

Morgan Lewis

The Plymouth Creek Group at Morgan

Stanley Private Wealth Management

Project HOME

Saul Ewing LLP

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP

Tactix

WSFS bank

Individual Tickets

Allen & Gerritsen

Barbara and Ted Aronson

ASI Management

Bank of America

BDO USA LLP

Becker & Frondorf

The Broudy Group

Callowhill Neighborhood Association

CBP Architects

CBRE Inc.

Ceisler Media

Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia

Citizens Bank

City Ave District

Andy Coler

Coretrust Capital Partners LLC

Cushman & Wakefield

Ed D'Alba

Delaware Canal 21

Romulo L. Diaz Jr.

DIGSAU Architecture

Economy League of Greater Philadelphia

Econsult Solutions Inc.

Mr. & Mrs. Kathy and Harold T. Epps

Wayne Fisher

Franklin Institute Science Museum

Free Library of Philadelphia

Graffiti Removal Experts

Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association

Hazzouri and Associates LLC

HDR Architecture

History Making Productions

Feather Houstoun

JacobsWyper Architects

JKRP Architects

Debra Kahn

Keystone Property Group

KieranTimberlake

Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg

L.F. Driscoll Co. LLC

The Lighting Practice

Logan Square Neighborhood Association

Nicholas J. Maiale Esq.

M&T Bank

Marsh McLennan Agency

MIO

Mission Government Relations

Newmark

Noel Eisenstat LLC

O'Donnell & Naccarato

Old City District

OLIN

Pennoni

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

The Performance Garage

Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter High School

Philadelphia Works

PIDC

Caroline Piven

Protiviti

Reading Terminal Market

Republic Bank

River Mechanical Services

Roberts Event Group

SEPTA

SSH Real Estate

Studio Bryan Hanes

Thomas Fabricating

Versa Capital Group LLC

William Penn Foundation

WPVI – 6ABC

Xponance

Zenith Wealth Partners

In-Kind

The Creative Group

Perfect Communications

Donations

Jay W. Barnett

Rajan Chari

Friends Select School

Gravina Family Foundation

High Street Hospitality Group

Honickman Foundation

Feather Houstoun

Joseph M. Lanzone

Nicholas J. Maiale Esq.

Mary Barr Mann

Sarah McEneaney

Bill Parshall

PNC Bank NA

Scaccetti Family

Schulson Collective

William Penn Foundation

New Sparkle on Jewelers’ Row

CCD has completed a series of streetscape enhancements to create a more welcoming and pedestrian friendly shopping experience on Jewelers’ Row. The improvements were developed in partnership with the Jewelers’ Row District and include new lighting and banner poles on the 600 and 700 blocks of Sansom Street; new lighting, sidewalk planters and overhead gateway signage on the 700 block of Sansom; and in-street planters on the northern side of the 700 block.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania awarded a $500,000 Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant for the project to the CCD.

CCD Staff Appreciation Event for Paul Levy

On December 12, Center City District’s staff gathered at Union Trust for a year-end luncheon to celebrate our founding President and CEO Paul Levy, who stepped down from the role at the end of the year and is now Chair of CCD’s board. Paul was presented with a teal jacket signed by staffers and a brass turtle sculpture created with a mold used for the original casting located in John F. Collins Park.

Research & Analysis

CCD researches, produces and distributes reports year-round to assist a variety of stakeholders in their efforts to attract businesses from outside the region, encourage new startups, retain businesses within Center City and expand the residential population.

Center City Housing Report

February 2024

Greater Center City’s population has grown by 3% over the last four years and has been the fastest growing residential area in Philadelphia for the last two decades, with a 26% increase since 2011. The sustained increase in population has supported demand for the production of renovated and new housing. After a pause in housing production in 2021, momentum has returned, with 7,429 units added to Greater Center City since 2021 and 7,181 in the pipeline.

Center City Real Estate Development

January 2024

Over the past 20 years, Center City has evolved into a mixed-use downtown where Philadelphians live, work, and play. In 2023, 10 major projects were completed in Center City from Fairmount Avenue to Washington Avenue, river to river. Thirty-three projects are currently under construction, representing 12 million square feet, and an additional 23 projects are in the planning and permitting stages. The 66 projects outlined in this report reflect the diversified, vibrant nature of Center City.

Lowering the Barriers to Full, Inclusive Recovery

December 2023

Citywide employment has fully rebounded from the spring 2020 shutdown, but there is a difference between the return of workers to payrolls and the return of full vitality to Center City. In an interconnected economy, where the presence of one type of worker drives demand for other jobs, there is a hidden cost to remote work. Jobs tied to fuller building occupancy, like janitorial and building maintenance services, retail, parking and transportation, all remain below 2019 levels.

Become a CPDC Member Today

Business leaders who are members of the Central Philadelphia Development Corporation (CPDC) have access to year-round programs and events from panel discussions to behindthe-scenes hard hat tours of some of Center City’s most exciting projects.

CPDC membership pays for research and member engagement, and enables CPDC to continue to provide reliable marketplace information and enhance the competitiveness of Center City.

To learn more about CPDC and how to join, visit joincpdc.org or contact CPDC Executive Director

Prema Gupta at pgupta@centercityphila.org