State of Center City 2024

2024

STATE OF CENTER CITY PHILADELPHIA

Perhaps it’s time to stop talking about “recovery” and instead work to conjure the downtown that we want and that our city needs.

Forward

Thank you for taking the time to read this report, which tracks the many ways that downtown Philadelphia’s social and economic systems have evolved during the challenges of the past four years.

After a disruptive period, it may be counterintuitive to frame this report as anything other than a recovery scorecard; you will see many such comparisons in the pages that follow. However, I’m inspired by the work of marine biologist and environmental activist Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (and fellow member of the Bowdoin College community), who asks, “What If We Get It Right?”

I wonder if it’s time to stop talking about “recovery” and instead work to conjure the downtown that we want and that our city needs. We can continue to will our cities to resume the patterns of the last decade, or we can learn from unanticipated strengths and exposed vulnerabilities, and build a downtown that is more competitive, connected, livable, equitable, joyful, resilient and inclusive.

While we have 84% of the pedestrian volume of 2019, we have a growing residential population—a great many more residents than before the pandemic. Philadelphia has one of the largest downtown residential populations in the country, in part, because we have converted over 40 office buildings to residential over the last 25 years. It’s not apparent how many more office buildings are suitable for future conversion. Philadelphia will need

solutions beyond residential conversions to repurpose obsolete office inventory. To support the continued absorption of our expanding downtown housing supply, are there opportunities for CCD to promote living in Center City Philadelphia in higher cost markets where there is an established pattern migration to Philadelphia?

We have confirmed the correlation between shorter commutes and the likelihood of returning to the office, which means that Center City’s residential core reinforces the office and employment core, with the benefit of the connective tissue of the fourth most walkable city in the U.S. Current and prospective office tenants can follow the leadership of Comcast, Independence Blue Cross, Chubb and the Parker administration and leverage a proximate talent pool for in-office collaboration, community and conviviality.

We are closely monitoring trends in the office market with the understanding of the role of downtown office values on the city’s fiscal health and CCD’s assessment revenue. 70% of non-resident workers are back in their office in Center City on a given day and that number continues to inch upwards. CCD is working to restart an office retention initiative while creating fun experiences for office workers through mainstay programs—such as Center City District Sips—along with new programs such as Center City Sunrise. In the future, our team will seek to better understand other barriers to RTO (“return to office”), including childcare and commuting patterns.

The allure of what Atlantic writer Roge Karma calls “the [downtown] experience of being in proximity to a diverse array of people to meet, places to go, and things to do” persists. Arts and culture organizations that have leaned into engaging new audiences or embraced tradition have found success; the Philadelphia Ballet sold more Nutcracker tickets over the winter than any time ever before. Center City has more outdoor seating than 2019, despite limited deployment of streeteries. Weekend pedestrian volumes have completely recovered to 2019 levels and continue to rise. You’ve heard about revenge travel, but what about revenge brunch?

Creative disruption in the retail industry nationwide is reflected in Center City’s storefronts; while some legacy brands have downsized their brick-andmortar locations across their portfolios, we’ve seen spaces backfilled by digitally native brands catering

blend of old school and modern metropolis, a city marked by rich history but with an ever-evolving cultural core.” When we welcome even more visitors to celebrate America’s birthday, the MLB All Star Game and World Cup soccer, we will have much to offer them, from new vendors at Reading Terminal Market to our growing list of James Beard honorees.

It is critical that Center City play an outsize role in creating opportunity for all Philadelphians and in tackling climate change through sustainable land use patterns. The CCD team is poised to foster partnerships between businesses, residents, nonprofit organizations and our public sector leaders to tackle vulnerabilities and identify opportunities.

In other words, let’s get it right.

It is critical that Center City play an outsize role in creating opportunity for all Philadelphians and in tackling climate change through sustainable land use patterns.

to students and young professionals as well as new entertainment concepts. Still, storefront occupancy is nearly 85%, approaching the 89% occupancy of 2019 and dramatically rebounding from a low of 55% occupancy during the summer of 2020.

Perhaps most importantly, serious crime is down from 2019. However, negative perceptions of downtown safety persist. We are very aware that panhandlers, roaring ATVs and untended dumpsters understandably make residents, workers and visitors feel unsafe. There is significant work to do on perception but also quality of life challenges, including the interconnected citywide fentanyl and homelessness crises. We have heard loud and clear that safety, improving both reality and perception, is a top priority among our stakeholders.

Today, with nearly 280,000 jobs (43% of all jobs citywide and 62% of which do not require a college degree) and over 200,000 residents, Center City is on solid footing and optimism endures. It’s impossible not to be inspired by the vigor of Mayor Cherelle Parker and her goal of making Philadelphia the “cleanest and greenest” city in America. Lonely Planet has named Philadelphia one of the 10 best cities to visit in 2024, calling us “the perfect

Finally, I hope that you find this year’s State of Center City report useful and enjoyable—and reflective of CCD’s organizational obsession with analytical rigor and optimism rooted in data. This report is the culmination of months of work from CCD’s incredibly talented research, design and communications teams. I’m especially grateful for Lauren Smith’s capable project management, Clint Randall’s thoughtful and innovative leadership of our research, Dave Orantes’s fresh approach to art direction, and Aimée Liriano’s joyful illustrations. Please let us know how you find it useful.

All my best,

Prema Katari Gupta President & CEO

Center City at a Glance

84%

of total pedestrian volume has returned to Center City compared to 2019 levels

70%

of non-resident workers have returned to work downtown by the end of 2023

2,844

new housing units completed in 2023

39%

population growth from 2000 to 2020

235

new retailers have opened in Center City since 2020

84.5% of storefronts occupied in September 2023

62% of downtown jobs do not require a bachelor’s degree

80% of residents 25 years or older have graduated college

43% of citywide jobs, with a workforce from every neighborhood in the city

279,465 jobs in Greater Center City

227

860,799 visitors to the Pennsylvania Convention Center in 2023

40+ office buildings converted to hospitality and residential use in the last 25 years

201,439

full-time residents in Greater Center City

2.94 M occupied hotel room nights in 2023

4th most walkable city in the U.S.

Center City District 01

Since 1991, the Center City District (CCD) has focused on creating a clean, safe and attractive public environment. We knew then, as we know now, that the basics matter and attention to quality-of-life issues yield economic dividends that support the growth of jobs and opportunities for all.

Key Takeaways

CCD enlivens downtown:

Crime incidents have fallen:

CCD parks drive foot traffic:

CCD hosted 343 programs in Dilworth Park and Sister Cities Park in 2023.

Serious crime within the CCD boundaries was down 17.6% in 2023 compared to 2019.

9.6 million people visited Dilworth Park in 2023.

A Positive Presence & Clean Sidewalks

CCD has risen to meet the challenges of the current environment by expanding our on-street staff by deploying 25 bicycle safety patrol officers during the day and evening hours, seven days per week. In addition, more than 30 Community Service Representatives (CSRs) are a welcoming daily presence on Center City’s sidewalks, ready to provide information or directions and equally prepared to request police services or provide outreach to unhoused individuals.

The CCD employs more than 100 uniformed cleaners who manually and mechanically clean sidewalks and CCD parks every day. The “pan and broom brigade” removes litter from Center City sidewalks multiple times

CCD On-Street Operations, 2023

3,671

Businesses, property managers and individuals received CCD alerts and notifications

30+ Community Service Representatives

Types of Community Service Representative Contacts (CSR), 2023

55

Bicycle Safety Patrol team members

a day, seven days a week. Additional teams remove graffiti from ground floor building façades.

Our Ambassadors of Hope (AoH) homeless outreach program—comprised of specially trained CSRs working in partnership with Project HOME and police officers focusing on crisis intervention—expanded from two to three teams in 2023 and helped 139 people come off the streets. Since 2018, AoH teams have taken over 775 individuals to service providers, shelters and housing appropriate for their needs. When including our Winter Outreach Program and CSR Homeless Action Teams, over 950 individuals have been assisted in making these connections.

100+

Uniformed cleaning personnel and supervisors

800+

Building façades cleaned of graffiti

139

People helped through the AoH homeless outreach program

Bicycle Safety Patrol Contacts, 2023

Safety Patrol Contacts, 2023

Since 2018, the CCD's various homeless outreach efforts have helped connect over 950 individuals with service providers, shelters and housing appropriate for their needs.

Crimes per Day Within the Center City District, 2019–2023

Serious crime in 2023 within CCD boundaries decreased 17.6% from 2019 levels.

Panhandling and Homeless Daily Averages, 2017–2023

The overnight homeless population has dropped considerably since 2019, but the panhandling, daytime and overnight homeless populations have ticked up since 2022.

Activating Public Spaces & Supporting Businesses

Last year, CCD hosted 343 programs in Dilworth Park and Sister Cities Park, ranging from free musical performances and exercise classes to movie nights and educational programs for children. We brought ice skating and roller skating back to Dilworth Park and welcomed an outpost of South Philadelphia retail store Salt & Vinegar to the Dilworth Park Café, featuring a variety of products from a diverse group of local entrepreneurs including many minority-owned and women-owned small businesses.

In 2024, CCD has continued a series of new initiatives created and launched last year with major office buildings, transit agencies and public safety professionals to engage directly with office workers. On select Wednesdays in the spring and fall, Center City Sunrise pop-up events returned near transit hubs and office buildings to welcome morning commuters with giveaways and entertainment. In the late winter into spring, Center City FYI events were held in building lobbies to share news and information about new initiatives and amenities in Center City.

For two decades, Center City District Restaurant Week, held in winter and fall, and the summer-long Center City District Sips happy hour have been popular events providing a welcome boost to hundreds of restaurants and bars during typically slow times of the year. In 2024, a new program called Center City on Stage was launched to support another vital component of the downtown economy—performing arts organizations—with a discounted ticket promotion.

CCD also researches, analyzes and produces reports year-round on the office, retail and residential sectors and tracks key economic indicators. The CCD team also works in partnership with commercial brokers, property owners, developers, city officials and economic development agencies to attract retailers and other companies from outside the region, encourage new startups and retain businesses within Center City.

Center City District Fee for Service Areas, 2024

CCD contracts with adjacent neighborhood associations for weekly cleaning.

Dilworth Park celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024. The transformed public space opened in September 2014 and is like no other public space in Philadelphia.

Formerly an unwelcoming and unused plaza, Dilworth Park now hosts hundreds of events each year and attracts millions of visitors. Its location atop Center City’s main SEPTA hub makes it accessible to people from every neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Dilworth Park Annual Visitors, 2019–2023

Dilworth Park annual visitors, 2016-2023

After a pandemic-related drop, the number of annual visitors to Dilworth Park is approaching levels last seen in 2019.

Percentage of Visitors to Dilworth Park by Home ZIP Code, 2023

Dilworth Park visitors are coming from all areas of Philadelphia. The largest percentage of visitors live in Southwest and West Philadelphia.

Capital Projects & Greening

CCD embarked on capital projects in 2023 to enhance the vitality of the public realm in Center City, including lighting upgrades to City Hall’s façade and a refreshed look to Jewelers’ Row that includes new signage, lighting and in-street planters. This adds to the more than $156 million CCD has invested in capital projects downtown since 1997.

This year and beyond, we are working with a variety of stakeholders to identify funding sources to make the second phase of the Rail Park a reality.

The vibrancy of our neighborhoods depends on the success of downtown. From cleaning and greening to parks and business support, CCD will continue working to enhance the vitality of Center City for residents, workers, visitors and businesses.

02

Employment

Greater Center City is home to nearly 280,000 jobs, 43% of the city’s total. Two-thirds of these jobs do not require a college degree, providing accessible employment to the entire Delaware Valley.

Key Takeaways

Citywide employment is above 2019 levels:

70% of non-resident workers are back:

Economic opportunity for all:

While performance varies by industry and location, there are more jobs in the city today than there were pre-pandemic.

A comparison across 25 cities reveals Philadelphia ranks sixth in the return of non-resident workers.

Center City’s diversity of industries and accessibility by all modes of transportation are key strengths to be maximized for the benefit of all Philadelphians.

In 2023, Philadelphia added 24,800 jobs to the economy, increasing the total to over 778,000. By late 2022, the number of jobs in Philadelphia exceeded 2019 levels. Center City Philadelphia is the region’s largest employment center with over 228,519 jobs from Vine to Pine streets and 279,465 from Girard Avenue to Tasker Street.

The diversification of jobs downtown is a strength. Industries that are primarily using the office, such as professional, business and financial services, real estate and information, comprise 37% of downtown jobs. Education and health services are the largest sector citywide and the second largest downtown, accounting for 23% of jobs. Entertainment, leisure, hospitality, restaurants and retail hold a 10% share, while federal, state and local government employment provides 12%.

The mixture of job industries in Center City, paired with the growing number of residents downtown, allowed a sustained downtown recovery of workers, visitors and residents. Large employers including Comcast and Independence Blue Cross have called their workers back to the office four days per week. Additionally, the Parker administration has already required higher-level city employees to return to the office and plans to eventually bring back all 25,000 municipal workers in Philadelphia.

A broad range of jobs located in Center City are accessible to people with varying education levels.

Source:

Number of Center City Workers by Home ZIP Code, 2023

Located in the center of a transit network that connects over a million people to downtown, Center City’s jobs support the region’s diverse economy and residents.

Source: Placer.ai

Philadelphia Recovery Rate by Commuting Distance, 2020–2023

Philadelphia Employee Recovery Rate by Commuting Distance, 2020–2023

The likelihood of return to the office decreases the farther an employee lives from downtown.

The likelihood of an employee returning to the office decreases the farther they live from downtown Philadelphia.

Of the 37% of Center City employees who live outside of Philadelphia, 21% percent are from Pennsylvania and 11% from New Jersey. Over 80% of Philadelphia’s jobs in information, finance and insurance, and professional services industries are located downtown.

While Center City's employment density draws talent from across the region, Philadelphia also boasts the greatest share of downtown workers living within 2 miles, as analyzed in CCD's Downtowns Rebound report in 2023. Proximity to work is closely tied to returning to the office; those living within 2 miles are back at rates above 90%. This means Greater Center

City's current housing boom is also an employment growth strategy. The more people who live within or can easily access downtown, the more appealing it is for firms of all kinds to locate here, which will in turn driving support and ancillary business growth.

Telling the story of Center City’s densely packed talent cluster as well as the ease of access for an even broader regional talent pool is one ingredient for attracting new employers to the city to drive job growth at a faster rate.

The

Core Downtown Non-Resident Worker Recovery Rate Q4 2023

volume of non-resident workers in Philadelphia’s downtown has reached 70% of 2019 levels, ranking sixth highest of the 25 largest cities.

In cities with large transit systems and a lower reliance on cars, workers have returned to the office at a higher rate the closer they live to the downtown. In Center City, the volume of workers returning to the office who live less than two miles away is at 90% of 2019 levels. The likelihood of workers returning to the office decreases the further they live from the downtown, with those living 10 or more miles returning at an approximate rate of just 50%. Core Downtown Non-Resident Worker Recovery Rate, Q4 2023

Office 03

Center City is home to over 40 million square feet of office space, firmly cementing itself as the focal point of employment across the Delaware Valley and creating the highest density of jobs in the region.

Key Takeaways

Occupancy is comparatively high:

Shorter commutes, more office time:

Center City’s office occupancy is around 82%, a relatively stable rate among U.S. downtowns.

Philadelphia can capitalize on its first place share of workers living two miles or less from the office.

The flight to quality persists:

Employers have been building new, amenitized spaces to create environments compelling enough to bring workers back in-person and to attract future prospects.

Center City Office Occupancy Rate, 2014–2023

Center City’s office occupancy has declined steadily since the pandemic from its peak of 91% in 2018, down to 84.3% in 2022 and 82.3% by the end of 2023.

Occupied and Vacant Office Square Footage, 2018–2023

Since 2020, hybrid work patterns have accelerated reconsiderations of workplace needs and created more than 3 million square feet of new vacancy in Center City.

Office Occupancy Rates of Downtown Office Districts, Select Major Cities, 2023

Based on a comparative look across other large downtown office markets using JLL data, Philadelphia places second only to Midtown Manhattan in terms of total occupancy at around 80%.

Center City Philadelphia has less vacancy to fill on both a sheer total and percentage basis than many other dense urban office clusters, along with comparably lower average asking rental rates. But the fact remains that the vacancy added to the market since the pandemic is nearly 4 million square feet, or approximately four Comcast Centers worth of empty space. Center City’s performance relative to most of its counterparts is cause for optimism, yet this level of vacancy is unprecedented in recent history.

Office Leases Signed, 2018–2023

From 2000 to 2019, Center City saw an average of 336 office leases signed per year. Since 2020, that number has dropped to 197 per year. However, the average size of the leases signed have remained consistent in that time.

The average size of office leases in Center City has not moved much over the last decade. The factors driving down occupancy are twofold: 1) givebacks of space by the largest occupiers, often building on trends of efficiency and consolidation already in play before COVID; and 2) fewer deals being completed in a given year.

The bright spots Philadelphia saw five years ago are largely still at play, with smaller firms from the suburbs and elsewhere opening downtown locations to appeal to younger talent. Greater Center City’s enduring appeal as a living destination will continue to support the argument for choosing Center City in cases where well-educated younger talent is the priority. Offsetting this positive driver of demand is the scale of larger contractions: a law firm shrinking its footprint from five floors to two in a Market Street tower creates a vacancy that would take half a dozen leases to fill given the average deal downtown is for less than 9,000 square feet.

Source: CoStar

Average Asking Rent by Building Class, 2018–2023

The national trend in office leasing has seen more tenants demanding high-quality spaces with amenities for their workers. As demand increases for an asset in limited supply, average asking rents for Trophy space have increased while Class A and B space remains largely flat.

While Class A and B asking rents increased marginally from 2022 to 2023, Trophy class assets saw a significant increase from $42.43 per square foot in 2022 to $46.44 in 2023. The focus of the office leasing market has shifted into a flight-to-quality mindset, with exceptional amenities and high-end build-outs attracting outsized shares of leasing. In 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, Trophy class space made up 46% of all office space leased within Center City despite making up just 26% of the inventory.

The closer employees live to their workplace, the more likely they are to return to the office.

West Market Office District Employees Home Location

An emerging trend that underscores the importance of bolstering Center City’s livability is the rate at which employees who live closer to their workplace are returning to the office. In 2019, the share of West Market office district workers who lived within five miles of their workplace was 34%, and by 2023, that share increased to 45%.

Those who enjoy a short commute to their office are much more apt to return to office than those who are living farther outside the city—a fact that has strong implications for strengthening the work, live and play balance of Center City and Philadelphia at large.

Pedestrian volumes across the West Market office district continue to increase as Philadelphia’s largest employers like Comcast, Independence Blue Cross and the city’s municipal government have established plans to return to their offices throughout 2023 and 2024.

West Market Office District Average Daily Worker Volume

West Market Office District Pedestrian Volume, 2020–2023

West Market Office District Average Daily Pedestrian Volume, 2022–2023

Source:

Source: Placer ai

While speculative office construction is undergoing a lull nationwide, employers have a renewed sense of optimism as they focus on building new, modern, enjoyable workspaces that will serve their employees as they return to work in Center City.

Morgan Lewis

Parkway Corporation has transformed its parking lot at 23rd & Market streets into a 324,829 square foot, Trophy office building for law firm Morgan Lewis. The 19-story building includes a façade of glass and brick, as well as ground-floor retail and an underground garage for 47 cars. The building is LEED certified with a green roof.

Chubb

Parkway is developing a destination workplace at 2000 Arch Street. The 18-floor, 550,000 square foot building was designed by L2P/ Stantec and will be occupied by Chubb, the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. This building kicked off in the thick of the pandemic and was one of the largest leases in the United States at the time (and one of the only new towers to proceed into construction that year).

Insomnia Cookies

While not a standalone facility like 2222 Market Street or 2000 Arch Street, Insomnia’s innovative space exemplifies prevailing trends in workplace design, with a brandnew office for their entire company alongside experiential retail on the ground floor. It is one of the first Center City companies to implement a four-day work week; early feedback from employees has been overwhelmingly positive.

Despite many positive trends in Center City’s office market during 2023, an issue that property owners and policy makers cannot ignore is the looming fiscal crisis facing many large office buildings in Philadelphia. As vacancy rates climb, cash flow has been reduced and some property owners have fallen behind on their loan payments. This trend may lead to devalued assessments of these properties, which has the potential to leave a massive hole in the city’s tax revenue and budgets in the coming years.

The majority of large office leases in 2023 involved tenants relocating within Center City. In nearly all cases, relocations reflect the flight to quality, with a reduction in total footprint but in a newer or higher-quality space. The two largest leases, KPMG and Fox Rothschild, both exemplify this dynamic. Each tenant moved one block away from a Class A building to a Trophy class building, decreasing around 40% of the size of their space.

Out of 40.8M square feet of office assets over 250K square feet in size, 44.8% (representing 18.3M square feet) are experiencing some level of financial distress.

Notable Center City Office Leases, 2023

Source: JLL

04 Housing

Greater Center City (Girard Avenue to Tasker Street, river to river), with over 200,000 residents, has been the fastest growing residential area in Philadelphia for the last two decades.

Key Takeaways

Supply & demand are in sync:

2020 was a migration outlier:

7,000 down, 7,000 to go:

Since 2011, Greater Center City’s housing supply has grown 24% while its population has increased by 26%.

According to Placer.ai, over 11,000 people migrated to Center City from 2021 to 2023, equating to 3% population growth.

After a pause in housing production in 2020, momentum has returned, with 7,429 units added to Greater Center City since 2021 and 7,181 more planned.

Greater Center City’s population has increased by 26% since 2011, according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). Data from Placer.ai show this trend continuing in recent years, with over 11,000 people migrating to Center City from 2021 to 2023; the only year when net negative migration occurred was 2020. The sustained population increase has supported demand for renovated and new housing production.

Net Migration as a Percentage of the Population, 2018–2023

Net Migration as a Percentage of the Population, 2018–2023

Since 2020, Greater Center City has experienced more people moving in than moving out.

Since 2020, Greater Center City has experienced more people moving in than moving out.

Center City continues to adapt as a thriving, live-work, mixed-use downtown.

After a pause in housing production in 2021, momentum has returned. In 2023, almost 1,000 new housing units were completed in core Center City. An additional 1,800 units were completed in the adjacent ZIP codes, bringing the total housing units completed in Greater Center City to 2,844, reaching a five-year high for the number of completed units. Despite being less than 6% of the city’s land area, Greater Center City accounted for 37% of the city’s total supply of new housing units in 2023.

Source: Placer ai

Population and Housing Characteristics: Center City and Philadelphia

Within the last decade, Greater Center City’s population has become younger. Over 80% of residents in core Center City have a college degree, and 53% are in the 22-34 age range. Forty percent of Greater Center City residents are 22-34, up from 32% in 2011. Core Center City also has a growing number of residents over 60, many of whom are empty nesters. The median household income for Greater Center City is $96,782, increasing from $81,489 in 2011.

Housing Demographics, 2022

Drawing on the strength of Center City’s access to public transportation and walkability, 50% of households in the core do not own a car. Center City has a walk and transit score in the high 90s according to Walk Score, meaning daily errands do not require a car. More residents in Center City means steady foot traffic, which attracts restaurants and retailers, increases economic activity and contributes to a sense of safety and security.

Source: Census Bureau, 2022 American Community Survey, five-year estimates

In Greater Center City, 2,844 housing units were completed in 2023—a five-year high.

Housing Units Completed, 2023

Source: City of Philadelphia, Department of Licenses and Inspections

Philadelphia is a nationwide leader in office to residential conversions.

Since 1997, many developers have taken and are continuing to take advantage of the 10-year tax abatement. Currently, Lubert-Adler is converting office space in The Bellevue to include 200 units and renovating the hotel and retail space. Alterra Property Group purchased 1701 Market Street with plans to convert the building into 299 apartment units.

In addition to the large projects in core Center City, new construction is also concentrated in Northern Liberties, Fishtown and on Spring Garden Street. These neighborhoods on the periphery have great access to Center City jobs with public transit. Additionally, most of these large projects have substantial ground floor retail spaces, allowing for national grocery store chains and other businesses to occupy space in new developments to serve the area’s growing population.

Buildings Converted to Residential Use, 1997–2024

Health Care & Education

Sixteen higher education institutions in and around Center City collectively enrolled about 103,016 students in 2023 and granted 33,912 degrees in 2022, with health sciences and STEM programs accounting for 51.3% of all degrees conferred.

Key Takeaways

Center City leads the region in its share of college graduates:

R&D expenditures are still growing:

We’re a top NIH recipient:

80% of all Center City residents hold at least a bachelor’s degree.

Center City area universities invested $2.7 billion in R&D in 2022.

Philadelphia received the most NIH funding nationally for cell and gene therapy and third for overall funding.

Philadelphia is the educational and economic engine of the state thanks to its nationally ranked universities and rapidly growing health care sector.

The total number of Philadelphians with a bachelor’s degree or higher increased by 14.1% from 2010 to 2022, while Center City continues to have the highest concentration of educated residents by far across the city —80% of all residents hold at least a bachelor’s degree.

The proximity of so many well-regarded educational institutions to a dense, high-paying employment hub is a direct contributor to the recent growth of Center City’s population and a testament to the city’s ability to attract and retain the talent of recent graduates.

Source: Census Bureau Philadelphia Educational Attainment, Population Over 25

The total number of Philadelphians with a bachelor’s degree or higher increased by 14.1% from 2010 to 2022.

Thomas Jefferson University

4.8%

3.2%

2.9%

Philadelphia has long been established as a world-class hub of scientific innovation and investment.

Within the last 15 years, the city’s role as a foundational market for cell and gene therapy (CGT) research and commercialization has solidified and specialized our reputation. According to JLL, Philadelphia ranks ninth nationally in the life sciences sector overall in terms of talent, funding and real estate infrastructure to support further growth. As a biomanufacturing hub, it is a top five market, and research from Econsult Solutions placed Philadelphia second nationally specifically in its capacity as a CGT hub.

Four major Philadelphia institutions—Drexel University, Temple University, Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Pennsylvania—have increased their research & development (R&D) spending year-over-year since 2019, and that trend continued through 2022. The University of Pennsylvania alone spent nearly $1.8 billion on research and development in 2022—more than all other Philadelphia universities—and combined they have pumped nearly $10 billion into research and development, bolstering the local economy and sustaining important, high-paying jobs in our region.

Higher Education R&D Expenditures (in billions), 2019–2022

Center City area universities continue to increase spending on R&D, with over $2.5 billion invested in 2022.

Higher Education R&D Expenditures (in billions) Source:

Rising interest rates and inflation led to a massive pullback in venture capital funding across not only Philadelphia, but the entire nation in 2023.

According to Pitchbook, total venture capital funding across the top 10 cities decreased by about 84% from $190.4 billion and 10,612 deals to $30 billion and 1,909 deals. In 2023, Philadelphia ranked eighth nationally in the amount of VC funding distributed at $600 million and sixth in the number of deals with 102. The majority of the venture capital funding in Philadelphia is focused on its robust life sciences sector.

Philadelphia ranks eighth nationally for venture capital funding deals, with $600 million distributed in 2023.

National Venture Capital Deals, 2023

Universities

and health care institutions attract external funding to support research and development with Philadelphia ranking third nationally in NIH funding, securing more than $1.2

billion in 2023.

National Institutes of Health Funding, 2022–2023

Total National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding has steadily increased every year since 2015, and cities with a strong health care and education workforce consistently take a large share of the pie. While NIH funding does not equally increase across all cities year-over-year due to natural variances in research and development projects, Philadelphia received an increase in funding between

Source: U S Department of Health and Human Serv ces, National Institutes of Health

2022 and 2023, passing Seattle to sit at third place nationally in terms of overall funding. Research from Econsult Solutions reveals that in terms of NIH funding targeted to the CGT sector, Philadelphia is in first place nationally, having attracted more than $317 million since 2018.

06 Retail

Despite several fundamental shifts in the retail landscape over the past several years, Center City’s retail occupancy continues to climb back towards 2019 levels. Philadelphia’s sustained population growth and an influx of digitally native brands have reaffirmed Center City’s place as a premier retail destination for shoppers and tenants alike.

Key Takeaways

“Clicks to bricks” concepts are driving leasing:

Two-thirds of retailers are local or independent:

Digitally native brands and grocery stores have defined retail expansion in recent years.

Center City has a strong mix of independent and national retailers, restaurants and service providers.

Occupancy is up to 85%:

Retail occupancy within the Center City District boundaries is approaching the 2019 occupancy level of 89%.

While several national big-name retailers have set up shop in Center City, two-thirds of all retail stores within our district are either regional or independently owned.

By September 2019, retail occupancy across Center City had peaked with 89% of storefronts occupied by a tenant. During June 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 stayat-home orders and civil unrest, retail occupancy fell to a low of 54.5%. Occupancy rates across Center City have steadily increased since 2021, reaching 85% within CCD boundaries as of January 2024.

Leasing activity dipped during the uncertain years of 2020 and 2021 across all cities and property types, but retail has bounced back strong in 2023. In 2019, 77 retail leases were signed in Center City. In 2023, that number was surpassed with 80 leases signed.

Core Center City Retail Leasing Transactions and Total Square Feet Leased, 2019–2023

Center City Retail Occupancy, 2019–2023

Types of Retail Establishments in Center City

1. Alo Yoga

4. Faherty

Walnut Street

5. Figs* 1625 Walnut Street

6. Glossier 1716 Walnut Street

7. Joybird 1507 Walnut Street

8. Mejuri

1525 Walnut Street

9. Saatva

1712 Walnut Street

10. Vuori

1705 Walnut Street

Digitally native brands such as Allbirds and Warby Parker were among the first “clicks to bricks” brands to lease space in Center City, starting a trend of brands that were established exclusively online at first and later developing into brick-and-mortar retail. These new businesses have reaffirmed Walnut Street along Rittenhouse Square as the premier destination for a new generation of retailers to claim space in the Philadelphia area.

Since March 2023, 36 restaurants have added more outdoor seating with almost a dozen adding outdoor dining options for the first time.

Outdoor Seating in Center City by Type, 2019–2023

Outdoor Seating in Center City

Since the mid-1990s, Center City has long enjoyed abundant outdoor restaurant dining. Sidewalk and onstreet seating provided a vital lifeline for restaurants during 2020 and 2021, with the total number of outdoor seats peaking in 2021. But even with the return of full indoor dining, there is still more sidewalk seating in 2023 than in 2019, with a 14% increase in sidewalk café seating from 2022 to 2023.

Sidewalk Café Sidewalk Café & Streetery Streetery Only

Source: Center City District Retail Survey

Outside of typical working hours, Center City is still a destination where residents of our region choose to come to shop, dine and play. Pedestrian volumes during recreational times of weekday evenings and weekends continued to steadily climb throughout 2023.

February 2024 weekday evening visitor pedestrian volumes were at 81.3% of January 2019 levels.

City Weekend Daily Average Pedestrian Volume

February 2024 weekend visitor pedestrian volumes were at 100% of January 2019 levels.

Source: Placer

Conventions & Tourism

One of the largest industries in Philadelphia, hospitality and tourism is critically important to the city’s tax revenues, consumer spending and foot traffic, with most of the action centering around core Center City.

Key Takeaways

Visitation grew in 2023:

Tourism’s impact is back:

The airport is getting busier:

Philadelphia saw 25.8 million visitors in 2023, with an estimated 11 million of them staying in or visiting Center City.

Tourism in the Greater Philadelphia region generated a $12.4 billion economic impact, returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Philadelphia International Airport welcomed 28.1 million passengers, a 12.6% increase since 2022.

Center City’s hospitality industry remains a pillar of the local economy.

In 2023, Center City welcomed an estimated 11 million visitors. Alongside downtown’s attractions, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, located in Center City, served as a major draw. In the past year, 144 conventions and trade shows were held, drawing over 860,000 attendees. The Convention Center’s biggest annual event, the Philadelphia Flower Show, saw 185,000 attendees. The past year’s many citywide events were supported by Center City’s 73 hotels and 13,000 rooms which

generated a total revenue of $646 million, a 13.5% increase from 2022. Accolades continue to come Philadelphia’s way: USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards named the city the “Most Walkable in the U.S.” and Lonely Planet identified Philadelphia as one of 10 cities to visit across the globe in 2024. The high density of downtown makes it ideal for visitors to conveniently travel from hotels to conventions, events and tourist destinations.

Top: East Coast Volleyball NEQ 2023

Bottom: Philadelphia Flower Show 2023

Philadelphia is an international destination for both conventions and consumer tourists, thanks largely to Center City.

Top international feeder markets:

New direct international flights:

Source: Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau

Existing

Total Employment in Traveler Accommodation Sector, 2019–2023

Third month employment: Traveler Accommodation

Philadelphia private employment in the traveler accommodation sector has surpassed 2019 levels.

Following an upward trend, employment in traveler accommodation reached 7,779 total jobs as of March 2023. Overall, Philadelphia’s job growth in leisure and hospitality has far outpaced other Northeast cities since the late 1990s and continues to be a national standout.

The Logan Philadelphia

Center City Hotels

Source: STR Global & Center City District

Key Hotel Industry Trends in Center City, 2022–2023

The Jaan at Old City

Jaan at Center City

Mint

A cornerstone of Philadelphia’s hospitality industry, Center City hotel stock continues to grow.

In 2023, The Mint opened as an apartment-style hotel located in Old City. Both Jaan hotel locations will add a total of 117 hotel units after completion in 2024. Newly proposed hotels include the Blue Ivy Hotel, which is expected to have 86 hotel rooms, and a 215-room hotel in the former Family Court building on Logan Circle. This would be just one component of a multi-block redevelopment that is also poised to include a new home for the African American Museum in Philadelphia, a new apartment tower and multiple food and beverage concepts.

Many Center City hotels were award winners in 2023, demonstrating exceptional amenities and design. The Four Seasons and The Rittenhouse hotels both received a five-star rating from Forbes as luxury standouts, while an additional five Center City hotels secured listings in Conde Nast Traveler’s Top 15 Hotels in the Mid-Atlantic: Readers’ Choice Awards 2023.

Philadelphia’s tourism and hospitality industry thrived in 2023, attracting 25.8 million visitors and generating a regional economic impact of $12.4 billion which marked a full recovery since the pandemic. Pivotal to the industry’s success, Center City acted as one of the main draws for international tourists and local visitors alike, with its plethora of award-winning hotels, state of the art convention centers and ease of mobility. As the city prepares for 2026, Center City remains a cornerstone in both supporting local tourism and holding capacity for international events.

Arts & Culture

Greater Center City is home to over 210 arts and cultural organizations, the second largest concentration of the arts among U.S. downtowns.

Key Takeaways

Attendance grew in 2023:

2023 ‘cracked’ an attendance record:

Opportunities exist to cultivate new audiences:

A survey of major institutions showed attendance was up an average of 9% over 2022 volumes.

Philadelphia Ballet’s 2023 run of The Nutcracker brought in a record-breaking 53,000 attendees, 68% of whom came from outside the city.

Organizations are getting creative to build audiences back to and beyond pre-pandemic levels.

Known for its variety, Philadelphia’s downtown arts and culture scene includes everything from nationally and internationally recognized art museums and historic parks to mural tours and interactive theaters. With 86% of organizations surveyed reporting audiences below 2019 levels, there are opportunities to attract new patrons and connect more residents, visitors, and workers to Center City’s exceptionally diverse cultural offerings.

Downtowns Comparison: Total Arts & Culture Organizations

Downtowns Comparison: Total Arts & Culture Orgs

Source: SMU Data Arts, 2022

Attendance at Major Arts, Parks and Cultural Institutions

A majority of local institutions saw impressive attendance and ticket sales gains in 2023, driven by a surge in visitation to the region, steadily growing foot traffic and creative marketing and programming initiatives.

Philadelphia Ballet's 2023 opening night performance to George Balanchine's The Nutcracker

53,000

attendees for the month of December, setting a new attendance record for the Philadelphia Ballet.

In December 2023, the Philadelphia Ballet opened its annual presentation of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker to audiences at the Academy of Music. Thirty-one performances that month brought in 53,000 attendees, breaking all historical attendance records for the ballet.

Most attendees to performances of The Nutcracker traveled from outside the city, with 37% coming from nearby counties in the Philadelphia region, and 31% coming from even farther outside of the region.

Large-scale arts events such as The Nutcracker attract tens of thousands of visitors to Center City, including those who might not normally visit the city.

The influx of visitors during downtown arts events causes a cascading economic impact felt by surrounding bars, restaurants, parking garages and other local businesses.

In 2023, the majority of Academy of Music guests traveled from outside the city to attend performances. Visitors by Home ZIP Code at the Academy of Music, December 2023

Total Visitors by Origin at The Academy of MusicThe majority of attendees traveled from outside the city to December performances such as the Nutcracker

Source: Placer ai

Source: Placer.ai

Many organizations launched new programming and experimented with new methods to grow audiences.

Orchestra After 5

This Thursday evening concert series builds in preconcert cocktails and activities and combines them with hour-long concerts to make an evening at the orchestra more casual, fun, and interactive.

Opera Philadelphia

The company presented a Philadelphia debut of a bold new production of La Boheme in which the story is told backwards.

InterAct Theatre Company

The 35-year-old theater company launched a Young Friends program to engage with audience members under 40, offering special speaker series and networking events at designated performances.

Rodin Garden Bar

First rolled out in 2022, The Rodin Garden Bar returned in 2023 during the summer months, providing a reason above and beyond the impressive sculpture collection to check out the museum and grounds.

Dinner and a Show and Center City On Stage

CCD continues to play a direct role in growing audiences and amplifying the marketing of the district’s many arts groups. We built on our 2023 promotion of Dinner and a Show with the 2024 program Center City on Stage which offered discounted tickets to select productions and performances.

Independent theater companies within CCD’s boundaries—the Wilma, Lantern, and InterAct— grew their collective attendance by 25% in 2023.

CCD is one of many civic partners that can work to seize on this momentum and take Center City’s rich arts landscape to new heights.

Arts and cultural organizations can benefit from the ongoing growth of Center City’s residential population and the steady return of visitors and workers.

Center City’s arts and culture landscape remains a key pillar of the economic and social vitality of downtown, and the majority of institutions enjoyed a year of significant attendance growth in 2023. In the past year, innovative arts initiatives drove foot traffic and ancillary spending at hotels, restaurants and bars while creating positive impressions of Center City. Marquee productions, such as Fat Ham and The Nutcracker, drew

both local and regional audiences downtown. Creative programming and partnerships will remain crucial in generating new patrons while keeping established ones. CCD intends to continue its partnerships and promotions and undertake further analysis to identify ways to support this singular and joyful part of Center City’s identity.

09 Transportation

Center City is served by a multimodal hub-and-spoke public transit system that maximizes connectivity to the urban core. More than 1 million suburban residents live within one mile of a transit station that offers them a one-seat ride downtown.

Key Takeaways

Active commuting is up:

45% of core Center City residents and 28% of extended Center City residents walk or bike to work.

SEPTA ridership continues to grow:

Investments are underway:

System usage increased more than 20% in 2023 from 2022 levels, with bus ridership swelling by nearly 40%.

SEPTA, PATCO, Indego, the City and PennDOT are all pushing ahead with significant improvements in 2024 and 2025.

The city’s economic centrality has been challenged over the decades— first by suburbanization of housing and jobs in the 20th century, then by the disruption of the pandemic—in ways that have eroded the network’s effectiveness. Despite these disruptions, Center City continues to remain the region’s fastest-growing hub for jobs, business and residents. Advancing Center City’s growth is inherently tied to investment in our regional transit network.

Transit Average Weekday Ridership in Greater Center City, 2023

Market-Frankford Line

Broad Street Line Trolley

Regional Rail Broad Ridge Spur

SEPTA

While ridership remains below pre-pandemic levels across all modes of transportation and across all major U.S. transit systems, SEPTA ridership grew more than 20% year-over-year in 2023, with more than 187 million trips taken. Regional Rail, bus and metro (subway and trolley) routes all saw significant percentage increases, though riders are slowest to return to the L (MarketFrankford) and B (Broad Street) lines.

The L is the backbone of the SEPTA network. Just four years ago, packed trains ran every four minutes at peak hours and 24-hour weekend service was gaining in popularity among younger city residents and hospitality workers. Today, a combination of aging rail cars, fewer daily commuters and persistent quality of life challenges

Source: SEPTA, PATCO

stemming from the opioid epidemic have all contributed to lower ridership and negative perceptions of the L.

Addressing riders' reservations and quality of life challenges will require support and partnership with the City and other agencies. In the meantime, SEPTA is doing its part by moving forward with the necessary investments to maintain the L as the workhorse of the SEPTA system. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced $317 million in funds for new rail cars, the largest-ever federal investment in the agency. It is one of several high-profile efforts SEPTA is undertaking to improve the perception, performance and quality of the system.

SEPTA Total Ridership (in millions), 2020-2023

Source: SEPTA

Bus ridership saw the biggest uptick in 2023, with total trips climbing by nearly 40%.

Source: SEPTA

Ongoing and Upcoming Investments in SEPTA

Fare Flexibility

SEPTA now allows multi-tap payments on Key cards as well as direct payments via smart phones, watches and contactless credit and debit cards.

Countdown Clocks

SEPTA is implementing new digital displays across metro lines to provide riders with real-time info for when the next train or trolley is coming.

New L Cars

$317 million in FTA funding is supporting the purchase of a new fleet of 200 L cars for SEPTA’s busiest and most important line.

Ongoing Investments in PATCO

This year, a rebuilt Franklin Square Station will reopen at 7th and Race streets, adding a stop in Center City and providing New Jersey and Center City riders with a new way to reach the historic district and Old City.

Bus Revolution

The overhaul of SEPTA’s bus network will add frequency to key routes.

Metro & Wayfinding Rollout

Starting with core Center City in 2024, metro stations and lines will receive new designations and wayfinding to help make the system more user-friendly and easier to navigate.

Residents’ Mode of Commute to Work, 2022

Source:

Core Center City is one of the most walkable areas in Philadelphia, with 42% of total employees choosing walking as their primary mode of getting to work.

Maximizing mobility

Philadelphia ranks high in its share of commuters who use methods other than a car to get to work. Compared to 2022, Philadelphia now ranks ahead of Chicago and Seattle in level of non-auto commuting. Philadelphia is an extremely walkable and accessible city, especially in Center City.

Non-Auto Commute Share by City, 2022

Indego Bike Share and Cycling

Only four U.S. metropolitan areas have a higher share of non-automobile commutes than Philadelphia. Zooming into core Center City, just 27% of resident workers drive to work (presumably to jobs outside of the city). For those who live and work downtown, walking and biking are attractive options, and this is reflected in the 45% of Center City residents who commute by foot or bike. Extended Center City’s bicycle commuting rate is 9%, nearly five times the city’s overall percentage. The expansion of the city’s Indego bike share system facilitated this; over 275 stations now stretch from the Navy Yard to Manayunk, with 61 in core Center City. In 2023, Indego added 67 stations, the most in a single year since its launch.

Center City’s enduring health and appeal, both economically and experientially, hinges on improving regional mobility. The more viable and attractive options that workers, visitors and residents have for traveling to, from and within downtown, the less car-dependent the region becomes. Reducing reliance on cars has innumerable benefits to air quality, congestion, highway maintenance costs and people’s wallets.

Center City Bike Lanes by Type

Source: Philadelphia Streets Department, Indego Bike Share

Greater Center City Boundary Bike Lane Type

Indego Bike Station

Acknowledgements

The State of Center City 2024 team includes Jessie Brain (Manager of GIS Mapping Services and Technology), Prema Katari Gupta (President and CEO), JoAnn Loviglio (Vice President, Communications and Public Relations), Leo Manning (Director of Strategic Communications), Adrianna Morsey (Research Assistant), Clint Randall (Vice President, Economic Development), Jimmy Salfiti (Economic Development Manager), Lauren Smith (Economic Development Manager), and Bonnie Thompson (Senior Director, Digital Marketing.)

This document was designed by David Orantes (Art Director) and Amy Genda (Vice President, Strategy and Design.) It was illustrated by Aimée Liriano (Graphic Designer).

Information Sources

Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

The Barnes Foundation

Chris' Jazz Café

City of Philadelphia, Department of Licenses and Inspections

City of Philadelphia, Department of Streets

City of Philadelphia, Office of Property Assessment

City Winery

CoStar

Drexel University Factbook

Eastern State Penitentiary

The Franklin Institute

Indego

Independence National Historic Park

InterAct Theatre

JLL

Lantern Theater Company

Masonic Temple

Mural Arts Philadelphia Museum of the American Revolution

Mütter Museum

National Center for Educational Statistics

National Science Foundation

Newmark

Opera Philadelphia

PATCO

Penn Museum

Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia

Philadanco

Philadelphia Ballet

Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau

Philadelphia International Airport

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Philadelphia Police Department

Pitchbook NVCA Venture Monitor

Placer.ai

Reading Terminal Market

Redfin

SEPTA

SMU DataArts

STR Global

Temple University

Tourism Economics

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey

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U.S. Census Bureau, Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics

U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau

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Visit Philadelphia

Walnut Street Theatre

The Wilma Theater

Zillow

Photography Credits:

BeauMonde Originals, pgs. 12, 19, 82

Sara Chiaravalloti, pg. 62

J. Fusco for Visit Phlly, pgs. 56, 71

P. Meyer for Visit Philly, pg. 77

J. Ryan for PHLCVB, pg. 69

Matt Stanley; pgs. 4, 11, 37, 43, 65, 88, 91, 92, 94

Dave Orantes, pg. 52

Alexander Iziliaev for Philadelphia Ballet, pg. 80

PHLCVB, pg. 69

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University of the Arts, pg. 51

Visit Philly, pg. 79

Veracity Studios for Comcast, pgs. 27, 31

We Film Philly, pgs. 16, 46, 87

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CPDC Board

Ryan Ade, JLL

Miguel Baptista, M&T Bank

Rija Beares, CBRE

Brian Berson, Parkway Corporation

Marc D. Brookman, Duane Morris LLP

Mark T. Celoni, Pennoni Associates Inc.

Andrew Coler

Edward M. D'Alba, Urban Engineers Inc.

John P. Derham

Harold Dichter, Aramark Corporation

Mark A. Duffy, Firstrust Bank

Kenneth Fulmer, Urban Engineers Inc.

Joseph W. Healy, WRT

Branton Henderson, Bank of America

Monica Jindia, Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company

Ajamu Johnson, Comcast/NBCUniversal

Peter Kelsen, Blank Rome LLP

Alan C. Kessler, Duane Morris LLP

Daniel Killinger, National Real Estate Development

Bradley A. Krouse, Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg LLP

Robert D. Lane Jr., Greenberg Traurig LLP

Rachel Lewis, Morgan Lewis

Shawn McCaney, William Penn Foundation

Matthew N. McClure, Ballard Spahr LLP

Mark Merlini, Brickstone Realty

CCDF Board

John J. Connors, Brickstone Realty

Jaimie S. Field, Audacy

Michael C. Forman, FS Investments

Thomas Gravina, GPX Enterprises LP

Michelle Hong, Northern Trust

James L. Paterno, Stockton Real Estate Advisors LLC

Jane Scaccetti, Armanino LLP

Gerard H. Sweeney, Brandywine Realty Trust

Richard Vague, Gabriel Investments

Prema Katari Gupta, Ex officio, Center City District Foundation

Paul R. Levy, Executive Director, Center City District Foundation

CCD Board

Paul L. Badger Jr., The Badger Group LLC

Valerija (Rija) Beares, CBRE

Anna Boni, Parkway Corporation

John J. Connors, Brickstone Realty

Joseph F. Coradino

Jeffrey DeVuono, Brandywine Realty Trust

Paige Jaffe, Square Retail Consultants

Jamal Johnson, Comcast Technology Center

Dan Killinger, National Real Estate Development

Robert D. Lane Jr., Greenberg Traurig LLP

Paul R. Levy, Center City District Foundation

Gregory B. Muller, SSH Real Estate

Drew Murray, Logan Square Neighborhood Association

Randall L. Scott, Coretrust Capital Partners LLC

H. Hetherington Smith, Savills

Jack Soloff Jr., Savills

Christophe P. Terlizzi, Laurier Capital

Advisors

Angela Val, Visit Philadelphia

Carol Watson, Kimpton Hotel Palomar

Tina Byles Williams, Xponance

CPDC Members

ABM

Allan Domb Real Estate

Alterra Property Group LLC

Aramark

Ballard Spahr LLP

Bank of America NA

Blank Rome LLP

Brandywine Realty Trust

Brickstone Realty

CBP Architects

CBRE Inc.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Comcast

Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company

Conner Strong & Buckelew

CosciaMoos Architecture

Cozen O'Connor LLP

Cushman & Wakefield of Pennsylvania Inc.

Dranoff Properties

Duane Morris LLP

Econsult Solutions Inc.

Firstrust Bank

FMC Corporation

Goldman Properties

Greenberg Traurig LLP

HDR Architecture

JLL

Keystone Property Group

KieranTimberlake

Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg LLP

LevLane

Lubert-Adler

M&T Bank

Mercator Advisors LLC

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

MPN Realty

Narducci Electric Company LLC

National Real Estate Development

Nelson Worldwide

O'Donnell & Naccarato

OLIN

Parkway Corporation

Pearl Properties LLC

PECO Energy Company

Pennoni

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

Philadelphia Parking Authority

PNC Bank NA

Posel Management Company

Post Brothers

Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia

Reading Terminal Market Corporation

Republic Bank

Saul Ewing LLP

Savills

Scully Company

Seravalli Inc.

SSH Real Estate

Stockton Real Estate Advisors LLC

Strada Architecture LLC

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP

Structure Tone LLC

Ten Penn Center Associates LP

The Goldenberg Group

The Klein Company

The Lighting Practice

University of Pennsylvania

Univest Financial Corporation

Urban Engineers Inc.

William Penn Foundation

WRT

Zarwin Baum DeVito Kaplan Schaer

Toddy PC

The Center City District (CCD), Central Philadelphia Development Corporation (CPDC) and Center City District Foundation (CCDF) work together to enhance the vitality and competitiveness of Philadelphia’s downtown. In 1991 the business leadership organization CPDC created the CCD business improvement district to deliver daily services with the goal of making Center City clean and safe. This helped transform Center City into a vibrant 24-hour downtown, attractive to businesses, residents, students, shoppers and tourists.