Working every day to enhance the vitality of Center City.

Center City District has helped transform downtown Philadelphia with a simple but ambitious mission to make the downtown clean, safe and attractive for people to work, live and enjoy.

Get out and explore Center City's unique shops, top-rated restaurants, outdoor beer gardens, world-class arts and cultural institutions and beautiful parks. Find discounts, happening and events throughout the city.

You can help support the many initiatives of our Foundation: greening Center City, programming our parks with arts and cultural events for adults and children, supporting our homeless outreach teams and new public safety bike patrol.

The total number of workers, residents and visitors in Center City continued to rise in October 2023 to 82% of October 2019 levels, with the largest increases among workers and residents. Overall, the upward trend in pedestrian volumes for the last three and a half years is showing no signs of having reached any plateau.

For two decades, the fastest growing residential section of Philadelphia has been Greater Center City. In 2022, the downtown rebound was built on decades of success: At just 5.8% of the city’s land area, Greater Center City accounted for 48% of the city’s total supply of new housing units.

Jobs are back, salaries are rising, Center City’s population continues growing, conventions, tourism and retail are all rebounding, and pedestrian vitality is almost fully restored in many portions of the downtown. Office vacancy, however, is rising, challenged by a partial return to office and reinforced by a wage tax that encourages suburban residents to remain remote.

Does Center City Philadelphia have what it needs to recover? This CCD/CPDC report highlights Philadelphia’s signs of recovery and examines the serious challenges that must be addressed.

This report compares Philadelphia to five other urban areas in United States. It documents how Philadelphia lags in firms that sell services nationally and globally, but suggests that if we replicate the success achieved by others, we will grow more family-sustaining jobs and a prosperous network of small, local businesses.

The Market Street East Improvement Association today has released the results of its independent master plan evaluation of Market Street East and the role the proposed 76ers arena can have on the future of Market East District.

This CCD, CPDC report suggests that Philadelphia should increase its commitment to quality of life investments and resume its prior commitments to tax reduction, in order to retain and attract residents and businesses and spur widespread and inclusive private-sector job growth.

This CCD, CPDC report examines business density and the disparities between the number of Black-owned and white-owned businesses in Philadelphia and compares them to four other East Coast cities.

CCD, Project Home and Philadelphia Police have partnered to create combined outreach teams that help people living on the streets connect with services and shelter.

After decades of job loss, Philadelphia has enjoyed nine straight years of job growth that accelerated in 2014. Despite the recent upturn however, the city has rebounded more slowly than most peer cities.

The Center City District manages several beautiful, well-maintained outdoor spaces that are perfect for your next special event, during the day or after-hours. Find out how we can help you host a memorable event in the heart of Philadelphia.