Landscaping

Trees, greenery, parks and open space relieve the urban landscape, provide recreational opportunities, help control stormwater runoff, improve the environment and provide shade and relief from summer heat.

Trees and Plantings

CCD is always working on improving the health and vitality of its street tree collection. We have studied the effects of different soil types within our tree trenches in order to determine a Best Management Practice for maintenance of existing trees as well as for future plantings.

The CCD has planted and maintained over 740 street trees in Center City. In addition, CCD plants and maintains 125 planters with seasonal plantings, maintains more than 30 planting beds as parking screens at nine locations.

Every spring, CCD works with its contractors to inspect and replace any of its trees or shrubs that were damaged during the winter. Throughout the year, CCD's landscape contractors water, prune, fertilize and groom all CCD trees, parking lot screens and container plantings. 

Trees planted and maintained by CCD are mostly concentrated on and around Sansom, Walnut and Locust Streets from 7th to 20th, Market Street from 6th to City Hall and Chestnut from 6th to 21st and are typically located in rectangular, brick tree pits. If there is a problem with a street tree near your property, report it here.

Plant Center City

In 2018, the Center City District Foundation had the goal of planting 200 new trees in the central business district over two years. There are approximately 2,300 street trees within the Center City District’s boundary—700 of those trees were planted in the 1990s by the CCD, which continues to care for them. Learn more about Plant Center City.

Parkway Improvements

 As part of its ongoing work on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, CCD has made improvements to several public open spaces on the Parkway, including Cret Park and Sister Cities Park. To learn more, visit the Parkway Projects page.