Center City News

The pandemic has dramatically highlighted the interdependence of the diverse components of the Center City economy. Downtown offices drive demand for retail and restaurants and attract business travelers. Colleges and universities create demand for apartments, retail and restaurants, and supply graduates who replenish the workforce. Arts and cultural institutions draw regional visitors and tourists, and convention attendees book hotels and restaurants. Remove any of these interconnected components and vitality is challenged, while revenues that support citywide services are curtailed.

This edition of the CCD and CPDC quarterly newsletter includes: CCD President, Paul R. Levy's cover essay making the case for returning to work; CCD 2021 Budget Details; profiles of our essential on-street workers, Summer Park Events, New communications campaigns and CCD/CPDC Reports; How you can support downtown’s recovery.

This is a transformational moment for Philadelphia, when investments in economic development funded by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) can be combined with the long-recommended changes to Philadelphia's tax structure to prompt faster and more equitable citywide job growth.

State of Center City 2021: Restoring, Returning, Reanimating, is a comprehensive overview of marketplace conditions in Philadelphia at the end of 2020. It provides detailed profiles of the diverse employment sectors that comprise the downtown economy, highlighting strengths and challenges as we entered 2021. It includes information on housing and transportation trends and serves as a report on CCD operations and their impact in the last year.

CCD is marking its 30th year of enhancing the vitality of downtown Philadelphia as a thriving 24-hour environment and a great place to live and work.

6abc featured Center City District Community Service Representative and lifelong Philadelphian Moses Pierce on February 25, 2021 on their Art of Aging program.