Office & Employment

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 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.

The Developments Report includes a map and full-color photos or renderings and project descriptions of major developments in Center City, categorized by type. An interactive map features all of the information found within the publication.

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.

This report highlights the direct relationship between Philadelphia’s antiquated tax policy, slow job growth and high poverty rate and suggests a path to more robust, citywide growth.

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