Research & Reports

The Center City District (CCD) report Open Streets: Reimagining Streets for People in Philadelphia comprehensively documents the outcomes and future vision of the Open Streets: West Walnut program.

Center City District’s Open Streets program began in September 2024 with a simple question: what would happen if streets were closed to vehicles and opened to pedestrians? From the start, the answer was abundantly clear: a people-first environment improves the experience of shoppers and residents while providing a measurable boost to businesses along the corridor.

What is a third space? A third space is anywhere people gather outside of their home (a first space) or work (a second space). For many, third spaces are ways to find community and routine. Learn more in the latest edition of Center City Insights.

As we look toward the future of this critical corridor, it is important to understand the building projects, infrastructure investments, and key decisions that made it the street it is today. This first monthly feature of 2026 presents a timeline and key facts about the development of Market East.

The newly released Quarterly Market Update Q1 2026 looks at the ever-shifting dynamics in Center City’s office market. The report brings together building performance with the latest research to provide a holistic look at both the economic environment and the on-street experience for Center City workers.

Philadelphia has emerged as a standout performer in employment growth among major U.S. cities, according to the Philadelphia Employment Report 2025, which examined 15 years of job market data. The report reveals that despite ongoing challenges in the office sector, Philadelphia has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth in its overall employment base.

Our year-end 2025 Center City Retail Report pulls together the latest data on retail occupancy, demand, and leasing activity and explores emerging trends and opportunities that will shape Center City’s retail landscape in the coming years.

The Center City Data Dashboard includes data covering key indicators, pedestrian counts, the office market, retail, hospitality, transportation, housing, Center City District stats, and demographics and will be updated regularly. Bookmark it today.

CCD worked with apartment managers and landlords of more than two dozen apartment buildings between Locust and Callowhill streets to distribute a survey to their residents between March and September of 2025. This report summarizes our findings.

This Center City District/Central Philadelphia Development Corp. annual housing report reveals unprecedented growth in Greater Center City's residential sector, with residential development reaching a 5-year high in 2024, according to new CCD research.

This groundbreaking study by the CCD examines over 2.5 miles of Philadelphia's alley network with the goal of transforming these underutilized spaces into valuable public assets. This comprehensive survey of 45 Center City alleys, reveals significant challenges but also significant, achievable potential to evolve into safer, cleaner, and more active urban spaces.

CCD has taken a deep dive into cycling and its role in facilitating a functional, viable, safe and attractive downtown. Read our article to learn how cycling has rapidly become a crucial part of urban mobility, what’s in the works to make it safer and easier to cycle, and some ideas for how Center City Philadelphia can continue to differentiate itself and encourage people-powered transportation.

Why retailers that once defined downtowns have been disappearing for decades, and what it means for the future.