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Center City’s commercial core is experiencing a sustained process of recovery, with new businesses opening and existing retailers moving to new, often larger locations, according to the just-released CCD/CPDC Center City Retail Update. In the first quarter of 2022, taxable retail sales in the core of Center City reached 94% of 2019 levels and restaurant sales reached 74% of 2019 levels.
Beginning this September, Center City District will introduce a full lineup of fall events at Dilworth Park, including a weekend-long Octoberfest, free concerts and the fifth anniversary of Philly’s premiere public space.
Come one, come all, July 20-24, to a summertime staple – the county fair, right at Dilworth Park at City Hall!
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.
Center City continued to show promising signs of recovery throughout the summer months, buoyed by returning conventions and office workers and increasing numbers of pedestrians who are contributing to rising retail and restaurant sales, local tax revenue, new business openings and increases in convention travel and hotel occupancy.
This new CCD/CPDC report analyzes the housing sector recovery in Philadelphia. While the pandemic impaired many parts of Philadelphia’s economy, both Greater Center City and citywide housing markets showed extraordinary resilience in the last year, buoyed by historically low interest rates and continued interest in city living.
Out with the old, in with the cold! Dilworth Park is ready to begin its annual wintertime transformation.
Commentary by Paul R. Levy, CCD President and CEO: Philadelphia was beginning its 11th year of growth when we started researching and writing our annual State of Center City report. Then everything changed. We considered not publishing, but decided only to adjust tense in the text, reflecting current realities.