THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CENTER CITY DISTRICT AND CENTRAL PHILADELPHIA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
SPRING 2024
CENTER CITY DIGEST
A Year of Progress and Possibility It’s a privilege to lead Center City District through its next chapter, as we transform from a founder-led organization to a founder-inspired organization. I’m grateful for Paul’s friendship, mentorship, and continued engagement. I am also inspired by the hard work and dedication of the men and women in Center City District uniforms and in our office who work to make the heart of the city welcoming, comfortable, and a place of opportunity for all. While the author of this letter is different, Center City District’s focus is the same; “clean and safe” are the pillars upon which CCD was founded. We have heard loud and clear that safety, improving both reality and perception, is a top priority among our stakeholders. To rise to the unprecedented challenges of the last four years, we have significantly expanded our services: • • • • •
A public safety bike patrol during the evening, supplementing the work of our more than 30 Community Service Representatives. A twice monthly public safety collaborative meeting, convening 20 local and federal agencies and with the security forces of major private employers and building managers to coordinate and optimize resources. A graffiti removal team cleans street furniture, signs, light poles and parking kiosks, expanding on the work of our 110 sidewalk cleaners. Our life-saving Ambassadors of Hope partnership brings together Project Home, crisis intervention trained police and our own specially trained homeless outreach staff, helping 139 people last year to come off the street and connect with shelter and services. Signs of progress are encouraging. Over the last four years, Greater Center City’s population has increased 3%. Retail occupancy in Center City is at 85%, compared to a low of 54.5% in June 2020 and inching towards the 89% occupancy rate seen in September 2019. Weekend foot traffic has reached 95% of the 2019 levels, weekday evening traffic has reached 87%, and the positive momentum is continuing. Employment and pedestrian volumes are rebounding; many other indicators are heading in the right direction.
While visitors and residents have returned to Center City in numbers that are approaching or exceeding 2019 levels, non-resident office workers have returned at lower rates. Factors include length of commute (workers living closer to the downtown have returned in larger numbers) and industry type (hospitality and medical workers are back at higher rates than office and tech workers). Leaders including Comcast and IBX have shown leadership in bringing employees back to the office, and Mayor Cherelle Parker has called back City of Philadelphia employees to return. While police data clearly shows that crime within the core of downtown is down more than 10% compared to 2019, we are very aware that quality-of-life challenges – aggressive panhandlers, roaring ATVs and untended dumpsters – understandably make residents, workers and visitors feel unsafe. We are delighted that Mayor Parker has made these challenges among her priorities citywide.
CENTER CITY DISTRICT & CENTRAL PHILADELPHIA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION | CENTERCITYPHILA.ORG
1