Center City Philadelphia

CPDC was founded in 1956 as the Old Philadelphia Development Corporation, a private nonprofit corporation focused on the earliest revitalization of the historic Society Hill neighborhood. In 1982, OPDC changed its name to Central Philadelphia Development Corporation.

Over the decades, CPDC has been a key force in the growth of Center City, playing a lead role in projects including:

• The redevelopment of Market Street East.
• The planning and construction of the Vine Street Expressway.
• Planning and advocacy for the Avenue of the Arts cultural district.

50th Anniversary

For CPDC's 50th anniversary in 2006, a book was published and a series of associated videos were commissioned.

OPDC | CPDC - 50 Years of Remaking Center City
Chronicles the history of the Old Philadelphia Development Corporation and Central Philadelphia Development Corporation, decade by decade, through archival photos, interviews and reprints of vital documents.
2006 | 82 pgs | PDF (2.3 MB)

Center City's Residential Revival- 50 years in the Making
YouTube

Making the Office District: Lessons from the Development of Penn Center
YouTube

The Impact of Interstate Highways on Center City
YouTube

Market Street East: Updating the Vision for the 21st Century
YouTube

The Parkway and Broad Street: Arts and Culture in Center City
YouTube

Reclaiming the Delaware Waterfront
YouTube