Contact Information:
Michelle Shannon, Vice President of Marketing and Communications
michelle@centercityphila.org
215.440.5515
RJ White, Communications/Interactive Marketing Manager
rwhite@centercityphila.org
215.440.5550
CCD Finds More Sidewalk Cafes Than Ever
(June 26, 2008) – The number of outdoor cafes in Center City and Old City is up again this year, rising to 215, up 5% since last year, according to the Center City District’s eighth annual cafe survey. Since 2001, when the CCD began tracking cafes, there has been 212% growth from 69 to the current 215.
CCD considers sidewalk cafes to be a key indicator of the ongoing revival and cosmopolitan character of Center City, creating a sense of safety and enhancing the sociability and business climate of the downtown.
The survey was conducted on randomly selected afternoons and evenings between June 2 and June 13 on the sidewalks of Center City and Old City. The area east of Broad has continued its remarkable growth in cafes, up 57% in only two years and has surpassed both Old City and the area west of Broad to become home to the largest concentration of outdoor cafes in the downtown.
Outdoor cafes were illegal in Center City until 1995 when then Mayor Ed Rendell legalized them by executive order.
The CCD’s sidewalk 2008 cafe report can be downloaded at www.CenterCityPhila.org. An animated map showing the year-by-year growth of sidewalk cafes since 2002 is also available.
The Center City District, a private-sector organization dedicated to making Center City Philadelphia clean, safe and attractive, is committed to maintaining Center City’s competitive edge as a regional employment center, a quality place to live, and a premier regional destination for dining, shopping and cultural attractions.
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