Research & Reports

This comprehensive annual research report from CCD and CPDC examines the key drivers of downtown vitality and investment – new housing, return to the office, retail, employment, arts and culture, transportation, health care and higher education, and travel and tourism.

The newly released Quarterly Market Update Q3 2025 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Our year-end 2024 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.

Can downtowns in the U.S. rebound and prosper? This fundamental question lingers more than three years after the global pandemic. This report seeks to counter misinformation and provide some of the data that can assist when making decisions and choosing actions that best support a robust and inclusive process of recovery.

Center City continued its steady process of recovery in June and during the first three weeks of July with pedestrian volumes reaching 92% of 2019 levels. The robust recovery of residents and visitors has led the way, while the number of workers in June approached 100,000, attaining 76% of June 2019 levels.

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