Center City District says Philly downtown doing well

Whether they’re seeking shorter commutes or to pare their environmental footprint, the latest “State of Center City” report says people are more interested in living and working in the heart of Philadelphia.

The 72-page report documents how people looking to leave their cars behind have made downtown Philadelphia a magnet for both business and residents, said Paul Levy of the Center City District.

“Forty-five percent getting to work without the car, 40 to 50 percent of people walking to work. That’s a great competitive strength that we have,” Levy said.

“People want to live here, they want to work here, they want to raise families here. So things that made us obsolete in the 1970s, when people wanted to drive every place, are those things that make us sustainable at the beginning of the 21st century.”

Levy says the city needs to invest in itself to keep growing.

“One investment can build on another investment,” he said. “Then setting a goal that, just as we’ve reduced the wage tax from 4.96 a decade ago to 3.96, let’s get it to 2.96 in the next 10 years.”

As for the Center City District, its largest project is improving Dilworth Plaza outside City Hall. That’s slated for completion next year.