Philadelphia's Center City continues to rebound from the pandemic despite lingering challenges, according to a new report from Center City District.

In its annual State of Center City report released Thursday, Center City District (CCD), which advocates for Center City's growth, found that more jobs are located in Center City than at any point in the last 45 years.

It also found Center City's pedestrian volume is at 90% of where it was before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the area's nightlife economy has experienced substantial growth.

Safety in Center City Philadelphia

However, the percentage of people who feel safe in Center City is still lower than it was before the pandemic.

Prema Katari Gupta, Center City District's CEO, is challenging people's perception of safety by citing statistics, which, she said, showed that the number of violent crimes per day in Center City dropped in 2024 following spikes in the summer of 2020 and in 2022.

"I do believe that, on a risk-adjusted basis, my children are safe when they take advantage of the many great offerings in Center City," Katari Gupta said. "I think you can't let fear get in the way of having a great childhood."

However, the number cited by CCD doesn't take into account quality-of-life crimes including theft, vandalism and drug use.

Katari Gupta also acknowledged that homelessness rose in Center City last year.

Gabriel Brown, who works in Center City, said he feels safe walking around the area.

"I love my city. It can come with a lot more change," Brown said. "But I feel like they're doing somewhat of a pretty good job, you know, improving things."

SEPTA service cuts could jeopardize Center City's growth

CCD leaders also expressed alarm about SEPTA's proposed service cuts in response to the transit agency's significant budget shortfall.

The transit agency warned that if its $213 million funding gap isn't filled for the next fiscal year, riders could see 50 bus routes, five Regional Rail lines and one subway line eliminated, along with fare hikes, a 9 p.m. curfew and workforce reductions.

Lauren Smith, CCD's economic development manager, warned the cuts could derail Center City's growth, particularly its nightlife economy.

"The proposed cuts would result in worsening congestion. That would make it quite difficult to travel to Center City," Smith said. "Our narrow historic street grid can only handle so much traffic, and our parking inventory is just not adequate to handle this load."

Katari Gupta also hinted that improvements could be coming to Market East, which is the section of Market Street between City Hall and Independence Hall.

She said retail vacancies in Market East are higher compared to the rest of Center City, which is due, in part, to the closures of Macy's inside the Wanamaker Building and a Giant Heirloom Market.

Market East is also where the 76ers originally planned to build a new arena before abandoning the project in January.

According to the CCD, Market East is a priority for local leaders due to the expected influx of tourists next year for the nation's 250th anniversary and the six scheduled matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"It's a place where there are only a handful of landlords, and they're folks we know well through Center City District," Katari Gupta said. "Along with a lot of support from [Mayor Cherelle Parker's] administration, I think we're going to see some great movement soon."

When pressed by CBS News Philadelphia for specifics, Katari Gupta responded, "Not right now."

A spokesman for Mayor Parker's office also declined to comment.

As she walked down Broad Street near City Hall, Ricquilla Cobb said she enjoyed having a large number of restaurants and shops in Center City.

"It is what you make of it at the end of the day, right?" Cobb said. "But, overall, I mean, it's an OK place to me."