Center City includes the
central business district and central neighborhoods of
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
. It comprises the area that made up the City of Philadelphia prior to the
Act of Consolidation, 1854
The Act of Consolidation, more formally known as the act of February 2, 1854 (P.L. 21, No. 16), is legislation of the Pennsylvania General Assembly that created the consolidated City and County of Philadelphia, expanding the city's territory to ...
, which extended the city borders to be coterminous with
Philadelphia County
Philadelphia County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the most populous county in Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, Philadelphia County had a population of 1,603,797. The county is the second smallest county in Pennsyl ...
.
Greater Center City (defined from
Girard Avenue
Girard Avenue is a major commercial and residential street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For most of its length it runs east–west, but at Frankford Avenue it makes a 135-degree turn north. Parts of the road are signed as U.S. Route 13 and U.S ...
to Tasker Street) has grown into the second-most densely populated downtown area in the United States, after
Midtown Manhattan in New York City, with an estimated 202,100 residents in 2020 and a population density of 26,284 per square mile.
Geography
Boundaries
Center City is bounded by
South Street to the south, the
Delaware River to the east, the
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river running northwest to southeast in eastern Pennsylvania. The river was improved by navigations into the Schuylkill Canal, and several of its tributaries drain major parts of Pennsylvania's Coal Region. It f ...
to the west, and Vine Street to the north. The district occupies the old boundaries of the City of Philadelphia before
the city was made coterminous with Philadelphia County in 1854. The Center City District, which has special powers of taxation, has a complicated, irregularly shaped boundary that includes much but not all of this area, and also extends beyond it. The
Philadelphia Police Department
The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD or Philly PD) is the police agency responsible for law enforcement and investigations within the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The PPD is one of the oldest municipal police agencies, fourth largest ...
patrols four districts located within Center City – the 6th, 9th, 3rd and 17th districts.
Neighborhood features
Among Center City's neighborhoods and districts are
Penn's Landing
Penn's Landing is a waterfront area of Center City Philadelphia along the Delaware River. Its name commemorates the landing of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania in 1682. The actual landing site is farther south in Chester, Pennsylvani ...
,
Old City,
Society Hill
Society Hill is a historic neighborhood in Center City Philadelphia, with a population of 6,215 . Settled in the early 1680s, Society Hill is one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in Philadelphia.The Center City District dates the Free Soc ...
,
South Street,
Washington Square West,
Market East,
Chinatown,
Logan Square, the
Museum District (located along the
Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Benjamin Franklin Parkway, commonly abbreviated to Ben Franklin Parkway and colloquially called the Parkway, is a boulevard that runs through the cultural heart of Philadelphia. Named for founding father Benjamin Franklin, the mile-long Parkway c ...
),
Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square is a neighborhood, including a public park, in Center City Philadelphia. The park is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme during the late 17th century.
The neighborho ...
,
Fitler Square, the
Avenue of the Arts (South Broad Street), and
Jewelers' Row.
Center City is home to most of Philadelphia's tallest buildings, including
Philadelphia's City Hall, the second-tallest
masonry building in the world and until 1987 the tallest in Philadelphia, as well as the tallest building in the world for seven years. In March 1987,
One Liberty Place broke the
gentlemen's agreement not to exceed the height of the
statue of William Penn atop City Hall. Upon the completion of One Liberty Place, no Philadelphia major-league sports team won a world championship for the next two decades, a phenomenon known as the "
Curse of Billy Penn." In an effort to reverse the curse, a three-foot statue of Penn was affixed to the top of the
Comcast Center
Comcast Center, also known as the Comcast Tower, is a skyscraper in Center City, Philadelphia. The 58-story, tower is the second-tallest building in Philadelphia and in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania (after the Comcast Technology Center), ...
upon its completion as the city's new tallest building in 2007. On October 29, 2008, the
Philadelphia Phillies won the
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2008 season. The 104th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Philadelphia Phillies and the Ame ...
, ending the "curse".
Seven other
skyscrapers now exceed the height of Penn's statue, including One Liberty Place's little sister,
Two Liberty Place. The Comcast Center, which was completed in 2007, became the
tallest building in Pennsylvania, 30 feet taller than One Liberty Place. In 2018, the
Comcast Technology Center
The Comcast Technology Center is a supertall skyscraper in Center City, Philadelphia. The 60-floor building, with a height of , is the tallest building in Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the fourteenth-tallest building in the ...
opened, which is now the tallest building in Philadelphia and the tallest building in the United States outside of
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
and Chicago. 1441 Chestnut, which is currently under construction, is also slated to be taller than City Hall. The first publicly accessible vantage point higher than City Hall opened at
One Liberty Observation Deck on the 57th floor of One Liberty Place in 2015.
Other Center City skyscrapers include the
BNY Mellon Center and the
Three Logan Square, which houses a traffic camera used by the Philadelphia branch of the
Westwood One
Westwood One is an American radio network owned by Cumulus Media. The company syndicates talk, music, and sports programming.
The company takes its name from an earlier network also named Westwood One, a company founded in 1978. The compan ...
MetroNetworks traffic service.
Across the street from City Hall is the
Masonic Temple, the headquarters of the
Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania
The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, officially The Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania and Masonic Jurisdictions Thereunto Belonging, is the premier masonic organizati ...
, a legacy of the
Founding Fathers and signers of the
Declaration of Independence
A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of th ...
, many of whom were
Freemasons; these include
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...
and
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...
. While Philadelphia's population declined between 1990 and 2000, Center City's population increased by 10% over that same period.
In 2007, the city designated the area bound by 11th Street, Broad Street, Chestnut Street and Pine Street as the
Gayborhood
A gay village is a geographical area with generally recognized boundaries that is inhabited or frequented by many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBT) people. Gay villages often contain a number of gay-oriented establis ...
.
Neighborhoods
*
Callowhill
*
Chinatown
*
Fitler Square
*
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as the , is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. After New Orleans (french: La Nouvelle-Orléans) was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city developed around the ("Old Sq ...
*
Logan Square
*
Market East
*
Old City
*
Penn Center
*
Penn's Landing
Penn's Landing is a waterfront area of Center City Philadelphia along the Delaware River. Its name commemorates the landing of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania in 1682. The actual landing site is farther south in Chester, Pennsylvani ...
*
Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square is a neighborhood, including a public park, in Center City Philadelphia. The park is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme during the late 17th century.
The neighborho ...
*
Society Hill
Society Hill is a historic neighborhood in Center City Philadelphia, with a population of 6,215 . Settled in the early 1680s, Society Hill is one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in Philadelphia.The Center City District dates the Free Soc ...
*
Washington Square West
Economy
Sunoco has its headquarters in the
BNY Mellon Center.
Cigna has its corporate headquarters in
2 Liberty Place.
Aramark
Aramark Corporation, known commonly as Aramark, is an American food service, facilities, and uniform services provider to clients in areas including education, healthcare, business, prisons, and leisure. It operates in North America (United S ...
is headquartered in Center City.
Comcast is headquartered in the
Comcast Center
Comcast Center, also known as the Comcast Tower, is a skyscraper in Center City, Philadelphia. The 58-story, tower is the second-tallest building in Philadelphia and in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania (after the Comcast Technology Center), ...
. The law firm
Cozen O'Connor
Cozen O'Connor P.C. is an international law firm based in Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The firm was ranked 74th on the AmLaw 100 Survey in 2021, 92nd on the Global 200, 1st in the nation in ''The American Lawyer'' in its Midlevel Ass ...
has its headquarters in Center City.
Kogan Page
Kogan Page is an independent publishing company founded in 1967 and headquartered in London, with branches in New York and New Delhi. Kogan Page specialises in business books and digital content, with over 1,000 titles published in key subject a ...
has its United States offices in Center City.
Lincoln National Corporation moved its headquarters from Indiana to Philadelphia in 1999.
[Blumenthal, Jeff.]
Lincoln sells Delaware Investments
" ''Philadelphia Business Journal
American City Business Journals, Inc. (ACBJ) is an American newspaper publisher based in Charlotte, North Carolina. ACBJ publishes The Business Journals, which contains local business news for 44 markets in the United States, Hemmings Motor New ...
''. Wednesday August 19, 2009. Modified Thursday August 20, 2009. Retrieved on August 24, 2009. In Philadelphia Lincoln was headquartered in the West Tower of
Centre Square in Center City. In 2007 the company moved 400 employees, including its top executives, to
Radnor Township from
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
.
Government and infrastructure
Buildings
Center City is home to some of the largest and most prominent buildings in the United States, including:
*
1818 Market Street
*
Centre Square
*
Comcast Center
Comcast Center, also known as the Comcast Tower, is a skyscraper in Center City, Philadelphia. The 58-story, tower is the second-tallest building in Philadelphia and in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania (after the Comcast Technology Center), ...
, the 23rd tallest skyscraper in the nation
*
Liberty Place
Liberty Place is a skyscraper complex in Philadelphia. The complex is composed of a 61-story, skyscraper called One Liberty Place, a 58-story, skyscraper called Two Liberty Place, a two-story shopping mall called the Shops at Liberty Place, a ...
*
Philadelphia City Hall
Philadelphia City Hall is the seat of the municipal government of the City of Philadelphia. Built in the ornate Second Empire style, City Hall houses the chambers of the Philadelphia City Council and the offices of the Mayor of Philadelphia. ...
, the world's largest free-standing masonry building
*
Three Logan Square
Infrastructure
The
Philadelphia Fire Department
The Philadelphia Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services (EMS) to the city of Philadelphia. The PFD's official mission is to protect public safety by quick and professional response to emergencies and through the pro ...
operates five fire stations in Center City:
*Engine 1, Ladder 5, Medic 35, Battalion 1 - 711 S. Broad St.
*Snorkel 2, Medic 44B, Battalion 4, Field Comm. Unit 1 - 101 N. 4th St.
*Engine 11, Medic 21 - 601 South St.
*Pipeline 20, Ladder 23, Medic 1 - 133 N. 10th St.
*Squirt 43, Ladder 9, Medic 7 - 2108 Market St.
The
Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice that is responsible for the care, custody, and control of incarcerated individuals who have committed federal crimes; that i ...
Northeast Region Office is in the U.S. Custom House, a part of the
Independence National Historical Park
Independence National Historical Park is a federally protected historic district in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that preserves several sites associated with the American Revolution and the nation's founding history. Administered by the National P ...
, in
Old City, Center City.
The William J. Green Jr. Federal Building houses the
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, ...
Philadelphia
Field Office.
Diplomatic offices and consulates
The
Consulate-General of Italy in Philadelphia is located in the 1026 Public Ledger Building at 150 South Independence Mall West. The
Consulate-General of Panama in Philadelphia is located in Suite 1 at 124 Chestnut Street. The
Consulate of Mexico in Philadelphia is located in Suite 310 of the
Bourse Building off of Independence Mall.
The
Consulate-General of the Dominican Republic in Philadelphia was located in Suite 216 in the Lafayette Building at 437 Chestnut Street. It closed on November 7, 2005. The Consulate-General of Israel in Philadelphia was located on the 18th Floor at 1880 John F. Kennedy Boulevard. Israel closed the Philadelphia consulate in 2016.
Education
Public schools
Residents of Center City are included within the
School District of Philadelphia
The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) is the school district that includes all school district-operated public schools in Philadelphia. Established in 1818, it is the 8th largest school district in the nation, by enrollment, serving over 200 ...
. From the 1940s to the opening of what is now known as the Greenfield School in 1954, many residents attended public schools in other areas and private schools due to the low number of public schools in Center City.
[About Us]
" Albert M. Greenfield School. Retrieved on April 5, 2018.
In 2005, to prevent the flight of middle-class families, the school district and the Center City District, an economic development agency, started a program that promoted public schools in Center City (including
Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square is a neighborhood, including a public park, in Center City Philadelphia. The park is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme during the late 17th century.
The neighborho ...
and
Society Hill
Society Hill is a historic neighborhood in Center City Philadelphia, with a population of 6,215 . Settled in the early 1680s, Society Hill is one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in Philadelphia.The Center City District dates the Free Soc ...
) and adjacent areas in
Fairmount,
Northern Liberties
Northern Liberties is a neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Prior to its incorporation into Philadelphia in 1854, it was among the top 10 largest cities in the U.S. in every census from 1790 to 1850.
Boundaries
Northern Liberties is loc ...
, and
South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south and the Schuylkill River to the west.[YWCA
The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a nonprofit organization with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and rights of women, young women, and girls in more than 100 countries.
The World office is currently based in Geneva, Swi ...]
and later in the former Jerrold Electronics Building. In 1964 the school district bought the site for a permanent campus, which began construction in 1966 and opened in September 1970.
[
* Andrew Jackson School
* Bache-Martin
* Chester A. Arthur
* Edwin M. Stanton
* General Philip Kearny
* George A. McCall School
* George W. Nebinger School
* James R. Ludlow
* Laura Wheeler Waring
* Spring Garden School
* William H. Harrison
* William M. Meredith School
Neighborhood high schools for Center City and the Center City area, located outside of Center City, include:][A Directory of High Schools for 2009 Admissions]
." ''School District of Philadelphia
The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) is the school district that includes all school district-operated public schools in Philadelphia. Established in 1818, it is the 8th largest school district in the nation, by enrollment, serving over 200 ...
''. Accessed November 6, 2008.
* Benjamin Franklin High School
* Furness High School
Horace Howard Furness High School is a secondary (9th-12th) school in South Philadelphia. It is part of the School District of Philadelphia.
Portions of South Philadelphia (including Bella Vista, Passyunk Square, Pennsport, Queen Village, an ...
* South Philadelphia High School
South Philadelphia High School is a public secondary high school located in the Lower Moyamensing neighborhood of South Philadelphia, at the intersection of Broad Street and Snyder Avenue.
The school serves grades 9 through 12 and is part of t ...
Other high schools include:
* Bodine High School for International Affairs
* Constitution High School for American Studies
* Franklin Learning Center High School
* Parkway Center City High School
Parkway Center City Middle College is a historic vocational school located in the Callowhill neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is part of the School District of Philadelphia. The building was built in 1925–1927 and is a brick build ...
* Philadelphia High School for Business and Technology
* Science Leadership Academy
Combined middle and high schools include:
* Julia R. Masterman School
Charter schools
Charter schools not operated by the School District of Philadelphia include:
*Grades 1-12:
** Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School
*Grades 7-12:
*The Mastery Charter Schools Mastery Schools is a network of 24 charter schools with over 14,000 students in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey. It is headquartered at the Mastery Charter Pickett Campus in Germantown, Philadelphia
Germantown ( Pennsylvania Dut ...
system operates the Mastery Charter Lenfest Campus (7-12) in Old City. It moved from North Philadelphia
North Philadelphia, nicknamed North Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is immediately north of Center City. Though the full extent of the region is somewhat vague, "North Philadelphia" is regarded as everything north of either ...
to Old City in 2002.
*Grades 5-8:
**Freire Charter Middle School
*Grades 6-12:
**World Communications Charter School
*Grades 9-12:
**Architecture and Design Charter School
**Freire Charter High School
**Mastery Charter High School
**Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter School
*Grades K-8:
**Laboratory Charter School of Communication and Languages
**Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School
*Grades 6-8:
**Wakisha Charter School
*Grades K-7:
**Christopher Columbus Charter School
**Independence Charter School grades K-8
**People for People Charter School
*Grades Pre-K-8:
**Russell Byers Charter School
*Grades K-6:
**Universal Institute Charter School
Private schools
Roman Catholic parochial schools
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Philadelphia is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as ...
operates the following Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
parochial schools in the Center City are
*Grades 9-12:
** J. W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School
**Roman Catholic High School
, motto_translation = Faith and Knowledge
, accreditation = MSA
, nickname = The Cahillites
, conference = Philadelphia Catholic League
, colors = Purple & Gold
, yearbook ...
*Grades Pre-K-8:
**St. Francis Xavier School
**St. Peter the Apostle School
*Grades K-8:
**St. Mary's Interparochial School
*Grades 1-8:
**Holy Redeemer School
Other private schools
Other private schools in the Center City area include:
*Grades Pre-K-12:
**Friends Select School
Friends Select School (FSS) is a college-preparatory, Quaker school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade located at 1651 Benjamin Franklin Parkway at the intersection of Cherry and N. 17th Streets in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Wi ...
*Grades 9-12:
**City Center Academy
*Grades Pre-K-8:
**St. Peter's School
**The Philadelphia School
Public libraries
The Free Library of Philadelphia
The Free Library of Philadelphia is the public library system that serves Philadelphia. It is the 13th-largest public library system in the United States. The Free Library of Philadelphia is a non-Mayoral agency of the City of Philadelphia gover ...
operates the Parkway Central Library
Parkway Central Library also known as Free Library or Central Library is the main public library building and administrative headquarters of the Free Library of Philadelphia system. It is the largest library, and only research library, of 54 lib ...
at 1901 Vine Street, the Independence Branch at 18 South 7th Street, the Philadelphia City Institute on the first floor and lower level of an apartment complex at 1905 Locust Street, and the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped at 919 Walnut Street.
Other institutions
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is headquartered in Center City.
Culture
Music and theatre
Center City Philadelphia is home to some of the nation and world's leading cultural institutions. Avenue of the Arts, a city-designated cultural district, includes Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is a large performing arts venue at 300 South Broad Street and the corner of Spruce Street, along the stretch known as the Avenue of the Arts in Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is owned and ...
, which houses the Philadelphia Orchestra, a Big Five orchestras) and the Academy of Music, home of the Philadelphia Ballet and Opera Philadelphia
Opera Philadelphia (prior to 2013 Opera Company of Philadelphia (OCP)) is an American opera company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is the city's only company producing grand opera. The organization produces one festival in September (Festival O ...
. The avenue is home to multiple theatres, including the Miller
A miller is a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a grain (for example corn or wheat) to make flour. Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalent ...
, Suzanne Roberts, and Wilma theatres. Forrest Theatre
The Forrest Theatre is a live theatre venue at 1114 Walnut Street Center City area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It has a seating capacity of 1,851 and is managed by The Shubert Organization. is also located in center city, at 1114
Walnut Street.
Museums
Mütter Museum
The Mütter Museum is a medical museum located in the Center City area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It contains a collection of anatomical and pathological specimens, wax models, and antique medical equipment. The museum is part of The Coll ...
, a medical museum, is located in center city at 19 S. 22nd Street.
Recreation
Center City Philadelphia has a vast number of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. McGillin's Olde Ale House, at 1310 Drury Street, is one of the nation's oldest pubs (founded in 1860).
Transportation
Major highways
*Interstate 76
Interstate 76 may refer to:
Interstate Highways in the United States
* Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska)
* Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey), running through Pennsylvania
Video gaming
* ''Interstate '76
''Interstate '76'' is a vehicular ...
* Interstate 95
*Interstate 676
Interstate 676 (I-676) is an Interstate Highway that serves as a major thoroughfare through Center City Philadelphia, where it is known as the Vine Street Expressway, and Camden, New Jersey, where it is known as the northern segment of the ...
/Benjamin Franklin Bridge
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge, originally named the Delaware River Bridge and known locally as the Ben Franklin Bridge, is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey. Owned and ...
*U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route in the system of the United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. With a length of , it is the third longest ...
* PA Route 3
* PA Route 611
Streets and bridges
Center city streets and bridges include Benjamin Franklin Bridge
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge, originally named the Delaware River Bridge and known locally as the Ben Franklin Bridge, is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey. Owned and ...
, which connects the city with Camden, New Jersey, and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Benjamin Franklin Parkway, commonly abbreviated to Ben Franklin Parkway and colloquially called the Parkway, is a boulevard that runs through the cultural heart of Philadelphia. Named for founding father Benjamin Franklin, the mile-long Parkway c ...
, a one-mile long parkway that runs from Philadelphia City Hall
Philadelphia City Hall is the seat of the municipal government of the City of Philadelphia. Built in the ornate Second Empire style, City Hall houses the chambers of the Philadelphia City Council and the offices of the Mayor of Philadelphia. ...
to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Three major center city streets are Broad
Broad(s) or The Broad(s) may refer to:
People
* A slang term for a woman.
* Broad (surname), a surname
Places
* Broad Peak, on the border between Pakistan and China, the 12th highest mountain on Earth
* The Broads, a network of mostly na ...
, Market
Market is a term used to describe concepts such as:
*Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand
*Market economy
*Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market
Geography
*Märket, an ...
, and South Streets.
Local public transit
* Center City Commuter Connection
250px, The ASCE plaque in Jefferson Station
250px, City plaque in Jefferson Station
The Center City Commuter Connection, (CCCC) commonly referred to as "the commuter tunnel", is a passenger railroad tunnel in Center City, Philadelphia, Penns ...
*SEPTA
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly 4 million people in five c ...
** Jefferson Station (Regional Rail)
**Suburban Station (Regional Rail)
**Market-Frankford Line (2nd Street (SEPTA station), 2nd Street, 5th Street/Independence Hall station, 5th Street/Independence Hall, 8th Street (SEPTA station), 8th Street, 11th Street (SEPTA station), 11th Street, 13th Street (SEPTA station), 13th Street, and 15th Street (SEPTA station), 15th Street stations)
**Broad Street Line (Spring Garden (SEPTA Broad Street Line station), Spring Garden, Race-Vine (SEPTA station), Race-Vine, City Hall (SEPTA station), City Hall, Walnut-Locust (SEPTA station), Walnut-Locust, and Lombard-South station, Lombard-South stations on main line; Chinatown (SEPTA station), Chinatown and 8th Street (SEPTA station), 8th Street stations on Broad-Ridge Spur)
**SEPTA Subway-Surface Trolley Lines, Subway-surface trolley lines (13th Street (SEPTA station), 13th Street, 15th Street (SEPTA station), 15th Street, 19th Street (SEPTA station), 19th Street, and 22nd Street (SEPTA station), 22nd Street stations; all stations on Market Street)
**Various bus routes
*PATCO Speedline (8th & Market, 9-10th & Locust, 12-13th & Locust, and 15-16th & Locust Street stations)
*New Jersey Transit Bus Operations, New Jersey Transit (various bus routes & stops)
There is a 500,000+ sq ft underground pedestrian concourse that connects many of the center city Septa stations to businesses and office buildings. Primarily running under Market Street (Philadelphia), Market Street and Broad Street (Philadelphia), Broad Street, the concourse spans east to west from 8th street to 18th street and north to south from John F. Kennedy Boulevard (Philadelphia), John F. Kennedy Boulevard to Spruce Street (Philadelphia), Spruce Street.
Intercity public transit
*Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal (Greyhound, Peter Pan, and various Trailways buses)
*Megabus (North America), Megabus (30th Street Station)
*Various Chinatown bus lines (various operators & stops; most stops near 11th & Arch Streets)
Amtrak's primary Philadelphia station, 30th Street Station, is located immediately west of Center City, just across the Schuylkill River. SEPTA Regional Rail trains, New Jersey Transit Atlantic City Line trains, Market-Frankford Line trains, and subway-surface line trolleys also service 30th Street Station, and both Megabus and BoltBus stop on streets adjacent to the station.
Taiwanese airline China Airlines provides a private bus service to and from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City for customers based in the Philadelphia area. This service previously stopped in Center City in front of the Marriott Hotel.[Free Shuttle Service To/From JFK Airport]
." China Airlines. September 15, 2015. Retrieved on February 29, 2016.
Center City Residents' Association
The Center City Residents' Association, originally formed in 1947 to prevent Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square is a neighborhood, including a public park, in Center City Philadelphia. The park is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme during the late 17th century.
The neighborho ...
from being turned into a parking lot, is a primary advocate for quality of life issues in Center City. Other community organizations of this type include Logan Square Neighborhood Association, Society Hill Civic Association, South of South Street Neighborhood Association, Washington Square West Civic Association, and the Queen Village Neighbors Association.
Gallery
File:Center City East from One Liberty Observation Deck.jpg, The eastern portion of Center City from the One Liberty Observation Deck
image :CarpentersHall00.jpg, Carpenters' Hall
Image :LOVE Park Philly.JPG, LOVE Park with the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the distant background
Image :National Museum of American Jewish History.jpg, National Museum of American Jewish History
Image :Friendship Gate Chinatown Philadelphia from east.jpg, Friendship Gate in Chinatown
Image:Jewelers Row.jpg, Jewelers' Row
Image:Interior Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul crop.JPG, Interior of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Philadelphia, Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul
Image:Curtis_building.jpg, Curtis Center
Image:Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.jpg, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Image:Mikveh Israel Cemetery.jpg, Mikveh Israel Cemetery
Image :The Grand Court.jpg, The Grand Court at Macys Department Store (in the Wanamaker's building)
Image:Pennsylvania Hospital 2007.jpg, Pennsylvania Hospital
Image:Kimmel Center exterior-daytime.JPG, Kimmel Center
Image:Liberty Bell, Independence Hall.jpg, Independence Hall as seen from the Liberty Bell
Image:Inquirerbldgfull.jpg, Inquirer Building
Image:First national bank US HABS.jpg, First Bank of the United States
Image:Headhouse.jpg, Reading Terminal
Image:Center City Philadelphia 2018.jpg, Center City viewed from the PSFS Building
See also
*Curtis Publishing Company
*Independence National Historical Park
Independence National Historical Park is a federally protected historic district in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that preserves several sites associated with the American Revolution and the nation's founding history. Administered by the National P ...
*National Register of Historic Places listings in Center City, Philadelphia
References
External links
Center City District and Central Philadelphia Development Corporation
How the 700 block of Market Street evolved
Center City Residents' Association
{{Coord, 39.952, -75.164, region:US-PA_type:city_scale:10000, display=title
Center City, Philadelphia,
Neighborhoods in Philadelphia, Center City
Central business districts in the United States, Philly
Economy of Philadelphia