Center City, Philadelphia

Center City is the section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania bounded by South Street to the south, the Delaware River to the east, and the Schuylkill River to the west and either Vine Street or Spring Garden Street to the north. If Vine Street is to be considered the northern border, Center City corresponds exactly to the original city of Philadelphia as it existed prior to the consolidation of all of Philadelphia County into the city in 1854.

Related Topics:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - South Street - Delaware River - Schuylkill River - 1854

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Center City serves as the city's Central Business District (CBD) and is the third-largest by area of its kind in America. The term "Downtown" also refers to Center City, but is rarely used by Philadelphians.

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Center City's neighborhoods and districts include Penn's Landing; Old City (which holds the historic district and a number of bars and restaurants); Society Hill; Washington Square West; Market East; Chinatown; Logan Circle; and the Museum District, located along the Ben Franklin Parkway, Rittenhouse Square, and the Avenue of the Arts (South Broad Street).

Related Topics:
Penn's Landing - Old City - Society Hill - Washington Square West - Market East - Chinatown - Logan Circle - Museum District - Ben Franklin Parkway - Rittenhouse Square - Avenue of the Arts

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Most of Philadelphia's skyscrapers are located here. Philadelphia's City Hall is the tallest masonry building in the world; and through the late 1980s, City Hall was known locally as the tallest building in Philadelphia. In March of 1987, One Liberty Place broke the gentlemen's agreement not to exceed the height of the statue of William Penn on the top of the City Hall.

Related Topics:
Skyscrapers - Philadelphia's City Hall - Masonry - 1980s - March - 1987 - One Liberty Place - Gentlemen's agreement

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Since then, seven other skyscrapers have been completed exceeding the statue, including One Liberty Place's little sister, Two Liberty Place. One Liberty Place is the tallest building in the state, but in 2005 construction began on the Comcast Center which, when completed in 2007, will be 30 feet taller than One Liberty Place. A ninth building, approved for construction in 2005 and called 1441 Chestnut, will also be taller than City Hall upon completion in 2006. Since the completion of One Liberty Place, no Philadelphia sporting team has won a world championship event in its discipline, a phenomenon known as the "Curse of Billy Penn."

Related Topics:
Two Liberty Place - 2005 - Comcast Center - 2007 - 2006 - Curse of Billy Penn

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Across the street from City Hall is a Masonic Temple, a legacy of the Founding Fathers and signers of the Declaration of Independence, many of whom were Freemasons.

Related Topics:
Masonic Temple - Founding Fathers - Declaration of Independence - Freemasons

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While Philadelphia as a whole has seen its population decline since the 1960s, Center City has become a fast-growing section of the city. Between the 1990 and 2000 censuses, the population of Center City increased by 10%.

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