While weekdays are still somewhat lagging behind, Center City has managed to fully rebound to the pre-pandemic numbers of people out and about on weekends, writes Laurel Wamsley for WHYY.

A new report found that Center City now draws 85 percent of the total pedestrian volumes that it did in 2019.

More good news comes from the Philadelphia Ballet, which sold more tickets to The Nutcracker last winter than ever before. There are also more eateries that have outdoor seating than before the pandemic, which means there are more places for visitors to sit and take in the energy of the city.

“We feel optimistic,” said Prema Katari Gupta, CEO of Center City District. “One of the things that we posit … is that it’s time to stop talking about recovery” and start talking about what is next.

One key part of Center City’s recovery is its residents and those who live close to it. While office workers are back at 72 percent compared to pre-pandemic days, those who live within two miles of downtown are back at around 90 percent rate.

“We see this growing downtown residential population really as future-proofing the office market, as well as all of the other great amenities downtown,” said Gupta.

Read more about Center City and its continuous post-pandemic recovery in WHYY.

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