Center City District, City of Philadelphia Announce Market Street East Improvements Ahead of Summer Events

Contact:
Leo Manning
215.440.5508
[email protected]
[email protected]

For Immediate Release

$1.85 Million Grant to Help Fund Retail Pop-ups, Murals and Aesthetic Improvements along Historic Corridor

PHILADELPHIA (March 11, 2026) - Today at the Central Philadelphia Development Corporation's (CPDC) quarterly meeting, the City of Philadelphia and Center City District (CCD) announced several short-term initiatives along Market Street East to enhance the corridor ahead of this summer's Semiquincentennial and World Cup celebrations. These projects include retail pop-ups, collaborations with local artists and cosmetic improvements to streetscape assets funded through a $1.85 million grant from the City of Philadelphia and with additional support provided by Mural Arts Philadelphia.

"This summer of celebrations and events will be a catalyzing spark in the engine of Market East's revival," said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. "We're prepared to welcome 1.5 million visitors to Market East. We will greet them with a vibrant and welcoming Philadelphia experience that benefits guests and residents, alike, and paves the way for planning Market East's enduring revival."

In partnership with Meantime, local retailers from across the city will pop-up temporary locations in an anticipated eight previously unoccupied spaces on the 900 block of Market Street owned by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), Comcast and the Fashion District Philadelphia. Meantime emerged from Interface Studio Architects (ISA), a Philadelphia-based architecture and research practice, and works to support community-oriented retail and creative initiatives that provide flexible, lower-barrier opportunities to test brick-and-mortar concepts while bringing renewed energy and foot traffic to commercial corridors. The retailers will be from the Greater Philadelphia area and will represent a vibrant cross-section of the region's creative and entrepreneurial communities. The retail spaces donated for this initiative by HBSE, Comcast and the Fashion District have been upgraded privately by the companies for use by retailers.

"We're thrilled to work alongside Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, Councilman Mark Squilla and our public and private partners to support the mayor's vision for an enhanced Market East as we welcome visitors downtown this summer," said CCD President and CEO Prema Katari Gupta. "Center City is the region's heart of commerce, culture and connection, and these interventions will help us put our best foot forward by showcasing some of the small and diverse local businesses that call Philadelphia home."

Additionally, Center City District and Mural Arts will produce a series of temporary art installations along Market Street. These installations will be created exclusively by local artists and stretch across more than 5,500 square feet of frontage. The first of these murals was created by Cuban Salvadorian artist Manuela Guillén and will be installed on the exterior of the Fashion District Philadelphia on the northwest corner of 11th and Market streets.

"I am grateful for the collaboration among the City, Center City District, local stakeholders and property owners to create pop up retailers and art installations that will activate and beautify the East Market corridor for the all the events we are hosting this summer in conjunction with the Semiquincentennial celebration," said City Councilmember Mark Squilla (1st District).

More information about the pop-up businesses and the art installations will be released soon.

In addition to these programs, Center City District has implemented a series of improvements along the Market Street corridor, which include replacing and planting 42 new trees, refurbishing four transit head houses and 21 bus shelters, painting light and banner poles, and more.

Information about Market East, including a timeline of historic milestones and highlights of the corridor today, can be found in Center City District's newest report, Center City Insights: Let's Take a Look at Market East.

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Center City District, partner to property owners and downtown stakeholders, is the steward and advocate for a clean, safe and thriving Center City Philadelphia. Find us at www.centercityphila.org.