Center City District says Philly can do more with alleys

State of play: Most alleys are used to store garbage dumpsters, which isn't ideal because the narrow spaces were designed for horse-drawn carriages rather than garbage trucks.

What they found: Nearly half of 446 Center City dumpsters had trash strewn near them and over two-thirds were unlocked or unsecured.

• People experiencing homelessness were more prevalent in areas that had more unsecured dumpsters, per CCD.

Stunning stat: Philly has an estimated 16,000 alleys, including prominent ones like Old City's Elfreth's Alley and Drinker's Court in Society Hill.

How it works: CCD surveyed 45 downtown alleys over a 2.5-mile stretch of Center City.

• The goal: Turn these "overlooked spaces into valuable public assets," per the report.

Context: Alleys weren't part of founder William Penn's grand "green country towne" vision, but they became urban staples as a city expanded.

The bottom line: Alleys shouldn't just be considered dumping grounds or afterthoughts, the CCD says.

• The group highlighted Melbourne, Australia's push to turn laneways into social hubs with mixed-use buildings and public art, as well as Detroit's Parker Alley, a revitalized dining and shopping corridor.
• "With the right partners, these underutilized spaces can become vibrant connectors between commercial and restaurant corridors, enhancing one of Center City's strongest assets: walkability," the report said.