Wanted: Your best ideas for overhauling Market East
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Philadelphia's Market East is getting an overhaul, and the city wants your best ideas for how to pull it off.
Why it matters: Unlike past failed attempts for reviving the long-struggling commercial corridor, the project has buy-in from deep-pocketed business leaders.
State of play: The Market East Advisory committee, formed last week, is tasked with devising a plan for the corridor.
- The committee is led by a pair of city officials and Brandywine Realty CEO Jerry Sweeney, who is helming the firm's $3.5 billion Schuylkill Yards project in University City.
- The roughly 60-member group also includes Comcast, the Sixers, real estate magnate Allan Domb and SEPTA.
Zoom in: As part of the planning process, Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration has an open call for ideas to improve Market East.
How it works: The city's survey asks you to share your ideas on a variety of categories, like traffic, retail, arts and entertainment, and safety.
- The survey also asks whether you live, work or own a business in or around Market East, how often you visit, and voluntary demographic info about yourself.
- The city may reach out to you about your ideas.
Context: The group's main focus is on the stretch of Market Street between City Hall and Independence Mall, which includes the Fashion District mall.
- Yes, but: The advisory group is also targeting the rest of East Market Street that runs through Old City to Penn's Landing, as well as adjacent streets along the entire corridor.
Between the lines: The city now gets a second crack at reimagining the area with much more involvement after the Sixers pulled the plug on their plans to build an area earlier this year.
Flashback: Past efforts to remake Market East have fallen short.
- Most recently: A 2009 master plan for Market East included recommendations for a transportation hub, expanding Reading Terminal, and a casino, most of which didn't happen.
What's next: Comcast and the Sixers plan to demolish several buildings along Market East by next summer.
🗣 Your take: Let us know your top must-haves for a new Market Street by taking our survey.