Philadelphia officials and business leaders have introduced a set of short-term projects for the Market East corridor as the city prepares for an increase in visitors tied to the FIFA World Cup, the MLB All-Star Game, and celebrations connected to America’s 250th anniversary.
The City of Philadelphia is working with the Center City District (CCD) on the effort, which is funded by a $1.85 million city grant. The projects include eight retail pop-up stores, public art installations by local artists, and upgrades to streetscape infrastructure along Market Street.
City leaders say the improvements are intended to prepare the corridor for visitors expected during this year’s events. In a news release, Mayor Cherelle Parker said Philadelphia expects 1.5 million visitors in the area during the upcoming celebrations.
“This summer of celebrations and events will be a catalyzing spark in the engine of Market East’s revival,” Parker said. “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.”
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The retail pop-ups will open on the 900 block of Market Street in May, occupying previously vacant spaces in buildings owned by the Fashion District, Comcast, and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE). HBSE owns the Philadelphia 76ers. Photos shared by CCD show possible store concepts selling art, clothing, and handmade pottery, though the businesses participating in the program have not yet been announced.
CCD President and CEO Prema Katari Gupta explained that the storefronts are intended to address the high number of empty retail spaces along the corridor.
“There is a high degree of retail vacancy on the corridor, and we think one of the ways that we can make an immediate impact — using the summer, frankly, as an excuse to kind of galvanize action — is incubating some local diverse businesses in those spaces,” Gupta said during a CCD meeting.
Public art will appear across the corridor through installations by eight Philadelphia-based artists. The pieces will cover approximately 5,500 square feet of frontage in at least 10 locations. The project is supported by Mural Arts Philadelphia.
One of the first installations will be created by Cuban-Salvadoran artist Manuela Gillen and placed on the exterior of the Fashion District. Additional artwork will include an abstract mural wall covering the frontage of the Robinson’s Building and a former Reebok store. Artwork will also appear across the windows of the closed Giant Heirloom Market, which had occupied the former Strawbridge & Clothier building at 8th and Market.
Lauren Smith, director of research and special projects for the Center City District, described the approach to the installations.
“Our goal is just bold explorations of color, so we’re working with a lot of abstract artists and really just want to showcase again how vibrant the city is,” Smith said.
The $1.85 million grant also funds upgrades to the physical environment along Market Street from 7th to 13th streets. Crews are planting and replacing 42 street trees, refurbishing four transit headhouses, upgrading 21 bus shelters, and painting light and banner poles. Work has already started, and organizers are aiming to complete the changes by May.
Smith described the timeline during interviews about the project.
“We are targeting May for the full project, wanting to really make sure that our best foot forward ahead of the summer,” she said.
Market East once functioned as a busy commercial district filled with stores and shoppers, but many businesses have closed over time. The corridor near the Fashion District now includes boarded windows and empty storefronts.
Anthony, the owner of Market Street Gold, has operated his store on Market Street for 35 years and remembers when the block was fully occupied.
“It was amazing, a lot of businesses, everything was open here, the whole block every store was occupied, it was vibrant, it was happening, a lot of businesses were opening,” he said.
Residents have also commented on the condition of the corridor. Ramona Bines of North Philadelphia said the street currently feels uneven in appearance, while Angela Guyton of Germantown said it is difficult to see so many stores closed.
Other residents questioned the motivation behind the improvements. Kalena Cooper of West Philadelphia said she does not believe improvements tied to upcoming events represent authentic change, while Kimberly Juarez, also from West Philadelphia, said the work appears focused on visitors even though local residents have lived with the conditions for years.
Officials describe the effort as an early step connected to longer redevelopment discussions. Prema Katari Gupta said the projects are connected to long-term plans the city has discussed for decades.
Market East had previously been considered as the location for a new Philadelphia 76ers arena. In January 2025, the team abandoned that proposal and instead agreed to build a new arena in South Philadelphia through a partnership with Comcast. Despite the change, Comcast and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment stated that they would continue participating in redevelopment discussions for Market East.
After the arena proposal ended, the two companies spent $56 million purchasing four groups of properties between 9th and 11th streets on Market Street. Earlier development proposals connected to the arena plan included demolishing the low-rise retail strip on the 900 block of Market Street and replacing it with a large development that would include retail space and hundreds of residential units.
Plans also involved demolishing buildings on the 1000 block of Market Street, including the architecturally important Robinson’s Building, and turning the lot into a beer garden and temporary attractions for the summer. Those demolition plans have been postponed, and the buildings remain standing while discussions about the corridor continue.
A city advisory group led by Jerry Sweeney, CEO of Brandywine Realty Trust, has been meeting to develop redevelopment strategies and policy recommendations for Market East. The group includes HBSE executive David Adelman as well as executives from Comcast and Macerich, the owner of the Fashion District. The group expects to release a report by the end of the year.
During a discussion hosted by the Center City District, officials and developers discussed several possible development incentives. City Councilmember Mark Squilla, whose district includes Market East, said options under consideration include a 20-year tax abatement, Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) tax credits.
Squilla also said Macerich controls large amounts of unused space in the Fashion District that could be sold or converted to uses such as entertainment venues or restaurants.
Ideas discussed during the meeting also included new attractions that could draw people to the corridor during evenings and weekends. Parkway Corp. CEO Robert Zuritsky joked that the owners of the vacant “Disney hole” site at 8th Street, the Goldenberg Group, might build a Las Vegas-style Sphere covered with screens.
Developer Josh Rosenbloom of Morningside Heights, which owns the Steele Building at 11th and Ludlow streets, pointed to a project nearing completion in Old City that narrows the eastern end of Market Street to create more space for pedestrians and cyclists. He suggested the same concept could be applied to other sections of Market Street by closing a traffic lane to provide room for café seating or vendor stalls.
Rosenbloom described the idea during the discussion.
“What do we do for East Market as a whole, right now? Move as quickly as possible to get something done,” he said.
City officials have also studied redevelopment projects in other cities. Tiffany Thurman, chief of staff to Mayor Parker, said Philadelphia representatives have visited Denver, where approximately $100 million is being invested in housing and redevelopment projects in the city’s downtown area. Thurman said those projects are designed to attract residents and workers who spend time and money downtown beyond restaurant visits.
Denver, she said, is viewed by city officials as one example of redevelopment strategies that Philadelphia is studying while planning future changes for Market East.
