Outdoor Dining Boom is a Boon to Center City

One of Center City’s strongest retail growth areas, and a sure indicator of a lively urban scene, is the continued expansion of outdoor cafes throughout the downtown. In its fifth annual outdoor seating survey, conducted in June, the Center City District counted 167 establishments with sidewalk seating, up 12% from 149 in July 2004 and more than 140% since the CCD counted 69 cafes in 2001.

“As the Center City District has worked to keep downtown streets clean, safe and well-lit, the dramatic growth of sidewalk seating at Center City restaurants and cafes has helped animate the streets and create a cosmopolitan atmosphere for both patrons and pedestrians,” said CCD President Paul R. Levy. “As in European cities, sidewalk dining is now a well-established and nearly year-round practice in Philadelphia for visitors, workers and residents.”

The highest concentration (34%) of sidewalk cafes is situated west of Broad Street. But east of Broad grew by almost 40% since last year and now accounts for 23% of the total number of establishments. Another 28% of the establishments with outdoor seating were located in Old City.

Surveys were conducted on randomly selected afternoons and evenings in early July on the sidewalks of Center City and Old City, from Spruce to Race streets and from Front to 20 th streets. When a restaurant, bar or café had outdoor seating, the surveyor recorded the number of tables and chairs. To be counted, the outdoor seating had to be in an area visible from the sidewalk (for example, a courtyard behind a wall in a private garden would not be counted) and at ground level.

Additionally, the survey looked at the façade type for each establishment. Large, open windows or doors between the sidewalk seating and the interior further enhance the atmosphere of the street.

A space was counted as having an “open air” façade if it had operable full-length windows or doors, “windows” if it had smaller operable windows, and “standard” if chairs and tables were simply placed in front of a standard building façade.

The CCD’s full 2005 Sidewalk Café report can be downloaded at www.centercityphila.org.