Summary: Downtown and the Center City

Continued growth of the Downtown and Center City area is vital to the success of our county. We must build upon the existing housing, jobs, culture, entertainment and retail growth which have occurred in this area over the last decade. By focusing more jobs and housing in this area, the impacts of additional traffic and development in outlying areas can be lessened and the already existing public infrastructure can be better utilized. In order to keep Downtown growth vibrant, future downtown development will need to continue to be multifaceted and multiuse. Recent trends point to a greater interest from both younger and older adults in living in and spending time in the Center City. This points to the need to be comprehensive in our approach to transportation, both for getting to Downtown and as well as getting around the Center City. Investments in streetscapes, public spaces and gathering spots, maximizing use of parking resources and providing people-mover alternatives to the automobile will be important in shaping growth patterns that reinforce the crucial role of our Center City.