What should we do with Market East? 12 Philadelphians weigh in.

Last week, the Sixers announced that 76 Place, a plan for Market East that was two and a half years in the making, would be scuttled in favor of a deal to keep the team in South Philadelphia. This leaves the question: What should be done with Market East?

The Inquirer Editorial Board asked 12 Philadelphians with expertise in urban planning, sociology, public culture, business, civic engagement, and development how they would reimagine this essential part of Center City that needs a visionary plan for the future.

By Anuj Gupta

For nearly 60 years, efforts to revitalize Market East relied upon a bet: “If we build it, they will come.” This gamble made sense in the decades when Philadelphia was losing population and jobs at precipitous rates, but ultimately it proved a losing wager.

Fortunately, Philadelphia is in a different place today. For the past 20 years, immigrants from all corners of the globe have repopulated our neighborhoods, lent their talent to our economy, and started small businesses at a prolific rate.

Let’s harness that energy and help revitalize Market East by creating a “Welcoming District,” a place where immigrants and longtime Philadelphians can harken Market Street’s history as a venue for family-owned businesses. The district would be a place where they can simultaneously access workforce training, trauma-informed health care, and youth development opportunities. And not least, it can be a place where an increasingly diverse Philadelphia can come together, find common cause, and build a stronger civic fabric.

Let’s make Market Street the place where Philadelphians can bet on themselves to build a better future for our city.

Need an example? One block away stands one of the greatest public-private experiments in Philadelphia history. Reading Terminal Market, an economic powerhouse for the city, is built entirely on the backs of homegrown, Philly family businesses. Without any franchises or marquee brands, it attracts more visitors on an annual basis than the Liberty Bell and the Philadelphia Museum of Art combined.

It’s living proof of what can happen when we build a Philadelphia for Philadelphians.

Anuj Gupta is the president and CEO of The Welcoming Center.

By Tayyib Smith

The future of Market East offers an opportunity for innovation in urban development in Philadelphia, moving away from the soulless megaprojects of the past toward a model that prioritizes connectivity, culture, and community. The consolidation of massive parcels, like the Gallery and the Fashion District, disconnected the area from its surrounding neighborhoods, draining vibrancy and creating monocultural spaces that failed to inspire or serve the city’s diverse residents.

To reimagine Market East, we must embrace a phased, human-centered approach to development. Projects like East Market demonstrate how breaking down oversized blocks and introducing a thoughtful mix of residential, commercial, entertainment, and public uses can create dynamic, inclusive spaces that thrive throughout the day and the night. Reconnecting Chinatown with a holistic view should be central to this vision, not as an isolated benefit to one community, but as a step toward weaving a stronger socioeconomic fabric across the city.

Philadelphia’s greatest assets are its people, culture, and transit connectivity. Any plan for Market East must honor these strengths, emphasizing equity and inclusivity while creating spaces that provide opportunities for all. By reimagining the concept of “highest and best use” as a framework for improving quality of life rather than maximizing return on investment, we can make Market East a catalyst for empowerment, shared prosperity, and a more vibrant, interconnected Philadelphia.

The thriving streetscapes of Paris and Mexico City show the power of a diversity of experiences — where cultural richness, accessibility, and dynamic public spaces come together to enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors.

Tayyib Smith, a seasoned serial entrepreneur, stands as the founding partner and chief strategist at The Growth Collective³, an innovative partnership committed to dismantling systemic barriers in communities of color.

By Brigitte Daniel-Corbin

Keeping the arena in South Philly opens up the possibility of Market East Philadelphia becoming a smart city cultural epicenter. I’d like to see a strategic destination that leverages Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s safe, clean, and green campaign, is designed with the input of the community, and is fueled by the opportunity to connect and unite Philadelphia’s most sacred assets: our history, culture, and innovation.

The arena staying in South Philadelphia means we can foster a culture in Market East around non-sports related events like concerts, smaller scale arts and culture venues, and create moments throughout the year where the street can be closed for festivals, markets, and community events.

We can improve the streetscape with new sustainable green spaces that enhance pedestrian comfort and safety and bring life back to this corridor. We can enhance the connection between the neighborhoods with new permanent cultural attractions that leverage our history and bring the suburbs into the city. We can create a new retail strategy that is unique to Philadelphia that features local businesses and the diversity of our communities.

While we are at it, let’s build raised crossings for pedestrians to have better access to the corridor and its assets. Let’s improve street aesthetics with public art, murals, improved subway headhouses, and bus stops.

And finally, we should absolutely incorporate smart city installations that would undergird this entire corridor with robust smart grid innovations such as smart infrastructure, smart mobility, digital health kiosks, and free high-speed broadband.

Brigitte Daniel-Corbin is the CEO of Wilco Electronic Systems Inc.

By Prema Katari Gupta

Independence Mall to City Hall should be one of the great walks in urban America. What makes a great walk? Start with major destinations: Independence Hall, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Reading Terminal Market. Then look to what Jane Jacobs called the “ballet of the good city sidewalk,” where diverse uses and users create vibrancy, safety, and delight. Today, we have an opportunity to transform East Market Street through this vision and lens.

The era of rigidly zoned downtowns — with segregated office canyons and department store corridors — is behind us. Just as we are seeing hotels and apartments fill gaps on West Market, the future of East Market is mixed-use. We need more places to live and work on the upper floors of buildings, driving demand for animating places to play and gather on the ground floor.

The blueprint for this transformation already exists in the National Real Estate Development’s East Market project. This human-scale development successfully breaks up a superblock by weaving together offices, residences, retail, a converted historic hotel, and Jefferson’s Honickman Center.

No one splashy project can singularly revitalize an underperforming three-quarter-mile corridor. The solution is to thoughtfully and intentionally cultivate the conditions for a granular mix of residential, retail, office, and entertainment uses that will animate East Market Street with the constant presence of people who live, work, shop, and gather there.

Prema Katari Gupta is the president and CEO of the Center City District.

By Jennifer Rodríguez

The unexpected turn of events is now providing the Parker administration with the rare opportunity to reimagine Market East. Long a hub of commerce and culture, this is where Philadelphia’s historic and modern identities meet. Dotted by grand buildings, like Wanamakers and Lit Brothers, and important uses — such as Reading Terminal Market and SEPTA — Market East deserves a bold and ambitious vision, one that reflects Philadelphia’s most cherished values: diversity, inclusion, equity, tolerance, and an appreciation for the working class.

As we consider what’s next, let’s remember that growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of our values and that this moment is as much about the “how” as the “what.” Meaningful community participation, transparent communication, and a commitment to accountability should guide the process, ensuring the redevelopment of the area is both ambitious and equitable.

With a thoughtful and inclusive process, this corridor can become an example of how we build a city that works for everyone — one that honors its history while boldly stepping into the future.

Jennifer Rodríguez is the president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

By Harris M. Steinberg

Rarely, in sports or planning, do you get a do-over, but with the sudden shift by the Sixers back to South Philadelphia, we have that opportunity. Philadelphia must seize this moment to thoughtfully imagine the future of both East Market Street and the stadium district.

Philadelphia’s current planning position warrants big thinking: Macy’s is abandoning the Wanamaker Building. The University of the Arts has closed on South Broad Street. West Market Street is feeling the post-pandemic contraction of the office market. Hilco has planned a massive logistics hub and life sciences campus on the former oil refinery. Meanwhile, the Parkway, the Schuylkill, and the Central Delaware are reaping significant investments in landmark public spaces after decades of careful planning.

These changes reflect the shifting currents of how we live, work, and play. East Market and the stadium district present the city with twin, golden opportunities to reset the table for two gathering places for which Philadelphians hold great affection, but also need serious love.

To avoid yet another process where developers drive decision-making, the city must move swiftly to define a vision for the public realm and civic life required for the future of East Market Street and the stadium district.

The vision should be rooted in William Penn’s groundbreaking 1682 plan for Philadelphia, balancing private development with generous public space, and come from an open and transparent public planning process that is citizen-driven, values-based, and best-practices informed.

Our challenge today is to build upon our rich civic legacy and ensure that both East Market Street and the stadium district are part of a holistic vision for all Philadelphians, and not simply an ad hoc collection of private development parcels.

Let’s get this do-over right.

Harris M. Steinberg is the executive director of the Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation at Drexel University.

By Kaia Chau

Market East must be a space that does not ban youth but welcomes us as important, creative, energetic drivers for the future of this city.

I am immensely grateful to have spent my childhood growing up in Chinatown. As I now work closely with youth at the Ginger Arts Center, I’ve found that youth of color all across the city find safety and community in Chinatown. Many feel this city has failed them — banning them from malls, exposing them to high-pitched noise designed to keep them out of parks, and slashing budgets for libraries, after-school programs, and recreation centers. I’ve found that youth gravitate toward Chinatown because of the welcoming spaces the community offers to youth.

The deep care Chinatown invests in community is what I believe makes the neighborhood so special. Market East could do the same. To Chinatown, revitalization means development that is beneficial for all people. It means investment in small, family-owned businesses, in tenants, and in spaces where all people feel welcome.

Chinatown has continually sustained itself in spite of disinvestment from the city. Because Chinatown lacked a neighborhood public school, the community built Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School. Because Chinatown lacked a community center, many Chinatown residents have found community in neighborhood establishments like the Chinese Christian Church. Community activists have built institutions such as the Asian Arts Initiative. Community organizations like Asian Americans United and the Hoyu Chinese Folk Culture Center have built cultural celebrations that not only anchor our community but bring in visitors from across the region.

In that vein, I hope the future of Market East is centered on sustainable development for spaces that welcome people in, and not another tired, for-profit development model that will fail us again. Future development on Market East should focus on the richness, joy, and diversity of Philadelphia and its neighborhoods. We need a space that is human-scale and keeps economics local.

Kaia Chau is a cofounder of Students for the Preservation of Chinatown and the Ginger Arts Center, a community youth and arts center located in Chinatown North.

By Kenneth Scott

Let’s start with the saying some people only see problems, but smart people see opportunities. There are so many positives with the Market East area that make for great opportunities for world-class development.

You have the historic district with all the tourism on the far east side. Chinatown itself is a thriving business and residential community, the iconic Reading Terminal Market, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and the Marriott hotel. Even the closing of Macy’s is a fantastic opportunity to reenvision an indoor town square with new shops, eateries, and other business opportunities.

One of the main things missing is a central transportation center for national bus service that connects to Regional Rail, Amtrak, and the airport. Market East is an attraction for tourism and conventions, and this is a perfect opportunity to build a new central transportation center that connects the surrounding regions and the world to Philadelphia and Market East.

A new, beautiful, 21st-century, state-of-the-art transportation center with a major hotel above it could be a game changer for the area. I would also look to repurpose the Fashion District into a performing arts and entertainment space that complements tourism and conventions.

As we tell the history of America in this area, let’s develop a truly international community of arts, culture, business, and residential that presents a live demonstration of the promise of America.

Kenneth Scott is the president of Beech Cos.

By Natalie Nixon

My vision for a reimagined Market East in Philadelphia is one that prioritizes people, fostering a vibrant pedestrian enclave that invites connection, creativity, and commerce. Without the sports stadium, we have a unique opportunity to transform this space into a haven of slower, intentional movement — an antidote to the hustle of urban life. Drawing inspiration from the pedestrian-friendly charm I experienced living in Reutlingen, Germany, wandering the cobblestone streets of Leiden in the Netherlands, or even the conversion of streets to walking thoroughfares during the 2015 pope visit to Philadelphia, I envision Market East as a space where people pause, linger, and engage.

Picture wide, tree-lined walkways, open-air markets, public art installations, and curated spaces for live music and performance — all designed to encourage exploration and wonder. By creating an environment where people feel comfortable slowing down, we enable the kind of reflection and connection that sparks creativity and fuels innovation. This is a chance for Philadelphia to model sustainable urban development with green infrastructure, bike-friendly pathways, and thriving storefronts supporting small- and medium-sized businesses.

A pedestrian-focused Market East would not only enhance the city’s cultural and social fabric but also serve as a catalyst for economic growth. With increased foot traffic and a unique sense of place, this district could become a revenue generator, drawing locals and visitors alike to experience the creativity and community that make Philadelphia special.

Natalie Nixon is a creativity strategist, global speaker, CEO of Figure 8 Thinking, and author of the award-winning “The Creativity Leap” and the forthcoming “Move. Think. Rest.” She’s a Philly native.

By Stephen S. Tang

By developing Market East into an “Imagination District,” we can create a vibrant community that attracts high-growth businesses, fosters job creation, and promotes cultural arts. We can model Market East on the success of our innovation district in West Philadelphia — home of the University City Science Center, uCity Square, Schuylkill Yards, and the University City District. We could begin by launching a new public-private partnership organization chartered and governed by the city’s civic leaders, private industry, and our region’s medical and education strength.

This organization would catalyze growth and innovation, attracting businesses of the future led by homegrown entrepreneurs and artists. By curating vibrant communities, incentivizing and aligning growth investment, and supporting hybrid work companies, we can create a unique ecosystem that thrives on creativity, collaboration, and entrepreneurship.

Silicon Valley, Cambridge, Mass., and Seoul have become hubs for economic growth and job creation. Seoul also birthed K-pop and a broader entertainment industry. By investing in Market East as an Imagination District, we can position Philadelphia as a leader in the global market and attract top talent from around the world.

Stephen S. Tang was the Science Center’s CEO during its largest expansion, 2008-2018. He also served as chair of the Committee of Seventy and cochair of Team Pennsylvania Foundation and the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

By Jonas Maciunas

For much of Philadelphia’s history, the middle of Market Street between the banks of the Delaware and Broad Street was occupied by market buildings — like the headhouse at Second and Pine — and even a courthouse. From the colonial period into the 19th century, our most important street was made so by the commerce and public life conducted on it. As modernity unfolded with its demands for scale, speed, and compartmentalization, all of this was cleared to make way for electrified trolleys, cars, trucks, and department stores.

With car-powered suburbs and the first wave of department store failures in the 20th century, Philly planned for renewal with garages and a downtown mall. Resigned to the reality that Market Street was inundated with cars, Edmund Bacon conceived of the Gallery as an indoor “people street,” where commercial life might flourish again. It never quite did.

Today there is a tendency to view city-building through the lens of private uses: arena or no arena? Which retailer? How much affordable housing? Public space remains an afterthought. Even when parks are renovated, the streets between them are left out of the equation. We travel the world to spend time on great streets, yet at home, we defer their design to asphalt and car-centric engineering manuals.

Instead, let’s make East Market Street Philadelphia’s next great civic space. Make comfortable bench seating plentiful and fill in gaps in the tree canopy. Extend the world-class bike lanes now being built in Old City all the way to City Hall. Welcome frequent bus service, but don’t allow idling, and schedule recovery on our most prominent street.

Assuming redevelopment of the old Gallery is on the table, break up the superblock and add residential uses. Building faces should be tall and narrow to keep the walk interesting, and create rentable storefront sizes facing the street. Take back the air rights over 10th Street so you can see the Chinatown arch from Market Street.

Finally, what if Reading Terminal Market could expand into the part of the old railroad headhouse on Market Street, with vendors spilling onto the sidewalk? That block of Market could become Reading Terminal Plaza, a stone-paved public space where any drivers proceed with caution and pedestrians move freely.

Jonas Maciunas is an urban designer, block captain, registered community organization zoning chair, and father of three in the Garden Court section of West Philly.

By Elijah Anderson

In order for Market East to become a new Philadelphia hot spot, it needs to shake its “ghetto” image. This is not an easy thing to do. As an ethnographer who has spent more than 50 years observing public spaces in Philadelphia, I have noted that a major feature is the mix of pleasant, racially mixed public spaces where comity is the norm. I have conceptualized these areas as “the cosmopolitan canopy,” a metaphor for civil society that manifests as islands of racial civility in otherwise segregated spaces.

Philadelphia has a number of these public spaces, including Rittenhouse Square and Reading Terminal Market. Both attract people of various races, genders, sexualities, and religions. Ostensibly, all are welcome. But on rare occasions, the most marginalized people can experience moments of acute disrespect. Ultimately, these settings double as safe spaces that edify and encourage people with everyday lessons in racial tolerance.

However, Market East is not currently a canopy. It is a poor, inner-city neighborhood, seen by outsiders as a dangerous, crime-ridden space — in other words, it is often stereotyped as ghetto.

But the urban ghetto is no longer just a physical space, if it ever was. It has become an image, a symbol that hovers over its unfamiliar residents as they navigate public spaces, challenging them to disabuse others of the notion that the stereotypes about the ghetto apply to them personally, which is hard to do in the fleeting moments of public interaction.

Of course, spaces can change over time. The Gallery started out as a mall that mimicked the elegant Water Tower Place in Chicago. Over time, wealthy white people decided Market East wasn’t a place for them. They stopped going to the Gallery, while poorer Black people continued to go and made it their own. Now it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy as a “troublesome” place.

On the other hand, people don’t usually expect trouble in Rittenhouse Square or Reading Terminal Market. They expect civility, which has emerged organically over many years. Can Market East make this transformation? It will need the people of Philadelphia to be willing to see it as a canopy rather than an iconic ghetto — a difficult task, but not an impossible one.

Elijah Anderson is the Sterling Professor of Sociology and of African American Studies at Yale University and the author of “The Cosmopolitan Canopy: Race and Civility in Everyday Life.”