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Honoring Paul R. Levy upon the occasion of his retirement, and recognizing him for his hard work and dedication to the City of Philadelphia as the president and CEO of Center City District for 33 years.
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WHEREAS, Paul R. Levy is stepping down from his position as Chief Executive of Philadelphia’s Center City District (“CCD”) where he has been serving in that capacity since he founded it in 1991; and
WHEREAS, The Newark, New Jersey native moved to Philadelphia on impulse after being amazed by the City’s historic preservation efforts during a visit in 1976. Levy began his Philadelphia career working as a director at the Institute for the Study of Civic Values; and
WHEREAS, Since 1979, Levy has taught at the University of Pennsylvania in the City Planning Department directing graduate planning students focused on Philadelphia and taught an introductory course on downtown development and management. He has also taught at other schools such as Temple University, and Columbia University; and
WHEREAS, In 1990, Levy began serving as the Executive Director of Central Philadelphia Development Corporation (“CPDC”), an advocacy and planning organization supported by the surrounding business community. He implemented and lead numerous initiatives to promote business development and improve the quality of life for Center City’s residents, workers, and visitors; and
WHEREAS, In 1991, Levy became the founding Chief Executive of The CCD, a business improvement district that provides public safety, cleaning, homeless services, place marketing, and capital improvements for 233 blocks and 1700 properties; and
WHEREAS, During his leadership, The CCD has added a myriad of stoplights, hundreds of new maps and signs, over 1,000 new trees and planters, and a series of anti-graffiti campaigns to positively impact Philadelphia’s homeless population; and
WHEREAS, In addition, within the first fifteen years of The CCD’s operations, serious crime in Center City decreased 50%, petty crime decreased 80%, and fine dining restaurants increased 219%. The district’s residential population also grew to 88,000 as non-residential buildings were converted into housing spaces; and
WHEREAS, Levy has led initiatives to increase the downtown population post-pandemic through converting office buildings to residential use, retaining businesses and promoting the return of workers to offices; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Levy has offered insight and advice to the City as he served on the 2009 Mayor’s Task Force on Tax Policy & Economic Competitiveness and has been the recipient of several awards including the 2017 Vision for Philadelphia Award, the 2014 “Paul Cret” Award, the 2011 “Heart of Philadelphia Award”, the 2010 Francis A. Wister Award, the 2006 Philadelphia Award,the 2002 Wyck-Strickland Award, the 2002 Philadelphia Committee on City Policy Community Leadership Award, and the 1996 Pennsylvania Society of Architects Honor Award; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia is grateful for Paul Levy’s leadership and contributions to Center City District, and extends their best wishes to him in his retirement; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby honors Paul R. Levy upon the occasion of his retirement, and recognizes him for his hard work and dedication to the City of Philadelphia as the president and CEO of Center City District for 33 years.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Paul R. Levy as a sincere expression of City Council’s appreciation, and congratulations
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