Title
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 decrease...
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