Ah, the beginning of the New Year. Optimism abounds as the calendar flips, with resolutions and a new start promising endless possibilities for what lies ahead. This coming year, however, seems like an especially important one for our beloved city of Philadelphia for a variety of reasons, including today’s inauguration of Cherelle Parker, Philadelphia’s 100th (and first woman) mayor. Before we get to our prognostications for 2024, let’s take a quick step back to check on some of our predictions from last year.

The construction slowdown that we predicted did indeed happen, though not to the level we expected; some sizeable projects have been put on hold for the time being, but cranes and construction sites are still a very normal scene across the city. We correctly predicted we’d see firmer timelines for the 76 Place arena proposal, along with all of the drama associated with this hot-button topic. We were also unfortunately correct that we wouldn’t see any movement on two of the major waterfront proposals from the Durst Organization, though we remain hopeful we’ll see some signs of action this year.

The Bellwether District saw progress as we expected, with its first groundbreaking taking place this past October. The Roosevelt Boulevard Subway saw momentum build, with public figures throwing support behind the proposed transit line. The Disney Hole not only remained a hole, but we saw it sink even deeper at 8th & Market, while neighborhoods across the city saw various surges and slowdowns in projects and proposals.

We were also incredibly prescient/lucky when it came to our sports predictions, correctly anticipating the Eagles’ Super Bowl run last season, as well as the Sixers second round exit/roster shake up. The Phillies unfortunately came up just short of our prediction of another World Series run this year, and the Flyers did indeed play hockey. But enough of the past, let’s shift our gaze to the year ahead, shall we?

Our biggest prediction is a shift in approach across many, many aspects of how the city will operate. After eight years of highs and lows during the Kenney administration, Mayor Parker is going to bring a very different focus, already signing executive orders that will change how the city deals with its land bank. As such, we’re hopeful we’ll see some fallow properties begin to change hands and see signs of improvement. We’d also imagine that we’ll see major changes in quality-of-life issues, such as crime, public health, and cleanliness.

Development-wise, we expect mid-sized, infill projects to dominate the landscape, especially as the lending and construction environments continue to shift. We expect many projects to remain on hold but are cautiously optimistic that a new skyscraper or two begin to pierce the skyline, perhaps west of the Schuylkill. The area between the Riverwards and Temple University will densify, with neighborhood lines continuing to blur as the area transitions toward a residential future. East Parkside, Kingsessing, West Passyunk Ave. and Roxborough are neighborhoods to keep an eye on. Despite the logistical challenges, we expect to see more office-to-residential proposals as businesses continue to consolidate and downsize in this work-from-home world.

Perhaps the biggest change we’ll see on the built environment will be in the public realm. Penn’s Landing Park is probably the most notable project in the works, but there are millions of local and federal dollars that should see changes to Borski Park, the continued connections along the Schuylkill River Trail, a new PATCO station at Franklin Square, a new cap over 676, greenways across the city, along with big changes to the area around 30th Street Station. These projects will all drastically change the neighborhoods around them, likely leading to further investment in those areas as projects finish up.

We’re not expecting a Super Bowl run this year, with the Eagles seemingly finding new ways to implode by the week. The Phillies will have their work cut out for them to make it back to the World Series. Though the Flyers are sitting surprisingly in a playoff position (at least at the moment), we don’t foresee a Stanley Cup being hoisted on South Broad in June. We hope to see the Union get back to the championship game and we are crossing our fingers that the Embiid-Maxey duo will finally take the Sixers back to the Finals for the first time since 2001.

All told, this is a year we feel less comfortable predicting than ever before. With the post-Covid world finally coming into better focus, 2024 seems like a true inflection point for Philadelphia. A successful year would build on some of the recent momentum, with a renewed optimism towards the future after concerns about the trajectory of the city. And that’s exactly where we believe we will see things go, as fresh leadership, a fresh start, and some fresh threads will slingshot the city forward as it aims to meet its incredible potential as it makes its way into a new – and important – new year.