To an outsider, Philadelphia’s office’s use of statistics might suggest it should be one of the hardest-hit cities, struggling with reduced foot traffic and empty buildings. However, the City of Brotherly Love is thriving, offering a model for other urban office markets facing high vacancy rates and quiet downtowns as they recover from the pandemic. On a recent 95-degree day in the central business district, men in loosened ties lined up at falafel, smoothie, and other food carts on Center City sidewalks. Employees on their lunch breaks filled Rittenhouse Square benches, enjoying the shade of the park’s towering trees. By rush hour, streets were packed with cars, buses, and bicyclists, all vying for space in the bustling traffic.