When Tina Lee-Vogt started the job, she said conducting a study on the economic impact of Sacramento nightlife was a priority. An assessment she’s working on will give a snapshot.
Reviving Philadelphia’s nighttime economy
Almost every aspect of urban life has been curtailed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in Philadelphia and other big cities, the arts, culture, and nightlife sectors have taken a particularly painful hit. Museums and arts spaces have gone dark. Music venues have been kept from hosting concerts for much of the last year. And when they haven’t been closed entirely, bars and nightclubs have run at limited capacity, during shortened hours. Michael Fichman, researcher at PennPraxis. (Image: Courtesy of the Weitzman School of Design)
But even before the pandemic, says Michael Fichman, a researcher at PennPraxis and lecturer in the Master of Urban Spatial Analytics program, Philadelphia often failed to nurture the businesses and communities that thrive at night. The city’s official position toward after-hours activities was often either hands-off or outright hostile, says Fichman, who worked as a DJ and musici