"Our View of Philadelphia"
by David Zwarg, Software Developer

In recent years Philadelphia has been receiving international recognition as a city on the rise. Many of our staff live in the city and its outlying suburbs and value the big-city/small-town feel of Philadelphia. Dubbed by National Geographic Traveler as  “The Next Great City”, Philadelphia is an exciting place in which to live, work and play. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, “Center City has the third-largest downtown population after New York and Chicago. In 2005, there were 88,000 people living downtown, an 11.5% increase in population in 5 years.”

Philadelphia is fun and affordable. Restaurants and bars contribute to the popularity of the city and now account for 29% of Center City retailing. BYOB’s have mushroomed in every neighborhood and one can eat sophisticated food for very reasonable prices. Moreover, with 85 theaters, the world-renowned Philharmonic orchestra, a huge regional performing arts center attracting artists from all over the globe, and the third largest national museum of arts in the country, Philadelphia is as culturally rich as an European capital.

Its human scale makes it a pleasure to live downtown. More people walk to work in Philadelphia than any other major city in North America. Many of Azavea’s staff members actually walk or bike to the office. Located in a sunny loft space in the blossoming ‘Loft District’ (otherwise known as ‘Callowhill’ or ‘Chinatown North’), Azavea couldn’t enjoy a better setting. Close to the Reading Terminal Market, Chinatown and Center City, we all enjoy outings to many of the best lunch spots in town.

Azavea is committed to Philadelphia. The city is undergoing a true artistic, technologic, real estate, and economic renaissance. Many Philadelphia businesses are dedicated to making this a hot-spot of innovation and growth, and so are we! 

Azavea continues to grow with Philadelphia, but we are not limited to this region. We also have a satellite office in Boston and have an interest in developing both national and international lists of clients.