Justify Your Existence

"Creating the 24-Hour Downtown" lecture

by Lisa Tauber

What: "Creating the 24-Hour Downtown" lecture

Who: Paul Levy, president of Center City District

When: Tue., April 10, 6-8 p.m., $30

Where: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust St., 215-732-6200, www.philalandmarks.org

What Makes You So Special: Philly's come a long way since the early '90s, when the city was in such distress that it basically shut down at 5 p.m. "There has been a huge increase in the number of young people and the diversification of the downtown economy," says Levy, on how the city's stepped up. But there's a lot more to be done, he warns, "particularly since this is a mayoral election year. We still have challenges — like improving tax structure and educational opportunities — if we're going to be successful and continue to attract people. We need recreational activities [like the ones] that New York and other cities have developed. ... This lecture is for anyone interested in the future of the city."