76ers, Comcast Spectacor pause demolition of Market East buildings, allowing for summer pop-up shops

Several buildings slated for demolition on East Market Street will be temporarily spared this summer to allow the city to host pop-up shops during the World Cup and celebrations of the nation's 250th anniversary.

The row of vacant properties on the 1000 block of Market Street, owned by the Sixers and Comcast Spectacor, were expected to be torn down early this year as plans take shape to redevelop the struggling corridor in Center City. When demolition permits were issued in the fall, planners had floated the idea of using the vacant lots to create a pop-up soccer pitch to promote the World Cup.

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"We decided to pause demolition to avoid any delays or disruptions that could have an adverse effect on this summer's events," a spokesperson for the project said Wednesday.

Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and Comcast Spectacor, which respectively own the 76ers and Flyers, have a joint venture to redevelop the lots they own at 1020-1024 Market St. and other nearby properties. The buildings slated for demolition cover half a block and include a former Rite-Aid, a former Reebok store and the former Robinson Luggage store notable for its curved facade.

The owners declined to say how soon buildings will be demolished after the summer events end. Future plans for the lots have not been made public.

The Center City District said Wednesday that it plans to make streetscape upgrades and prepare vendor spaces this spring between the 900 and 1100 blocks of Market Street. The projects will be funded by a $1.85 million grant from the city, with additional support from Mural Arts Philadelphia to create temporary installations from local artists.

An estimated 1.5 million people are expected to visit the city for the World Cup and America 250 events. Mayor Cherelle Parker, who convened an advisory commission to oversee the future of East Market Street in November, called the influx of tourists a "catalyzing spark" for the revival of the corridor.

The pop-up retailers will take over eight unoccupied spaces owned by HBSE, Comcast Spectacor and the Fashion District mall. Details about which shops will be there and when they open will be released in the near future, officials said.

Art installations are planned along Market Street. The first will be completed by Cuban and Salvadoran artist Manuella Guillén, whose work will be displayed on the side of the mall at the northwest corner of 11th and Market streets.

The Center City District also plans to plant 42 trees, repaint light and banner poles, and refurbish four transit head houses and 21 bus shelters.

HBSE and Comcast Spectacor have not yet revealed a direction for the properties they own on Market Street. The Sixers originally bought the lots during their pursuit of a new arena that would have replaced a portion of the Fashion District mall. The team dropped those plans in January 2025 to partner with Comcast Spectacor — their current landlord at Xfinity Mobile Arena — to build a new arena that will open at the Sports Complex in South Philly in 2031.

The Sixers and city officials previously had discussed building hundreds of residential units, a hotel and new retail on East Market Street. Parker's advisory commission, made up of leaders from dozens of institutions in Philadelphia, is still working on long-range plans for the corridor.

Plans to demolish the buildings on the 1000 block of Market Street have been criticized by preservationists who fear the empty lots will create more blight. In November, opponents questioned why the city would tear the buildings down before informing the public about what will replace them.

Parker promised the city will incorporate feedback from residents before deciding on a course.

"I don't want anyone leaving here today saying that there is a plan that is baked, that is cooked, that is done, and (that) it is a plan that will be shoved down the throats of Philadelphians," the mayor said in November. "That is not what this is."