Editing Penn Center (section)

== Legacy ==

Penn Center's legacy includes both the physical development that transformed Center City and the planning approaches it represented. The project demonstrated that major urban renewal could occur in American downtowns, encouraging similar projects in other cities. The underground concourse system established infrastructure that continues to serve Center City's transportation network. The office space Penn Center created helped maintain Center City as the region's commercial core during decades when suburban competition threatened urban vitality.<ref name="webster"/>

The development also taught lessons about preservation and urban design that influenced subsequent projects. The loss of Broad Street Station galvanized preservation movements that would later save 30th Street Station and other threatened landmarks. The shortcomings of Penn Center's plazas and towers informed later developments that sought to create more engaging street environments. Penn Center thus represents a transitional moment in American urbanism, its successes and failures shaping approaches that planners and developers continue to refine.<ref name="gallery"/>