This Philadelphia event facility is a world-class venue that blends historic architecture with cutting-edge technology and services. Located in the heart of downtown Philadelphia, otherwise known as Center City, the center occupies 10 city blocks and is the largest public construction project undertaken in the state of Pennsylvania. The center is within a 15-minute walk of several major attractions and 8,600 hotel rooms, plus has indoor access to the 1,410-room Philadelphia Marriott Hotel.What other Philadelphia meeting facilities cannot provide that this one can, is the existing 1.3 million (and growing) square feet of saleable space, home to 528,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space and a 55,400-square-foot convention center ballroom. The center's traditional exterior of bricks and balconies evokes the feel of a historic Philadelphia meeting place, while its remarkable interior is nothing short of modern and impressive. The immense Grand Hall and Ballroom occupy the historic Reading Terminal train shed, which is the world's oldest surviving single-span arched train shed, and the only one of its kind in the United States. Elegant and light-filled, the interior space is highlighted by its exposed beams and soaring ceilings. The Reading Terminal Market, the nation's oldest continuously operating farmers' market, is located on the ground level, seamlessly integrated into the building's architecture. The center's stunning architecture is beautifully complemented by its wall-to-wall contemporary art collection. The $2 million public collection, consisting of 73 purchased art works and 18 site-specific installations, spans a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, woodwork and jewelry. The Pennsylvania Convention Center is extremely accessible, as it functions as both a meeting space and transportation hub. In addition to two subway lines within two blocks, eight bus routes and seven regional rail lines provide direct service to the center. For guests with cars, more than 11,000 parking spaces are located within a three-block radius of the center. The center features fiber-optic cabling infrastructure, high-speed private networks, and a wide range of superior services, including full-service catering provided by ARAMARK and on-call audio-visual support and concierge service. The Pennsylvania Convention Center has hosted more than 13 million guests in the past decade and high-profile events such as the Republic National Convention and National Baptist Convention, as well as meetings for such groups as the Ford Motor Company, American Chemical Society, American Association of Community Colleges, International Society for Stem Cell Research and American Public Health Association.