Have you ever wondered what happens to all the paperwork that keeps Philadelphia running? When you pay your taxes, request city services, or interact with any city department, records are created. But where do all those documents go when they’re no longer needed every day?
The answer might surprise you: they go to a place most Philadelphians have never heard of, but one that’s essential to keeping our city working smoothly. This work directly supports Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s vision of a government that residents can see, touch and feel—one that’s transparent, efficient, and accountable to the people it serves.
Meet the Records Storage Center
The Records Storage Center is an organized warehouse where important city documents go to “retire.” These are documents that do not get thrown away—they’re papers that city departments still need to keep, but don’t use every single day.
Why does this matter to you? Because these records tell the story of how your city works and how it has served residents like you over the years.
The Records Storage Center holds documents from all city departments. This includes contract records for city projects in your neighborhood, financial records showing how your tax dollars were spent, employment records of city workers, legal documents from court cases involving the city, and historical records that capture Philadelphia’s government story.
These documents are proof of the city’s promises to you and evidence of the services you’ve received.
Why This Matters to Philadelphia Residents
You might be thinking, “So what? It’s just storage.” But here’s why the Records Storage Center is important to your daily life:
- It protects your rights. If there’s ever a question about a contract the city signed, a service the city provided, or a decision that was made, these records can provide the answers. This serves as a backup system for your interactions with the city.
- It saves your money. Instead of every city department keeping stacks of old papers in expensive office space, the Records Storage Center keeps them organized in one secure location. This saves money that can be spent on city services you actually use.
- It keeps the city running smoothly. When city workers need to find an old document quickly, they know exactly where to look. This means faster service for you when you need help from the city
- It preserves Philadelphia’s history. Some of these records become part of our city’s permanent history, telling future generations how Philadelphia served its residents in the past.
The Rules That Keep Everything Fair
The City has a plan for documents. There are rules in place called “retention schedules” that decide how long different types of records must be kept. Some documents are kept for a few years, others for decades, and some become permanent parts of Philadelphia’s history.
These rules make sure that important information is available when needed.
Moving Toward a Digital Future
Philadelphia is committed to reducing its reliance on paper records, supporting Mayor Parker’s goal to make Philadelphia the greenest city in America. Between 2015 and 2024, the number of boxes in the Records Storage Center decreased by 21 percent. This happened as old records expired under their retention schedules and were recycled, and as more city departments began using digital records instead of paper.
The city continues working to reduce the paper inventory as departments become more reliant on digital systems. This shift means faster service for residents, lower storage costs, and a smaller environmental impact—all part of creating the transparent, efficient government that Mayor Parker envisions.
A Service You Never See But Always Benefit From
The Records Storage Center works behind the scenes, but its impact reaches every corner of Philadelphia. When a city employee quickly finds the document they need to help you, when your neighborhood’s development history is preserved, or when the city can prove it followed the rules in serving residents—that’s the Records Storage Center doing its job.
While you can’t visit the Records Storage Center, knowing it exists should give you confidence. Your interactions with Philadelphia’s government are documented, organized, and protected. The city takes seriously its responsibility to keep track of how it serves you—whether that record is needed next month or next decade.
