This is at livability.com (http://livability.com/top-10/top-10-best-downtowns-2014). The criteria:
-Population growth
-Ratio of residents to jobs
-Income growth
-Home vacancy rates
-Affordability of housing
-Retail and office vacancy rates
Here's the list:
10. Birmingham, AL
9. Eugene, OR
8. Bellingham, WA
7. Ft. Lauderdale, FL
6. Frederick, MD
5. Alexandria, VA
4. Provo, UT
3. Indianapolis
2. Providence, RI
1. Ft. Worth
I figured Fort Worth would score well, but #1?? Wow. They've done a lot to make their center city inviting and fun, plus easy access into and out of the area for visitors, plus good connections to other interesting parts of town (the Stockyards as well as the West 7th-Cultural District areas), and regular events like the Main St. Arts Festival really make it a great place IMO.
They did have a couple of past goofs, but the whole still outweighs any flaws.
Oh hey, two of those are near me, and I agree with both of them being on the list. Alexandria is historic yet hip and within easy access to DC. Frederick has really revitalized its downtown, and even its suburbs south of I-70 are designed well and decently connected to the commercial and industrial activity there.
iPhone
I'd definitely agree with Indianapolis! I visited there almost 4 years ago and loved it! Within walking distance: Victory Field (home to the AAA-level Indianapolis Indians), The Soldiers and Sailors Moument in Monument Circle, Chase Tower, the state capitol, Lucas Oil Stadium (NFL Colts) and Bankers Life Fieldhouse (NBA Pacers and WNBA Fever). The only thing not near downtown is the racetrack, since that's to the northwest in Speedway, IN.
As for Providence, RI, it's definitely better than Hartford, CT and its downtown! The state capitol, Providence Place Mall, Amtrak, Kennedy Plaza and the Dunkin' Donuts Center are all very near one another. McCoy Stadium (AAA-level Red Sox) is a couple miles to the north up I-95 in Pawtucket.
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on June 03, 2014, 10:55:17 AMAs for Providence, RI, it's definitely better than Hartford, CT and its downtown!
This is a low bar.
For me a lot of a downtown's health can be judged by what it's like at night. This is not to say nightlife is the critical component, but rather that places that become deserted at night are not "lived in" places. The parts of Downtown Boston that are improving the most are getting supermarkets in new urban developments, for example. Downtown Hartford has come a ways but still isn't there in this regard. Providence does score much better but is dead to me since the Safari Lounge closed.
Quote from: Pete from Boston on June 03, 2014, 12:02:57 PM
For me a lot of a downtown's health can be judged by what it's like at night. This is not to say nightlife is the critical component, but rather that places that become deserted at night are not "lived in" places.
Welp, New Brunswick used to have a great downtown that wouldn't be a risk to your own safety staying after hours, but, like every other city in New Jersey, that's no longer true.
Quote from: Zeffy on June 03, 2014, 12:06:45 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on June 03, 2014, 12:02:57 PM
For me a lot of a downtown's health can be judged by what it's like at night. This is not to say nightlife is the critical component, but rather that places that become deserted at night are not "lived in" places.
Welp, New Brunswick used to have a great downtown that wouldn't be a risk to your own safety staying after hours, but, like every other city in New Jersey, that's no longer true.
I was in New Brunswick last week and it feels brighter and cleaner than in any time in the past few decades, weirdly so. As is the case in similar transitions, a lot of the stuff that made it fun to be down there went away with the grime.
None of this tells me about a downtown. It tells me about the city overall. Downtowns should be measured by mobility, accessibility, volume of visitors, revenue generation per visitor, revenue per capita of the entire city and/or revenue as a percent of total city revenue, percent occupation (residential+commercial-industrial), yearly tenant turnover... it goes on, but not related to this list.