Downtown Indy Earns High Ranking
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA national website has placed Indianapolis on its list of the Top 10 Best Downtown areas. Livability.com cites the city's architecture, lifestyle and downtown activities. In putting together the list, editors considered factors including vacancy rates, people moving into an area, income growth and unemployment. Indianapolis ranks third on the national list.
March 17, 2014
News Release
Indianapolis, IN Named a Top 10 Best Downtown, 2014 by Livability.com
Annual list ranks America’s top downtowns
The best downtowns instill a sense of pride in their cities. They must maintain a high level of energy and give all city residents a reason to come in. With this in mind, Livability.com has named Indianapolis a Top 10 Best Downtown, 2014. Downtown Indianapolis offers a diverse array of local architecture, art lifestyles and things to do. It unites residents from all walks of life by providing places to connect.
For this list of downtowns, editors looked at data including improvement in retail and office vacancy rates, the number of people moving into the area, income growth, unemployment, the ratio of people who live and work in the downtowns, and the overall livability of the city. Considerable weight was given to population growth and the ratio of residents to jobs in a downtown area. Urban center experts suggest these are the most telling signs of how a downtown is doing.
But numbers alone can’t tell you what makes a downtown great. One must see the skylines, hear the street sounds and talk to people who've been there, so our editors also considered input from our well-traveled staff.
“Having a great downtown is about more than just having a great main street,” says Matt Carmichael, Livability.com editor. “A downtown should have a cultural and retail focal point, like a main street, but it has to expand beyond that, providing a solid core for the entire community.”
Living in downtown Indianapolis, Ind., puts people within walking distance to restaurants, entertainment districts, professional sports venues and parks. More than 50 new projects are slated to be completed in downtown Indianapolis by 2017. Residents gather throughout the year on downtown streets to listen to live music, eat and celebrate at annual events like the Sour + Wild + Funk Fest, Independent Music and Art Festival, and the Strawberry Festival.
Top 10 Best Downtowns, 2014
1. Fort Worth, TX
2. Providence, RI
3. Indianapolis, IN
4. Provo, UT
5. Alexandria, VA
6. Frederick, MD
7. Fort Lauderdale, FL
8. Bellingham, WA
9. Eugene, OR
10. Birmingham, ALSource: Livability.com