Downtown Greenville ranked No. 4 for livability

Greenville's downtown has landed on another national Top 10 list, this time honored for how livable it is has become.

Downtown Greenville ranked No. 4 on Livability.com's "Top 10 Best Downtowns 2015," behind Pittsburgh, Minneapolis and Indianapolis.

The website — which culls the list based on data then refines upon recommendations by its editors — focused on small-to-mid-sized cities.

"We're really in a new golden age of American downtowns," Livability editor Matt Carmichael said. "Throughout cities large and small, the energy and resources focused on restoring Main Streets and urban cores is paying off."

The rapid pace of construction of luxury apartments, condos and lofts downtown was cited by editors as a sign that the inner-city is thriving and offering opportunities to live an urban lifestyle.

"They looked for areas with new construction because cranes are often a great sign of economic and cultural recovery," the website said. "They found downtowns with vibrant arts scenes and walkable streets."

The editors mentioned Falls Park as a "fairy-tale like setting in an otherwise urban landscape" and pointed to the downtown trolley circuit that runs from the West End to the North Main community.

Also cited were the attributes that have landed downtown other national attention: walkability, cycling, restaurants, museums, sports, and arts and music featured at the Peace Center.

The full list:

1. Pittsburgh, PA

2. Minneapolis, MN

3. Indianapolis, IN

4. Greenville, SC

5. Salt Lake City, UT

6. Alexandria, VA

7. Fargo, ND

8. Lincoln, NE

9. Somerville, MA

10. Evanston, IL