NEW: Providence Ranked #2 for Best Downtowns in US

Providence's downtown ranks #2 in a 2014 list of Top 10 Best Downtowns , compiled by Livability.com.

Citing a diverse array of local architecture, art lifestyles and things to do. Livability asserts that Downtown Providence unites residents from all walks of life by providing places to connect.

Methodology

For the list of downtowns, Livability 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.

“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.”

About Downtown Providence

More than 4,500 people live in the downtown Providence area, which draws thousands of tourists and serves as the state's cultural center. Two decades worth of improvement projects, including the relocation of rivers and railroads and the creation of public gathering areas, have turned downtown Providence into a vibrant East Coast community. More than half the office space in Rhode Island is concentrated in downtown Providence. The Arcade, a historic retail center, underwent a renovation and welcomed more than a dozen new businesses last year. Several additional new businesses, including Hasbro, also moved into downtown Providence within the last year.

Livability's 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, AL

Related Slideshow: The Best and Worst of Providence: How we Rank

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