- By Bruce Stoff
- Around Town
Print 
Outside magazine has confirmed something most Ithacans already know: Ithaca is one of the best towns in America.The magazine ranked Ithaca sixth in its list of “The 20 Best Towns in America.” The article appears in the magazine’s August issue which goes on sale today.
In compiling the list, Outside magazine editors spent more than two months reviewing cities that had overcome adversity and were "riding on a wave of civic reinvention and fresh ideas."
The top 10 cities on the list best exemplified places that were reinventing themselves and working towards progressive change. Editors looked at how each city invested in itself, rated the natural beauty available to residents, looked at cultural amenities and tried to identify which towns were truly reinvesting in their own best assets.
Washington, D.C., was first on the list, followed by Chattanooga, Tenn.; Ogden, Utah; Portsmouth, N.H.; Tacoma, Wash.; Ithaca, N.Y.; Louisville, Ky.; Eureka, Calif., and Columbia, Mo.
In its coverage of Ithaca, Outside noted the creation of the downtown Commons, new investment in downtown residential and commercial projects, creation of the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, revitalization of the abandoned Ithaca Gun factory and growth of the town’s sustainable EcoVillage community.
The Outside article is the most recent in a long string of media accolades for the Ithaca community. Since 2001, Ithaca has been featured in at least 30 “best cities” lists.
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