On the heels of our best city accolades from the readers of Conde Nast Traveler comes more love for the city of Charleston and, in particular, our downtown. Livability.com ranked Charleston No. 2 on its list of Top 10 Downtowns in 2012.
Here’s what the site had to say about our downtown:
Downtown Charleston comprises 12 sections, each replete with gardens, restaurants and historic homes, and it has a low commercial vacancy rate of 4.8 percent. Walkscore.com gives the downtown an 84 on the walkability scale, meaning most errands can be accomplished on foot. Charleston’s internationally renowned dining scene includes many high caliber restaurants and pubs downtown. The area also has several historic attractions, plus beaches and a lively waterfront area are nearby.
Also, this month the American Planning Association put Broad Street on its list of Great Streets in America.
Here’s how the association described Broad Street:
Despite natural disasters and economic downturns, Charleston has preserved Broad Street and its rich colonial history, stunning 18th century architecture, and pedestrian orientation. Decades before anyone else was thinking about historic preservation, in 1920 concerned residents formed the Preservation Society of Charleston — the oldest community-based preservation organization in America and the group that successfully championed for Charleston’s first historic zoning ordinance in 1931.
Wait, there’s one more … CNNMoney named Summerville, a suburb of Charleston, as one of the best places to retire. It ranked No. 24 on a top 25 list. The site credited the charm of nearby Charleston and the medical care available at Summerville Medical Center.
