How Ventura, CA Became One Of The Nation's Most Livable Cities

In the 1990s the city's downtown was deserted. Yet Ventura, CA has come back to win the designation of "most livable city" in the small-city category.

1 minute read

April 18, 2004, 7:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


Officials in Ventura, California "are working toward a new blueprint for growth that includes a unifying design and special identity for downtown, with an emphasis on building within the city, rather than pushing outward... It may be among the nation's most livable cities, but with the median price of a resale house listed at $470,000 last month, it's far from the most affordable... More than $350 million in private investment is planned in the downtown area, bringing restaurants, shops, museums and entertainment venues."

Thanks to Chris Steins

Saturday, April 17, 2004 in The Los Angeles Times

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