Utica, NY

A city in Upstate New York, incorporated in 1832, that is the population center of the Utica-Rome Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Like many mid-sized cities in the Northeast and Rust Belt, Utica was a thriving manufacturing, political and cultural community in the late 19th and early-to-mid 20th century. After a period of decline, it has recently seen a wave of urban investment and redevelopment. Public and private investments totaling hundreds of millions of dollars include: a $480 million downtown medical center campus scheduled for completion in 2022, reclamation and residential development of multiple industrial-era buildings, an expanded downtown arena/auditorium that recruited professional hockey and indoor soccer franchises. While challenges and lingering negativity stemming from decades of decline remain, the city is seeing increasing numbers of next-gen residential professionals and entrepreneurs. The international distance running community has known about the city's welcoming culture and upbeat summer vibe for decades, as Utica is home to one of the world's largest 15K competitions, the Boilermaker Road Race. And then there's the critically acclaimed FOOD, present in an astounding number of urban farm-to-fork, ethnic and international restaurants, cafes and eateries.