The 15 Coolest Things Coming To Us Cities In 2017

Columbus, Ohio

An historic skyscraper-turned-hotel highlights a citywide resurgence.

Those gods of all things survey – J.D. Power and Associates – ranked Columbus the No. 1 tourist destination in the Midwest. Columbus. Like that place that may or may not still have a hockey team. Oh, but you will know more soon.

The largest city in Ohio has been drawing in young people by the hoards, and with them have come distilleries, enough new breweries for an entire ale trail, and enough new roasters for an entire coffee trail. But Columbus has also seen a massive influx of immigrants over the past decade, and the food scene here isn’t as much the hipster, chef-driven variety as it is authentic, home country-quality ethnic food. Like a little New York City, it’s got legitimate options for everything from Somali to Brazilian to Pakistani food, most of which can be had for a fraction of what you’d pay at anywhere described as “hot.”

But the centerpiece of the newfound urbanism is LeVeque Tower. The most iconic building in Columbus was once the tallest between Chicago and New York, and after a $20+ million renovation is reopening this year at Hotel LeVeque. While it’ll only occupy six floors, the hotel looks to bring a new kind of tenant to what should be C-Bus’ signature edifice. And a whole new energy to a highly overlooked city.