The Downtown Boulder business center occupies a class A bank building in a fantastic central location just one block away from the city's vibrant Pearl Street Mall. Other companies based here include architects and IT firms. According to Businessweek Magazine, Boulder is the best place to start a business in Colorado. A community of mentoring and support combined with a culture of innovation help companies in sectors ranging from organic cookies to lasers or wind turbines to thrive here. The city has a strong scientific base, with a concentration of national research labs, energy and hi-tech companies and a world-class university. Thanks to its unique location on the footsteps of the Rocky Mountains, surrounded by 45,000 acres of open space, it has also gained a reputation as a healthy, environmentally sound place to live, with a thriving community of outdoor recreation, tourism, and sustainable living industries.