neighborhood center
/ˈneɪbərˌhʊd ˈsɛntər/ · neig·hbor·hood·cen·ter
noun
- A small commercial or mixed‑use area that provides everyday goods and services to the residents of a surrounding residential neighborhood. The new neighborhood center includes a grocery store, a pharmacy, and a coffee shop, so residents don’t have to drive to downtown.
- In urban‑planning terminology, a designated zone within a community that concentrates retail, civic, and sometimes residential functions to promote walkability and local identity. Planners placed the neighborhood center at the intersection of the main bus routes to maximize accessibility.
Synonyms
local hubcommunity hubvillage centersuburban centerneighborhood hublocal shopping centercivic hubtown‑center
Antonyms
Did you know? The term "neighborhood center" was popularized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the 1960s as part of policies to create self‑contained, walkable communities.