What are the definitions for downtown/central city?

[mhays25]

People can certainly have their definitions. We all can. That's why I said it was my personal definition.

I'd give more credit to a retail and activity district like French Quarter than a quiet residential area like Boston's Beacon Hill.

Of course I also specified that the five-story thing was for big cities. What I'd say qualifies in Savannah isn't the same as what would qualify in Boston.

[engineman]

In this area "downtown" is where the local government, law offices, etc are. Most residents have little reason to go there.

Shopping, entertainment, restaurants are on the highway where there is parking. Public transportation is for those that don't have a car or are unable to drive.

[mhays25]

Yikes.

[Das_Interwebz]

Though there are varying borders for downtowns in the US and even vs its CBD (Central Business District) main one. Some are one and the same as the definition does claim for most, a downtown and CBD are the same.

Real Estate areas that are downtown housing areas can also have varying borders and their links give them cities maps. Refin is one that if you type in downtown of that city. It will give a highlighted border along with others.

The city of Chicago seems to be an outlier in it has a separate border given by the city for its CBD and Downtown by a law it has on its books.

https://blog.chicagocityscape.com/ch...e-8c2a88f3fe19

Also google maps gives some downtown border highlighted. For many it does and for Chicago it does not any more as it used to for downtown showing just its Loop area. Now it shows the region with no highlighted border.


These are some maps given by real estate sights.

Seattle - realtor.com
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...le_WA/overview

Seattle - Redfin
https://www.redfin.com/neighborhood/...wntown-Seattle

Seattle - Homes.com (map is lower in the link)
https://www.homes.com/seattle-wa/nei...3deb2533dcb3a1


Chicago seems to have a more varied area of what is the downtown living region. Some may be what is zoned downtown where the sky is the limit minus the FAA and Nimby's and Alderman final decision.

Chicago - Neighbors.com (general map with neighborhoods mentioned)
https://www.neighborhoods.com/neighb...icago/downtown

Chicago - Apartment.com
https://www.apartments.com/downtown-chicago-chicago-il/

Chicago - Redfin (most unusual because it cuts downtown off at the Chicago river on the west, yet goes further south and north)
https://www.redfin.com/neighborhood/...4699:-87.70251

Canadian cities tend to do larger downtown area as Toronto is given as 6.4 Sq/Mi that is in general a largest downtown. In some cities we can do that and be fair, but that might be seen as the greater downtown.

[mhays25]

Yeah, everyone has their own definition. There's no "official" version except for the specific purpose of whoever came up with it, whether a realtor group or a public agency.

And really, why would there be a single version of something so subjective, with so many potential uses and criteria?

[Das_Interwebz]

Originally Posted by mhays25

Yeah, everyone has their own definition. There's no "official" version except for the specific purpose of whoever came up with it, whether a realtor group or a public agency.

And really, why would there be a single version of something so subjective, with so many potential uses and criteria?

Yes, but if a city does map it for us? Still original downtowns are grandfathered in and it is areas that look the part added by growth or have downtown added aspects like key hotels and retail for a city. If all residential, yet does not look the part? It might or should not be added like row-housing areas that lack downtown key components but in the mix for Realtors especially. Zoning also a city plays a role if it has no limits to heights and therefore attains the point to be included as that core grows. So I do not exclude some debate to add some with all the ingredients.

[mhays25]

"Map it for us"? They map it for City functions only. For anything else it's just an interesting opinion.

Land use codes do matter, but even the taller/denser commercially-oriented zones don't necessarily correlate to most versions of "downtown" districts.

For example some say Philly has a generally-agreed upon version of Center City (downtown). A lot of its fringes don't have downtown-like zoning.