citycentered

Citycentered is a term used in urban planning and development to describe an approach that prioritizes the central urban core as the primary locus of growth, housing, employment, and amenities. Proponents argue that concentrating activity in the city center can improve accessibility, reduce trip lengths, and make public transit and public space more efficient. In practice, citycentered strategies often combine high-density, mixed-use development with transit-oriented design, green streetscapes, and efforts to redevelop underused central parcels.

Historically, the concept aligns with efforts to revitalize downtowns and curb sprawling suburbanization, reflecting shifts toward sustainable urban intensification in many regions since the late 20th century. Implementation typically involves zoning reforms to permit greater density in the core, incentives for infill and brownfield redevelopment, investments in rail, bus, and pedestrian networks, and policies to improve the central district's livability.

Benefits include more efficient infrastructure use, reduced car dependency, and vibrant urban life; drawbacks include affordability pressures and gentrification, potential neglect of suburban areas, and the need to ensure resilient central systems for housing, flood risk, and heat.

It overlaps with related concepts such as transit-oriented development, the compact city, and smart growth, which share the aim of concentrating development near transit and amenities.