What is a “Neighborhood?”
“Neighborhood” means different things
to different people, particularly in the
Indianapolis area where neighborhoods
usually do not have obvious boundaries
based on natural environments or ethnic
density. Defining what constitutes a
neighborhood often results in passionate
debate.
Commonly, a neighborhood refers
to a residential community in a specific
geographic area, e.g., the MeridianKessler neighborhood means the district
with large, historic homes and green
spaces bounded by 38th Street, Meridian
Street, Kessler Blvd., and the Monon Trail.
A neighborhood may describe
the vicinity surrounding a church,
school, community center, or shopping
environment. Case in point: “I live in
Nora” or “Let’s have lunch in Broad
Ripple.”
The growing number of place-based
initiatives in Indianapolis using quality
of life planning bring together multiple
contiguous neighborhoods. They use a
comprehensive community development
framework that considers education,
jobs, amenities, built environment,
health, safety, walkability, and land use.
Government definitions often
differ from the mental image most
residents have of their community.
City and federal administrations often
define neighborhoods along arbitrary
boundaries for strategic planning and
8
Fountain Square
policy-making purposes. Plan 2020
defines neighborhood in a deliberate
manner for statistical reporting reasons.
When government uses similar names
yet different boundaries than residents,
it can be confusing and frustrating. In
the map of Fountain Square above, this
difference plays out. The area in green is
the residents’ interpretation, and the pink
area is the city version.
Neighborhood is a highly-nuanced
word, embodying a host of definitions.
As different as each description is,
they share a common element…that
of community. The Encyclopedia of
Indianapolis, published by The Polis
Center in 1994, notes, “Neighborhood
represents one kind of community,
but there are many others available in
Indianapolis. Communities of association
– based on friendship, kinship,
professional affiliation, or common
interests and lifestyles – provide the
sense of belonging sought by many
citizens.” And, isn’t that basic need– a
sense of belonging– what we ultimately
all want?