You can be a non-progressive without being a neoliberal (I think). But I agree that some centrists actively don’t want progressive policies. I think that may be concentrated in a part of the leadership and the never-Trump Republicans that are currently voting with Dems.
I think the majority of moderate Dem voters are scared off of progressive candidates by electability issues or political feasibility. They like progressive policies when they stand alone - it’s the candidates that they vote against. In a place like NYC, electability isn’t as much of a risk.