Zoning Lots in New York City
Hamoun Niknejad2026-02-14T00:33:35+00:00NYC Zoning LotsWhen you’re dealing with NYC zoning, one of the first questions that matters is surprisingly simple:“What type of lot is this?”Because in New York City, the shape and position of your lot on the block can change what the zoning rules require—especially for things like yards, setbacks, frontage, entrances, and where your “rear yard” even is.In general, NYC zoning commonly refers to three main lot types:Corner LotInterior LotThrough LotLet’s walk through them in plain English (with a little...
New York City Zoning R6B
Hamoun Niknejad2026-02-14T02:16:34+00:00The New York City Zoning Resolution is basically a giant instruction manual that tells you what you can build, where, and how big, before you even talk about DOB permits.NYC zoning districts are named using:a letter (what the area is mainly for), plusnumbers (intensity/density), and sometimesa suffix letter (a “flavor” of the district—often contextual)1) How many zoning “categories” does NYC have?NYC has three main zoning district categories:A) Residence Districts (R)R = Residential (homes, apartments, plus community facilities...
Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in Zoning Analysis
Hamoun Niknejad2026-02-14T00:33:19+00:00FAR (Floor Area Ratio) in NYC Zoning: What It Really Means and Why It is Important)If you’ve ever sat in a meeting with an architect, an expeditor, or a developer in New York City, you’ve probably heard someone say:“Okay—what’s the FAR?”And everyone nods like that single number explains the whole project.It doesn’t… but it is one of the most important numbers in NYC zoning analysis. FAR—short for Floor Area Ratio—is basically the city’s way of limiting how much building you...
NEW YORK CITY ZONING RESOLUTION
Hamoun Niknejad2026-02-14T02:46:09+00:00If you own a building in New York City (or you’re a new architect or real-estate agent), NYC zoning can feel like trying to read a “choose-your-own-adventure” book… where every choice sends you to a different chapter, appendix, map, footnote, and special rule.This post is a clear, educational walkthrough of:How many zoning categories NYC hasThe big zoning families (R, C, M) and their subcategories (R1, R2, etc.)What overlays and Special Purpose Districts areWhy NYC zoning is one of the most...