Does Loft or Mezzanine Space Count Towards FAR?
I own the top floor condo apartment of a Brooklyn brownstone. The brownstone already exceeeds maximum allowable FAR, but the building could go about 12 feet higher. Is it possible to increase the height of part of the ceiling/roof and build some sort of open loft or mezzanine space that doesn’t count towards FAR?
I own the top floor condo apartment of a Brooklyn brownstone. The brownstone already exceeeds maximum allowable FAR, but the building could go about 12 feet higher. Is it possible to increase the height of part of the ceiling/roof and build some sort of open loft or mezzanine space that doesn’t count towards FAR?
Where are these rules from? They’re not from the New York Building Code.
OP here.
Thanks for the advice and comments. For those interested, I found these rules that permit a mezzanine:
SECTION BC 505
MEZZANINES
505.1 General. A mezzanine or mezzanines in compliance with this section shall be considered a portion of the floor below. Such mezzanines shall not contribute to either the building area or number of stories as regulated by Section 503.1. The area of the mezzanine shall be included in determining the fire area defined in Section 702. The clear height above and below the mezzanine floor construction shall not be less than 7 feet (2134 mm).
Exception: The clear height of habitable spaces above or below mezzanines within welling units shall not be less than 8 feet (2438 mm).
505.2 Area limitation. The aggregate area of a mezzanine or mezzanines within a room or space shall not exceed one-third of the area if that room or space in which they are located. The enclosed portions of a room or space shall not be included in determining the permissible floor area of the mezzanine. The area of the mezzanine shall not contribute to the determination of the floor area of the room or space below.
I’m certainly not a condo expert, but wouldn’t Board of Managers/other owners have to approve this?
I think that your idea is similar to what I would do in my 3rd floor apartment (assume it is doable):
Apartment has a 12 feet ceiling.
Plus about 3 feet of crawl space above.
If we would be able to open a roof above middle room which is 10’X10 or a little more then that, like 12’X12′, make ceiling in the middle room (say, it will be dining room) 8 feet and build room above then we would need to go about 3-4 feet higher then existing roof level on 12’X12′ space in the middle of the house for a total of 18-19 feet from the floor of the apartment.
that breaks into 8′ ceiling for room below, 1 feet for ceiling/floor between rooms,
8′ for loft room above and 1-2 feet for a new part of the roof.
Is it what you think of doing? I was also thinking of steps from this room above to the roof deck, wall of windows facing this roof deck and making one additional skylight to make room below brighter
I would be very interested what knowledgeable brownstoners think of this plan.
You’re talking about builidng up less than 12 feet so that you’d get a normal height room and then a mezzanine, which would count only as storage for DOB purposes. I think it’s possible but could be construed as gaming the system. Are you abosolutely sure you already exceed allowable FAR? Items like mechanical are allowable subtractions.
I think the mezzanine loft thing is part of what Scarrano in trouble.
That doesn’t answer the question. OP said they can add 12 feet in height.
if mezz. is less than approx. 5′ then it is storage