How to use available FAR
There is a 2 family house that is 19×38 on a 19×90 lot. According to property shark the Maximum FAR is 3 and the FAR as built is 1.47 which leaves a lot of FAR left over. Can you extend the building as well as build up? How do I find out? This is not…
There is a 2 family house that is 19×38 on a 19×90 lot. According to property shark the Maximum FAR is 3 and the FAR as built is 1.47 which leaves a lot of FAR left over. Can you extend the building as well as build up? How do I find out? This is not a landmark block.
Thanks! So I can extend and go up, right?
OK, so I took a couple of minutes and did the digging because I was curious. In Article 3 – Chapter 4: Bulk Regulations for Residential Buildings in Commercial Districts, it states that C4-3A is the equivalent of R6A. See my first post for the zoning requirements in R6A.
Yes, C is for commercial. All residential uses are allowed within a commercial district. If you’re planning on keeping the building entirely residential, the 4-3A is relatively meaningless to you. There are some restrictions on the equivalent residential FAR allowed within a commercial district, and the 4-3A will tell you what that means, but you have to hunt through the zoning code to get that.
Call an architect or a good expediter to discuss it.
The zoning district is C4-3A. I can’t seem to find what that really means except that the C is for commercial. Any ideas?
FAR of 3. You’re probably in R6, R6A, or R7B, which have a max lot coverage of 80% 0r 65%. 38/90 = 42%. Most likely, you can go back as well as up, potentially more than doubling your built area.
Consult an architect for specifics.
Jim Hill, RA, LEED AP
Urban Pioneering Architecture
You should determine the zoning district that the property is in , and then consult the zoning guidelines to determine FAR, and maximum height, lot coverage, and setbacks.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/pub/zonehand_inside.shtml
Hope this helps,
Kyle Page, AIA, LEED AP
Sundial Studios Architecture & Design, PLLC