C5-3 Zoning is a Restricted Commercial Zoning district in NYC. In C5-3 you can build a variety of commercial building uses, community facilities, and residential buildings.
C5-3 Zoning
The C5-3 Zoning District is a sub district of C5 Zoning in NYC. C5 is a central zoning district with generally large buildings having retail, offices, hotels, and residential uses. C5-3 Zoning is mapped in Midtown Manhattan and the Flatiron District. The zoning district C5-3 has the highest floor areas available in NYC and will result in some of the largest buildings in New York.
C5-3 Residential Equivalent
Most Commercial Zoning districts have a Residential Equivalent. This means you can develop a residential building within the commercial zoning district. You follow the residential equivalent zoning requirements in the case of a residential development. The residential equivalent for C5-3 is R10 Zoning.
Mixed Use Building
You can develop a mixed use building with commercial and residential zoning. In this case you would apply the requirements of C5-3 and R10 in designing the building.
C5-3 Zoning Specifications
C5-3 Commercial Floor Area Ratio (FAR):
Floor Area Ratio determines the floor area that can be built on the property.
FAR = 15
The FAR is for Commercial Floor Area, 15 is the highest base floor area for any development in NYC. Residential FAR usually differs from Commercial.
C5-3 Community Facility Floor Area Ratio
FAR = 15
Plaza Floor Area Bonus:
1 to 10 ratio plaza to building floor area bonus
In C5-3 the Plaza Bonus applies to buildings with commercial or community facility use.
You can build 10 additional square feet of building for every square foot of plaza. Plazas have specific requirements not all locations qualify.
Arcade Floor Area Bonus
1 to 3 ratio arcade to building floor area bonus
In C5-3 the arcade Bonus applies to buildings with commercial or community facility use.
You can build 3 additional square feet of building for every square foot of arcade. Arcades have specific requirements not all locations qualify.
Yard Requirements for Commercial Use in C5-3
Side Yards
Side Yards are not required, but if side yards are provided they must comply with the following:
At minimum 8 feet in width or
At minimum 5 feet in width with an average width of 8 feet.
Some special circumstances will require side yards.
Rear Yard
20 Foot rear yard required
C5-3 Height And Setback
Initial Setback Distance
20 feet on narrow street
15 on wide street
Building Height Within Initial Setback Distance = 85 feet or 6 stories whichever is less
Sky Exposure Plane Vertical to Horizontal
Narrow Street Sky Exposure Plane = 2.7 to 1
Wide Street Sky Exposure Plane = 5.6 to 1
C5-3 Alternate Height And Setback
Alternate height and setback regulations can apply if you provide open space for the entire length of the front lot line.
Depth Of Optional Front Yard
15 feet on narrow street
10 on wide street
Sky Exposure Plane Height Above Street Line = 85 feet
Sky Exposure Plane Vertical to Horizontal
Narrow Street Sky Exposure Plane = 3.7 to 1
Wide Street Sky Exposure Plane = 7.6 to 1
Towers
A tower can penetrate the sky exposure plane. Towers are buildings that cover less then a certain percentage of the property. The percentage is set in the zoning code according to the lot area. A tower will result in a tall building cover a small portion of the property.
SLIVER LAW
You should always make sure if your property is subject to Sliver Law restrictions.
NYC Zoning
As an architect I study zoning very closely. NYC Zoning is complicated and quite involved. In this article we reviewed some of the basic Zoning Codes with regards to commercial zoning district C5-3. This analysis does not assume to cover every possible issue and condition, but provide a general overview. This post does not substitute the NYC Zoning Resolution.
Thank You for reading our Blog Post on C5-3 Zoning in NYC.
I hope this was helpful. You can leave questions or comments below. If you want to discuss a specific project with an architect you can contact us directly.
This post was written by Jorge Fontan AIA a Registered Architect and owner of New York City architecture firm Fontan Architecture. Jorge Fontan has earned 3 degrees in the study of architecture including two degrees from the City University of New York and a Masters Degree in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University. Jorge has a background in construction and has been practicing architecture for 20 years where he has designed renovations and new developments of various building types.
