M1-6 Zoning is a Light Manufacturing Zoning district in NYC. You can develop multiple uses in M1-6 including manufacturing, commercial, and community facility. Hotels are possible only through a special permit but that is a discretionary review and can be denied.
The M1-6 Zoning District is a sub district of M1 Zoning in NYC. M1 is a Light Manufacturing Zoning District having manufacturing, commercial, and community facility uses. You can find M1-6 Zoning mapped in Manhattan, and Brooklyn.
M1 Zoning Districts
M1-6 Zoning Specifications
M1-6 Floor Area Ratio (FAR):
Floor Area Ratio determines the floor area that can be built on the property.
FAR = 10
M1-6 Community Facility Floor Area Ratio
FAR = 10
Plaza Floor Area Bonus:
1 to 6 ratio. Plaza to building floor area bonus
In M1-6 the Plaza Bonus applies to buildings with commercial use or community facility use.
You can build 6 additional square feet of building for every square foot of plaza. Plazas have specific requirements not all locations qualify. This does not apply to M1-6D.
Arcade Floor Area Bonus:
1 to 3 ratio. Arcade to building floor area bonus
In M1-6 the Arcade Bonus applies to buildings with commercial use 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. This does not apply to M1-6D.
Yard Requirements for Commercial Use in M1-6
Side Yards
Side Yards are not required, but if side yards are provided it must be at minimum 8 feet wide.
Rear Yard
20 Foot rear yard required
M1-6 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
M1-6 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. A tower will result in a tall building covering a small portion of the property.
M1-6D Residential Use in Manufacturing Districts
You cannot normally develop residential use is in manufacturing districts. You may be able to develop residential use for qualifying properties. M1-6D districts have a different set of requirements for residential use than those listed above.
Mixed Zoning Districts MX Zoning
In the instance of paired zoning you can develop residential use. MX Zoning districts are mixed zoning districts meant to promote a mixture of use between manufacturing, commercial, and residential use. In MX districts you have paired zoning. Each manufacturing zoning districts in a special MX district has a residential zoning district attached. Known as paired districts. In the case of a paired district you would follow any special regulations for the Special Purpose District and the residential requirements.
M1-6 Mixed Zoning:
- M1-6/R8X
- M1-6/R9
- M1-6/R10
Learn more about the residential districts listed above: R8X, R9, & R10
Hotel Zoning in M1-6 Zoning
Hotels are no longer as of right in M1-6 Zoning. Developing a hotel in an M1 district now requires a special permit. We have another post you can read on the special permit for Hotel Zoning in M1 zoning districts.
M1-6 Zoning Regulations
As an architect I study zoning closely but New York City zoning is complicated. This article is only meant to review basic Zoning Codes with regards to manufacturing zoning district M1-6. This analysis does not assume to cover every possible issue, but provide a general overview of the zoning codes.
Thank You for reading our Blog Post on M1-6 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.
