Special permit

A special permit is a discretionary approval for a use or bulk outcome the Zoning Resolution explicitly contemplates but does not allow as-of-right: the text enumerates the permit, assigns it to the Board of Standards and Appeals or the City Planning Commission, and lists findings the body must make to grant it. Commission permits travel through ULURP with hearings and clocks; BSA permits follow that board's own process.

Unlike a variance, a special permit is not premised on hardship — it is an option built into the rules, exercised through process. Grants commonly carry conditions, may lapse if unused, and leave durable records; a building operating under one is operating under its terms, which diligence should read.