C1-9 Zoning District — New York City
C1-9 is a low-density Local Commercial District (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
C1-9 is a low-density Local Commercial District (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City. It allows commercial uses, and generally also housing under the rules of a residential-equivalent district. Under the as of right — narrow street rules, the maximum residential FAR is 10 and the maximum commercial FAR is 2. 860 tax lots citywide carry C1-9 as their primary zoning designation.
Records for lots carrying this designation cover the largest footprint of any designation in this set: roughly 860 tax lots citywide, holding 47,760 recorded homes — by far the largest unit count here. Lot sizes vary widely, from a median of 2,575 square feet to a 90th percentile of 17,828 square feet. Just 2% of these lots carry historic-district status, one of the lowest recorded overlaps in the file.
What actually stands in this district
By scale, this is the largest designation profiled in this set: roughly 860 tax lots citywide carry it, and the file counts 47,760 recorded homes across them — far more than any comparable designation here. That scale alone makes this one of the more consequential zoning designations in the file simply by weight of lots and units, regardless of what else its records show on any single measure; a share recorded here carries more citywide weight than the same share recorded for a much smaller designation elsewhere in the file. Few other designations in this batch approach this combination of lot count and recorded unit total at once.
Lot sizes here vary more than in most comparable designations: a median of 2,575 square feet against a 90th percentile of 17,828 square feet, a wide spread that points to a mix of small standard parcels and a meaningful number of substantially larger assembled or corner lots. That spread is wider than most comparable designations in this batch show between their own median and largest recorded lots. Walk-up apartment buildings lead the recorded building classes at 31%, ahead of elevator apartment buildings at 21% and mixed residential-and-commercial buildings at 16%.
Construction here centers on a median year of 1920, with 65% of buildings predating 1940. The postwar boom added a real share, 18% of the stock, and 8% of buildings have gone up since 2000. Just 2% of these lots carry historic-district status — one of the lowest recorded overlaps of any designation in this set — and 1% sit inside the mapped federal flood zone, a small share for a footprint this large. That low historic share stands out specifically because a construction profile with a solid prewar majority would, in several other designations in this batch, coincide with far more landmark coverage than it does here.
By land use, mixed residential-and-commercial use covers 66% of lots, multi-family elevator use 12%, and commercial-and-office use 6%. Overall, 85% of lots are coded residential. On the development side, 76% of lots record floor area below their allowance, with a median residual of 6 FAR — one of the wider recorded gaps in the file, spread across the largest lot count here. Buildings rise to a median of 5 stories, with 33% recorded above 6 floors. Given how many lots carry this designation, the rules tables above — with full citations for the floor-area and height limits — are the more useful reference than any single citywide average.
Bulk rules for C1-9
| Context | Residential FAR | Commercial FAR | Community facility FAR | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As of right — narrow street§ 33-432 slope differs by street type: 2.7:1 narrow / 5.6:1 wide. | 10 | 2 | 10 | NYC Zoning Resolution § 33-122, § 33-123, § 33-25, § 33-26, § 33-43, § 33-432, § 34-112 |
| As of right — wide street§ 33-432 slope differs by street type: 2.7:1 narrow / 5.6:1 wide. | 10 | 2 | 10 | NYC Zoning Resolution § 33-122, § 33-123, § 33-25, § 33-26, § 33-43, § 33-432, § 34-112 |
Values from the NYC Zoning Resolution, verified 2026-06-12; site-specific overlays, special districts, and waterfront rules can modify them — run a full lookup for a specific lot.
About commercial districts
Commercial districts allow retail, office, and service uses, and most also allow housing under the rules of a residential-equivalent district. Commercial bulk is governed by § 33- of the NYC Zoning Resolution.
Contextual districts pair their floor-area ceilings with prescribed base and maximum building heights so new buildings mirror existing neighborhood form; non-contextual districts govern the envelope through more general height and setback rules, such as sky exposure planes. Commercial districts also allow residences under the rules of a residential-equivalent district, while manufacturing districts generally exclude new residences. Overlays and special purpose districts can modify any of this on a specific lot.
Example lots zoned C1-9
- 400 East 35th Street — 71,692 sq ft lot, 11.74 built FAR, built 1985
- 909 3 Avenue — 82,341 sq ft lot, 16.04 built FAR, built 1967
- 330 East 38 Street — 81,173 sq ft lot, 11.39 built FAR, built 1989
- 885 2 Avenue — 40,820 sq ft lot, 19.73 built FAR, built 1971
- 252 East 57 Street — 22,543 sq ft lot, 20.83 built FAR, built 2014
- 300 East 40 Street — 47,696 sq ft lot, 13.27 built FAR, built 1967
- 201 East 87 Street — 35,722 sq ft lot, 14.29 built FAR, built 1975
- 1084 2 Avenue — 34,926 sq ft lot, 15.43 built FAR, built 1968
- 415 East 37 Street — 14,868 sq ft lot, 27.8 built FAR, built 1989
- 630 1 Avenue — 45,526 sq ft lot, 10.06 built FAR, built 1984
- 240 East 39 Street — 37,219 sq ft lot, 16.78 built FAR, built 1997
- 100 1 Avenue — 25,179 sq ft lot, 14.21 built FAR, built 1984
C1-9 — quick questions
- What is the maximum residential FAR in C1-9?
- 10, as of right — narrow street, per NYC Zoning Resolution § 33-122, § 33-123, § 33-25, § 33-26, § 33-43, § 33-432, § 34-112. Site-specific overlays, special districts, and waterfront rules can modify it — run a full lookup for a specific lot.
- What is the maximum commercial FAR in C1-9?
- 2, as of right — narrow street, per NYC Zoning Resolution § 33-122, § 33-123, § 33-25, § 33-26, § 33-43, § 33-432, § 34-112. Site-specific overlays, special districts, and waterfront rules can modify it — run a full lookup for a specific lot.
- Is C1-9 a contextual district?
- No. C1-9 is not a contextual district; its building envelope is governed by the district's general height and setback rules rather than a prescribed contextual envelope.
- How many tax lots carry this designation citywide?
- Roughly 860, the largest footprint of any designation in this set, holding 47,760 recorded homes.
- How much do lot sizes vary under this designation?
- Considerably: a median of 2,575 square feet against a 90th percentile of 17,828 square feet.
- How common is historic-district status under this designation?
- Rare: just 2% of lots carry historic-district status, one of the lowest recorded overlaps of any designation in this set.
- How much unused floor-area capacity does this designation record?
- 76% of lots record floor area below their allowance, with a median residual of 6 FAR.
- What does the construction timeline look like for this designation?
- A median year of 1920, with 65% predating 1940, 18% from the 1945-1975 postwar boom, and 8% recorded since 2000.
Keep learning
What do the C1-9 rules mean for a specific lot?
PearlAudit resolves the governing zoning for any NYC tax lot — district, overlays, special districts — and cites the Zoning Resolution section behind every rule claim.
District data: NYC municipal records (Department of City Planning) and the NYC Zoning Resolution. See our sources and methodology. Parcel data as of 2026-07-11.