C2-6A Zoning District — New York City
C2-6A is a contextual, low-density Local Commercial District (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
C2-6A is a contextual, 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. As of right, the maximum residential FAR is 4 and the maximum commercial FAR is 2. 45 tax lots citywide carry C2-6A as their primary zoning designation.
This is one of the smaller zoning designations on the map, mapped across about 45 tax lots citywide, and its stock shows an unusual construction rhythm: 68% of recorded buildings predate 1940, only 5% date from the 1945-1975 boom, yet 22% have gone up since 2000 — modern activity outpacing the postwar era by a margin. The median building dates to 1920, runs to 4 stories, and 528 recorded homes sit on lots with a median of 2,024 square feet.
What actually stands in this district
Citywide, only about 45 tax lots carry this designation, making it one of the smaller categories on the zoning map. The construction record on those lots is unusual for its shape rather than its age: 68% of recorded buildings predate 1940, but just 5% date from the 1945-1975 postwar boom — one of the quieter boom-era shares among comparable designations — while 22% have been built since 2000, a share large enough that recent construction now outpaces the entire postwar era on these blocks. The median building dates to 1920, splitting the difference between the older base and the newer additions, and on a designation this small, each new building shifts the recorded shares more than it would on a larger one.
The recorded building classes split three ways: 24% walk-up apartment buildings, another 24% mixed residential-commercial buildings, and 11% falling under a further recorded building class. By land use, mixed residential-and-commercial parcels lead at 42%, with multi-family walk-up buildings at 18% and commercial-and-office parcels at 11%. Residential lots make up 71% of the total, and the records count 528 homes — a modest number that matches the designation's small footprint, though it is still enough to represent real housing stock rather than a marginal use.
Lot size varies more here than the median alone suggests: a median of 2,024 square feet against a 90th percentile of 12,100 square feet, meaning a handful of considerably larger parcels sit alongside the typical small lot. Buildings run to a median of 4 stories, with 10% rising above 6 floors — a taller recorded profile than several smaller-scale designations nearby, and one more data point suggesting this designation's stock is denser than its modest lot count would imply.
On development, the records show broad recorded headroom: 73% of lots carry floor area below their allowance, with a median residual of 1.2 FAR — among the larger recorded gaps for a designation this size. Flood exposure touches a small share of the stock, 7% of lots sitting inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, a fact about the federal map rather than a forecast about water. A recorded 18% of these lots also sit inside a designated historic district, layering landmark review on top of the zoning map for a meaningful minority of the stock. The specific FAR and height allowances for any lot here sit in the rules tables above, cited to the governing code sections.
Bulk rules for C2-6A
| Context | Residential FAR | Commercial FAR | Community facility FAR | Heights | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| As of rightContextual letter-suffix district; height/setback governed by § 23-43 per § 33-40 (out of this chunk's scope). | 4 | 2 | 4 | Base 40–75 ft · Max 85 ft | NYC Zoning Resolution § 33-123, § 33-25, § 33-26, § 34-112, § 23-43, § 23-431, § 23-432, § 33-122 (via § 11-25 from C2-6) |
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 C2-6A
- 112 9 Avenue — 13,506 sq ft lot, 4.27 built FAR, built 1938
- 363 West 20 Street — 4,810 sq ft lot, 13.02 built FAR, built 1928
- 131-11 Fowler Avenue — 23,000 sq ft lot, 4.46 built FAR, built 2017
- 170 9 Avenue — 12,100 sq ft lot, 3.13 built FAR, built 1940
- 131-27 Fowler Avenue — 36,450 sq ft lot, 1.35 built FAR, built 1971
- 131-22 Avery Avenue — 8,645 sq ft lot, 5.03 built FAR, built 2020
- 160 9 Avenue — 5,757 sq ft lot, 3.7 built FAR, built 1920
- 131-10 Avery Avenue — 12,984 sq ft lot, 3.94 built FAR, built 2021
- 134 9 Avenue — 1,814 sq ft lot, 3.91 built FAR, built 1950
- 356 West 21 Street — 1,604 sq ft lot, 3.57 built FAR, built 1940
- 131-19 Fowler Ave — 5,720 sq ft lot, 4.1 built FAR, built 2019
- 131-01 Fowler Avenue — 12,150 sq ft lot, 3.49 built FAR, built 2009
C2-6A — quick questions
- What is the maximum residential FAR in C2-6A?
- 4, as of right, per NYC Zoning Resolution § 33-123, § 33-25, § 33-26, § 34-112, § 23-43, § 23-431, § 23-432, § 33-122 (via § 11-25 from C2-6). 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 C2-6A?
- 2, as of right, per NYC Zoning Resolution § 33-123, § 33-25, § 33-26, § 34-112, § 23-43, § 23-431, § 23-432, § 33-122 (via § 11-25 from C2-6). Site-specific overlays, special districts, and waterfront rules can modify it — run a full lookup for a specific lot.
- Is C2-6A a contextual district?
- Yes. C2-6A is a contextual district — its bulk rules pair floor-area ceilings with prescribed base and maximum building heights intended to mirror existing neighborhood form.
- How many tax lots carry this designation citywide?
- Only about 45 — one of the smaller designations on the map. On a base that small, individual lots carry outsized weight in every recorded share.
- When were most of the buildings on these lots built?
- Mostly before 1940 (68% of recorded buildings), with a median construction year of 1920. Just 5% date from the 1945-1975 boom, but 22% have been built since 2000 — recent construction outpaces the boom era here.
- What kinds of buildings sit on lots with this designation?
- A mix of walk-up apartment buildings (24%) and mixed residential-commercial buildings (24%), on lots with a median size of 2,024 square feet. Residential lots make up 71% of the total, holding 528 recorded homes.
- Is there recorded development headroom on these lots?
- Broadly, yes: 73% of lots carry floor area below their allowance, with a median residual of 1.2 FAR. A recorded 18% of these lots also sit inside a designated historic district.
- Do any of these lots fall inside a flood zone?
- A small share does: 7% of lots sit inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, per the federal map — not a forecast, a regulatory boundary as currently drawn.
Keep learning
What do the C2-6A 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.