C2-8 Zoning District — New York City
C2-8 is a low-density Local Commercial District (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
C2-8 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. 365 tax lots citywide carry C2-8 as their primary zoning designation.
Across roughly 370 tax lots citywide, this designation's stock punches well above its lot count: the records show 20,876 homes, one of the larger recorded unit totals for a designation this size. Buildings run to a median of 5 stories, with 28% rising above 6 floors, on a base that is 72% prewar (median year 1920) and 85% residential, with 80% of lots carrying recorded floor area below their allowance.
What actually stands in this district
This designation is mapped across roughly 370 tax lots citywide, a mid-sized count among the designations profiled here — but the recorded unit total on those lots is disproportionately large: 20,876 homes, a figure that implies dense, multi-unit construction rather than a lot-by-lot pattern of single buildings. Residential lots make up 85% of the total, and the sheer scale of housing packed onto a few hundred lots is the standout fact in this designation's records, well beyond what its lot count alone would suggest. Few of the other designations profiled here record anywhere near this many homes on a comparable lot count.
The age profile leans prewar but not overwhelmingly so: a median construction year of 1920, with 72% of buildings predating 1940. The 1945-1975 postwar boom accounts for 11% of the recorded stock, and 9% of buildings have gone up since 2000 — modest but real recent activity layered onto an older base rather than a stock frozen at a single moment. That gradual pace, never dominated by one era, matches a stock that has been continuously replenished rather than built in a single wave, one filing at a time rather than one large redevelopment.
Recorded building classes are led by walk-up apartment buildings at 43%, elevator apartment buildings at 20%, and condominiums at 11%. By land use, mixed residential-and-commercial parcels dominate at 69%, with multi-family elevator buildings at 10% and commercial-and-office parcels at 6%. Lots run to a median of 2,567 square feet, with a 90th percentile of 17,281 square feet — a moderate spread. None of these lots are recorded inside a designated historic district, a 0% share, so the zoning map is the only recorded layer of review here.
Buildings reach a median of 5 stories, and 28% rise above 6 floors — one of the taller recorded profiles among the designations covered here, consistent with the outsized unit count already on the ground. Development headroom is broad: 80% of lots carry recorded floor area below their allowance, with a median residual of 5.9 FAR, among the larger recorded gaps in this profile. Flood exposure is limited, at 2% of lots inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, a fact about the current federal map rather than a history of water on these blocks. Each lot's specific allowance is cited with its governing section in the rules tables above.
Bulk rules for C2-8
| 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 C2-8
- 551 10 Avenue — 17,528 sq ft lot, 32.08 built FAR, built 2013
- 505 West 37 Street — 59,263 sq ft lot, 13.62 built FAR, built 2007
- 1623 3 Avenue — 73,805 sq ft lot, 11.47 built FAR
- 1261 2 Avenue — 40,168 sq ft lot, 12.21 built FAR, built 1979
- 1601 3 Avenue — 153,080 sq ft lot, 4.35 built FAR, built 1975
- 1201 2 Avenue — 38,500 sq ft lot, 14.7 built FAR, built 1963
- 1767 2 Avenue — 74,758 sq ft lot, 10.16 built FAR, built 1973
- 475 West 40th Street — 15,939 sq ft lot, 21.42 built FAR, built 2023
- South Street — 924,750 sq ft lot, 0 built FAR
- 515 West 36 Street — 22,219 sq ft lot, 14.48 built FAR, built 2016
- 1749 2 Avenue — 49,146 sq ft lot, 14.11 built FAR, built 1975
- 340 East 64 Street — 35,147 sq ft lot, 11.49 built FAR, built 1965
C2-8 — quick questions
- What is the maximum residential FAR in C2-8?
- 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 C2-8?
- 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 C2-8 a contextual district?
- No. C2-8 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 homes are recorded on lots with this designation?
- 20,876 — a large total for the roughly 370 tax lots involved, implying dense, multi-unit construction across the designation.
- What era were most of these buildings constructed in?
- Mostly prewar: 72% of buildings predate 1940, median year 1920. The 1945-1975 boom adds 11%, and 9% have been built since 2000.
- How tall do buildings run on lots zoned this way?
- A median of 5 stories, with 28% of recorded buildings rising above 6 floors — one of the taller profiles among comparable designations.
- Is there recorded floor-area headroom here?
- Yes: 80% of lots carry recorded floor area below their allowance, with a median residual of 5.9 FAR.
- Are any of these lots in a mapped flood zone?
- A small share: 2% of lots sit inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, per the federal map.
Keep learning
What do the C2-8 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.