C4-4 Zoning District — New York City
C4-4 is a high-density General Commercial District (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
C4-4 at a glance
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 3.44 and the maximum commercial FAR is 3.4. 934 tax lots citywide carry C4-4 as their primary zoning designation.
Bulk rules for C4-4
| Context | Residential FAR | Commercial FAR | Community facility FAR | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As of right — narrow street | 3.44 | 3.4 | 6.5 | NYC Zoning Resolution § 33-122, § 33-123, § 33-25, § 33-26, § 33-43, § 33-432, § 34-112 |
| As of right — wide street | 4 | 3.4 | 6.5 | NYC Zoning Resolution § 33-122, § 33-123, § 33-25, § 33-26, § 33-43, § 33-432, § 34-112 |
Values from the NYC Zoning Resolution, verified 2026-10-06; 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 C4-4
- 520 East 117 Street176,074 sq ft lot · 2.88 built FAR · built 2007
- 138-35 39 Avenue56,181 sq ft lot · 10.68 built FAR · built 2014
- 610 Exterior Street208,700 sq ft lot · 2.52 built FAR · built 2007
- 440 East Fordham Road140,220 sq ft lot · 4.02 built FAR · built 1986
- 700 Exterior Street246,672 sq ft lot · 1.88 built FAR · built 2007
- 400 East Fordham Road30,350 sq ft lot · 8.12 built FAR · built 1924
- 275 Lorimer Street34,411 sq ft lot · 7.28 built FAR · built 2023
- 125-10 Queens Boulevard52,776 sq ft lot · 11.57 built FAR · built 1960
- 545 East 116 Street92,136 sq ft lot · 6.7 built FAR · built 2007
- 59-17 Junction Boulevard41,380 sq ft lot · 10.99 built FAR · built 1970
- 2501 Grand Concourse52,944 sq ft lot · 5 built FAR · built 1930
- 80-02 Queens Boulevard67,200 sq ft lot · 7.66 built FAR · built 1989
C4-4 — quick questions
- What is the maximum residential FAR in C4-4?
- 3.44, 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 C4-4?
- 3.4, 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 C4-4 a contextual district?
- No. C4-4 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.
Keep learning
What do the C4-4 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 2026-10-20.