C4-5 Zoning District — New York City
C4-5 is a high-density General Commercial District (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
C4-5 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. 107 tax lots citywide carry C4-5 as their primary zoning designation.
Bulk rules for C4-5
| 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 C4-5
- South Loop Road286,626 sq ft lot · 0 built FAR
- 1 East Loop Road21,930 sq ft lot · 12.17 built FAR · built 2015
- 11 East Loop Road65,112 sq ft lot · 2.54 built FAR · built 2015
- 194 West 4 Street15,467 sq ft lot · 10.88 built FAR · built 1958
- 22 North Loop Road18,555 sq ft lot · 7.68 built FAR · built 2018
- 422 Avenue of the Americas10,655 sq ft lot · 9.81 built FAR · built 1958
- West Loop Road43,277 sq ft lot · 0 built FAR
- 3 West 8 Street5,306 sq ft lot · 8.22 built FAR · built 1900
- 396 Avenue of the Americas3,640 sq ft lot · 2.97 built FAR · built 1935
- 226 West 4 Street12,950 sq ft lot · 1.72 built FAR · built 1932
- 55 West 8 Street2,348 sq ft lot · 4.59 built FAR · built 1895
- 113 7 Avenue South9,565 sq ft lot · 2.21 built FAR · built 1915
C4-5 — quick questions
- What is the maximum residential FAR in C4-5?
- 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 C4-5?
- 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 C4-5 a contextual district?
- No. C4-5 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 C4-5 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.