C6-3 Zoning District — New York City
C6-3 is a high-density General Central Commercial District (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
C6-3 is a high-density General Central 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 7.52 and the maximum commercial FAR is 6. 316 tax lots citywide carry C6-3 as their primary zoning designation.
Mapped across roughly 320 tax lots, this designation records a newer and more mixed-use stock than many: 17% of buildings date from 2000 or later, only 46% of lots are classified residential, and 8% of the land-use mix is recorded as vacant. Buildings run to a median of just 3 stories, and lots are comparatively large, with a median of 4,937 square feet.
What actually stands in this district
Construction on these roughly 320 lots skews newer than in many designations: 17% of recorded buildings date from 2000 or later, above the 12% attributed to the 1945-to-1975 boom years. Even so, 65% of the stock still predates 1940, and the median construction year lands at 1931 — a district whose older core has been steadily supplemented rather than replaced. That 17% recent share outpaces the 12% attributed to the boom years, even as most of the stock, 65%, still predates 1940.
Use here is less residential than in many rowhouse-scale designations: only 46% of lots are classified residential, and the records show 7,596 homes across the district. Condominium and mixed residential-commercial building classes account for 12% and 11% of the recorded classes respectively, while by land use, mixed residential-and-commercial use covers 36% of lots and commercial-and-office use another 34%, nearly matching it. A recorded 8% of lots carry a vacant-land classification, a visible share of open ground inside the designation that sits alongside its newer-than-usual construction record.
Lots run larger than the rowhouse norm, with a median of 4,937 square feet and a 90th percentile reaching 22,219, well past the parcels common in more purely residential designations. Buildings, though, stay low: a median of 3 stories, with 24% recorded above 6 floors. A recorded 6% of lots sit inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, and 2% carry a historic-district designation — both modest overlays on a stock otherwise defined by its mixed, lower-rise use pattern.
Headroom is broad here: 91% of lots record floor area below their allowance, with a median residual of 5.5 FAR — a wide recorded gap, consistent with a stock still carrying vacant and under-built parcels. That residual, at 5.5 FAR, is among the larger gaps this file records, reflecting how much floor area remains unbuilt even where headroom is already widespread. The rules tables above set out the governing FAR and use limits with their citations; the flood and historic status of any specific lot can be checked individually.
Nothing in this designation's file is marked absent for coverage — every recorded stat family reports in full. That completeness matters for a designation whose profile mixes traits that don't always travel together — a newer-than-usual construction share, a below-average residential share, and a recorded vacant-land presence, all on the same roughly 320 lots. Each lot's own recorded land use, floor area, and flood status is available lot by lot rather than as a single designation-wide figure.
Bulk rules for C6-3
| 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. | 7.52 | 6 | 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. | 7.52 | 6 | 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 C6-3
- 532 Washington Street — 141,417 sq ft lot, 7.14 built FAR, built 1933
- 51 Astor Place — 36,003 sq ft lot, 10.72 built FAR, built 2012
- 450 West 17 Street — 52,900 sq ft lot, 9.53 built FAR, built 2006
- 539 West 28 Street — 123,437 sq ft lot, 5.79 built FAR, built 2013
- 555 West 22nd Street — 33,671 sq ft lot, 8.8 built FAR, built 2019
- 201 East 125th Street — 45,564 sq ft lot, 8.46 built FAR, built 2019
- 500 West 53 Street — 41,730 sq ft lot, 7.82 built FAR, built 2005
- 295 Lafayette Street — 23,397 sq ft lot, 8.43 built FAR, built 1886
- 509 West 28 Street — 39,490 sq ft lot, 7.2 built FAR, built 2014
- 419 East 60th Street — 35,904 sq ft lot, 8.55 built FAR, built 2001
- 163-05 Archer Avenue — 53,348 sq ft lot, 10.04 built FAR, built 2021
- 510 West 52 Street — 22,928 sq ft lot, 10.79 built FAR, built 2005
C6-3 — quick questions
- What is the maximum residential FAR in C6-3?
- 7.52, 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 C6-3?
- 6, 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 C6-3 a contextual district?
- No. C6-3 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.
- Is recent construction common in this designation?
- More than in many designations: 17% of recorded buildings date from 2000 or later, above the 12% attributed to the 1945-to-1975 boom.
- Are most lots in this designation used for housing?
- No — only 46% of lots are classified residential, though the records still count 7,596 homes across the district.
- Is any of the land here recorded as vacant?
- Yes — 8% of the land-use mix carries a vacant-land classification.
- How much recorded floor-area headroom do these lots carry?
- 91% of lots record floor area below their allowance, with a median residual of 5.5 FAR.
Keep learning
What do the C6-3 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.