M1-5 Zoning District — New York City
M1-5 is a low-density Light Manufacturing District (High Performance) (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
M1-5 at a glance
It allows industrial and commercial uses; new residences are generally excluded. Under the as of right — narrow street rules, the maximum commercial FAR is 5. 364 tax lots citywide carry M1-5 as their primary zoning designation.
Bulk rules for M1-5
| Context | Commercial FAR | Community facility FAR | Manufacturing FAR | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As of right — narrow street | 5 | 6.5 | 5 | NYC Zoning Resolution § 43-12, § 43-122, § 43-25, § 43-26, § 43-43, § 43-45 |
| As of right — wide street | 5 | 6.5 | 5 | NYC Zoning Resolution § 43-12, § 43-122, § 43-25, § 43-26, § 43-43, § 43-45 |
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 manufacturing districts
Manufacturing districts allow industrial and many commercial uses; new residences are generally excluded. Manufacturing bulk is governed by § 43- 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 M1-5
- 111 8 Avenue165,200 sq ft lot · 13.09 built FAR · built 1931
- 75 9 Avenue165,200 sq ft lot · 6.66 built FAR · built 1905
- 85 10 Avenue45,950 sq ft lot · 12.05 built FAR · built 1914
- 395 Hudson Street66,355 sq ft lot · 8.74 built FAR · built 1921
- 25 11 Avenue327,389 sq ft lot · 1.21 built FAR · built 1900
- 99 10 Avenue59,093 sq ft lot · 11.98 built FAR · built 1917
- 525 11 Avenue158,000 sq ft lot · 3.88 built FAR · built 1968
- 848 Washington Street32,070 sq ft lot · 6.84 built FAR · built 2006
- 1 Morton Square46,660 sq ft lot · 6.06 built FAR · built 2002
- 444 West 15 Street34,188 sq ft lot · 8.23 built FAR · built 1936
- 225 Varick Street25,100 sq ft lot · 11.94 built FAR · built 1926
- 536 West 26 Street19,750 sq ft lot · 7.3 built FAR · built 2016
M1-5 — quick questions
- What is the maximum commercial FAR in M1-5?
- 5, as of right — narrow street, per NYC Zoning Resolution § 43-12, § 43-122, § 43-25, § 43-26, § 43-43, § 43-45. Site-specific overlays, special districts, and waterfront rules can modify it — run a full lookup for a specific lot.
- Is M1-5 a contextual district?
- No. M1-5 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.
- How many tax lots are zoned M1-5?
- 364 tax lots citywide carry M1-5 as their primary zoning designation, per NYC municipal records as of 2026-10-20.
Keep learning
What do the M1-5 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.