M3-1 Zoning District — New York City
M3-1 is a high-density Heavy Manufacturing District (Low Performance) (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
M3-1 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 2. 2,415 tax lots citywide carry M3-1 as their primary zoning designation.
Bulk rules for M3-1
| Context | Commercial FAR | Manufacturing FAR | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| As of right — narrow street | 2 | 2 | NYC Zoning Resolution § 43-12, § 43-25, § 43-26, § 43-43 |
| As of right — wide street | 2 | 2 | NYC Zoning Resolution § 43-12, § 43-25, § 43-26, § 43-43 |
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 M3-1
- 5120 Avenue U905,000 sq ft lot · 2.65 built FAR · built 1970
- 45-45 Center Boulevard88,746 sq ft lot · 12.96 built FAR · built 2011
- Arthur Kill Road5,140,080 sq ft lot · 0 built FAR
- 4-75 48 Avenue71,806 sq ft lot · 9.54 built FAR · built 2006
- 55 Water Street80,795 sq ft lot · 4.85 built FAR · built 1900
- 4002 2 Avenue223,374 sq ft lot · 5.43 built FAR · built 1911
- 4610 Center Boulevard56,547 sq ft lot · 8.56 built FAR · built 2012
- 47-20 Center Boulevard48,199 sq ft lot · 9.9 built FAR · built 2007
- 2-01 50 Avenue18,500 sq ft lot · 21.38 built FAR · built 2000
- 980 East 149th Street516,183 sq ft lot · 1.91 built FAR · built 2022
- 1280 Ryawa Avenue623,000 sq ft lot · 0.68 built FAR · built 2003
- 47-05 Center Boulevard57,944 sq ft lot · 12.06 built FAR · built 2007
M3-1 — quick questions
- What is the maximum commercial FAR in M3-1?
- 2, as of right — narrow street, per NYC Zoning Resolution § 43-12, § 43-25, § 43-26, § 43-43. Site-specific overlays, special districts, and waterfront rules can modify it — run a full lookup for a specific lot.
- Is M3-1 a contextual district?
- No. M3-1 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 M3-1?
- 2,415 tax lots citywide carry M3-1 as their primary zoning designation, per NYC municipal records as of 2026-10-20.
Keep learning
What do the M3-1 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.