M3-2 Zoning District — New York City
M3-2 is a high-density Heavy Manufacturing District (Low Performance) (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
M3-2 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. 168 tax lots citywide carry M3-2 as their primary zoning designation.
Bulk rules for M3-2
| 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 M3-2
- 23-30 Borden Avenue203,236 sq ft lot · 3.82 built FAR · built 2022
- 427 Gansevoort Street323,300 sq ft lot · 0 built FAR
- 21-09 Borden Avenue31,500 sq ft lot · 5.33 built FAR · built 1930
- 47-20 Dutch Kills Street43,491 sq ft lot · 2.68 built FAR · built 2001
- 27-11 49 Avenue107,640 sq ft lot · 2 built FAR · built 1965
- 11-58 Borden Avenue28,368 sq ft lot · 4.81 built FAR · built 1916
- 10-04 Borden Avenue23,890 sq ft lot · 2 built FAR · built 2023
- 21-01 51 Avenue18,766 sq ft lot · 2.45 built FAR · built 1913
- 53-01r 11 Street121,700 sq ft lot · 0.74 built FAR · built 1954
- 25-20 Borden Avenue114,356 sq ft lot · 0.78 built FAR · built 1952
- 2047 Pitkin Avenue25,000 sq ft lot · 2.52 built FAR · built 2006
- 25-41 Borden Avenue13,500 sq ft lot · 2.75 built FAR · built 2022
M3-2 — quick questions
- What is the maximum commercial FAR in M3-2?
- 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 M3-2 a contextual district?
- No. M3-2 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 M3-2?
- 168 tax lots citywide carry M3-2 as their primary zoning designation, per NYC municipal records as of 2026-10-20.
Keep learning
What do the M3-2 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.