R4 Zoning District — New York City
R4 is a low-density General Residence District (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
R4 at a glance
It principally allows housing and community facilities. As of right, the maximum residential FAR is 1. 72,946 tax lots citywide carry R4 as their primary zoning designation.
Bulk rules for R4
| Context | Residential FAR | Community facility FAR | Max lot coverage | Heights | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| As of right | 1 | 2 | 60% | Max 35 ft | NYC Zoning Resolution § 23-21, § 23-422(a), § 24-11 |
| Qualifying residential site | 1.5 | 2 | 60% | Base 35 ft · Max 45 ft | NYC Zoning Resolution § 23-21, § 23-424, § 24-11 |
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 residential districts
Residence districts principally allow housing and community facilities. Bulk rules in the NYC Zoning Resolution (§ 23-) control how much floor area a lot can carry and how tall and close to lot lines a building may be.
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 R4
- Beach 149 Street2,872,200 sq ft lot · 0 built FAR
- 188-02 64 Avenue1,370,000 sq ft lot · 0.9 built FAR · built 1947
- 326 Rockaway Point Boulevard11,050,400 sq ft lot · 0 built FAR · built 1900
- 550 Balcom Avenue856,440 sq ft lot · 1.37 built FAR · built 1952
- 64-05 186 Lane1,223,830 sq ft lot · 0.5 built FAR · built 1950
- 56-10 Beach Channel Drive916,193 sq ft lot · 0.9 built FAR · built 1960
- 189-15 73 Avenue1,002,000 sq ft lot · 0.48 built FAR · built 1949
- 242-02 61 Avenue547,200 sq ft lot · 0.54 built FAR · built 1964
- 81-26 150 Street1,584,225 sq ft lot · 0.44 built FAR · built 1947
- 630 West 246 Street323,850 sq ft lot · 1.37 built FAR · built 1958
- 217-02 Breezy Point Blvd12,253,428 sq ft lot · 0.13 built FAR · built 1938
- 2700 Linden Boulevard470,250 sq ft lot · 1.51 built FAR · built 1963
R4 — quick questions
- What is the maximum residential FAR in R4?
- 1, as of right, per NYC Zoning Resolution § 23-21, § 23-422(a), § 24-11. Site-specific overlays, special districts, and waterfront rules can modify it — run a full lookup for a specific lot.
- Is R4 a contextual district?
- No. R4 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 R4?
- 72,946 tax lots citywide carry R4 as their primary zoning designation, per NYC municipal records as of 2026-10-20.
Keep learning
What do the R4 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.