R8 Zoning District — New York City
R8 is a medium-density General Residence District (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
R8 at a glance
It principally allows housing and community facilities. As of right, the maximum residential FAR is 6.02. 4,864 tax lots citywide carry R8 as their primary zoning designation.
Bulk rules for R8
| Context | Residential FAR | Community facility FAR | Max lot coverage | Heights | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| As of right | 6.02 | 6.5 | 80% | Base 60–85 ft · Max 115 ft | NYC Zoning Resolution § 23-22, § 23-432 footnote 2, § 23-431, § 24-11 |
| Qualifying affordable housing | 7.2 | 6.5 | 80% | Base 60–105 ft · Max 145 ft | NYC Zoning Resolution § 23-22, § 23-432 footnote 2, § 23-431, § 24-11 |
| Qualifying affordable housing — wide street | 7.2 | 6.5 | — | Base 60–105 ft · Max 145 ft | NYC Zoning Resolution § 23-432 footnote 1, § 23-431, § 24-11 |
| Qualifying UAP senior housing — wide street, outside MIH area | 8.64 | 6.5 | — | Base 60–125 ft · Max 175 ft | NYC Zoning Resolution § 23-22 footnote 2, § 23-432 footnote 3, § 24-11 |
| Wide street | 7.2 | 6.5 | 80% | Base 60–95 ft · Max 135 ft | NYC Zoning Resolution § 23-22 footnote 1, § 23-432 footnote 1, § 23-431, § 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 R8
- 80 Gold Street357,935 sq ft lot · 6.04 built FAR · built 1971
- 133 West 11 Street92,925 sq ft lot · 5.75 built FAR · built 2013
- 500 2 Avenue141,836 sq ft lot · 5.84 built FAR · built 1975
- 333 East 30 Street328,454 sq ft lot · 2.65 built FAR · built 1962
- 345 8th Avenue350,782 sq ft lot · 4.13 built FAR · built 1960
- 1 Eagle Street93,507 sq ft lot · 8.87 built FAR · built 2020
- 50 West 66th Street37,141 sq ft lot · 12.65 built FAR · built 2019
- 413 East 69 Street26,117 sq ft lot · 9.32 built FAR · built 2011
- 311 West 24 Street206,175 sq ft lot · 3.96 built FAR · built 1963
- 346 Kent Avenue31,641 sq ft lot · 16.01 built FAR · built 2022
- 1 North 4 Place71,348 sq ft lot · 7.32 built FAR · built 2016
- 300 East 56 Street70,559 sq ft lot · 8.23 built FAR · built 1975
R8 — quick questions
- What is the maximum residential FAR in R8?
- 6.02, as of right, per NYC Zoning Resolution § 23-22, § 23-432 footnote 2, § 23-431, § 24-11. Site-specific overlays, special districts, and waterfront rules can modify it — run a full lookup for a specific lot.
- Is R8 a contextual district?
- No. R8 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 R8?
- 4,864 tax lots citywide carry R8 as their primary zoning designation, per NYC municipal records as of 2026-10-20.
Keep learning
What do the R8 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.