R8B Zoning District — New York City
R8B is a contextual, medium-density General Residence District (NYC Zoning Resolution § 11-122) in New York City.
R8B at a glance
It principally allows housing and community facilities. As of right, the maximum residential FAR is 4. 7,361 tax lots citywide carry R8B as their primary zoning designation.
Bulk rules for R8B
| Context | Residential FAR | Community facility FAR | Max lot coverage | Heights | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| As of right | 4 | 4 | 80% | Base 55–65 ft · Max 75 ft | NYC Zoning Resolution § 23-22, § 23-432, § 23-431, § 24-11 |
| Qualifying affordable housing | 4.8 | 4 | 80% | Base 55–85 ft · Max 95 ft | NYC Zoning Resolution § 23-22, § 23-432, § 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 R8B
- 200 East 66 Street98,108 sq ft lot · 8.65 built FAR · built 1951
- 151 East 31 Street82,950 sq ft lot · 9.65 built FAR · built 1988
- 215 East 68 Street80,333 sq ft lot · 11.68 built FAR · built 1962
- 150 East 69th Street84,015 sq ft lot · 10.89 built FAR · built 1959
- 979 3 Avenue34,495 sq ft lot · 16.81 built FAR · built 1963
- 15 West 72 Street48,490 sq ft lot · 13.77 built FAR · built 1963
- 225 Park Avenue South26,156 sq ft lot · 17.41 built FAR · built 1910
- 200 East 69 Street42,175 sq ft lot · 8.69 built FAR · built 1950
- 200 East 65 Street46,191 sq ft lot · 9.93 built FAR · built 1987
- 1424 2 Avenue35,400 sq ft lot · 12.86 built FAR · built 1979
- 2101 Broadway Atrium44,375 sq ft lot · 9.82 built FAR · built 1904
- 225 West 83 Street21,947 sq ft lot · 14.94 built FAR · built 1985
R8B — quick questions
- What is the maximum residential FAR in R8B?
- 4, as of right, per NYC Zoning Resolution § 23-22, § 23-432, § 23-431, § 24-11. Site-specific overlays, special districts, and waterfront rules can modify it — run a full lookup for a specific lot.
- Is R8B a contextual district?
- Yes. R8B is a contextual district — its bulk rules pair floor-area ceilings with prescribed base and maximum building heights intended to mirror existing neighborhood form.
- How many tax lots are zoned R8B?
- 7,361 tax lots citywide carry R8B as their primary zoning designation, per NYC municipal records as of 2026-10-05.
Keep learning
What do the R8B 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 2026-10-05.