NYC Zoning Handbook:
Commercial Districts: C1
C1 districts accommodate the retail and personal service
shops needed in residential neighborhoods. These districts
are often mapped as an overlay along major avenues in
otherwise residentially zoned neighborhoods. They are widely
mapped throughout the city. Typical uses include grocery
stores, small dry cleaning establishments, restaurants and
barber shops. All cater to the daily needs of the immediate
neighborhood. Regulations limit commercial use to one or two
floors.
Continuous, clustered retail development is desired in these
districts. Local service and repair establishments are not
permitted to break the retail commercial continuity.
C1-1 to C1-5 districts are mapped as overlays—generally along
major avenues—in residential districts, while C1-6 to C1-9
districts are not mapped as overlays. When C1-1 to C1-5
districts are mapped in R1 to R5 and R6B districts, the
maximum commercial FAR is 1.0; when mapped in other R6 and R7
to R10 districts (including contextual districts with the
suffix A, B or X), the maximum commercial FAR is 2.0.
Residential bulk in these commercial districts is governed by
the regulations of the surrounding residential district. The
maximum commercial FAR in C1-6 to C1-9 districts (including
the contextual districts) is 2.0, while residential bulk
ranges from that permitted in R7 districts for C1-6 districts
to that permitted in R10 districts for C1-9 districts.
The regulations applicable to a new building located within a
contextual commercial district are similar to those of the
corresponding contextual residence district with respect to
allowable lot coverage, required street wall height, the
location of the front building wall and the permissible
residential bulk and density.
Parking is not required in C1 areas mapped in densely
populated areas (C1-5 through C1-9) because shops in these
neighborhoods attract and generate little automobile traffic.
In less densely developed areas, where most people drive,
parking is required.
C1: Local shopping and services
Maximum commercial FAR: 1.0 to 2.0
Residential FAR governed by R district
Parking requirements vary with use and district
Note:
- Where C1-1 to C1-5 districts are mapped as overlays in
R1 to R5 districts' the maximum commercial FAR is 1.0.
- Where C1-1 to C1-5 districts are mapped as overlays in
R6 to R10 districts, the maximum commercial FAR is 2.0.
In other C1 districts (C1-6 to C1-9 districts), the maximum
commercial FAR is 2.0. The residential equivalent of each
district is indicated below:
| C1-6: | R7 |
| C1-6A: | R7A |
| C1-7: | R8 |
| C1-7A: | R8A |
| C1-8: | R9 |
| C1-8A: | R9A |
| C1-8X: | R9X |
| C1-9: | R10 |
| C1-9A: | R10A |
