NYC Zoning Handbook:
Commercial Districts: C5
C5 is a restricted central commercial district intended
primarily for retail uses which serve the metropolitan region
and for areas where continuous retail frontage is desired.
The retail area of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan is zoned C5. The
districts are typically developed with department stores,
large office buildings, and mixed buildings with residential
space above office or commercial floors. Home maintenance
services, auto rental establishments and other uses such as
bowling alleys are not permitted because they are not in
character with the district.
The district is mapped in Mid- and Lower Manhattan, Downtown
Brooklyn and in Long Island City in Queens. All commercial
uses in these high density areas are exempt from parking
requirements because public transportation is easily
available.
There are two contextual CS districts -- C5-1A and C5-2A. In
the C5-1A district, residential bulk and density are governed
by the regulations of the R10A district.
C5-2A is a contextual commercial district in which the
allowable lot coverage, required street wall height, location
of the front building wall, and the type of commercial uses
permitted on the ground floor of a building, are subject to
special controls. The district is currently mapped on a
portion of Lexington Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.
C5: Restricted central commercial district
Note: All commercial uses are exempt from parking requirements
Low bulk commercial district
| C5-1 | Commercial FAR: 4.0
Residential FAR: 10.0
(to 12.0 with bonus) |
| C5-1A | Commercial FAR: 4.0
Residential FAR: 10.0
(to 12.0 with lower-income housing) |
Medium bulk commercial districts
| C5-2 | Commercial FAR: 10.0 |
| C5-4 | (to 12.0 with bonus)
Residential FAR: 10.0
(to 12.0 with bonus) |
| C5-2A | Commercial FAR: 12.0
Residential FAR: 12.0 |
High bulk commercial districts
| C5-3 | Commercial FAR: 15.0 |
| C5-5 | (to 18.0 with bonus)
Residential FAR: 10.0
(to 12.0 with bonus) |
Special Midtown District
Maximum FAR:
| C5-2.5 | 12.0 (to 14.4 with bonus) |
| C5-P | 8.0 |
