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by James Anzalone, RA
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This month, James helps us all understand the Quality Housing Program of the Department of City Planning, a critical component of large scale residential development. |
January 2003
What is it?
The Quality Housing Program was established in 1984 by the Department of City Planning. It was enacted to encourage, and in some instances require, multi-family residential development with increased contextual sensitivity, enhanced safety, and on-site recreation space. In return for providing these enhancements, a larger building may usually be constructed; as the allowable FAR (defined) is typically higher for a Quality Housing development than for a straightforward Residential development. In addition, certain floor area deductions are permitted for the enhancements.
Who must comply?
In medium- to high-density Residential Districts designated as ‘contextual’ districts (Residence Districts with an ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘X’ suffix), and in their Commercial District counterparts*, compliance with the Quality Housing Program is mandatory. In all other medium- to high-density Residential Districts (R-6 thru R-10), compliance is elective. The Quality Housing standards apply to all new residential developments; they also apply to enlargements and conversions**.
Example of a Contextual District:
Central Park West between West 62nd Street and the American Museum of Natural History (R10A), including much of the surrounding blocks, is zoned R10A, and is a good example of a neighborhood designated as a ‘contextual district’.
Basic components of the Quality Housing Program:
Quality Housing developments must address four (4) zoning concerns to comply:
- Neighborhood Impact
- Building Interior
- Recreation Space and Planting
- Safety and Security
Summary of Requirements:
Neighborhood Impact Requirements:
- Modified bulk requirements; see below for a comparison.
- Street tree planting at 25’ on center, unless Parks Department certifies that the planting of trees is not possible, due to substantial underground utilities or other obstructions.
Building Interior Requirements:
- Minimum residential unit size of 400 square feet
- Double-glazed windows
- 2.9 cu ft of on-site refuse storage required per dwelling unit
- Refuse disposal rooms of 12 sq ft minimum per floor required (area may be deducted from zoning floor area)
- Laundry facilities elective (area may be deducted from zoning floor area)
- 20 sq ft of exterior glazing in corridors (50% of corridor area may be deducted from zoning floor area)
Recreation Space and Planting Requirements:
- Indoor recreation space of 2.8% of floor area for R6 & R7
- Indoor recreation space of 3.3% of floor area for R8-R10
- Recreation room: 300 sq ft minimum; 15 ft minimum dimension
- Indoor Recreation space may be deducted from zoning floor area
- Windows are required
- Planting of area between building and street wall is required, except in front of entry or commercial spaces
Safety and Security:
Encourages fewer residential units per corridor:
- 50% of the corridor area may be deducted from zoning floor area when the number of dwelling units does not exceed the maximum number
Sample Bulk Study: Quality Housing vs. Straightforward Residential Development:
A developer with a 50’ x 100’ interior lot in a standard R-8 district in the Upper West Side wishes to electively utilize Quality Housing over straightforward Residential development in order to maximize development of the Zoning Lot. What is the benefit of doing so, in terms of overall building size?
A minimum rear yard of 30’ shall be assumed, yielding a footprint & typical floor plate of 3,500 sq ft.
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Category:
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Standard Residential Requirements: |
Quality Housing Requirements: |
Result: |
Required Rear Yard
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30’ deep
(1,500 sq ft open space)
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30’ deep
(1,500 sq ft open space) |
Equivalent |
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Open Space Ratio: |
Height Factor = 6
OSR = 7.4%
20,270 sq ft max floor area permitted with 1,500 sq ft of open space.
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N/A |
With a 30’ rear yard, the most efficient use of the lot using conventional Residential zoning is optimized with a Height Factor of 6, since the Open Space Ratio and Floor Area Ratio yield nearly the same result. A taller building would necessitate additional open space in the form of a deeper rear yard, or a front yard where none is otherwise required. |
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Floor Area Ratio: |
Height Factor = 6
FAR = 4.15 max
= 20,750 sq ft max floor area permitted
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FAR = 6.02 max
= 30,100 sq ft max floor area permitted
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Quality Housing yields a building with 9,830 additional sq ft, before other permitted deductions for interior recreation space, corridors, refuse & laundry areas are taken. This translates to an 8-story building, with 2,100 leftover for a penthouse story. |
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Maximum Lot Coverage: |
N/A |
70% = 3,500 sq ft
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Complies for Quality Housing with a standard 30’ rear yard. |
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Maximum Height: |
Max base height = 85’ |
Max base height = 80’
A 15’ setback is required above the base height.
Max Building Ht = 105’
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Assuming a 10’ floor-to-floor, the conventional building does not reach the max base height.
The Quality Housing building reaches the max base height of 80’, and then sets back a minimum of 15’, for the penthouse story.
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Summary:
The table above indicates that with conventional Residential Zoning, the maximum building size permitted is 5 stories, plus a 75% penthouse story, with a total floor area of 20,270 square feet. Although a higher square footage can be attained, it will be at the sacrifice of footprint/floor plate area, since the yard(s) would require enlargement to meet an ever-increasing need for open space (ex: an 8-story building would yield a max floor plate of 3,050 sq ft, and a max floor area of 24,400 sq ft; and would necessitate 9’ of additional yard depth)
By contrast, the Quality Housing building is 8 stories, plus a 60% penthouse story, with a total floor area of 30,100 square feet. Further deductions could still be taken for recreation space floor area and other enhancements.
The above study is conceptual, and further Zoning limitations and contextual concerns must be addressed. However, the example illustrates the potential development advantages of elective use of the Quality Housing program; not to mention a higher property value due to additional building amenities provided without floor area penalties.
Footnotes:
*see ZR Section 34-111 & 34-112 for details and exceptions.
**see ZR Section 28-01 for details and exceptions. See ZR Section 23-011 for districts where Quality Housing does not apply.
*** up to 12 sq ft per floor may be deducted from the overall zoning floor area.
Contact Us today if you have questions about the NYC Zoning Process, or for a free quote on your project.
By telephone: 1-800-540-7024
By email: pwolfe@pwolfe.com
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