R12
General Residence District (18.0 FAR)
New York City zoning district
R12 is defined as a General Residence District (18.0 FAR) in New York City.
In plain English
The densest residential zone in NYC. R12 lets developers build enormous apartment towers — up to 18 times the lot's area in floor space (FAR = floor-area ratio, floor area divided by lot size). For major high-rise residential projects only. Not a homeowner's zone; this is for serious vertical housing development.
Development standards
R12 regulates building height, lot size, setbacks, and lot coverage in New York City.
Frequently asked questions
Code references
Section 23-22
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