Floor Area Ratio (FAR)
FAR is the total floor area on a zoning lot divided by the lot area of that zoning lot; if multiple buildings exist on one zoning lot, FAR is calculated using the sum of their floor areas divided by the lot area. FAR is one anchor metric used to express allowable development intensity, but it operates alongside other bulk controls.
- Where it applies
- New York City
- When it comes up
- Feasibility; massing; zoning analysis
- Property types
- All; especially multifamily and commercial density analyses
In practice
In NYC practice, "available FAR" can differ from "buildable FAR" because other constraints (yards, sky exposure plane, height limits) can bind first.
Read more in the Knowledge Base
- Air Rights and Development Potential - Identifying Hidden Value in Low-Rise AcquisitionsBuyers
- Selling a NYC Townhouse: Strategy, Pricing, and Unique RisksSellers
Related terms
Zoning and Land Use
- Air Rights
- Area Variance
- As-of-right Development
- Authorization
- Base Height
- Base Plane
- Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA)
- Building Envelope
- Bulk
- Certification
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.