131-44 Coney North Subdistrict

The regulations of this Section shall apply along Surf Avenue. The street wall location provisions of paragraph (a) of this Section shall also apply along streets intersecting Surf Avenue within 50 feet of Surf Avenue, and the building base regulations of paragraph (b) of this Section shall also apply along streets within 100 feet of Surf Avenue.

(a)        Street wall location

The street wall of a building base shall be located on the Surf Avenue street line and extend along the entire Surf Avenue frontage of the zoning lot, except that:

(1)        ground floor level recesses up to three feet deep shall be permitted for access to building entrances. However, for building entrances providing direct access to the lowest story located above the base flood elevation, such recesses shall be permitted to have a depth of up to 10 feet provided the width of such recess does not exceed 20 feet and the height of such recessed area is not less than 15 feet at any point as measured from the base flood elevation ;

(2)        to allow for corner articulation, the street wall may be located anywhere within an area bounded by intersecting street lines and lines 15 feet from and parallel to such street lines ; and

(3)        to allow for portions of towers to rise without setback from grade, a portion of a building base below a tower may be set back 10 feet from a street line, provided the width of such setback area is not greater than 40 percent of the width of the street wall of the tower and provided such setback area complies with the provisions of Section 131-47 (Design Requirements for Ground Level Setbacks).  

(b)        Building base

The street wall of a building base fronting on Surf Avenue shall rise without setback to a minimum height of six stories or 65 feet, or the height of the building, whichever is less, and a maximum height of eight stories or 85 feet, whichever is less, before a setback is required. However, on the portion of the block bounded by Stillwell Avenue and West 15th Street, for buildings that exceed a height of 85 feet, all street walls of such building fronting on Surf Avenue shall rise without setback to a height of 85 feet.

Above the level of the second story, up to 30 percent of the aggregate width of street walls may be recessed, provided no recesses are located within 15 feet of an adjacent building or within 30 feet of the intersection of two street lines, except where corner articulation is provided, as set forth in paragraph (a)(2) of this Section.

All portions of a building or other structure that exceed a height of 85 feet shall be set back from the street line at least 10 feet, and shall comply with the tower provisions of Section 131-444 (Coney North Towers).

(c)        Transition height

Above the maximum base height, a street wall may rise to a maximum transition height of nine stories or 95 feet, whichever is less, provided that such street walls are set back a minimum distance of 10 feet from the Surf Avenue street line. All portions of buildings or other structures that exceed a transition height of 95 feet shall comply with the tower provisions of Section 131-444 (Coney North Subdistrict towers).

The following regulations shall apply along all other streets in the Coney North Subdistrict, other than Stillwell Avenue.

(a)        Street wall location

The street wall of a building base, or portion thereof, beyond 50 feet of Surf Avenue, shall be located within eight feet of the street line except that, to allow portions of towers to rise without setback from grade, a portion of a building base below a tower may be recessed 10 feet from the street line, provided the width of such recess area is not greater than 40 percent of the width of the street wall of the tower.

The entire area of the zoning lot between the street line and all street walls of the building and their prolongations shall be planted at ground level, or in raised planting beds that are permanently affixed to the ground, except that such plantings shall not be required at the entrances to, and exits from, the building, within driveways accessing off-street parking spaces located within, to the side, or rear of such building, or between commercial uses and the street line. No zoning lot shall be altered in any way that will either create a new non-compliance or increase the degree of non-compliance with the provisions of this Section.

(b)        Building base

The street wall of a building base, or portion thereof, located beyond 100 feet of Surf Avenue, shall rise without setback to a minimum height of 40 feet, or the height of the building, whichever is less, and a maximum height of six stories or 65 feet, whichever is less. Up to 30 percent of the aggregate width of street walls may be recessed for outer courts or balconies, provided no recesses are located within 15 feet of an adjacent building or within 30 feet of the intersection of two street lines, and provided the maximum depth of such recesses is 15 feet, as measured from the street line.

All portions of a building or other structure that exceed a height of 65 feet shall be set back from the street wall of the building at least 10 feet, except such setback distance may include the depth of any permitted recesses.

(c)        Transition height

In all portions of blocks located beyond 100 feet of Surf Avenue, a street wall may rise above the maximum base height to a maximum transition height of eight stories or 85 feet, whichever is less, provided that such street walls are set back a minimum distance of 10 feet from the street line. All portions of buildings or other structures that exceed a transition height of 85 feet shall comply with the tower provisions of Section 131-444 (Coney North Subdistrict towers).

Within 100 feet of Mermaid Avenue and within 100 feet of Stillwell Avenue, except within 100 feet of Surf Avenue, all portions of a building or other structure shall comply with the height and setback regulations of a C2 District mapped within an R7A District, except that the street wall of a building shall be located on the street line and rise without setback to a minimum height of 40 feet or the height of the building, whichever is less, except that:

(a)        ground floor level recesses up to three feet deep shall be permitted for access to building entrances. However, for building entrances providing direct access to the lowest story located above the base flood elevation, such recesses shall be permitted to have a depth of up to 10 feet provided the width of such recess does not exceed 20 feet and the height of such recessed area is not less than 15 feet at any point as measured from the base flood elevation ;

(b)        to allow for corner articulation, the street wall may be located anywhere within an area bounded by intersecting street lines and lines 15 feet from and parallel to such street lines ; and

(c)        above the level of the second story, up to 30 percent of the aggregate width of street walls may be recessed, provided no recesses are located within 15 feet of an adjacent building or within 30 feet of the intersection of two street lines, except where corner articulation is provided as set forth in paragraph (b) of this Section.

All stories of a building or portions of other structures located partially or wholly above a height of 85 feet within 175 feet of Surf Avenue and above a height of 65 feet beyond 175 feet of Surf Avenue shall be considered a "tower" and shall comply with the provisions of this Section.

(a)        Maximum floorplate

Each story of a tower shall not exceed a gross area of 8,500 square feet.

(b)        Maximum length and height

On blocks bounding Surf Avenue, the maximum height of a building or other structure shall be 220 feet and beyond 175 feet of Surf Avenue the maximum height of a building or other structure shall be 170 feet. Furthermore, the outermost walls of all tower stories shall be inscribed within a rectangle and no side of such rectangle shall exceed a length of 165 feet.

Where affordable housing is provided pursuant to Section 131-321 (Special floor area regulations for residential uses), the maximum height of a building shall be increased to 270 feet, provided that either:

(1)        the outermost wall of all tower stories are inscribed within a rectangle, where no side of such rectangle shall exceed a length of 100 feet; or

(2)        the outermost wall of all tower stories, below a height of 120 feet, are inscribed within a rectangle, where no side of such rectangle shall exceed a length of 130 feet, and above such height, no side of such rectangle shall exceed a length of 100 feet. In addition, above a height of 120 feet, the maximum floorplate shall be 80 percent of the story immediately below such height or 6,800 square feet, whichever is greater. Such reduced lot coverage shall be achieved by one or more setbacks on each face of the tower, where at least one setback on each tower face has a depth of at least five feet and a width that, individually or in the aggregate, is equal to at least 10 percent of the width of each respective tower face.

All buildings that exceed a height of 170 feet shall provide articulation in accordance with Section 131-46 (Tower Top Articulation).

(c)        Tower location

Towers shall be located within 25 feet of Surf Avenue and entirely within 100 feet of an intersecting street. No more than one tower shall be permitted on any zoning lot, except that where affordable housing is provided pursuant to Sections 23-90 and 131-321, a second tower shall be permitted anywhere on the zoning lot where such tower is entirely beyond 175 feet of Surf Avenue and 10 feet from any other street. All towers shall be located at least 10 feet from a side lot line.