26-50 Special Ground Floor Level Provisions for Qualifying Ground Floors

This Section, inclusive, specifies ground floor level requirements that establish ground floor #use# and depth requirements, the maximum width for certain #uses#, and parking wrap and screening requirements that apply to #Quality Housing buildings# in certain #Residence Districts# subject to supplemental provisions for #qualifying ground floors#.

For #buildings#, or portions thereof, with ground floor #use# and depth requirements, #uses# on the first #story# of a #building#, and within 15 feet of the ground floor level #street wall#, shall be limited to #community facility uses#, except for lobbies, entrances and exits to #accessory# parking facilities, and entryways to subway stations, as applicable, provided in accordance with Section 26-53 (Maximum Width of Certain Uses). However, such minimum depth requirement may be reduced, to the minimum extent necessary, to accommodate vertical circulation cores or structural columns associated with upper #stories# of the #building#.

The maximum width of lobbies, entrances and exits to #accessory# off-street parking facilities, and entryways to subway stations shall be as set forth in this Section.

1. Ground floor lobbies
   
   Lobbies accessing #uses# not permitted on the #ground floor level# shall be permitted, provided that the width of such lobbies, in total, does not exceed 25 percent of the #street wall# width of the #building# or more than 20 linear feet of #street wall# frontage on a #wide street# or 30 linear feet on a #narrow street#, whichever is less. However, the width of such lobbies need not be less than 10 feet.


2. Entrances and exits to #accessory# parking facilities
   
   Entrances and exits to #accessory# off-street parking facilities, where permitted on the #ground floor level#, or portion thereof, shall not exceed a #street wall# width equal to the sum of five feet plus the maximum curb cut width for the applicable district. Where no specified maximum curb cut width is set forth for the district, the curb cut regulations for #buildings# containing #residences# in R6 through R8 Districts with a letter suffix, found in paragraph (e) of Section 25-631 (Location and width of curb cuts in certain districts), shall be applied.


3. Entryways to subway stations
   
   Entryways to subway stations may be provided on the #ground floor level# of a #building# without restriction in #street wall# width.

All #accessory# off-street parking spaces on the #ground floor level# of a #building# shall be wrapped by #floor area# in accordance with paragraph (a) or, where applicable, screened in accordance with applicable provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section.

1. Along typical #street wall# frontages
   
   For the ground floor level, or portions thereof, of #buildings# with a #street wall# width of 100 feet or less along a #street# frontage, any portion of an #accessory# off-street parking facility that is located above #curb level#, except for permitted entrances and exits, shall be located behind permitted #floor area# so that no portion of such facility is visible from adjacent public sidewalks or publicly accessible areas. Such #floor area# shall have a minimum depth of 15 feet, as measured perpendicular to the #street wall# of the #building#.

i>Along wide #street wall# frontages

For portions of ground floor levels of #buildings# with a #street wall# width exceeding 100 feet along a #street# frontage, at least 100 feet of such frontage shall comply with the provisions of paragraph (a) of this Section. Any portion of an such #accessory# off-street parking facility that is located above #curb level# within the portion of such ground floor level #street wall# in excess of 100 feet, may either be wrapped by #floor area# in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section, or shall be subject to the following design requirements:


1. any non-horizontal parking deck structures shall not be visible from the exterior of the #building# in elevation view;


2. opaque materials shall be located on the exterior #building# wall between the bottom of the floor of each parking deck and no less than three feet above such deck; and


3. a total of at least 50 percent of such exterior #building# wall, or portion thereof, with adjacent parking spaces shall consist of opaque materials which may include permitted #signs#, graphic or sculptural art, decorative screening or latticework or living plant material.