New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-06
Height Districts.

building at the street line 10 a varying
multiple OF the street width. These
uU,IplCs vary from two and one-half
times the street width in the Office and
financial section Of Manhattan 10 the
street width in The more undeveloped
sections OF Brooklyn, The Bronx and
Richmond.
Back OF the street wall. the height OF
which IS limited by multiple of the
street width. the building may 80 higher
Out not beyond the line formed by the
extension OF line drawn from the cen
ere OF the street to the limiting height
Of the street wall. This viii permit the
construction of mansards or of vertical
walls provided they sre set back in
prescribed ratio so as 20 keep within
much greater freedom of building con-
structi0n than fiat limitation Of
height. Y will allow any height Of
building back Of the street line that
VIII not Interfere with the prescribed
angle OF light. Towers covering not
over % per cent Of the lot and unlim-
tied Gs 90 height are also permitted
provided they conform 10 certain regu-
lat.ons as 20 setback from lot lines.
In limiting the height of all buildings
in relation 90 width of the streets on
which they abut the commission has
adopted Is principle which for a great
many years Osince 1851 has been ap-
piled 20 tenement house construction in
New York City IL has also been ex-
tcnsively applied I'm European cities. IL
has evident advantages over fiat limi-
tation that operates without regard TO
the width of the street. The commits
sion has, however modified the strict
application OF this principle by pro-
vidine that for the purpose Of com
putting the limiting height on the null
tple Of street width basis q street less
than 90 feet wide shall be considered
20 be so feet wide and a street more
than 100 feet wide shall be considered
to be but 100 feet wide.
The only district I'm which a height
OF 20 times the street width is pro-
posed IS IN the office and financial sec
tiOn in lower Manhattan. A width of
TWO times the street width is allowed
for the remaining portions of the more
irtensively developed commercial and
industrial section IN broad belt
through the centre Of the island from
the lower Office and financial section
90 Fifty-ninth Street. An exception
IS made for portion Of the Fifth
Avenue section. where limits Of one
and ore-quartc~ and one and one-half
times the strce- width are proposed. A
width Of two. times the street width
IS also allowed for narrow belt along
q portion u the North River water
font OF Manhattan and along the East
River waterfront Of Brooklyn, Queens
and The Bronx
Tenement and apartment houses
throughout the city are now limited 70
% height OF j = times the street width.
Trc proposed plan takes the ~
times rule Of the tenement house
Jaw ard applies il TO substan
tally al! The remaining portions o. Of
the city that are iutensivciy built
up al present or that will be brought
within about thirty minutes by the new
rapid transit system - the central
ol.cc and commercial district OF Man-
haitian. One and one-half times the
street width ls also allowed fOr d mar
row belt along the waterfront 30 many
o. tho as yet undeveloped areas where
a somewhat intensive future develop
meut Of the waterfront is anticipated.
All the other portions OF the city, in
Guiding the more remote and less de
ve.oped sections. and those which In
general are more than thirty minutes
from the Manhattan commercial centre
by Che rev rapid transit system, are
placed ir the one time district. Here
the height limit fot buildings on the
street line is one time the width Of
the street. This. however, will permit
Of q hve-story building on slxty-foot
street and an eight or nine story build
ing on l0J-foot street.
Area Covered; Yards and Courts.
I'm establishing districts limiting the
percentage of the area Of the lot that
may be covered by the building and
ultscribing minimum yards and courts,
the commission has attempted TO insure
that each owner shall make reason
able contribution to the light and air
of the block The plan has been based.
first. on the partial segregation OF
buildings according 20 use effected by
the use districts. and second, by grada-
ton of court and yard provisions, par
ticularly as affecting residential build
ings DO accordance with the present and
prospective intensity Of use IN various
sections Of the city. Five classes Of area
districts are proposed fixing varying
percentage Of lot that may be covered
and corresponding regulations az 70
courts and yards Ia each case the
court and yard requirements and the
limitation Of area covered Is more
stringent ia the case OF residential
buildings than of non-residential build
ings. A residential building IS a build
ing used exclusively Tor residential!
purposes or q building used IN part
only for residence purposes containing
apartments for more than two families.
All other buildings are non-residentiai.
IN the 100 districts nou-residentlal
buildings ore permitted 10 cover the
entire lot. No yard IS required and
no court is required unless required
20 light the workrooms IN the build
ing. II is essentially warehouse dis
trict and Is confined 70 narrow belt
along the waterfront and terminals.
Light IS not required for most storage
buildings In warehouse district,
where three-auarters Of the buildings
do not need yards or courts, II would
seem unjust TO require all the owners
Ia contribute 70 light and air that
would only be Of economic benefit 10
q very small proportion Of the owners.
10 would seem appropriate under the
districtng plan that place shoU!d ne
provided where storage ana other
buildings that do not require light, ana
air could locate and occupy the iui!
area Of the lot J, is not ANTICIPATED
that many residences would be located
in the 100 districts. yet they are net
prohibited from so locating, and in such
case they would be limited az TO area
covered and provision of courts and
yards by the requirements Of the tene-
ment house law.
The 80 districts include for the most
part the most in'ensively developed
sections Of the city and those that
will be brought within about twenty
Gve minutes. by the new rapid