New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-19
First Public Hearing on
Building Zones March 81
1t viii Be Especially Devoted to Manhattan South OF I'D
Street-Proposed Restrictions for this Part
of the CITY,

The Commission on Building Dis
tricts and Restrictions will hold its
first public hearing on its tentative re-
port, as required by law, at 1890
o'clock on Monday, March 27, at the
City Hall Although the first session
Of the commission will be particularly
devoted to that part Of Manhattan
south Of 23d St, considerations affect
ing the whole borough will be heard.
Il is Of paramount Importance that
all persons interested in the proposed
districting scheme, those favoring as
well as those opposing the plan, should
be present at these hearings.
Use Districts.
The two waterfronts, the financial
district and the central loft district
are all in the unrestricted district. The
congested East Side is indicated as a
business district. Some of the streets
in the Chelsea section are restricted 70
residential purposes, while others are
indicated as business streets. A large
part of the Washington Square and
Greenwich Village sections are pro-
tected either against factories or both
factories and business.
The downtown office district, south
Of Leonard 81. and between Trinity
Place and Church st.. on the west, and
Lafayette. Gold and Pearl SITS, on the
east, is restricted 10 a height limit Of
two and one-half times the street
width. The warehouse districts on both
waterfronts and the manufacturing
loft and business district in the central
portion of the island are restricted 20
"A height limit OF two times the street
width. The residential sections on the
lower East Side. Greenwich Village,
Washington Square and Chelsea have
all been subjected to a height limit Of
one and one-half times the street width
Computing Height Limits.
For the purpose of computing the
height limit no street is considered "a
having a width Of less than 80 feet or
Of more than 100 feet. The limitation
applies in each case to the height OF
the street wall Back of the street
wall the building may be built higher,
but not beyond the line formed by the
extension Of a line drawn from the CEN
ire Of the street 10 the limiting height
o. the street wall. This permits the
construction Of mansards or of vertical
walls. provided they are set back in r.
prescribed ratio so as TO keep within
setback provisions. II will allow any
height Of building back Of the street
line that will not interfere with the
prescribed angle of light. Towers COW
eriuc not over % per cent Of the lot
and unlimited as TO height are permit
ted ia all the height districts through
out the city. provided they conform 20
certain regulations as TO setback from
lot lines.
in the 2ie-times district on a 60-foot
street the buildings can go up 1850
feet. or about twelve stories at the
building line. and by a setback Of
twelve feet at that height II can go up
five stories higher. On l00-foot
street buildings can go up $50 feet. or
about twenty stories. With a setback
Of twelve feet they could go up five
stories higher
In the two-times district on A 60
foot street the buildings can go up 100
feet. or about ten stories. With p 70
foot setback they can go up four
stories higher. In the | ia-times dis
trict on 60-foot street buildings can
20 up 90 feet. or about eight stories.
With a l2-foot setback they can 20 up
three stories higher. In the two-times
district on a l00-foot street buildings
can go up 200 feet, or about sixteen
stoxisA IA no times d,stricta a