8th Avenue below 40th Street. © Ondel Hylton
The New York City Council on Thursday voted to approve the rezoning of Midtown South, permitting thousands of new homes to be built in the commercial neighborhood. The plan, the largest residential rezoning in the city in 20 years, updates zoning rules for 42 blocks, potentially unlocking 9,500 new apartments, with 2,800 affordable units.
The Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan (MSMX) includes four quadrants, centered around Herald and Greeley Squares, between West 23rd Street and West 40th Street, and between 5th Avenue and 8th Avenue.
Long the economic center of the city, Midtown has struggled to recover from the pandemic, with many office buildings still largely vacant. With the city’s current housing crisis, exacerbated by a vacancy rate of just 1.4 percent, Mayor Eric Adams’ administration has pushed for updating policies to allow for more housing, including with his City of Yes plan, which was approved last December and will permit more development in every neighborhood.
When the state lifted the cap on floor area ratio (FAR), the city was able to create two new high-density, mixed-use zoning districts (R-11 and R-12) with FARs of 15 and 18, allowing for much larger developments. The plan also requires Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) in the neighborhood for the first time.
The plan also creates a “density bonus” that allows more housing in exchange for local improvements, like increased access to public transit stations, privately-owned public (POP) spaces, and public indoor spaces. According to the mayor, developers can apply for a floor-area exemption if space is set aside for a public school.
The Midtown South rezoning is the third under Adams; plans to rezone areas in the Bronx and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn have been approved.
“Midtown South is home to some of our city’s most iconic parks, buildings, and businesses, but for too long, outdated zoning has stopped it from actually being a home for many New Yorkers. Today, we are changing that as we create a more affordable Manhattan where families can live, work, and play,” Adams said in a statement.
As 6sqft previously reported, as part of a deal reached with the City Council, the plan will also include a 34th Street busway, completion of the car-free corridor on Broadway, street safety enhancements, subway station improvements, and investments for local schools, emergency medical services, and Bellevue Hospital.
The Council also secured more than $120 million in economic development resources to protect and support the Garment District’s historic fashion industry.
“I have been a champion of the MSMX plan, and I am so proud to see it pass out of committee today,” Council Member Keith Powers said.
“MSMX is the first major housing-focused rezoning in New York City that takes advantage of the changes that City of Yes put into place, and it makes a big step forward in tackling the affordable housing crisis. We are transforming Midtown South into a vibrant live-work neighborhood, alongside historic community investments in schools, transit, parks, and more.”
Ahead of the rezoning’s approval, the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission also voted to designate five buildings in the Garment District as individual landmarks.
“These architectural gems won’t just enliven the neighborhood for current and future residents, they also serve as a reminder of the continuous adaptation across historical eras in Midtown Manhattan,” Department of City Planning Director Dan Garodnick said.
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