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The SoHo Broadway Initiative (“the Initiative”) is a neighborhood-focused business improvement district serving those who live in, work in, and visit the Broadway corridor between Houston and Canal Streets. The Initiative’s goal is to help foster a vibrant mixed-use community. The Initiative began its endeavor to create a Guidebook toward the end of 2016, when […]
Soho Zoning Guidebook FAQ: M1-5B is the current zoning designation for property along SoHo Broadway between Houston and Canal Streets.
Light manufacturing zones, like SoHo’s, are permitted to contain manufacturing and complementary uses as-of-right (without review from the NYC Department of City Planning). Specifically, M1-5B allows: manufacturing uses, like textile spinning, wholesaling, and printing plants; and office, retail, and JLWQA units above the ground floor only. The zoning generally does not permit retail use on […]
Small and large scale retail are largely defined in relation to their size and type of use. Smaller scale retail is meant to meet local needs and occupy less than 10,000 square feet. Examples of small retail include barber shops and banks. Large scale retail generally refers to stores that serve a wider geographic area […]
From the 1890s to the 1950s, SoHo was defined by its manufacturing uses. Many of the sturdy cast iron structures found in the neighborhood today date from the turn of the Century and were generally built for businesses who manufactured goods on the upper floors and sold those goods on the ground floor. By the […]
Non-artists reside in SoHo through the following regulations: The Loft Law, enacted in 1982, essentially recognized that non-artists were living in SoHo and, instead of evicting them, sought to ensure safe occupancy through compliance with fire, safety, and buildings codes as defined by the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB). The Loft Law additionally sought to […]
Disclaimer: The Guidebook is not a legal document and is intended as an educational piece only. Those who are concerned about their regulatory circumstances should seek the advice of a land use attorney. The NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) is responsible for enforcing zoning regulations. Over time, enforcement and penalties have been levied inconsistently and […]
A historic district designation largely protects SoHo’s architectural character. In 1973, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) designated a rough rectangle between West Broadway and Houston, Crosby, and Canal Streets as the ‘SoHo Cast-Iron Historic District.’ The report explaining the designation described that the area was chosen for “the unique collection of cast-iron structures located within […]
The mismatch between SoHo’s zoning and current land use has many implications, chief among them being: It creates inconsistent outcomes in how property is used and developed, It can create conflict between the needs of residents and businesses, and It can trigger processes that take up time and financial resources. More specifically, the mismatch can […]
The City’s rezoning process is designed to enable communities to shape the future developments in, and character and scale of a neighborhood. A rezoning includes substantial opportunities for input from community residents, business owners, and local elected officials. Specifically, zoning changes must go through a lengthy public review process known as the Uniform Land Use […]
Visit the Initiative’s website to learn more about the Guidebook and issues related to zoning in SoHo. The Guidebook and the website both include a list of other resources to consult about SoHo’s history, artist certification, land use data, and zoning in New York City. The Guidebook’s endnotes also contain detailed references about zoning, SoHo’s […]
