The zoning map vs. what you can build: RunEnvelope vs. ZoLa
ZoLa is NYC Planning’s free Zoning & Land Use map, and it is the right first stop: look up a lot and it shows the zoning district, commercial overlays, special districts and the lot’s city records. It stops at what zoning applies. RunEnvelope starts there and answers the next question: what can actually be built on this lot?
Use ZoLa to see a lot’s zoning. Use RunEnvelope to turn that zoning into a number and a building: the as-of-right floor area, every legal development scenario (City of Yes UAP, inclusionary housing, community facility, conversion and more), a 3D massing and per-floor sketch plans, each figure cited to the Zoning Resolution section behind it. They are complements, not rivals: ZoLa is free and official, RunEnvelope is the feasibility study you would otherwise commission from an architect.
Feature by feature.
| Capability | RunEnvelope | ZoLa |
|---|---|---|
| Zoning district, overlays and special districts on a map | RunEnvelopeYES | ZoLaYES |
| Official city source, free | RunEnvelopeFree check; reports from $149 | ZoLaYES |
| As-of-right buildable floor area calculated for your lot | RunEnvelopeYES | ZoLaNO |
| Every legal development scenario compared | RunEnvelopeYES | ZoLaNO |
| Height, setback and yard rules applied to a 3D massing | RunEnvelopeYES | ZoLaNO |
| Per-floor sketch plans, editable DXF | RunEnvelopeYES | ZoLaNO |
| Zoning Resolution citation behind every number | RunEnvelopeYES | ZoLaLinks to the Zoning Resolution |
Sources Based on publicly available information as of July 2026. Features change; verify current capabilities with each vendor.
Where each one wins.
Where RunEnvelope wins
- ■Calculates the answer: maximum floor area by use, buildable square footage and the scenario that yields the most.
- ■Models every legal scenario as an actual building, including City of Yes Universal Affordability Preference and inclusionary housing bonuses.
- ■3D massing and per-floor sketch plans that open in AutoCAD, Revit and Rhino.
- ■Every figure cited to the Zoning Resolution section that produced it, and the engine is scored against licensed architects’ studies before every release.
- ■A free check with no account, then a single report for $149 instead of weeks of consultant time.
Where ZoLa is stronger
- ■The official, free NYC Planning map, kept current with adopted rezonings.
- ■The quickest way to see which zoning, overlays and special districts apply to any lot.
- ■Map layers RunEnvelope does not try to replace: landmarks, historic districts, flood zones, community districts and more.
- ■No account and no cost, ever.
Frequently asked.
Is RunEnvelope a ZoLa alternative?
It is the next step after ZoLa rather than a replacement. ZoLa shows which zoning applies to a lot. RunEnvelope applies that zoning to the lot and calculates what you can build: as-of-right floor area, every legal scenario, a 3D massing and sketch plans.
Does ZoLa tell you how much you can build?
ZoLa shows the zoning district and links to the Zoning Resolution, but it does not run the floor-area, height and yard rules for your specific lot. That calculation is what RunEnvelope does, for free in the initial check and in full detail in a report.
How do I calculate development potential for an NYC property?
Look up the lot’s zoning on ZoLa, then apply the district’s maximum FAR to the lot area, check which bonuses apply (City of Yes UAP, inclusionary housing), and test height, setback and yard rules. RunEnvelope’s free check does all of that for any tax lot in the five boroughs and returns the buildable square footage and every legal scenario.
Is RunEnvelope official city data?
RunEnvelope is built on the same public city data ZoLa uses (MapPLUTO, the zoning maps and the Zoning Resolution) but is an independent company, not NYC Planning. It models what is permitted as of right; it is not a licensed architect, engineer or attorney.
See what RunEnvelope shows on your lot.
An architect-grade zoning study: as-of-right FAR, 3D massing, per-floor sketch plans and a Zoning Resolution citation on every figure. One report from $149, no subscription.