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1953 University Avenue zoning and development potential

1953 University Avenue, Bronx 10453 is a 15,438 square foot lot zoned R7-1. RunEnvelope’s engine finds an as-of-right scheme with homes of 77,344 sf (AIRS Senior Housing (100% Affordable)), against 21,967 sf built on the lot today.

The lot

BBL
2-03216-0070
Block / lot
3216 / 70
Community district
Bronx Community District 5
Zoning
R7-1
Lot area
15,438 sf
Frontage x depth
100 ft x 154 ft
Lot type
Inside
Current use
Commercial and office
Built today
21,967 sf, 2 floors
Year built
2019
Built FAR
1.42

Permitted floor area against what is built

Built on the lot today21,967 sf
Largest scheme with homes: AIRS Senior Housing (100% Affordable)77,344 sf

That leaves 55,377 sf more floor area than stands here now, if the existing building were replaced. The largest scheme with homes and no affordability obligation holds 73,070 sf (Residential + Community Facility).

City Planning’s PLUTO file lists a residential FAR of 3.44 for this lot, which at 15,438 sf of land is 53,107 sf. The engine’s largest residential-only scheme without an affordability obligation (Max Apartments) holds 61,752 sf, 16% more than that simple multiplication suggests.

Quality Housing height limit in R7-1 on a wide street: 85 ft (115 ft with the affordability preference). From the district’s rule set.

  • Wide street frontage
  • Opportunity Zone tract
  • FRESH food store zone
  • Irregular lot shape

Development scenarios

The largest 6 as-of-right schemes RunEnvelope’s engine produced for this lot, by zoning floor area. A full study also models the building itself: floor plates, heights, setbacks, unit mix and parking.

SchemeTypeFloor areaFARHomes
AIRS Senior Housing (100% Affordable)Income-restricted housing77,3445.0190
UAP (City of Yes)Income-restricted housing77,3445.0188
Residential + Community FacilityMixed use with homes73,0704.7371
Community FacilityCommunity facility71,8764.66None
Max ApartmentsHousing61,7524.0091
Commercial OverlayMixed use with homes61,7524.0060

Floor area is zoning floor area in square feet. Highlighted: the largest scheme with homes. Income-restricted schemes (Universal Affordability Preference, AIRS senior housing) require a share or all of the homes to be affordable. Shared housing counts rooms, not apartments. Schemes that need a landmark transfer of development rights, the FRESH food store bonus or a stack of every program are left off this page; the full study shows them.

What these numbers are

As-of-right only: what the Zoning Resolution allows without a variance, special permit or rezoning. Computed by RunEnvelope’s zoning engine on October 25, 2026 from PLUTO 26v2 lot data, in screening mode: the engine uses the City’s recorded lot area and dimensions, not a surveyed lot outline.

This is not a professional opinion, an appraisal or a statement that anything will or should be built here. Existing tenants, leases and the owner’s plans are not part of it.

What a full study checks

  • ■The actual lot outline, street frontages and yards, not PLUTO's recorded dimensions
  • ■Easements, restrictive declarations and zoning lot agreements on record
  • ■Landmark, waterfront and flood rules that apply to the specific building
  • ■Height, setback and floor-by-floor massing, with floor plans
  • ■Unit count, parking and the affordability program terms

Why this lot has a page: we publish pages only for lots that clear a set of data quality and headroom tests.

This is the screening number. Get the study for 1953 University Avenue.

Run the full study