The Special Clinton District is a special NYC zoning district which extends west of Eighth Avenue from West 41st Street to West 59th Streets in Manhattan.
It was created in 1974 in order to preserve the neighborhood’s low-scale and largely residential character by protecting existing buildings, restricting demolition and enforcing height restrictions.
The most striking aspect of the Special Clinton District is its height restrictions.
New construction must be at the same scale of existing buildings. With few exceptions, buildings within the Special Clinton District may not exceed 85 feet.
The building height restrictions associated with the Special Clinton District offer some nearby apartments with amazing unobstructed views.
One example is The Orion, a 60-story condo high-rise at 340 West 42nd Street in Hell’s Kitchen which was built in 2007. The building is located on the southeast perimeter of the Special Clinton District.
In order to preserve the westerly Hudson River views, the developer purchased the air rights from the neighboring buildings on the corner of 9th Avenue and West 42nd Street.
As a result, many of the units have unobstructed views of the west side overlooking the Special Clinton District, including from the west facing lot line windows.
You can see the Special Clinton District directly from this apartment on the 37th floor of The Orion:
The Special Clinton District is outlined in Chapter 6 of the NYC Zoning Resolution which governs land use and development throughout the city.
The Special Clinton District is one of many Special Purpose Districts throughout the city. These areas have unique rules for land use and development which supercede local zoning regulations. The City Planning Commission has been creating special zoning districts throughout New York City since 1969.
According to the Clinton Housing Development Company, the Special Clinton District came about in response to the development of a convention center on the West Side piers between West 42nd and West 44th Street in 1971. This kicked off a land grab in Hell’s Kitchen which saw developers demolish several tenement buildings and displace many long-term residents.
The community responded by organizing and lobbying the city to enact the Clinton Special District in 1973.
