Living where you make your living is nothing new and has seen a substantial increase in recent years. However, for those whose occupations are more than a computer, and involve others regularly commuting to your space, you should know the rules before running a business out of your home.
In New York City, a number of zoning and building codes govern permitted live/work uses. Current options consist of two distinct forms: Home occupation allows modest, low-impact commercial use in a residence or residential zone (a home office, for example), subject to limitations on the extent of commercial activities to ensure that the residential environment of the neighborhood isn’t disturbed.
In New York City, a number of zoning and building codes govern permitted live/work uses. Current options consist of two distinct forms: Home occupation allows modest, low-impact commercial use in a residence or residential zone (a home office, for example), subject to limitations on the extent of commercial activities to ensure that the residential environment of the neighborhood isn’t disturbed.
In this article:
Other Legal Live/Work Exceptions
A Live/Work Ordinance, on the other hand, can allow residential use within commercial, office, or industrial buildings within certain zoning districts. More simply put, it’s a matter of whether you’re working from home or living at work.
Additional laws regarding live/work space include the Multiple Dwelling Law (known as the Loft Law) that exists in some parts of the city (SoHo, for example) and covers formerly commercial spaces that have become residences, as well as special artist-in-residence regulations.
Recent conversations regarding urban farming, home-schooling, and small-scale manufacturing such as in the Garment District have brought new considerations to the ongoing discussion of how to regulate living and working spaces. To find out how to legally use your property for living and working, the NYC Department of Buildings is a good place to start. This zoning glossary can help familiarize you with terms.
Below, we've compiled two dozen active listings, each offering excellent opportunities for combined living and working arrangements. Among them is a renovated Tribeca townhouse at 155 Duane Street that reportedly served as a rental for Hollywood A-list actor Channing Tatum in the summer of 2012. The nearly 5,000-square-foot home commanded a monthly rent somewhere between $18,000 to $35,000.
The five-story building, dating back to the 1830s, was used to produce antiseptic soap during the Civil War. Other claims to fame include being the home of the infamous dive bar Barnabas Rex in the 1970s. The bar was known for its pool table, jukebox, and volleyball net strung across Duane Street on warm summer days. My, how TriBeCa has changed since then. Now, this historic live-work building is beckoning struggling artists far and wide and is on the market for a cool $7,250,000.
Available Listings Suitable for Live/Work Arrangements
465 West Broadway, #5N (Compass)
Sage House, #1R (Compass)
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Greenpoint Lofts, #204 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
The Armory, #2G (Sothebys International Realty)
Worldwide Plaza, #TH1G (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
107 West 25th Street, #PH6E (Corcoran Group)
39 East 19th Street, #3F
$1,594,000 (-3.4%)
Flatiron/Union Square | Cooperative | 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath | 1,800 ft2
39 East 19th Street, #3F (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
532 West 43rd Street, #1C (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
Art Deco, #6B (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
50 Pine Street, #2
$1,999,999 (-15.8%)
Financial District | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths | 2,729 ft2
50 Pine Street, #2 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
100 United Nations Plaza, #46D
$2,100,000
Turtle Bay/United Nations | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths | 1,724 ft2
100 United Nations Plaza, #46D (The Burkhardt Group LLC)
150 West 26th Street, #802 (Compass)
The Red Hook Lofts, #5D3
$2,650,000 (-11.2%)
Red Hook | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths | 2,782 ft2
The Red Hook Lofts, #5D3 (Living New York)
7 Bond Street, #2C (Compass)
20 Bond Street, #2 (Sothebys International Realty)
41 Bleecker Street, #1 (Corcoran Group)
142 Fifth Avenue, #8S
$3,250,000 (-7.1%)
Flatiron/Union Square | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths | 3,000 ft2
142 Fifth Avenue, #8S (Corcoran Group)
11 West 30th Street, #11F (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
16 Crosby Street, #PH5F (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
155 Duane Street, # (Compass)
Hudson River Dioramas, #5 (Corcoran Group)
145 Sixth Avenue, #2B (Compass)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?