City Council approves Midtown South mixed-use plan

On August 14, 2025, the New York City Council voted to approve the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan, as modified by the City Council Land Use Committee.

As stated in our previous alert in January, the Special Midtown South Mixed-Use District (MSX Special District) covers four separate areas located roughly between West 23rd and West 40th streets and Fifth and Eighth avenues. The zoning map and text amendments replace manufacturing districts with districts that allow high-density residential, commercial, community facility and light manufacturing uses. Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) areas are also established in all areas of the MSX Special District where new residential uses are permitted. The MSX Special District includes the city’s first zoning districts to allow new residential buildings with a floor area ratio (FAR) above 12.

The rezoning as approved by the City Planning Commission on June 18, 2025, is shown below.

The City Council modified the above map as follows:

• The area south of West 27th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues was rezoned to M1-8A/R11 (rather than M1-8A/R12).
• The R12 district was removed from portions of the blocks between West 35th and West 40th Streets and Seventh and Eighth Avenues, resulting in an M1-9A (rather than M1-9A/R12) district. Residential use is not allowed within the M1-9A portions of these blocks.

The City Council also secured over $120 million in economic development resources for fashion and garment industries; $340 million for public realm improvements, including the completion of pedestrian and streetscape improvements along 21 blocks of Broadway; and a commitment to establish a car-free busway on West 34th Street between Third and Ninth Avenues.

Please contact any member of the Land Use Department for more information on the new MSX Special District.