There are 2,222 surface parking lots in New York City within walking distance of an MTA station. If these sites were redeveloped for housing, they could provide an estimated 62,820 additional homes citywide.
This estimate is based on a mapped analysis by Tom Weatherburn. His story map, How Much Housing Could Fit on the Surface Parking Lots of NYC?, visualizes the number of surface parking lots located within 800 meters of an MTA station, the total land area they occupy, and the potential number of new housing units. The housing estimates are derived by applying recent residential development densities to the available land.
According to Weatherburn’s analysis, using recent development density patterns, the Bronx has the greatest potential for new housing, with an estimated 19,352 units. Manhattan and Brooklyn each could accommodate more than 16,000 new homes, while Queens has the potential for approximately 10,437 additional units.
The developer of the map points out that while this is not a feasibility analysis, the study does highlight that there is significant physical capacity for new, transit-oriented housing on underutilized land, should zoning reforms and financial incentives enable redevelopment.
