Zoning districts · Article 49
Central Artery Special District zoning
Central Artery Special District is governed by Article 49 of the Boston Zoning Code. It has 25 subdistrict types. Below are the dimensional limits from the Article 49 tables.
Last verified Oct 2026. All 49 values shown were checked against Article 49 in the Municode Boston Zoning Code (current through Text Amd. No. 503, Sept 14, 2026). Limits apply parcel by parcel along the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Several parcels also cap individual building footprints (for example 1,200 sq ft) and are Open Space subdistricts under Article 33. Heights are in feet. Source: Boston Zoning Code, Article 49.
Subdistricts
| Map code | Subdistrict type |
|---|---|
| Parcel 1 | Parcel 1 |
| Parcel 1A | Parcel 1A |
| Parcel 2 | Parcel 2 |
| Parcel 2A | Parcel 2A |
| Parcels 3 and 4 | Parcels 3 and 4 |
| Parcel 5 (Restaurant) | Parcel 5 (Restaurant) |
| Parcel 6 (Community Use) | Parcel 6 (Community Use) |
| Parcel 7W | Parcel 7W |
| Parcel 7E | Parcel 7E |
| Parcel 8 | Parcel 8 |
| Parcel 9 | Parcel 9 |
| Parcel 10 | Parcel 10 |
| Parcels 11 and 11A | Parcels 11 and 11A |
| Parcel 12 | Parcel 12 |
| Parcel 13 (Cultural Use) | Parcel 13 (Cultural Use) |
| Parcels 14, 15 and 16 | Parcels 14, 15 and 16 |
| Parcel 17N | Parcel 17N |
| Parcel 17S | Parcel 17S |
| Parcel 18N | Parcel 18N |
| Parcel 18S | Parcel 18S |
| Parcels 19 and 21 | Parcels 19 and 21 |
| Parcel 20 | Parcel 20 |
| Parcel 22N (Dewey Square) | Parcel 22N (Dewey Square) |
| Parcel 22S (Dewey Square) | Parcel 22S (Dewey Square) |
| Parcel 23N | Parcel 23N |
Sections 49-9 to 49-13 — Dimensional Regulations by Parcel
| Requirement | Parcel 1 | Parcel 1A | Parcel 2 | Parcel 2A | Parcels 3 and 4 | Parcel 5 (Restaurant) | Parcel 6 (Community Use) | Parcel 7W | Parcel 7E | Parcel 8 | Parcel 9 | Parcel 10 | Parcels 11 and 11A | Parcel 12 | Parcel 13 (Cultural Use) | Parcels 14, 15 and 16 | Parcel 17N | Parcel 17S | Parcel 18N | Parcel 18S | Parcels 19 and 21 | Parcel 20 | Parcel 22N (Dewey Square) | Parcel 22S (Dewey Square) | Parcel 23N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max. building height (ft) | 100 ftOn Causeway St, façades over 80 ft need a 25 ft setback above 65 ft | 100 ftCauseway St façades over 80 ft: 25 ft setback above 65 ft; Canal St façades over 35 ft: 30 ft setback above 35 ft | 100 ft | 100 ftCanal St façades over 35 ft: 30 ft setback above 35 ft | none allowed ftNo buildings allowed | 35 ft | 55 ftMeasured above the top of the ramp structure | 80 ft | 35 ft | 35 ft | 55 ft | 35 ft | 55 ft | 55 ft | 35 ft | 35 ftMax. 2 stories above the ground floor | 75 ft | 35 ft | 35 ft | 35 ft | 75 ftUp to 125 ft for a mostly transparent Botanical Garden/Conservatory or other Cultural Use with an atrium or dome | 155 ft235 ft if a vent tower is built | 35 ft | 35 ft | none allowed ftNo buildings allowed |
| Max. floor area ratio (FAR) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | — | 2 | 4 | 7 | — | — | 4 | — | 4 | 4 | — | — | 2.25 | — | — | — | 2.25 | 10 5 if a Central Artery vent tower is built on the parcel | — | — | — |
| Max. building lot coverage (%) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 10 | — | 5 | — | — | 15 | 15 | 50 | 15 | 15 | 15 | — | — | 10 | 15 | — |
Where the Code gives a height without a unit, we show it in feet.
Numbers in parentheses, like (1), are footnotes in the Code table. They often add conditions or exceptions, so read them in Article 49.
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Try Stratum freeStratum is not affiliated with the City of Boston or the Boston Planning Department (formerly the BPDA). This summary is for early design and is not a legal determination. Zoning is amended over time, and overlay districts, map amendments and the table footnotes can change what applies to a parcel. Always verify with the Boston Zoning Code and the city before relying on these numbers.