Zoning districts · Article 40
South Station Economic Development Area zoning
South Station Economic Development Area is governed by Article 40 of the Boston Zoning Code. It has 4 subdistrict types. Below are the height and floor area ratio limits set out in the Article 40 text.
Last verified Oct 2026. All 4 values shown were checked against the Article 40 text in the official Boston Zoning Code published on Municode and the BPDA Article 40 PDF (bostonplans.org/getattachment/269702cb-2688-41c9-ab5c-ecc27ba93545). This downtown article sets height and FAR in its text rather than in a dimensional table, so only those limits are shown; yards, open space and parking are set elsewhere in the Code. Large Project Review certification means a Certification of Compliance under Section 80B-6. The general 300 ft / FAR 12 limit reflects the Skyline-companion amendment (Text Amd. No. 492, effective Oct 28, 2025), confirmed against the adopted amendment text; Section 40-6 was repealed by that amendment. Source: Boston Zoning Code, Article 40.
Subdistricts
| Map code | Subdistrict type |
|---|---|
| General Area | South Station EDA (Section 40-5) |
| New Economy Development Area | Section 40-7 |
| South Station Air-Rights Development Sub-Area | South Station Air-Rights Development Sub-Area (shown on Map 1B) |
| South Station/Central Artery Area | South Station/Central Artery Area (shown on Map 1B) |
Sections 40-5 and 40-7 — Building Height and Floor Area Ratio
| Requirement | General Area | New Economy Development Area |
|---|---|---|
| Max. building height (ft) | 300 ft | 300 ftWith an approved PDA Development Plan: 678 ft and FAR 10 in the South Station Air Rights Development Sub-Area, 400 ft and FAR 14 elsewhere in the area (Section 40-7) |
| Max. floor area ratio (FAR) | 12 | 12 |
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 40.
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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.