Xavier High School, located on  West 16th Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, underwent a process of evaluating its real estate assets and future facility needs. As part of this process, BFJ Planning was retained to prepare a zoning analysis, specifically focusing on the as-of-right development potential of Xavier High School under its existing C6-2M zoning designation. BFJ’s analysis determined the maximum allowable floor area and calculated the existing zoning floor area of the school and related facilities to determine the amount of excess development rights available for use by the School for expansion purposes or for transfer as-of-right to an adjoining lot. The amount of excess development rights that could be utilized by Xavier High School or transferred to an adjoining lot was calculated by first estimating the “zoning envelope” for the total lot, then subtracting the zoning floor area (the square footage of the existing on-site or built structures excluding the area below curb level), to obtain the excess development rights for the entire lot. BFJ’s analysis also included an estimate of the saleable value of the excess air rights. This valuation was based on comparable sales of air rights in other areas of Manhattan. 

The high school expanded with a new six-story wing, adding classrooms, a gymnasium and recital space. The new annex adjacent to Xavier’s current campus has now been topped by a glass condominium building that rises 300 feet above 15th Street, west of Fifth Avenue.