Howard Beach · 11414 · R3A Zoning
A 4,781 SF detached buildable lot in one of South Queens' most supply-constrained pockets. Zoned R3A, eligible for a 1 or 2-family ground-up build, walkable to the A-train and Jamaica Bay. Currently being evaluated quietly by qualified buyers.
Howard Beach sits in southern Queens between the A-train and Jamaica Bay, with Charles Memorial Park, the Wildlife Refuge, and Cross Bay Boulevard's commercial spine all within minutes. Buildable parcels here trade quietly. Subdivisions are rare, attached row product is not permitted, and existing inventory is dominated by mid-century one and two-family homes that rarely meet today's flood-resilient new-construction standards.
Recent vacant lot trades in the immediate Howard Beach corridor have ranged roughly $109,000 to $289,000, with the upper end of that band consistently capturing the wider, deeper, and cleaner-to-build parcels. At 4,781 SF on a 45-foot frontage with full street services and a clear R3A buildable path, this lot underwrites at the top of that range. The completed product side tells the more interesting story. Newer or substantially renovated 1 and 2-family homes throughout the Howard Beach corridor are achieving $850,000 to $1.1M+ on the resale market, with elevated coastal-resilient builds commanding the top end. Average days on market in Howard Beach currently sits around 77 days.
For a developer or owner-builder, this is the spread to underwrite: ~$2,400 to $2,870 SF of buildable area on a 45-foot wide detached lot, in a zip code where finished new construction is consistently outperforming the median. Inquiries are being welcomed quietly while the owner evaluates next steps and timing.
R3A with the attic bonus supports roughly 2,870 SF of zoning floor area on this parcel. The cleanest underwrite is a stacked or side-by-side 2-family detached with separate entrances, each unit delivering 3 bedrooms and a finished lower level. Strong rental comps across Howard Beach support owner-occupant plus income strategy.
For a builder targeting the trade-up end-user, the same envelope produces a 4 to 5-bedroom single-family with covered front porch, elevated first floor, attached garage, and rear yard. The 45-foot width is wider than most lots in the immediate area, giving real curb presence and side-yard breathing room.
The parcel sits in a Special Coastal Risk District (CR-2) and a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area. That mandates elevated first floor above base flood elevation, breakaway walls or flood vents at grade, and pile or deep foundation systems. The good news: purpose-built elevated homes are exactly what this market is paying premiums for.
A-train at Howard Beach / JFK Airport station is the local anchor, with one-seat rides to Lower Manhattan and direct AirTrain transfer to JFK. Cross Bay Boulevard, the Belt Parkway, and the JFK Expressway are all within a few minutes by car. Strong commute story for both end-users and renters.
Charles Memorial Park, the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, and the bay shoreline are all within walking distance. This is one of the few corners of NYC where a buyer can have a single-family yard, water views from a 2nd story, and a 35-minute commute to Midtown. That story carries the resale.
Recent area lots have traded up to ~$289K, with wider, cleaner-to-build parcels anchoring the upper end. New-construction comparables in Howard Beach: $850K to $1.1M+. Average DOM in Howard Beach: ~77 days. Full comp set and zoning specifics are walked through directly with Joseph on a qualifying call.
R3A with overlay restrictions from Special Coastal Risk District 2 (CR-2). R3A by definition only permits detached one and two-family residences, and the CR-2 overlay reinforces that restriction. No attached, semi-detached, or multi-family product is permitted.
R3A carries a 0.5 base FAR (same as all R3 districts). On a 4,781 SF lot that is 2,391 SF of zoning floor area. With the up to 20% attic allowance for a pitched roof, the effective ceiling is roughly 2,870 SF. Cellar space below grade is typically not counted toward FAR if it qualifies as cellar under NYC ZR.
35-foot maximum building height, with a 21-foot perimeter wall before the required setback or sloped roof. Front yard minimum is 10 feet (and must match the depth of the adjacent front yard, capped at 20 feet, to keep a unified streetscape). Side yards must total at least 8 feet combined with no minimum on either individual side, or alternatively a zero-lot-line option with one 8-foot side yard. At 45 feet wide, this lot comfortably exceeds R3A's 25-foot minimum lot width.
Yes. The parcel sits inside a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, consistent with the rest of low-lying Howard Beach. The new build will need to be elevated above base flood elevation, with breakaway construction or flood vents at grade level, NFIP-compliant materials in the flood zone, and a foundation system designed for the local soils and BFE. The exact flood zone designation (AE vs VE) and BFE are pulled from the FEMA Map Service Center once we connect.
Soils in this stretch of Howard Beach typically require deep foundation systems. Most recent new construction in the immediate area uses driven timber or helical piles with grade beams, supporting an elevated first-floor slab. Builders should budget for a geotechnical investigation and a piled foundation; a slab-on-grade approach is generally not appropriate for this submarket.
Yes. Public water, sanitary sewer, gas, and electric run on the street frontage and serve the existing homes on the block. New service connections are processed through DEP (water/sewer), Con Edison (electric), and National Grid (gas) at standard NYC service-tap costs. No private well or septic considerations apply.
Recent new or substantially renovated 1 and 2-family homes in Howard Beach are trading roughly $850,000 to $1,100,000+ depending on size, finish level, and exact location. Elevated, code-compliant new construction with garage parking and modern interiors sits at the upper end of that range. Joseph will walk you through the exact comp set on the call.
A clean R3A single or two-family DOB filing in this corridor typically runs 4 to 6 months from contract signing to permit issuance, with another 10 to 14 months of vertical construction. Total ground-up timeline of 16 to 20 months is reasonable to underwrite, contingent on geotech, design, and utility coordination.
The page you're reading is an early preview. The address, the block and lot, the owner's expectations, and the current comp set live with Joseph and get walked through on a phone call once we know who's on the other end.
That's deliberate. Real opportunities move on relationships, not on listing sheets sitting in a builder's inbox. A 10-minute call gets you everything you need to underwrite this parcel.
This parcel is being previewed quietly to qualified builders and developers. If you are actively buying land in South Queens, the address, the asking range, and a direct conversation are one phone call away.
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
Bridge & Boro Team | Real Broker NY LLC
Joseph Ranola of the Bridge and Boro Team at Real Broker NY LLC is presenting this Howard Beach buildable lot as an early-look opportunity. The parcel is a 4,781 square foot R3A-zoned detached vacant lot in Queens 11414, suitable for a one or two-family ground-up build by a qualified developer or owner-builder. Joseph works with buyers, builders, and end-users across Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens. Inquiries on this Howard Beach land opportunity are welcomed at (917) 905-2541 or [email protected].