In Manhattan Community Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Brooklyn Community Districts 1, 2, 6 and 8, and Queens Community Districts 1 and 2, conversions in buildings or portions thereof, erected prior to December 15, 1961, shall be subject to the provisions of this Chapter.

In addition, in Manhattan Community District 1, in the area south of Murray Street and its easterly prolongation and the Brooklyn Bridge, conversions in buildings, or portions thereof, erected prior to January 1, 1977, shall be subject to the provisions of this Chapter.

For the purposes of this Chapter, conversion shall mean the change of non-residential floor area to residences or joint living-work quarters for artists. Conversions shall also include the conversion of existing floor space used for mechanical equipment and not counted as floor area to residences or joint living-work quarters for artists.  

All conversions to residences shall be permitted only in districts where residential use is allowed by the district regulations, or in those Manufacturing Districts where residential use is allowed pursuant to this Chapter or by authorization or special permit. All conversions to joint living-work quarters for artists shall be permitted only in districts where such use is allowed by the district regulations.

The provisions of Article II, Chapter 8, shall not apply to buildings converted pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter.

However, conversions that meet all the requirements for residential development of Article II (Residence District Regulations) and are located in R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5 or C6 Districts are exempt from the provisions of this Chapter. Except as modified by the express provisions of this Chapter, the regulations of the applicable zoning districts remain in effect.

Developments or enlargements shall be in accordance with the applicable requirements of Article II and Article III, except as provided by authorization pursuant to Section 15-41 (Enlargements of Converted Buildings).