R7X districts are also governed by contextual Quality Housing bulk regulations but the substantially higher floor area ratio (FAR) and maximum building height typically produce taller, bulkier buildings than in R7A and R7B districts. The flexibility of the R7X regulations is exemplified by the nine- to 13-story apartment buildings in the R7X districts mapped along major thoroughfares in Harlem in Manhattan and Jackson Avenue in Long Island City in Queens.

The FAR in R7X districts is 5.0. Above a base height of 60 to 85 feet, the building must be set back a depth of 10 feet on a wide street and 15 feet on a narrow street before rising to its maximum height of 125 feet. To maintain the traditional streetscape, the street wall of a new building can be no closer to the street line than any building within 150 feet on the same block but need not be farther than 15 feet. The building must have interior amenities for residents pursuant to the Quality Housing Program.