How do you figure out zoning when evaluating a parcel in NYC?

[Joseph Commisso]

Question for NYC developers and investors — when you’re looking at a new parcel, how do you figure out what you can actually build there?
Do you use ZoLa, hire a land use attorney, call the city planning department, or something else entirely?
I ask because from what I’ve seen, ZoLa gives you the raw zoning code but doesn’t actually tell you what you can build — especially when you factor in FAR, air rights, inclusionary housing bonuses, and flood zones all at once.
Curious how people are piecing this together. Is it mostly attorneys and consultants? Or has anyone found a reliable workflow?
Would love to hear how people are handling this — especially anyone active in Brooklyn, Queens, or the Bronx where zoning gets particularly messy.