Basement Bonus Unit - Jersey City

[Michael Lettieri]

I bought a 2-family home in Jersey City. The basement used to be its own apartment (1 BR & 1 BA) connected to the first floor but it's own space (or a 'Bonus Unit'). The heating and electrical are all working. There are rough-ins for a bathroom and kitchen. I believe everything was ripped out because of a flood at one point. My plan was to turn this into an AirBnB rental. This way I would not have to get a variance for a 3-family home, I could keep the main unit for myself and don't have to rent illegally. 

I'm running into issues because I still need to meet code but the ceiling height is too short. Code calls for minimum 7'-6" ceiling but I only have 7'-1". Code also calls for no obstructions less than 6'-6" however I have a support beam that is at 6'-4".

Does anyone have any experience with basement units in Jersey City that have dealt with these issues? Should I apply for a ceiling height variance? Is that even possible to get? Any insights would be appreciated.