NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6623
SPONSOR: Markey TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the parks, recreation and historic
preservation law, in relation to the resident curator program
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
This bill would add three properties to the Resident Curator Program
thereby authorizing the Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation to enter into a residential lease with an individual for a
term not to exceed forty years.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill would amend Parks, Recreation and Historic Preser-
vation Law (PRHPL) § 3.09(2-h) to add three properties (LI 72 police
boarding house in Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, Gericke farm house in
Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve and the Hayes House at Mills Norrie
State Park) to the list of properties that the Commissioner may lease to
a resident curator for a term not to exceed forty years.
Section 2 of the bill provides the effective date.
EXISTING LAW:
PRHPL § 3.09(2-h) establishes the Resident Curator Program. The Resident
Curator Program is intended to attract private investment in State parks
by authorizing the Commissioner to enter into residential leases with
private individuals who will rehabilitate vacant buildings at their own
expense in exchange for a long term lease to reside in the building.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
The Resident Curator Program was established by Chapter 295 of the Laws
of 2014. This is a new bill.
STATEMENT IN SUPPORT:
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP has
identified three additional buildings which would be appropriate for the
Resident Curator Program. The three buildings selected are residential
buildings that do not serve a park purpose and which are currently not
in use. In exchange for the rehabilitation of the property by the resi-
dent curator, OPRHP would lease the property to the curator for a term
not to exceed forty years. The term of the lease would be based on the
amount of the capital investment needed to rehabilitate the property for
occupancy. Ownership of the rehabilitated residential structure would
remain with OPRHP which would receive the benefit of rehabilitated
structures at the end of the lease term at no cost to OPRHP.
BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:
This bill would have no impact on the State budget. Currently these
structures are vacant and are subject to continued deterioration.
Because these properties serve no park purpose, OPHRP will not expend
any of its capital funding to maintain or stabilize these structures.
Without private investment through this (1(4 program, the likely course
of action would require demolition. The cost of demolition for these
three buildings, including necessary environmental abatement, is esti-
mated at $650,000.
LOCAL IMPACT:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill would take effect immediately.
