S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                    724
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 6, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. D. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN ACT in relation to requiring certain provisions be  included  in  any
   procurement or agreement prior to disposing of any asset owned, leased
   or  otherwise  controlled  on  or  in  the  immediate  vicinity of the
   Lefferts Boulevard Bridge
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Legislative  intent.  The  legislature  hereby  finds and
 declares that the Lefferts Boulevard Bridge is an essential almost  100-
 year-old  structure  of  historical  significance in Kew Gardens, Queens
 that has been owned by the MTA/Long Island Rail  Road  since  1925.  The
 bridge has been an integral and essential focal point for community life
 in Kew Gardens for the past century. The bridge has long served critical
 and multiple purposes in the community-as a hub of business and culture,
 and as a pristine example of "Ponte Vecchio" style architecture which is
 rare  and brilliant, particularly in New York City. The structure itself
 has intrinsically historical significance and currently is under  review
 by  the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation for desig-
 nation on the New York State and National Registers of  Historic  Places
 Programs.  In  addition,  the bridge is home to a series of longstanding
 local businesses, many of which have served the community, and  contrib-
 uted  substantial  revenues  to the MTA, for multiple generations, while
 hard at work in their humble storefronts on top of the bridge.  In  2018
 the  bridge  was  saved  from  demolition by an earnest and professional
 partnership between the MTA, LIRR,  the  businesses  and  the  concerned
 community.   Stabilization of the structure was undertaken and now reha-
 bilitation is contemplated yet the metes and bounds  are  unclear.  This
 legislation  will  ensure that the character of the singularly important

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD05139-01-1

 A. 724                              2
 
 bridge and its footprint are protected and that the  bridge-based  busi-
 nesses are given a fair opportunity to continue, post rehabilitation.
   §  2.  Notwithstanding  any law to the contrary, prior to disposing of
 any asset owned, leased or otherwise controlled on or in  the  immediate
 vicinity  of the Lefferts Boulevard Bridge, the metropolitan transporta-
 tion authority, long island rail road,  or  any  of  their  subsidiaries
 shall  comply  with  subdivisions  1, 2, and 3 and paragraphs a and b of
 subdivision 6 of section 2897 of the public  authorities  law  and  also
 include the following provisions in any procurement or agreement related
 to such disposal:
   (a)  Offering  a  right  of first refusal to match the responsible bid
 considered most advantageous to the state  to  any  current  tenants  or
 lessees  or  sublessees  after fair market value is determined or public
 advertisement for bids has concluded;
   (b) Limiting potential future uses of the asset being disposed  of  to
 preserving  the  use,  height, bulk or floor area ratio, and parking for
 the term of any lease or sublease entered into pursuant to the disposal.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.