2006 New York Code - Ward\'s And Randall\'s Islands; Development Into Park.

 
    § 18-130 Ward's and Randall's islands; development into park. a. There
  being  a shortage of parks and park areas within the city to provide the
  necessary facilities for  fresh  air  and  recreation  for  the  growing
  population  of  such  city  and  more  particularly for residents of the
  boroughs  of  Manhattan,  Bronx  and  Queens;  and  the   creation   and
  establishment  of  such parks being essential to the health, comfort and
  welfare  of  the  citizens  of  the  state;  and  it  appearing  to  the
  legislature  to  be  necessary and proper that city parks be created and
  established on the islands known as Ward's and  Randall's,  within  such
  city,  and  that  the inmates and patients in the various state and city
  institutions now located on such islands be removed therefrom, excepting
  the lands on Ward's island presently occupied  by  the  Manhattan  state
  hospital  other  than parcels one and two hereinafter described and that
  the buildings and structures of such institutions be demolished for  the
  purpose of such parks; the provisions hereinafter prescribed are enacted
  and  their  necessity  in  the  public  interest is hereby declared as a
  matter of legislative determination.
    b. In order that the state may reconstruct, modernize and rebuild some
  or all of the building and facilities of  Manhattan  state  hospital  on
  Ward's  island, and continue to maintain such hospital, so as to furnish
  modern facilities for treatment and  care  of  mental  patients  of  the
  metropolitan  district  to  the  benefit  of  its residents, the city is
  hereby authorized to extend the lease executed between the city and  the
  state  of  New  York  pursuant  to the provisions of chapter one hundred
  thirty-nine of the laws of nineteen hundred and  eight,  as  amended  by
  chapter  six  hundred  ninety-six  of  the  laws of nineteen hundred and
  thirteen, for a period not exceeding  fifty  years  beyond  its  present
  termination date with respect to any or all of the lands now occupied by
  or  used  in  connection  with Manhattan state hospital on Ward's island
  except the lands hereinafter described as parcel one and parcel two. The
  department of mental health is hereby directed to remove  the  remaining
  inmates on or before April seventh, nineteen hundred fifty-nine from all
  the  buildings  of  the Manhattan state hospital located on that part of
  Ward's island described as follows:
    PARCEL 1
    Beginning at the intersection of the shore line of Harlem  River  with
  the  northerly boundary line of property in the southwest portion of the
  island, now under the jurisdiction of the Department  of  Parks  of  the
  City  of New York, which boundary line was established by the consent of
  the Governor, dated April 20, 1938, pursuant to Chapter 23 of  the  laws
  of  1938,  and  filed  in  the Department of Parks and the Department of
  Mental Health, as shown on map entitled "Index  Map  of  Wards  Island",
  dated  April  28,  1936  accompanying  said  consent,  thence  generally
  easterly along said boundary line to its intersection with the  westerly
  line  of  the  right-of-way  of  the Triborough Bridge; thence generally
  northerly along said westerly right-of-way line to its intersection with
  the southwesterly line of Morgan Avenue; thence northwesterly along  the
  southwesterly  line  of  Morgan  Avenue  to  its  intersection  with the
  southeasterly line of Scholer Street;  thence  southwesterly  along  the
  southeasterly line of Scholer Street to its intersection with a straight
  line  which  is  25 feet southwesterly from and parallel to Building No.
  103; thence northwesterly along said line to its intersection  with  the
  shore line of Harlem River; thence southwesterly along the shore line of
  Harlem River to the point or place of beginning.
    PARCEL 2
    Beginning at the intersection of the westerly line of the right-of-way
  of  the  New York Connecting Railroad with the shore line of Little Hell
  Gate as shown on the map referred  to  in  Parcel  1,  thence  generally


  southerly along said westerly right-of-way line to its intersection with
  the  shore line of the East River; thence southwesterly along said shore
  line of the East River to its intersection with the  northerly  boundary
  line of park property in the southwest portion of the island, as defined
  in  Parcel 1; thence generally northwesterly along said boundary line to
  its intersection with the easterly  line  of  the  right-of-way  of  the
  Triborough  Bridge;  thence  generally  northerly  along  said  easterly
  right-of-way line to its intersection with  the  northeasterly  line  of
  Morgan  Avenue; thence southeasterly, generally, along the northeasterly
  line of Morgan Avenue to its intersection with the southeasterly line of
  Macy Avenue; thence northeasterly along the southeasterly line  of  Macy
  Avenue  and  its prolongation to its intersection with the southeasterly
  prolongation  of  the  northeasterly  line  of  Pinel   Avenue;   thence
  northwesterly  along  the  northeasterly  line  of  Pinel  Avenue to its
  intersection with the northeasterly line  of  the  cinder  road  on  the
  northeast side of Buildings Nos. 95, 96, 97 and 98; thence northwesterly
  along  said  northeasterly line of said cinder road as prolonged, to its
  intersection  with  the  easterly  line  of  the  right-of-way  of   the
  Triborough  Bridge;  thence  generally  northerly  along  said  easterly
  right-of-way line to its intersection with the shore line of Little Hell
  Gate; thence easterly along said shore line to the  point  or  place  of
  beginning, and such property and equipment used in or in connection with
  such  hospital,  as it may desire, to the Pilgrim state hospital on Long
  Island, or to  other  state  hospitals,  in  which  it  shall  establish
  suitable  quarters  and  accommodations  for them, within the amounts of
  appropriations made for such  purpose  by  the  legislature.  The  lease
  heretofore  executed  between  the city of New York and the state of New
  York, pursuant to the provisions of chapter one hundred  thirty-nine  of
  the  laws  of  nineteen hundred eight, as amended by chapter six hundred
  ninety-six of the laws of nineteen hundred  thirteen,  shall  be  deemed
  terminated  within  the  meaning and intent of such lease and statute to
  the extent that such  lease  relates  to  that  part  of  Ward's  island
  hereinabove described, when the governor shall certify in writing to the
  mayor   that   such   inmates,  property  and  equipment  have  been  so
  transferred, and that the buildings  and  structures  on  Ward's  island
  within the above described area are no longer necessary for the purposes
  of the Manhattan state hospital.
    c. The city shall proceed as soon as possible after the governor shall
  have so certified to the mayor, as hereinbefore provided, to raze all of
  the  buildings, structures and other improvements of the Manhattan state
  hospital and all other structures, buildings and  improvements  on  that
  part  of Ward's island described in subdivision b, except those required
  for park purposes, and except those connected with  the  present  bridge
  now  owned by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company, now
  located at Ward's island and those  connected  with  the  proposed  city
  sewage  disposal  plant as authorized by chapter six hundred eighty-nine
  of the laws of nineteen  hundred  twenty-seven  and  the  structures  of
  Triborough  Bridge  and  Tunnel Authority. The city may, however, at any
  time prior to such certification by the governor, commence the  work  of
  transforming the above described part of the island into a city park and
  of   razing   all  or  such  part  of  such  buildings,  structures  and
  improvements as may no longer be  required  for  the  purposes  of  such
  hospital,  if  the  governor  consents  thereto in writing. Such consent
  shall specify generally what work is consented to and specifically  what
  buildings,  structures and improvements, or parts thereof, may be razed.
  Copies of each such consent shall be filed with the department of  parks
  and  recreation  of  the  city  and  the department of mental health. No
  structure, building or improvement shall be erected by the city  or  the


  state  on  Ward's  island,  except  such  as are necessary to the proper
  functioning of the Manhattan  state  hospital  or  to  the  purposes  or
  functions  of the sewage disposal plant, established by the city on such
  island, pursuant to the provisions of chapter six hundred eighty-nine of
  the  laws  of  nineteen  hundred  twenty-seven, or except such as may be
  necessary  for  the  construction,   reconstruction,   maintenance   and
  operation  of  the structures of Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority,
  or the present bridge now owned by the New York, New Haven and  Hartford
  Railroad  Company, now located on Ward's island or except such as may be
  consented to by the governor as hereinbefore provided.
    d. When the buildings and structures of the Manhattan  state  hospital
  affected  by  this  section  shall  have  been  removed  as hereinbefore
  provided, all of  Randall's  island  and  that  part  of  Ward's  island
  described  in subdivision b shall be devoted exclusively to the purposes
  of city parks; and the city is hereby directed  to  transform  the  same
  into parks as soon thereafter as possible, and the same shall henceforth
  be  used  for  no other purposes. There shall be excluded, however, from
  the operation of  this  section  all  of  the  land  necessary  for  the
  continuance  of  the railroad bridge on such islands, the land necessary
  for the city  sewage  disposal  plant,  established  by  such  city,  as
  authorized  by  chapter  six hundred eighty-nine of the laws of nineteen
  hundred twenty-seven, and the land deemed necessary  by  the  Triborough
  Bridge  and  Tunnel  Authority  for  the  construction,  reconstruction,
  maintenance and operation of the structures  of  Triborough  Bridge  and
  Tunnel  Authority,  provided,  however,  that there shall be provided by
  such city convenient means of access  from  such  Triborough  Bridge  at
  convenient  locations  to  such  parks  located  on  such  islands,  and
  convenient connections between the two islands.
    e. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions b, c and d, the city
  is hereby authorized to lease to the people of the state of New York the
  lands on Ward's island hereinafter described by amending  the  extension
  of lease dated December eleventh, nineteen hundred fifty-three, executed
  between  the  city of New York and the state of New York pursuant to the
  provisions of chapter one hundred one of the laws  of  nineteen  hundred
  fifty-two,  so  as to include such lands within the terms and provisions
  of such extension of lease.
    Beginning at a point on the  southeasterly  line  of  Scholer  Street,
  where it would be intersected by the continuation easterly in a straight
  line  of  the  northerly boundary line of "Parcel 1A" as released to the
  City of New York by the consent of the Governor dated January 18,  1950;
  thence  continuing  generally  easterly  along  the further prolongation
  easterly of said boundary line to its  intersection  with  the  westerly
  line  of  the  right-of-way  of  the Triborough Bridge; thence generally
  northerly along said westerly right-of-way line to its intersection with
  the southwesterly line of Morgan Avenue; thence northwesterly along  the
  southwesterly  line  of  Morgan  Avenue  to  its  intersection  with the
  southeasterly line of Scholer Street;  thence  southwesterly  along  the
  southeasterly  line of Scholer Street to the point or place of beginning
  of the parcel herein described.
    f. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions b, c, d, and e,  the
  city  is  hereby  authorized  to lease to the people of the state of New
  York, the lands on Ward's island hereinafter described by  amending  the
  extension  of  lease  dated  December tenth, nineteen hundred sixty-two,
  executed between the city and the state of  New  York  pursuant  to  the
  provisions  of chapter five hundred twenty-three of the laws of nineteen
  hundred sixty-two, so as to include such  lands  within  the  terms  and
  provisions of such extension of lease.


    All  that land now used by the city department of parks and recreation
  on the southeasterly portion of Ward's island and generally  bounded  by
  the  Triborough  Bridge  right-of-way on the west, the shore line of the
  Hell Gate channel of the East River on the south and southeast  and  the
  lands  under lease to the state of New York for Manhattan state hospital
  on the northeast and north, constituting 24 acres, more or less.