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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.
g. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions b, c, d, e, and f of this section, in order that the state may reconstruct, modernize and rebuild some or all of the buildings and facilities of the Manhattan psychiatric center and the Kirby forensic psychiatric center on Ward's Island, and continue to maintain said hospitals, so as to furnish modern facilities for treatment and care of patients with mental illness of the metropolitan district and to benefit the health, welfare and safety of its residents, the city of New York is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement for the renewal or further extension of the lease 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 and chapter five hundred twenty-four of the laws of nineteen hundred sixty-two, for a period not exceeding fifty years beyond its present termination date with respect to any of the lands now occupied by or used in connection with the Manhattan psychiatric center, the Kirby forensic psychiatric center and related programs. Neither the provisions of section one hundred ninety-seven-c of the New York city charter, relating to a uniform land use review procedure, nor the provisions of any other local law of like or similar import shall apply to the renewal or extension of said lease.
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