What's happening
This bill authorizes New York City to discontinue use of the Marx Brothers playground as parkland to allow construction of a combined occupancy building, provided replacement parkland or improvements are made.
Why it matters
Sets a precedent for converting parkland to other uses. By allowing parkland to be discontinued for a building project, the bill could influence how other park spaces are treated in future development decisions, raising questions about the balance between open space and urban development.
Requires compensation in the form of new or improved parkland. The city must dedicate funds equal to or greater than the value of the lost parkland toward acquiring new parks or upgrading existing recreational facilities in Manhattan, potentially leading to broader park improvements but also shifting park resources geographically.
Includes safeguards for federally funded parks. If the playground received federal Land and Water Conservation Fund money, the city must meet strict federal standards for replacing lost parkland, ensuring no net loss in recreational value or space, and adding an extra layer of public oversight.
Could affect neighborhood character and community resources. The change may alter access to green space for local residents, impacting community well-being and the availability of outdoor recreation, especially in densely populated areas with limited parkland.
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Who cares
Headline styles
End Park Status for Playground
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Approval memo.10
- Signed chap.402
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–1
- 3rd reading cal.2187
- Substituted for S6721
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Home rule request
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.576
Show 5 earlier actions
- Rules report cal.576
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to cities
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
End Marx Brothers Parkland
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor José M. Serrano
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8419
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
June 14, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. BENEDETTO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Cities
AN ACT in relation to authorizing discontinuance of the use as parkland of land in the city of New York commonly known as the Marx Brothers playground
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subject to the provisions of this act, the city of New York, acting by and through the department of parks and recreation and the department of education of such city, is hereby authorized to discontinue the use as parkland of the land described in section three of this act, commonly known as the Marx Brothers playground, and to transfer such land to the New York city educational construction fund to permit the construction of a combined occupancy structure, as that term is defined in section 452 of the education law upon such terms and conditions as shall be agreed upon between the parties.
§ 2. The authorization provided in section one of this act shall be effective only upon the condition that the city of New York dedicates an amount equal to or greater than the fair market value of the parklands being discontinued towards the acquisition of new parklands and/or towards capital improvements to existing parkland and recreational facilities within the borough of Manhattan.
§ 3. The lands authorized by section one of this act to be discontinued as parkland are bounded and described as follows: All that tract or parcel of land situate in the City of New York, County of New York, and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a point formed by the intersection of the easterly line of Second Avenue (100' wide right of way), with the southerly line of East 97th Street (66' wide right of way), and from said point of beginning running thence; 1. along the said southerly line of East 97th Street, south 61 degrees 00 minutes 41 seconds east, a distance of 319.00 feet
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13085-03-7
A. 8419 2
to a point, thence; 2. through the lands of Lot 1, Block 1668, south 28 degrees 59 minutes 19 seconds west, a distance of 201.83 feet to a point on the northerly line of East 96th Street (100' wide right of way), thence; 3. along the said northerly line, north 61 degrees 00 minutes 41 seconds west, a distance of 319.00 feet to a point formed by the intersection of said northerly line of East 96th Street with the said easterly line of Second Avenue, thence; 4. along the said easterly line of Second Avenue, north 28 degrees 59 minutes 19 seconds east, a distance of 201.83 feet to a point and place of beginning, containing 64,384 square feet or 1.478 acres.
§ 4. If the parkland that is described in section three of this act has received funding pursuant to the federal land and water conservation fund, the discontinuance of parkland authorized by section one of this act shall not occur until the city of New York has complied with the federal requirements pertaining to the conversion of parklands, including satisfying the secretary of the interior that the discontinuance with all conditions which the secretary of the interior deems necessary to assure the substitution of other lands shall be equivalent in fair market value and recreational usefulness to the lands being discontinued.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.