What's happening
This bill authorizes New York City to grant park land easements for a new subway electrical substation, with requirements for parkland replacement or improvement.
Why it matters
Enables a key subway infrastructure upgrade. By allowing the construction of a new electrical substation beneath park land, this bill directly supports the expansion of subway service capacity (specifically for the A, C, and E lines), which could improve transit reliability and enable more frequent trains for thousands of daily riders.
Imposes requirements to protect park resources. The city must dedicate funds equal to or greater than the park land’s fair market value to acquire new park land and/or make capital improvements to existing parks in Manhattan, ensuring that the loss or disruption of park space is offset for the community.
Mandates community and federal safeguards. Before any park land is used, the city must comply with federal rules if federal funds were involved in the park's creation or maintenance, and after construction, the land must be restored for park use in consultation with the local community board, ensuring local and national oversight of public land changes.
Specifies both temporary and permanent impacts. The measure distinguishes between permanent subsurface easements (for ongoing infrastructure) and temporary surface easements (for construction staging), setting a strict time limit (45 months) on surface disruptions, which aims to minimize long-term interference with public park access.
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Who cares
Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York City Transit Authority
The bill would authorize parkland easements for construction of an underground electrical substation to power additional A, C and E subway trains.
New York City government
The city could grant the easements on terms it determines, conditioned on dedicating at least the discontinued parkland’s fair market value to park acquisitions or capital improvements in Manhattan.
Grand Canal Court park users and the local community board
Construction easements could last up to 45 months, and the MTA would have to restore the surface afterward in agreement with the city and in consultation with the community board.
A, C and E subway riders
The proposed substation would provide power to enable additional trains to operate on their lines.
Headline styles
Allow Subway Substation Under Park
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 26
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.308
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Home rule request
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.462
- Substituted for A7772A
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Home rule request
- Ordered to third reading cal.1620
Show 3 earlier actions
- Print number 6312a
- Amend and recommit to rules
- Referred to rules
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.
Allow Subway Under Park
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Deborah Glick
Full text
4 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6312--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 4, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KAVANAGH -- (at request of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority) -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to authorize the city of New York to discontinue the use as park land of a portion of real property in the county of New York and to grant easements
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, but notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the city of New York is hereby authorized to discontinue permanently the use as park land certain subsurface portions of the lands described in section three of this act and to discontinue temporarily the use as park land the lands described in section four of this act and to grant easements to such lands to the metropolitan transportation authority, upon such terms and conditions as the city shall determine, to enable the New York city transit authority, an affiliate of the metropolitan transportation authority, to use such lands for the construction of a new subsurface electrical substation adjacent to the existing tunnel of the A, C, E subway lines to provide power to enable additional subway trains to be operated.
§ 2. The authorizations 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 park lands being discontinued towards the acquisition of new park lands and/or capital improvements to existing park land and recreational facilities within the borough of Manhattan.
§ 3. The lands hereby authorized by section one of this act to be discontinued as park land and granted as a subsurface easement to the metropolitan transportation authority are located in the city, county
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09694-04-9
S. 6312--A 2
and state of New York in a park known as the grand canal court and are bounded and described as follows:
Permanent subsurface easement 1 on Tax Lot 33 in Block 227, Borough of Manhattan:
Beginning at a point (N=202372.05, E=982851.41)(NAD83/NAVD88) at the corner formed by the intersection of the northeasterly and northwesterly sidelines of Thompson Street, a variable width right of way, running thence,
1) Northwesterly along the said northeasterly sideline of Thompson Street 24.57' to a point in the same northeasterly sideline of Thompson Street, thence,
2) On a line having an interior angle of 41° 13' 15.92" with the previous course 28.15' to a point in the northwesterly sideline of Thompson Street, thence,
3) Along the northwesterly sideline of Thompson Street in a general southwesterly direction having an interior angle of 59° 08' 44.08" with the previous course 18.86' to the POINT and PLACE of the BEGINNING.
The easement described above has a height of 14.70'. The easement begins at an elevation of 4.70' (the park floor elevation is 6.00± to 8.00±) and runs to an elevation of -10.00'.
Said parcel containing 228 square feet of land more or less.
Permanent subsurface easement 2 on Tax Lot 33 in Block 227, Borough of Manhattan
Beginning at a point (N=202448.58, E=982829.32)(NAD83/NAVD88) in the easterly sideline of Avenue of the Americas, which point is 45.14' distant from the corner formed by the intersection of the northeasterly sideline of Thompson Street (a variable width of right of way) and the easterly sideline of the Avenue of the Americas, (100' wide), running thence,
1) Along the same easterly sideline of Avenue of the Americas in a general northerly direction 49.69' to a point, thence,
2) Southeasterly on a line having an interior angle of 74° 17' 10.43" with the previous course 38.86' to a point, thence,
3) In a general southwesterly direction on a line having an interior angle of 89° 30' 55.67" with the previous course 47.67' to a point, thence,
4) On a line having an interior angle of 91° 00' 50.94" with the previously mentioned course 25.00' to the POINT and PLACE of the BEGIN- NING.
The easement described above has a height of 16.34'. The easement begins at an elevation of 6.34' (the park floor elevation is 6.00± to 8.00±) and runs to an elevation of -10.00'.
Said parcel containing 1,524 square feet of land more or less.
Permanent subsurface easement 3 on Tax Lot 33 of Block 227, Borough of Manhattan:
Beginning at a point (N=202372.05', E=982851.41)(NAD83/NAVD88) at the corner formed by the intersection of the northeasterly and northwesterly sidelines of Thompson Street, a variable width right of way, running thence
1) Northwesterly along the said northeasterly sideline of Thompson Street 16.26' to a point on the same northerly sideline of Thompson Street, thence,
2) On a line in a general northerly direction having an interior angle of 130° 20' 24.62" with the previous course 66.50' to a point, thence,
3) On a line in a general easterly direction having right angles with the previous course 4.00' to a point, thence,
S. 6312--A 3
4) On a line in a general northerly direction having right angles with the previous course 19.80' to a point, thence,
5) On a line in a general westerly direction having right angles with the precious course 4.00' to a point, thence,
6) On a line in a general northerly direction having right angles with the previous course 25.87' to a point, thence,
7) On a line having an interior angle of 59° 57' 16.81" with the previous course 72.03' to a point on the northwesterly sideline of Thompson Street, thence,
8) Along the said northwesterly sideline of Thompson Street on a line having an interior angle of 90° 04' 18.57" with the previous course 100.00' to the POINT and PLACE of the BEGINNING.
The easement described above has a height of 55.00'. The easement begins at an elevation of -10.00' and runs to an elevation of -65.00'.
Said parcel containing 4,218 square feet of land more or less.
§ 4. The lands hereby authorized by section one of this act to be discontinued temporarily as park land and granted as a temporary easement for no more than forty-five (45) months to metropolitan transportation authority for use by the New York city transit authority in connection with the construction of the electrical substation are located in the city, county and state in New York in a park known as the grand canal court and are bounded and described as follows:
Temporary easement 1 on Tax Lot 33 in Block 227, Borough of Manhattan
Beginning at a point (N=202372.05, E=982851.41)(NAD83/NAVD88) at the corner formed by the intersection of the northeasterly and northwesterly sidelines of Thompson Street, a variable width right of way, running thence,
1) Northwesterly along the said northeasterly sideline of Thompson Street 24.57' to a point in the same northeasterly sideline of Thompson Street, thence,
2) On a line having an interior angle of 41° 13' 15.92" with the previous course 28.15' to a point in the northwesterly sideline of Thompson Street, thence,
3) Along the northwesterly sideline of Thompson Street in a general southwesterly direction having an interior angle of 59° 08' 44.08" with the previous course 18.86' to the POINT and PLACE of the BEGINNING.
Said parcel containing 228 square feet of land more or less.
Temporary easement 2 on Tax Lot 33 in Block 227, Borough of Manhattan
Beginning at a point (N=202448.58, E=982829.32)(NAD83/NAVD88) in the easterly sideline of Avenue of the Americas, which point is 45.14' distant from the corner formed by the intersection of the northeasterly sideline of Thompson Street (a variable width right of way) and easterly sideline of Avenue of the Americas, (100' wide), running thence,
1) Along the same easterly sideline of Avenue of the Americas in a general northerly direction 49.69' to a point, thence,
2) Southeasterly on a line having an interior angle of 74° 17' 10.43" with the previous course 38.86' to a point, thence,
3) In a general southwesterly direction on a line having an interior angle of 89° 30' 55.67" with the previous course 47.67' to a point, thence,
4) On a line having an interior angle of 91° 00' 50.94" with the previously mentioned course 25.00' to the POINT and PLACE of the BEGIN- NING.
Said parcel containing 1,524 square feet of land more or less.
Temporary easement 3 on Tax Lot 33 in Block 227, Borough of Manhattan
S. 6312--A 4
Beginning at a point (N=202388.89', E=982833.52)(NAD83/NAVD88), which is distant 24.57' northwesterly along the northeasterly sideline of Thompson Street from the corner formed by the intersection of the northeasterly and northwesterly sidelines of Thompson Street, a variable width right of way, running thence,
1) Northwesterly along the said northeasterly sideline of Thompson Street a distance of 24.19' to a point at the intersection of the northeasterly sideline of Thompson Street with the easterly side of the Avenue of the Americas, thence,
2) In a general northerly direction on a line forming an interior angle of 116° 00' 31" with the previous course 45.14' to a point,
3) In a general southeasterly direction on a line having an interior angle of 74° 48' 57.04" with the previous course 25.00' to a point, thence,
4) In a general northeasterly direction on a line having an exterior angle of 91° 00' 50.94" with the previous course 47.67' to a point, thence,
5) In a general southeasterly direction on a line having an interior angle of 90° 29' 04.33" with the previous course 34.67' to a point on the northwesterly sideline of Thompson Street, thence,
6) Along the northwesterly sideline of Thompson Street in a general southwesterly direction on a line having an interior angle of 90° 04' 18.57" with the previous course 81.14' to a point on the same northwesterly sideline of Thompson Street, thence,
7) In a general westerly direction on a line having an interior angle of 120° 51' 15.92" with the previous course 28.15' to the POINT and PLACE of BEGINNING.
Said parcel containing 4,002 square feet of land more or less.
§ 5. In the event that the city of New York received any funding, support or assistance from the federal government for the purchase, maintenance or improvement of the park lands set forth in sections three and four of this act, the discontinuance and alienation of such park land authorized by the provisions of this act shall not occur until the city of New York has complied with any federal requirements pertaining to the alienation or conversion of such park lands, including satisfying the secretary of the interior that the alienation or conversion complies 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 usefulness to the lands being alienated or converted.
§ 6. Upon the completion of construction, the metropolitan transportation authority shall, in agreement with the city of New York and in consultation with the local community board, restore the surface of the lands described in sections three and four of this act and the lands shall continue to be used for park purposes.
§ 7. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to authorize the city of New York to discontin- ue the use as park land of a portion of real property in the county of New York and to grant easements
Purpose of the bill
This bill would authorize the City of New York to alienate permanently certain parcels of land under the Grand' Canal Court Park and located at the corner of Thompson Street and Avenue of the Americas in lower Manhattan in order construct an electric power substation necessary to permit greater train efficiency on the 8s' Avenue line.
Summary of provisions
Bill section 1 would authorize the City of New York to grant to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority three permanent subsurface ease- ments below the subject area and three temporary easements to occupy and use the land for approximately forty-five months during which the New York City Transit Authority will construct an electrical power substation adjacent to the subway tunnel for the A, C, E subway lines (the 8th Ave. line) that will enable increased subway service on said line.
Bill section 2 makes the transfer contingent on the city acquiring substitute parkland of equal or greater value than the land so alien- ated.
Bill sections 3 and 4 establish the meets and bounds of the property where easements would be acquired.
Bill section 5 provides for compliance with federal law if any federal funding was used for purposes of the aforementioned property.
Bill section 6 provides that upon completion of the electrical substation the property will be restored in agreement with the city and in consultation with the Community Board.
Bill section 7 provides that the bill would take effect immediately.
Justification
Upgrades planned for the 8th Avenue line will permit the number of trains per hour along that line to be increased. A study was commis- sioned and found that several locations along the line require addi- tional electrical power for these upgrades to take place. One of those locations requiring additional electrical power was within the vicinity of the line's Canal Street Station. A scouting survey of the surrounding area concluded that the area described within this legislation was the most feasible location for an electrical power substation. This legis- lation is therefore necessary to provide for these important upgrades.
Prior legislative history
2018: A11187a, Rules (Glick) /S8784b, Kavanagh
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
The bill would take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.