§ 64 — State use of suitable buildings of historic, architectural or cultural significance

§ 64. State use of suitable buildings of historic, architectural or\ncultural significance. 1. The commissioner shall prepare and maintain\nlong range projections for the public building needs of state\ngovernment. In consultation with the state commissioner of parks and\nrecreation, the chairman of the state board for historic preservation\nand municipal preservation boards and commissions, the commissioner\nshall identify existing buildings within the state that (a) are of\nhistoric, architectural or cultural significance and (b) would be\nsuitable, whether or not in need of repair, alteration or addition, for\npurchase or lease to meet the public building needs of state government.\n 2. The commissioner of parks and recreation shall keep on file a list\nof all properties which are on the state register and which the owners\nof such properties have indicated are available for the purchase and/or\nlease by state agencies, or properties which have been brought to the\nattention of the commissioner of parks and recreation by their owners as\nbeing available for such purposes and have been determined by the\ncommissioner of parks and recreation to be eligible for listing on the\nstate register.\n 3. As early as may be practicable in the decision making process, in\naddition to any other requirements of law prior to the approval of\ncontracts or actions necessary to construct or acquire by purchase or\nlease for a period of one year or more building space for use by state\nagencies, the commissioner or chief executive officer of any state\nagency responsible for acquisition of space shall so notify and consult\nwith the commissioner of parks and recreation as to the existence and\navailability of historic properties listed on the state or national\nregister or determined by the commissioner of parks and recreation to be\neligible for listing on the state register and the suitability of these\nbuildings, whether or not in need of repair, alteration or addition, to\nmeet the public building needs of state government. The commissioner of\nthe office of parks and recreation shall report such notifications and\nconsultations to the state board for historic preservation. The\ncommissioner of general services and the chief executive officer of any\nother state agency shall give first priority to utilization of suitable\nbuildings of historic, architectural or cultural significance unless\nsuch space would not prove feasible, compatible with the intended\noperation of state business and prudent compared with available\nalternatives. The commissioner shall review and evaluate all timely and\ndocumented recommendations for using existing buildings of historic,\narchitectural or cultural significance within the geographically\nrelevant area. For purposes of this subdivision, "a geographically\nrelevant area" means those municipalities located in the area where the\nparticular public building need can be met.\n 4. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of parks\nand recreation, may by rule and regulation identify minor acquisition or\nlease actions or classes of such actions which because of the small\namount of space involved or other characteristics are not likely to have\na significant impact upon the public policy set forth in this article\nand such action or actions shall be exempt from the provisions of this\nsubdivision. The provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to the\nacquisition or lease of building space when the commissioner makes an\nexplicit finding that an immediate acquisition or lease of building\nspace is required by public necessity.\n 5. The commissioner in consultation with the commissioner of parks\nand recreation shall adopt such procedures and rules and regulations as\nare necessary to carry out the requirements of this section.\n