N.Y. Workers' Compensation Law § 81: Offices, lands, leaseholds and buildings

§ 81. Offices, lands, leaseholds and buildings. The commissioners, any

law to the contrary notwithstanding, (a) may lease, sub-lease, rent or

otherwise hire, on behalf of and in the sole name of the state insurance

fund and under such terms and conditions and for such period or periods

not in excess of ninety-nine years as in the judgment of the

commissioners may seem to the best interests of the fund, suitable

premises in the city of New York and in the city of Albany, and maintain

offices therein, and may in the same manner establish and maintain other

offices at such places in the state as may be required to properly and

conveniently transact the business of the fund and (b) the commissioners

may in the name of the state insurance fund, subject to the approval of

the superintendent of financial services as provided in section

eighty-seven of this article, out of its surplus, (1) acquire by

purchase or acquire by gift or devise and hold and convey land with or

without buildings or improvements thereon, or acquire by purchase,

sub-lease, assignment, transfer, gift, devise or in any other manner and

hold and convey any lease, sub-lease or leasehold of real property and

for any term of years not in excess of ninety-nine years, and (2)

construct a new building or buildings on such land or leasehold or

reconstruct or operate and maintain existing buildings, as the case may

be, with facilities and appurtenances to provide suitable office space

for the convenient transaction of the business of the state insurance

fund; and (c) notwithstanding the provisions of any general, special or

local law, the commissioners are authorized to rent any available space

in such premises, buildings or property not required by the state

insurance fund to private tenants or to public agencies, with or without

leases, upon such terms and rentals as the commissioners deem to be for

the best interests of the state insurance fund. The commissioners may

manage and operate such properties or leaseholds either by forces and

equipment of the fund or, with the approval of the director of the

budget, by contracting for the management and operation of such

properties or leaseholds with any person, firm or corporation that they

shall select and that is engaged in such business but no such contract

shall be made for a period in excess of five years, or by a combination

of such methods. The commissioners may, from time to time, enter into

agreements modifying any lease or leasehold made or acquired as above

provided. The obligation of the state insurance fund or any lease made,

modified or acquired or on any contract entered into pursuant to this

section shall not be limited by any provisions of section eighty-eight

of this article or of section one hundred sixty-one-a of the state

finance law. The commissioners may sue and be sued in the name of the

state insurance fund in any form of action or proceeding on all matters

relating to ownership, management, operation and control of any such

land and buildings or leaseholds and on all matters relating to its

rights and obligations under any lease, sub-lease, renting or hiring of

any such land and buildings and to its possession thereof and removal

therefrom.