Section 25-AA. Definitions  


Latest version.
  • As  used  in this article the following terms
      shall have the following meanings:
        (a) "Eligible building". A building or structure which is  located  in
      an eligible revitalization area and:
        (1)  is  eligible  to  obtain  benefits  under title two-D or two-F of
      article four of the real property tax  law,  or  would  be  eligible  to
      receive  benefits  under  such title except that such property is exempt
      from real property taxation and the requirements  of  paragraph  (b)  of
      subdivision seven of section four hundred eighty-nine-dddd of such title
      two-D,  or  the  requirements  of  subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (b) of
      subdivision five of section  four  hundred  eighty-nine-cccccc  of  such
      title  two-F, whichever is applicable, of the real property tax law have
      not been satisfied, provided that application for such benefits was made
      after the thirtieth day of June, nineteen hundred ninety-five and before
      the first day of July, two thousand ten, that construction or renovation
      of such building or structure was described in  such  application,  that
      such  building  or  structure  has  been  substantially improved by such
      construction  or  renovation,  and  (i)  that   the   minimum   required
      expenditure  as defined in such title has been made, or (ii) where there
      is  no  applicable  minimum  required  expenditure,  the  building   was
      constructed  within  such period or periods of time established by title
      two-D or two-F, whichever is applicable, of article  four  of  the  real
      property tax law for construction of a new building or structure; or
        (2)  has  obtained  approval after the thirtieth day of June, nineteen
      hundred ninety-five and before the first day of July, two thousand  ten,
      for  financing  by an industrial development agency established pursuant
      to article eighteen-A of the general municipal law, provided  that  such
      financing  has  been  used  in whole or in part to substantially improve
      such  building  or  structure  by  construction  or   renovation,   that
      expenditures  have  been  made for improvements to such real property in
      excess of twenty per centum of the value at which such real property was
      assessed for tax purposes for the tax year in  which  such  improvements
      commenced,  and  that such expenditures have been made within thirty-six
      months after the earlier of (i) the issuance by such agency of bonds for
      such financing, or (ii) the conveyance of  title  to  such  building  or
      structure to such agency; or
        (3)  is  owned  by  the  city  of New York or the New York state urban
      development corporation, or a subsidiary corporation  thereof,  a  lease
      for  which  was approved in accordance with the applicable provisions of
      the charter  of  such  city  or  by  the  board  of  directors  of  such
      corporation,  as  the  case may be, and such approval was obtained after
      the thirtieth day of June, nineteen hundred ninety-five and  before  the
      first  day  of  July,  two thousand ten, provided that expenditures have
      been made for improvements to such real property in excess of twenty per
      centum of the value at which such real property  was  assessed  for  tax
      purposes for the tax year in which such improvements commenced, and that
      such  expenditures  have  been  made  within thirty-six months after the
      effective date of such lease; or
        (4) is eligible to obtain benefits under title two-E of  article  four
      of  the  real property tax law, or would be eligible to receive benefits
      under such title except that such property is exempt from real  property
      taxation  and  the  requirements  of paragraph (b) of subdivision ten of
      section four hundred eighty-nine-ccccc of the real property tax law have
      not been satisfied, provided that application for such benefits was made
      after the thirtieth day of June, nineteen hundred ninety-five and before
      the first day of July, two  thousand  three,  that  renovation  of  such
      building  or  structure  was  described  in  such application, that such
      building  or  structure  has  been  substantially   improved   by   such
    
      renovation, and that the minimum required expenditure as defined in such
      title has been made.
        (b)  "Eligible charges" and "eligible public utility service charges".
      (1)(i) Eligible charges are charges made by  a  private  utility  to  an
      eligible  redistributor  of energy or a qualified eligible redistributor
      of energy for energy services purchased from such private utility  at  a
      rate  or  rates established pursuant to an order or rule of the New York
      state  public  service  commission  or  the  federal  energy  regulatory
      commission,  other  than  charges  for  the purchase of the commodity of
      electricity, and shall include applicable rate reductions  for  economic
      development or similar purposes, and all taxes payable thereon and shall
      exclude charges in accordance with paragraph two of this subdivision.
        (ii)  Eligible  public  utility service charges are actual charges for
      energy services made by a public utility service, and shall include  all
      taxes  payable  thereon,  and  shall  exclude  those charges excluded in
      accordance with paragraph two of this  subdivision,  provided,  however,
      that  the  department of business services of a city having a population
      of one million or more  may  by  rule  adjust  eligible  public  utility
      service  charges  for  purposes  of  adjusting  the special rebate based
      thereon to an amount that would be  comparable  to  the  special  rebate
      available to a comparable customer of a private utility as determined by
      such department.
        (2) Eligible charges and eligible public utility service charges shall
      not include charges related to: (i) energy services used by persons that
      are  not eligible revitalization area energy users, and (ii) any special
      charges on bills relating to such energy  services,  including  but  not
      limited   to   collection  charges,  late  payment  charges,  or  excess
      distribution charges.  Eligible  charges  and  eligible  public  utility
      service  charges  shall  include  charges  for  energy services used for
      common areas, systems and facilities of an eligible building meeting the
      criteria of paragraph one, two or  three  of  subdivision  (a)  of  this
      section  or  a  targeted  eligible  building  meeting  the  criteria  of
      paragraph one, two or three of subdivision (q) of this  section  to  the
      extent  such  common  areas,  systems or facilities are used by eligible
      revitalization area energy users, except that  charges  attributable  to
      other  users,  if  minor  and  incidental,  may  be included in eligible
      charges and eligible public utility  service  charges  for  such  common
      areas,  systems  and  facilities.  Eligible  charges and eligible public
      utility service charges shall not include charges  for  energy  services
      used  for  common  areas, systems and facilities of an eligible building
      meeting the criteria of  paragraph  four  of  subdivision  (a)  of  this
      section  or  a  targeted  eligible  building  meeting  the  criteria  of
      paragraph four of subdivision (q) of this  section  unless  such  common
      areas,  systems  and  facilities  are  separate  from  the common areas,
      systems  and  facilities  that  serve  that  portion  of  the  mixed-use
      property, as defined in title two-E of article four of the real property
      tax  law,  used  for residential purposes and serve only that portion of
      such mixed-use property used for commercial purposes.
        (c) "Eligible redistributor of energy". A person that owns  or  leases
      an  eligible  building,  or a portion thereof, and that purchases energy
      services on a metered basis from a private  utility  or  public  utility
      service, and (i) resells or otherwise redistributes such energy services
      to  one  or  more  eligible revitalization area energy users that occupy
      such building or structure or (ii) consumes or uses such energy services
      itself and qualifies as an eligible revitalization area energy  user  as
      defined  in  subdivision  (e) of this section, provided, however, that a
      person that owns or leases any portion of an eligible  building  meeting
      the  criteria of paragraph four of subdivision (a) of this section shall
    
      not be an eligible redistributor of energy unless that portion  of  such
      mixed-use  property,  as  defined  in title two-E of article four of the
      real property tax law, used for commercial purposes is metered  directly
      and separately from other portions of such mixed-use property.
        (d)  "Eligible  revitalization  area".  Any  area  of  a city having a
      population of one million or more, provided that in the city of New York
      the eligible revitalization area shall be the area  in  the  borough  of
      Manhattan  bounded  by  Murray  Street  on  the  north  starting  at the
      intersection of West Street and Murray Street;  running  easterly  along
      the center line of Murray Street; connecting through City Hall Park with
      the  center  line  of  Frankfort  Street  and running easterly along the
      center lines of Frankfort and Dover Streets to the intersection of Dover
      Street and South Street; running southerly  along  the  center  line  of
      South  Street  to  Peter  Minuit  Plaza; connecting through Peter Minuit
      Plaza to the center line of State Street and running northwesterly along
      the center line of State Street to the intersection of State Street  and
      Battery  Place;  running westerly along the center line of Battery Place
      to the intersection of  Battery  Place  and  West  Street;  and  running
      northerly  along  the  center line of West Street to the intersection of
      West Street and Murray Street. Any  tax  lot  which  is  partly  located
      inside  the  eligible revitalization area shall be deemed to be entirely
      located inside such area.
        (e) "Eligible  revitalization  area  energy  user".  Any  person  that
      purchases or otherwise receives energy services for its own use and that
      occupies,  operates  or  manages  premises  in  an  eligible building or
      targeted eligible  building,  provided  such  premises  are  metered  or
      submetered  as  required  in  the last sentence of this subdivision, but
      such term shall not include  a  person  that  (i)  occupies  residential
      space;  (ii)  is  engaged  primarily  in  manufacturing activity in such
      building; (iii) is a hospital; (iv) is a hotel; or (v)  occupies  retail
      space.  An  eligible  redistributor  of  energy  or a qualified eligible
      redistributor of energy is an eligible revitalization area  energy  user
      with  respect  to  (i)  vacant  premises  within an eligible building or
      targeted eligible building, which  premises  have  been  constructed  or
      renovated   by   such   redistributor   for  occupancy  by  an  eligible
      revitalization area energy user other than such redistributor,  provided
      such  vacant premises are metered or submetered in accordance with rules
      of such department of business services; and (ii) common areas,  systems
      and  facilities  to the extent such common areas, systems and facilities
      are used by eligible revitalization area energy  users.  Notwithstanding
      the  foregoing  provisions of this subdivision, a person shall not be an
      eligible revitalization area  energy  user  if  the  premises  occupied,
      operated or managed by such person (i) exceed the lesser of ten thousand
      contiguous square feet in area or the entire floor of a building and are
      not  individually  and accurately metered or submetered to determine the
      occupant's usage of energy services, or (ii) are located in that portion
      of mixed-use property, as defined in title two-E of article four of  the
      real property tax law, used for commercial purposes, and such portion is
      not  metered  directly  and  separately  from  other  portions  of  such
      mixed-use property.
        (f) "Energy services bill". A bill rendered for energy services, which
      shall include a bill for rent or similar charges for  the  occupancy  of
      premises  where  such  rent or similar charges include the use of energy
      services.
        (g) "Hotel". A building, or a portion thereof, which is regularly used
      and kept open as such for  the  lodging  of  guests.  The  term  "hotel"
      includes,  but  is not limited to, an apartment hotel, a motel, boarding
      house or club, whether or not meals are served.
    
        (h) "Hospital". A hospital as defined in section twenty-eight  hundred
      one of the public health law.
        (i)  "Manufacturing  activity".  An activity involving the assembly of
      goods to create a different article or the  processing,  fabrication  or
      packaging of goods.
        (j)  "Person".  Any individual, partnership, association, corporation,
      limited liability company, agency of the state  or  federal  government,
      public   benefit  corporation  or  instrumentality  of  such  agency  or
      corporation, estate or trust, and any combination of the foregoing.
        (k) "Private utility". A utility that provides energy services  within
      any  city having a population of one million or more, that is subject to
      the general jurisdiction and supervision of the New  York  state  public
      service  commission, and that is subject to a gross receipts tax imposed
      pursuant to the authority contained in subdivision (a) of section twelve
      hundred one of the tax law.
        (l) "Public  utility  service".  A  service  established  pursuant  to
      article  fourteen-A  of  the  general  municipal  law by a city having a
      population of one million or more.
        (m) "Qualified eligible redistributor of energy". A person  that  owns
      or  leases  a targeted eligible building, or a portion thereof, and that
      purchases energy services on a  metered  basis  from  a  public  utility
      service, and (i) resells or otherwise redistributes such energy services
      to  one  or  more  eligible revitalization area energy users that occupy
      such building or structure or (ii) consumes or uses such energy services
      itself and qualifies as an eligible revitalization area energy  user  as
      defined  in  subdivision  (e) of this section, provided, however, that a
      person that owns or leases any portion of a targeted  eligible  building
      meeting  the  criteria  of  paragraph  four  of  subdivision (q) of this
      section shall not be a qualified eligible redistributor of energy unless
      that portion of such mixed-use property, as defined in  title  two-E  of
      article  four of the real property tax law, used for commercial purposes
      is metered directly and separately from other portions of such mixed-use
      property.
        (n) "Retail space". Retail  space  other  than  space  occupied  by  a
      banker,  insurance  broker,  real  estate  broker,  stockbroker, lawyer,
      doctor, accountant, or any licensed professional designated by  rule  of
      such department of business services.
        (o)  "Special rebate". The amount of a reduction in an energy services
      bill rendered by a private utility  or  public  utility  service  to  an
      eligible  redistributor  of energy or a qualified eligible redistributor
      of energy, or an agent of either, and  calculated  as  a  percentage  of
      eligible charges or eligible public utility service charges as specified
      in section twenty-five-bb of this article.
        (p)  "Simple  payback period". The number of years necessary to recoup
      the cost of an energy conservation measure through  annual  energy  cost
      savings.
        (q)  "Targeted  eligible  building".  A building or structure which is
      located in an eligible revitalization area and:
        (1) is eligible to obtain benefits under title two-D of  article  four
      of  the  real property tax law, or would be eligible to receive benefits
      under such title except that such property is exempt from real  property
      taxation  and  the requirements of paragraph (b) of subdivision seven of
      section four hundred eighty-nine-dddd of the real property tax law  have
      not been satisfied, provided that application for such benefits was made
      after the thirtieth day of June, nineteen hundred ninety-five and before
      the  first  day  of  July,  two  thousand  three,  that  construction or
      renovation  of  such  building  or  structure  was  described  in   such
      application,  that  such  building  or  structure has been substantially
    
      improved by such construction or renovation,  and  (i)  that  twice  the
      minimum  required expenditure as defined in such title has been made, or
      (ii)  where  there  is  no  applicable  minimum  required   expenditure,
      expenditures  have  been  made for improvements to such real property in
      excess of forty per centum of the value at which such real property  was
      assessed  for  tax  purposes for the tax year in which such improvements
      commenced and the building has been constructed within  such  period  or
      periods  of  time established by title two-D of article four of the real
      property tax law for construction of a new building or structure; or
        (2) has obtained approval after the thirtieth day  of  June,  nineteen
      hundred  ninety-five  and  before  the  first  day of July, two thousand
      three, for financing by an  industrial  development  agency  established
      pursuant  to  article  eighteen-A of the general municipal law, provided
      that such financing has been used in whole or in part  to  substantially
      improve  such  building or structure by construction or renovation, that
      expenditures have been made for improvements to such  real  property  in
      excess  of forty per centum of the value at which such real property was
      assessed for tax purposes for the tax year in  which  such  improvements
      commenced,  and  that such expenditures have been made within thirty-six
      months after the earlier of (i) the issuance by such agency of bonds for
      such financing, or (ii) the conveyance of  title  to  such  building  or
      structure to such agency; or
        (3)  is  owned  by  the  city  of New York or the New York state urban
      development corporation, or a subsidiary corporation  thereof,  a  lease
      for  which  was approved in accordance with the applicable provisions of
      the charter  of  such  city  or  by  the  board  of  directors  of  such
      corporation,  as  the  case may be, and such approval was obtained after
      the thirtieth day of June, nineteen hundred ninety-five and  before  the
      first  day  of July, two thousand three, provided that expenditures have
      been made for improvements to such real property in excess of forty  per
      centum  of  the  value  at which such real property was assessed for tax
      purposes for the tax year in which such improvements commenced, and that
      such expenditures have been made  within  thirty-six  months  after  the
      effective date of such lease; or
        (4)  is  eligible to obtain benefits under title two-E of article four
      of the real property tax law, or would be eligible to  receive  benefits
      under  such title except that such property is exempt from real property
      taxation and the requirements of paragraph (b)  of  subdivision  ten  of
      section four hundred eighty-nine-ccccc of the real property tax law have
      not been satisfied, provided that application for such benefits was made
      after the thirtieth day of June, nineteen hundred ninety-five and before
      the  first  day  of  July,  two  thousand three, that renovation of such
      building or structure was  described  in  such  application,  that  such
      building   or   structure   has  been  substantially  improved  by  such
      renovation, and that twice the minimum required expenditure  as  defined
      in such title has been made.
        (r)   "Energy   services".   The   transmission  and  distribution  of
      electricity, and such other  services  that  are  associated  with  such
      transmission and distribution, as shall be designated as energy services
      by  rule  of  the  department  of  business  services of a city having a
      population of one million or more as such department deems necessary  to
      promote  economic  development,  provided that energy services shall not
      include the commodity of electricity.