For Release: Immediate, March 17, 2001

DASNY Sells Land to Rockland County Group for Recreation

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, a sale of 8.51 acres of Dormitory Authority-owned land to the Rockland Gaelic Athletic Association was completed, ensuring that the land will continue to be used for recreational activities. The land had been part of the Rockland Psychiatric Center campus.

"The Gaelic Athletic Association has been using these fields for cultural activities and sporting events for more than 25 years, and I'm delighted that they will continue to be used for many years to come," Governor George E. Pataki said in announcing the sale. "This is just one more example of how privatizing surplus State land can make our government more cost-efficient, while also creating new opportunities that benefit the local community."

As successor to the Facilities Development Corporation, the Dormitory Authority had jurisdiction of the property, and the statutory authority to sell it to Empire State Development. No bonds were outstanding, and the Authority established a sale price of $425,000 in cooperation with ESD. To protect the land as open space, the sale requires use of the property to be restricted to non-profit recreational usage now and in the future.

The Gaelic Athletic Association promotes Irish culture and sport in the United States. The Rockland chapter has more than 1,000 members, ages 8-21, in their countywide Gaelic Football program.

In 1997, the Governor announced that the State would seek to return unused State land to beneficial use. Since then, land has been sold around the state for business development, parks and local recreation, and schools. As the owner of record of property used by the State Office of Mental Health and the State Office for Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, the Dormitory Authority has participated in this effort, which has been led by Empire State Development.

To see the full text of Governor Pataki's press release on this event, go to http://www.state.ny.us/governor/press/year01/march16_2_01.htm.