Pennsylvania Act 1994-153 — LAND ACQUISTION - MASONIC TEMPLE AND SCOTTISH RITE CATHEDRAL, CITY OF SCRANTON

Act text

LAND ACQUISTION - MASONIC TEMPLE AND SCOTTISH RITE CATHEDRAL, CITY OF
                                 SCRANTON
                 Act of Dec. 23, 1994, P.L. 1335, No. 153             Cl. 85
                                  AN ACT

     Authorizing the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to
        acquire, for a nominal sum or gift, on behalf of the
        Commonwealth, the Masonic Temple and Scottish Rite Cathedral
        to be operated as a cultural center for the City of Scranton;
        providing for their restoration and renovation; and
        authorizing agreements for the administration thereof.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

     Section 1.  Masonic Temple and Scottish Rite Cathedral of
                    Scranton.
        (a)  Acquisition.--Notwithstanding the provisions of 37
     Pa.C.S. (relating to historical and museums), the Pennsylvania
     Historical and Museum Commission is hereby authorized, empowered
     and directed to acquire as a gift or for a nominal consideration
     in the name of the Commonwealth the Masonic Temple and Scottish
     Rite Cathedral located in the City of Scranton, Lackawanna
     County.
        (b)  Title.--The deed of conveyance for the property shall
     transfer to the Commonwealth a fee simple determinable with a
     possibility of reverter conditioned upon the repayment in full
     of all indebtedness authorized in section 3(7)(iii) of the act
     of December 28, 1992 (P.L.1694, No.188), known as the Capital
     Budget Project Itemization Act of 1991-1992, as evidenced by the
     recordation in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Lackawanna
     County of a notarized certification by the Secretary of the
     Budget that the indebtedness has been fully repaid.
        (c)  Easements and leases.--The conveyance shall be made
     under and subject to all easements, servitudes and rights of
     others, including, but not limited to, rights of telephone,
     telegraph, water, electric, sewer, gas or pipeline companies, as
     well as under and subject to any interest, estate or tenancies
     vested in third persons, whether or not appearing of record, for
     any portion of the land, including specifically a lease from the
     association to the cultural center and a sublease from the
     cultural center to the association, the terms of which lease and
     sublease shall be substantially the same as those contained in
     the lease and sublease between the association and the cultural
     center dated December 27, 1989, so as to assure that the
     property will be maintained and utilized as a cultural center
     for the Greater Scranton area for at least the next 70 years.
        (d)  Restoration and maintenance.--Upon acquisition, the
     Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is directed to
     restore, renovate, improve and maintain or contract for the
     restoration, renovation, improvement and maintenance of the
     Masonic Temple.
        (e)  Supervision and management.--The Pennsylvania Historical
     and Museum Commission is authorized to enter into an agreement
     with the association whereby the association shall have
     possession and administration of the Masonic Temple to be
     operated in conjunction with the Scranton Cultural Center at the
     Masonic Temple as a cultural center for the City of Scranton.
     The agreement shall establish the terms of possession in the
     form of a lease acceptable to both parties. The agreement shall
     contain a covenant of the association to maintain the property
     and thereby promote the cultural life and livelihood of the
     citizens of the City of Scranton and the surrounding area of the
     city.
        (f)  Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
     words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
     subsection:
        "Association."  The Masonic Temple and Scottish Rite
     Cathedral Association.
        "Cultural Center."  The Scranton Cultural Center at the
     Masonic Temple.
        "Property."  The Masonic Temple.
     Section 2.  Effective date.
        This act shall take effect immediately.