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Current as of January 01, 2026 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
As used in this article
1. “Public building” means any building or portion thereof, other than a privately owned residential structure, public housing structure, police, fire or correction structure, constructed wholly or partially with state or municipal funds, whether tax funds, funds obtained through bond issues or grants or loans under any state law, which is likely to be used by physically handicapped persons, including, but not limited to theaters, concert halls, auditoriums, museums, schools, libraries, recreation facilities, transportation terminals and stations, factories, office buildings and business establishments.
2. “State” shall mean the state of New York and any state board, bureau, commission, department, authority, division, officer or public benefit corporation.
3. “Municipality” or “Municipal” means a city, town, county, village, school district or special district as defined by section one hundred two of the real property tax law.
4. “Facilities” shall mean and include those facilities as defined in the provisions of the state building construction code relating to facilities for the physically handicapped.
5. “Physically handicapped” means
(a) impairment requiring confinement to a wheel chair; or
(b) impairment causing difficulty or insecurity in walking or climbing stairs or requiring the use of braces, crutches or other artificial supports; or impairment caused by amputation, arthritis, spastic condition or pulmonary, cardiac or other ills rendering the individual semi-ambulatory; or
(c) total or partial impairment of hearing or sight causing insecurity or likelihood of exposure to danger in public places; or
(d) impairment due to conditions of aging and incoordination.
6. “Reconstruction, rehabilitation, alteration or improvement” shall mean only that work which results in a substantial change in the structure or facilities of a public building and shall not include minor repairs necessary for ordinary maintenance.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - New York Consolidated Laws, Public Buildings Law - PBB § 50. Definitions - last updated January 01, 2026 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/public-buildings-law/pbb-sect-50/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
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