(b) For the purpose of this section "city" means the city of New York.

(b-1) For the purposes of this section, "rail freight facility" shall mean, but shall not be limited to, railroad rights-of-way, beds, bridges, viaducts, tracks, switches and any other attendant structure, facility, fixture or property necessary or appropriate for rail freight transportation conducted in conjunction with industrial, commercial, manufacturing, or warehousing operations solely for the purpose of providing or improving freight rail service between an industrial or commercial facility or group of such facilities in physical proximity to one another and a main line railroad track, freight yard or other means of connection to main line railroad facilities; provided, however, that (i) with respect to any rail freight facility project the New York City Industrial Development Agency shall be restricted solely to the provision of financial assistance for such rail freight facility; (ii) that the project may not include any main line track (except to the extent that the project may include replacement of the amount of main line track used for passenger and/or freight service required to provide a suitable connection), any passenger facilities of any kind, or any rights-of-way, bridges or viaducts used for any purpose other than the rail transportation of freight from the industrial, commercial, manufacturing or warehousing facility or facilities to be served by the rail service to the main line track or other freight facility, provided, however, that nothing herein shall prohibit the project from including bridges or viaducts with separate provision for pedestrian traffic when it is determined that a separate pedestrian walkway is necessary or desirable for safety purposes; (iii) prior to undertaking the financing of any rail freight facility the New York City Industrial Development Agency shall submit a written description of such rail freight facility project to the commissioner of transportation who shall, within thirty days of receipt of such description, provide written comments on such project to the New York City Industrial Development Agency; and (iv) the New York City Industrial Development Agency shall not enter into any contract for providing financial assistance to such rail freight facility project until the earlier of either the date on which the New York City Industrial Development Agency addresses the comments of the commissioner of transportation to the satisfaction of such commissioner, or, if such commissioner has not submitted written comments, forty-five days after the New York City Industrial Development Authority submitted the written project description required by paragraph (iii) of this subdivision.

(c) For the benefit of the city and the inhabitants thereof an industrial development agency, to be known as the New York City Industrial Development Agency, is hereby established for the accomplishment of any or all of the purposes specified in title one of article eighteen-A of this chapter, except that it shall not have the power to construct or rehabilitate any residential facility or housing of any nature and kind whatsoever, nor shall it use any of its funds to further the construction or rehabilitation of any residential facility or housing of any nature and kind whatsoever. It shall constitute a body corporate and politic, and be perpetual in duration. It shall only have the powers and duties conferred by title one of article eighteen-A of this chapter upon industrial development agencies as of January 1, 1973 except that it shall have the power to finance a rail freight facility and it shall not have the power of condemnation. In the exercise of the powers conferred upon such agency with respect to the acquisition of real property by article eighteen-A of this chapter such agency shall be limited to the geographical jurisdictional limits of the city.

(d) It shall be organized in a manner prescribed by and be subject to the provisions of title one of article eighteen-A of this chapter, except that its board shall consist of fifteen members. Among its membership shall be the city comptroller, the city administrator of the economic development administration, the corporation counsel of such city and the chairman of the city planning commission of such city, each of whom shall have the power to designate an alternate to represent them at board meetings with all the rights and powers, including the right to vote, reserved to all board members, provided that such designation be in writing to the chairman of the board. Six of the remaining eleven members shall be appointed by the mayor of such city upon consultation with the economic development council, business and labor organizations and elected officials and five shall be appointed by the mayor upon designation by the borough improvement boards of such city, one member from each borough.

(e) The Mayor shall designate the chairman of the board, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor.

(f) The terms of the directors first appointed by the Mayor, other than the chairman of the board shall be as follows: four shall serve for terms of one year each, two of whom shall have been designated by the borough improvement boards; three shall serve for terms of two years each, two of whom shall have been designated by the borough improvements boards; three shall serve for terms of three years each, one of whom shall have been designated by the borough improvement boards; thereafter the successors of all ten such directors shall serve for terms of three years each. The Mayor shall fill any vacancy which may occur by reason of death, resignation, or otherwise in a manner consistent with the original appointment. Members may be removed by the Mayor for cause after a hearing upon ten days' written notice. Such members shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be entitled to the necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, incurred in the discharge of their duties.

(g) The chief executive officer of the agency shall be appointed by a two-thirds vote of the board of directors.

(h) The agency, its members, officers, and employees, shall be subject to article fourteen of the civil service law and for all such purposes the agency shall be deemed the "public employer" and its members, officers and employees shall be deemed "public employees"; provided, however, that chapter fifty-four of the New York City Charter, chapter fifty-four of the Administrative Code of the City of New York, and executive order number fifty-two dated September twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred sixty-seven, issued by the Mayor of the City, shall apply to the agency, its members, officers and employees except that section eight of said executive order shall not be applicable. The agency shall establish general and special grievances as defined in chapter fifty-four of the Administrative Code of the City except as otherwise provided in collective bargaining agreements.

(i) The City shall have the power to make, or contract to make grants or loans, including but not limited to grants or loans of money, to the agency in such amounts, upon such terms and conditions and for such period or periods of time as in the judgment of the City and the agency are necessary or appropriate for the accomplishment of any of the purposes of the agency.

(j) The city shall have the power to condemn property for transfer to the New York City Industrial Development Agency under title one of article eighteen-A of this chapter upon the request of two-thirds of the members of the Board of Directors of the New York city industrial development agency. No property shall be condemned on behalf of the agency which is zoned "residential" as defined in the zoning resolution of the city, or which is occupied in whole or in part as a dwelling or residence.

(k) For the purpose of this section "governing body" as used in such title one of article eighteen-A of this chapter shall mean the Mayor of the City. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the agency, its members, officers and employees, and its operations and activities shall be governed by the provisions of title one of article eighteen-A of this chapter.

(l) The city shall save harmless and indemnify any person who is serving or has served as a director or officer or as employee of the New York City Industrial Development Agency against any financial loss arising out of or in connection with any claim, demand, suit or judgment, based on a cause of action involving allegations that pecuniary harm was sustained by any person as a result of any transaction, act or omission to act of the Industrial Development Agency or of any action or inaction or vote of any director, officer or employee of such Agency unless such individual is found by a final judicial determination not to have acted in good faith for a purpose he reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Agency or not to have had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was lawful. Provided, however, that such individual must transmit to the corporation counsel of the city of New York any notice of claim, summons or complaint or other analogous paper served on him within ten days of its receipt unless prevented from doing so by compelling circumstances. The corporation counsel shall, without charge, represent any such individual unless unable to do so by reason of conflict of interest. In the event that the corporation counsel is unable to give such representation, the city of New York shall indemnify the individual for any reasonable litigation expense incurred by him. * NB Agency expires per §§ 856 and 882 * NB There are 2 § 917's