The Authority shall make [or] direct the preparation of plans and designs of buildings for schools, health facilities, offices, headquarters, courts, warehouses, workshops and any other physical facilities related to government services, as well as buildings or developments in those localities and in such a manner as the Authority may deem necessary and desirable and which seek to contribute to the public purpose of assisting the different departments, agencies, instrumentalities, authorities, public corporations and municipalities of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to the performance of their governmental functions. The Authority may own, finance, acquire, dispose of, lease, sublease, sell, transfer, design, develop, build, operate, maintain, repair, replace, administer, market, improve and promote, by itself or by means of contracts with third parties, the use of the space in said facilities or parts thereof; but such leases shall be with the Commonwealth or any of the departments, agencies, instrumentalities, authorities, public corporations or municipalities of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Provided, however, That the Authority may execute contracts with private entities concerning the ownership, financing, acquisition, leasing, subleasing, sale, transfer, design, development, construction, operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, administration, marketing, improvement, promotion or any other type of disposal of the facilities of the Authority, subject to the resolution of the Governing Board as to whether such activity seeks to contribute to the public end of giving assistance to the different departments, agencies, instrumentalities, authorities, public corporations and municipalities of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for carrying out their governmental functions; and Provided, That, in the case of the leasing or sub-leasing of such facilities or parts thereof, the latter may not be used for political activities. The Authority shall obtain the written advice and consent of the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico, for any juridical businesses it is interested in carrying out with government or private entities, over any property whose rent is committed for guaranteeing the service of the debt on any bond issue.
Upon request of the Secretary of Education, the Authority shall further make or cause to be prepared plans and designs of school buildings and accessory facilities, and shall construct such buildings and facilities using the funds that the Secretary of Education may transfer to it from the funds appropriated for such purposes. The same shall be used by the Department of Education for educational purposes. Provided, That in those schools that are owned by the Public Buildings Authority, the structural repairs and improvements and the maintenance of the common areas, restrooms and mechanical equipment shall be carried by the Authority. Said maintenance does not include cleaning or janitorial work in the schools.
The plans and designs for health facilities shall be prepared under the direction and supervision of the Public Buildings Authority in coordination with the Secretary of Health or his/her authorized representative, who shall have the final authority for their approval.
History —June 19, 1958, No. 56, p. 120, § 2; June 13, 1961, No. 51, p. 87, § 1; June 20, 1966, No. 79, p. 239, § 1; June 26, 1971, No. 119, p. 365; July 14, 1973, No. 6, p. 831, § 2; July 23, 1974, No. 228, Part 2, p. 177, § 1; May 16, 2006, No. 97, § 3; Aug. 31, 2006, No. 177, § 1.