N.Y. EDN Law § 2557

§ 2557. Purchase and sale of real property. The board of education\nmay purchase real property for any of the purposes authorized by law and\nshall take title thereof in the name of the city, which shall hold said\nproperty in trust for the use of such school district and the city is\nhereby empowered to sell and convey the same when it deems it for the\ninterest of such school district, and when the owner of such property\nrefuses to sell the same or such board is unable to agree with the owner\nof such property on the purchase price thereof, it shall have the power\nand authority to institute such proceedings and take any action\nnecessary to acquire title to such property under and pursuant to the\nprovisions of the eminent domain procedure law, except that in a city\nin which the common council, board of contract and supply or other city\nofficers or body were authorized and empowered by law to acquire title\nto real property for school purposes under the laws in force on June\neighth, nineteen hundred seventeen, said council, board, officers or\nbody shall continue to possess such powers and shall exercise the same,\nincluding the power to acquire real property for said purposes except\nfurther that such real property shall be acquired pursuant to the\neminent domain procedure law.\n