State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > New-york > Lie > Article-1 > 2

§  2.  Definitions.  1.  Lienor.  The term "lienor," when used in this  chapter, means any person having a lien upon property by virtue  of  its  provisions, and includes his successor in interest.    2. Real property. The term "real property," when used in this chapter,  includes  real estate, lands, tenements and hereditaments, corporeal and  incorporeal, fixtures, and all bridges and trestle work, and  structures  connected  therewith,  erected  for the use of railroads, and all oil or  gas wells and structures and fixtures connected therewith, and any lease  of oil lands or other right to operate for the production of oil or  gas  upon  such  lands,  and  the  right  of  franchise  granted  by a public  corporation for the use of the streets or public places thereof, and all  structures placed thereon for the use of such right or franchise.    3. Owner. The term "owner," when used in this  chapter,  includes  the  owner in fee of real property, or of a less estate therein, a lessee for  a  term  of  years,  a  vendee  in  possession  under a contract for the  purchase of such real property, and all persons having any right,  title  or  interest in such real property, which may be sold under an execution  in pursuance of the provisions of statutes relating to  the  enforcement  of  liens  of  judgment,  and  all persons having any right or franchise  granted by a public corporation to use the  streets  and  public  places  thereof,  and any right, title or interest in and to such franchise. The  purchaser of real property at a statutory  or  judicial  sale  shall  be  deemed the owner thereof from the time of such sale. If the purchaser at  such  sale  fails to complete the purchase, pursuant to the terms of the  sale, all liens created by his consent after such sale shall be  a  lien  on any deposit made by him and not on the real property sold.    4.  Improvement.  The  term  "improvement," when used in this chapter,  includes the demolition, erection, alteration or repair of any structure  upon, connected with, or beneath the surface of, any real  property  and  any  work  done  upon  such  property  or  materials  furnished  for its  permanent improvement, and shall also include any work done or materials  furnished in equipping any such structure with any chandeliers, brackets  or other fixtures or apparatus for supplying gas or electric  light  and  shall also include the drawing by any architect or engineer or surveyor,  of any plans or specifications or survey, which are prepared for or used  in  connection with such improvement and shall also include the value of  materials actually manufactured  for  but  not  delivered  to  the  real  property,  and  shall  also  include the reasonable rental value for the  period of actual use of machinery, tools and equipment and the value  of  compressed gases furnished for welding or cutting in connection with the  demolition, erection, alteration or repair of any real property, and the  value  of  fuel  and  lubricants  consumed by machinery operating on the  improvement, or by motor vehicles owned, operated or controlled  by  the  owner, or a contractor or subcontractor while engaged exclusively in the  transportation  of materials to or from the improvement for the purposes  thereof and shall also include the performance of real estate  brokerage  services  in  obtaining  a lessee for a term of more than three years of  all or any part of real property to be used for other  than  residential  purposes  pursuant  to  a  written  contract  of brokerage employment or  compensation.    5. Cost of improvement. The term "cost of improvement," when  used  in  this  chapter,  means  expenditures  incurred by the owner in paying the  claims  of  a  contractor,  an  architect,  engineer  or   surveyor,   a  subcontractor,  laborer and materialman, arising out of the improvement,  and in paying the amount of  taxes  based  on  payrolls  including  such  persons  and  withheld or required to be withheld and taxes based on the  purchase price or  value  of  materials  or  equipment  required  to  be  installed  or  furnished  in  connection  with  the  performance  of theimprovement, payment of  taxes  and  unemployment  insurance  and  other  contributions  due  by  reason  of  the employment out of which any such  claim arose, and payment of any benefits  or  wage  supplements  or  the  amounts  necessary to provide such benefits or furnish such supplements,  to the extent that the owner,  as  employer,  is  obligated  to  pay  or  provide  such  benefits  or furnish such supplements by any agreement to  which he is a party, and shall also include  fair  and  reasonable  sums  paid  for  obtaining building loan and subsequent financing, premiums on  bond or bonds filed pursuant to section thirty-seven of this chapter  or  required  by  any  such  building  loan  contract  or by any lease to be  mortgaged  pursuant  thereto,  or  required  by  any  mortgage   to   be  subordinated  to  the  building loan mortgage, premiums on bond or bonds  filed to discharge liens, sums paid to take by assignment prior existing  mortgages, which are consolidated with building loan mortgages and  also  the interest charges on such mortgages, sums paid to discharge or reduce  the  indebtedness under mortgages and accrued interest thereon and other  encumbrances upon real estate existing prior to the time when  the  lien  provided for in this chapter may attach, sums paid to discharge building  loan  mortgages  whenever  recorded,  taxes, assessments and water rents  existing prior to the commencement of the improvement,  and  also  those  accruing  during the making of the improvement, and interest on building  loan mortgages, ground rent and premiums on insurance likewise  accruing  during the making of the improvement. The application of the proceeds of  any  building loan mortgage or other mortgage to reimburse the owner for  any payments made  for  any  of  the  above  mentioned  items  for  said  improvement  prior to the date of the initial advance received under the  building loan mortgage or other  mortgage  shall  be  deemed  to  be  an  expenditure within the "cost of improvement" as above defined; provided,  however, such payments are itemized in the building loan contract and/or  other  mortgage  other  than  a  building  loan  mortgage,  and provided  further, that the payments have been made subsequent to the commencement  of the improvement.    5-a. Benefits and  wage  supplements.  The  term  "benefits  and  wage  supplements"  as  used  in  this  chapter  means  all  remuneration  for  employment paid in any medium other  than  cash,  or  reimbursement  for  expenses,  or  any  payments which are not "wages" within the meaning of  the   law,   including,   but   not   limited   to,   health,   welfare,  non-occupational  disability, retirement, vacation benefits, holiday pay  and life insurance.    6. Public corporation. The term "public  corporation,"  when  used  in  this chapter, means a municipal corporation or a district corporation or  a public benefit corporation as such corporations are defined in section  three of the general corporation law.    7.  Public  improvement.  The  term "public improvement," when used in  this chapter, means an improvement of any real property belonging to the  state or a public corporation; however, if the beneficial interest of an  improvement is in an entity other than the state or a public corporation  notwithstanding legal title being vested in  an  industrial  development  agency  created  under  article eighteen-A of the general municipal law,  then such  improvement  shall  be  considered  an  improvement  of  real  property  subject  to  mechanics'  liens on real property as provided in  section three of this chapter. Nothing contained in this  section  shall  create  or  be  deemed  to  create  any  liability  upon  any industrial  development agency for the payment of the cost of  any  improvement,  or  otherwise.  For  the  purposes  of this subdivision the term "beneficial  interest" shall mean  the  beneficial  incidents  of  ownership  of  the  improvement  to include, but not be limited to, the right to possession,  the right to claim tax benefits, if any, and the right  to  purchase  orsecure  title  to  the  improvement pursuant to an executory contract of  sale, option agreement or lease.    8.  Improvement  of  real  property.  The  term  "improvement  of real  property," when used in this chapter,  means  any  improvement  of  real  property not belonging to the state or a public corporation.    9. Contractor. The term "contractor," when used in this chapter, means  a  person who enters into a contract with the owner of real property for  the improvement thereof, or with the state or a public corporation for a  public improvement.    10. Subcontractor. The term "subcontractor" when used in this chapter,  means a person who enters into a contract with a contractor and/or  with  a subcontractor for the improvement of such real property or such public  improvement  or  with  a  person who has contracted with or through such  contractor for the performance of his contract or any part thereof.    11. Laborer. The term "laborer," when used in this chapter, means  any  person who performs labor or services upon such improvement.    12.  Materialman.  The  term  "materialman" when used in this chapter,  means any person who furnishes material or the use of machinery,  tools,  or  equipment,  or  compressed  gases for welding or cutting, or fuel or  lubricants for the operation of machinery or motor vehicles,  either  to  an  owner,  contractor  or  subcontractor, for, or in the prosecution of  such improvement.    The  expression  "furnishes  material"  or  other  similar  expression  wherever  used  in this chapter, shall be deemed to mean and include the  reasonable rental value for the period of actual use of machinery, tools  or equipment, and the value of compressed gases furnished for welding or  cutting, and the value of fuel  and  lubricants  consumed  by  machinery  operating  on, or by motor vehicles owned, operated or controlled by the  owner, or a contractor or subcontractor while engaged exclusively in the  transportation of materials to or from the improvement for the  purposes  thereof.    13.  Building  loan  contract. The term "building loan contract," when  used in this chapter, means a contract whereby a party thereto, in  this  chapter  termed  "lender," in consideration of the express promise of an  owner to make an improvement upon real property, agrees to make advances  to or for the account of such owner to be secured by a mortgage on  such  real  property,  whether  such advances represent moneys to be loaned or  represent moneys to be paid in purchasing from or in  selling  for  such  owner  bonds  or  certificates  secured  by such mortgage upon such real  property, providing, however, nothing herein contained shall  be  deemed  to  construe as a building loan contract a preliminary application for a  building loan made by  such  owner  and  accepted  by  such  lender  if,  pursuant to such application and acceptance, a building loan contract is  thereafter  entered  into  between the owner and the lender and filed as  provided in section twenty-two of this chapter.    14. Building loan mortgage. The term "building  loan  mortgage,"  when  used  in this chapter, means a mortgage made pursuant to a building loan  contract and includes an agreement wherein and whereby a  building  loan  mortgage is consolidated with existing mortgages so as to constitute one  lien upon the mortgaged property.    15.  Subsequent financing. By the term "subsequent financing" is meant  moneys borrowed upon the security of the improvement after the recording  of a building loan contract and/or mortgage other than a  building  loan  mortgage  upon  the premises to be improved and within four months after  the completion thereof.    16. Prior mortgage. By the term "prior mortgage" is meant  a  mortgage  on  real property and/or leasehold recorded prior to the commencement of  an improvement thereon.17. Consideration. The term "consideration" when used in this chapter,  includes real property as defined in section two  hereof,  and  personal  property  as  defined in section thirty-nine of the general construction  law.    18.  Advances. The term "advances" when used in this chapter, includes  money, real property as defined in section two  hereof  and/or  personal  property  as  defined in section thirty-nine of the general construction  law.    19. Funds. The term "funds" when used in this chapter, includes money,  real property as defined in section two hereof and/or personal  property  as defined in section thirty-nine of the general construction law.    20. Persons. The term "persons" when used in this chapter, includes an  individual, partnership, association, trust or corporation.

State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > New-york > Lie > Article-1 > 2

§  2.  Definitions.  1.  Lienor.  The term "lienor," when used in this  chapter, means any person having a lien upon property by virtue  of  its  provisions, and includes his successor in interest.    2. Real property. The term "real property," when used in this chapter,  includes  real estate, lands, tenements and hereditaments, corporeal and  incorporeal, fixtures, and all bridges and trestle work, and  structures  connected  therewith,  erected  for the use of railroads, and all oil or  gas wells and structures and fixtures connected therewith, and any lease  of oil lands or other right to operate for the production of oil or  gas  upon  such  lands,  and  the  right  of  franchise  granted  by a public  corporation for the use of the streets or public places thereof, and all  structures placed thereon for the use of such right or franchise.    3. Owner. The term "owner," when used in this  chapter,  includes  the  owner in fee of real property, or of a less estate therein, a lessee for  a  term  of  years,  a  vendee  in  possession  under a contract for the  purchase of such real property, and all persons having any right,  title  or  interest in such real property, which may be sold under an execution  in pursuance of the provisions of statutes relating to  the  enforcement  of  liens  of  judgment,  and  all persons having any right or franchise  granted by a public corporation to use the  streets  and  public  places  thereof,  and any right, title or interest in and to such franchise. The  purchaser of real property at a statutory  or  judicial  sale  shall  be  deemed the owner thereof from the time of such sale. If the purchaser at  such  sale  fails to complete the purchase, pursuant to the terms of the  sale, all liens created by his consent after such sale shall be  a  lien  on any deposit made by him and not on the real property sold.    4.  Improvement.  The  term  "improvement," when used in this chapter,  includes the demolition, erection, alteration or repair of any structure  upon, connected with, or beneath the surface of, any real  property  and  any  work  done  upon  such  property  or  materials  furnished  for its  permanent improvement, and shall also include any work done or materials  furnished in equipping any such structure with any chandeliers, brackets  or other fixtures or apparatus for supplying gas or electric  light  and  shall also include the drawing by any architect or engineer or surveyor,  of any plans or specifications or survey, which are prepared for or used  in  connection with such improvement and shall also include the value of  materials actually manufactured  for  but  not  delivered  to  the  real  property,  and  shall  also  include the reasonable rental value for the  period of actual use of machinery, tools and equipment and the value  of  compressed gases furnished for welding or cutting in connection with the  demolition, erection, alteration or repair of any real property, and the  value  of  fuel  and  lubricants  consumed by machinery operating on the  improvement, or by motor vehicles owned, operated or controlled  by  the  owner, or a contractor or subcontractor while engaged exclusively in the  transportation  of materials to or from the improvement for the purposes  thereof and shall also include the performance of real estate  brokerage  services  in  obtaining  a lessee for a term of more than three years of  all or any part of real property to be used for other  than  residential  purposes  pursuant  to  a  written  contract  of brokerage employment or  compensation.    5. Cost of improvement. The term "cost of improvement," when  used  in  this  chapter,  means  expenditures  incurred by the owner in paying the  claims  of  a  contractor,  an  architect,  engineer  or   surveyor,   a  subcontractor,  laborer and materialman, arising out of the improvement,  and in paying the amount of  taxes  based  on  payrolls  including  such  persons  and  withheld or required to be withheld and taxes based on the  purchase price or  value  of  materials  or  equipment  required  to  be  installed  or  furnished  in  connection  with  the  performance  of theimprovement, payment of  taxes  and  unemployment  insurance  and  other  contributions  due  by  reason  of  the employment out of which any such  claim arose, and payment of any benefits  or  wage  supplements  or  the  amounts  necessary to provide such benefits or furnish such supplements,  to the extent that the owner,  as  employer,  is  obligated  to  pay  or  provide  such  benefits  or furnish such supplements by any agreement to  which he is a party, and shall also include  fair  and  reasonable  sums  paid  for  obtaining building loan and subsequent financing, premiums on  bond or bonds filed pursuant to section thirty-seven of this chapter  or  required  by  any  such  building  loan  contract  or by any lease to be  mortgaged  pursuant  thereto,  or  required  by  any  mortgage   to   be  subordinated  to  the  building loan mortgage, premiums on bond or bonds  filed to discharge liens, sums paid to take by assignment prior existing  mortgages, which are consolidated with building loan mortgages and  also  the interest charges on such mortgages, sums paid to discharge or reduce  the  indebtedness under mortgages and accrued interest thereon and other  encumbrances upon real estate existing prior to the time when  the  lien  provided for in this chapter may attach, sums paid to discharge building  loan  mortgages  whenever  recorded,  taxes, assessments and water rents  existing prior to the commencement of the improvement,  and  also  those  accruing  during the making of the improvement, and interest on building  loan mortgages, ground rent and premiums on insurance likewise  accruing  during the making of the improvement. The application of the proceeds of  any  building loan mortgage or other mortgage to reimburse the owner for  any payments made  for  any  of  the  above  mentioned  items  for  said  improvement  prior to the date of the initial advance received under the  building loan mortgage or other  mortgage  shall  be  deemed  to  be  an  expenditure within the "cost of improvement" as above defined; provided,  however, such payments are itemized in the building loan contract and/or  other  mortgage  other  than  a  building  loan  mortgage,  and provided  further, that the payments have been made subsequent to the commencement  of the improvement.    5-a. Benefits and  wage  supplements.  The  term  "benefits  and  wage  supplements"  as  used  in  this  chapter  means  all  remuneration  for  employment paid in any medium other  than  cash,  or  reimbursement  for  expenses,  or  any  payments which are not "wages" within the meaning of  the   law,   including,   but   not   limited   to,   health,   welfare,  non-occupational  disability, retirement, vacation benefits, holiday pay  and life insurance.    6. Public corporation. The term "public  corporation,"  when  used  in  this chapter, means a municipal corporation or a district corporation or  a public benefit corporation as such corporations are defined in section  three of the general corporation law.    7.  Public  improvement.  The  term "public improvement," when used in  this chapter, means an improvement of any real property belonging to the  state or a public corporation; however, if the beneficial interest of an  improvement is in an entity other than the state or a public corporation  notwithstanding legal title being vested in  an  industrial  development  agency  created  under  article eighteen-A of the general municipal law,  then such  improvement  shall  be  considered  an  improvement  of  real  property  subject  to  mechanics'  liens on real property as provided in  section three of this chapter. Nothing contained in this  section  shall  create  or  be  deemed  to  create  any  liability  upon  any industrial  development agency for the payment of the cost of  any  improvement,  or  otherwise.  For  the  purposes  of this subdivision the term "beneficial  interest" shall mean  the  beneficial  incidents  of  ownership  of  the  improvement  to include, but not be limited to, the right to possession,  the right to claim tax benefits, if any, and the right  to  purchase  orsecure  title  to  the  improvement pursuant to an executory contract of  sale, option agreement or lease.    8.  Improvement  of  real  property.  The  term  "improvement  of real  property," when used in this chapter,  means  any  improvement  of  real  property not belonging to the state or a public corporation.    9. Contractor. The term "contractor," when used in this chapter, means  a  person who enters into a contract with the owner of real property for  the improvement thereof, or with the state or a public corporation for a  public improvement.    10. Subcontractor. The term "subcontractor" when used in this chapter,  means a person who enters into a contract with a contractor and/or  with  a subcontractor for the improvement of such real property or such public  improvement  or  with  a  person who has contracted with or through such  contractor for the performance of his contract or any part thereof.    11. Laborer. The term "laborer," when used in this chapter, means  any  person who performs labor or services upon such improvement.    12.  Materialman.  The  term  "materialman" when used in this chapter,  means any person who furnishes material or the use of machinery,  tools,  or  equipment,  or  compressed  gases for welding or cutting, or fuel or  lubricants for the operation of machinery or motor vehicles,  either  to  an  owner,  contractor  or  subcontractor, for, or in the prosecution of  such improvement.    The  expression  "furnishes  material"  or  other  similar  expression  wherever  used  in this chapter, shall be deemed to mean and include the  reasonable rental value for the period of actual use of machinery, tools  or equipment, and the value of compressed gases furnished for welding or  cutting, and the value of fuel  and  lubricants  consumed  by  machinery  operating  on, or by motor vehicles owned, operated or controlled by the  owner, or a contractor or subcontractor while engaged exclusively in the  transportation of materials to or from the improvement for the  purposes  thereof.    13.  Building  loan  contract. The term "building loan contract," when  used in this chapter, means a contract whereby a party thereto, in  this  chapter  termed  "lender," in consideration of the express promise of an  owner to make an improvement upon real property, agrees to make advances  to or for the account of such owner to be secured by a mortgage on  such  real  property,  whether  such advances represent moneys to be loaned or  represent moneys to be paid in purchasing from or in  selling  for  such  owner  bonds  or  certificates  secured  by such mortgage upon such real  property, providing, however, nothing herein contained shall  be  deemed  to  construe as a building loan contract a preliminary application for a  building loan made by  such  owner  and  accepted  by  such  lender  if,  pursuant to such application and acceptance, a building loan contract is  thereafter  entered  into  between the owner and the lender and filed as  provided in section twenty-two of this chapter.    14. Building loan mortgage. The term "building  loan  mortgage,"  when  used  in this chapter, means a mortgage made pursuant to a building loan  contract and includes an agreement wherein and whereby a  building  loan  mortgage is consolidated with existing mortgages so as to constitute one  lien upon the mortgaged property.    15.  Subsequent financing. By the term "subsequent financing" is meant  moneys borrowed upon the security of the improvement after the recording  of a building loan contract and/or mortgage other than a  building  loan  mortgage  upon  the premises to be improved and within four months after  the completion thereof.    16. Prior mortgage. By the term "prior mortgage" is meant  a  mortgage  on  real property and/or leasehold recorded prior to the commencement of  an improvement thereon.17. Consideration. The term "consideration" when used in this chapter,  includes real property as defined in section two  hereof,  and  personal  property  as  defined in section thirty-nine of the general construction  law.    18.  Advances. The term "advances" when used in this chapter, includes  money, real property as defined in section two  hereof  and/or  personal  property  as  defined in section thirty-nine of the general construction  law.    19. Funds. The term "funds" when used in this chapter, includes money,  real property as defined in section two hereof and/or personal  property  as defined in section thirty-nine of the general construction law.    20. Persons. The term "persons" when used in this chapter, includes an  individual, partnership, association, trust or corporation.

State Codes and Statutes

State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > New-york > Lie > Article-1 > 2

§  2.  Definitions.  1.  Lienor.  The term "lienor," when used in this  chapter, means any person having a lien upon property by virtue  of  its  provisions, and includes his successor in interest.    2. Real property. The term "real property," when used in this chapter,  includes  real estate, lands, tenements and hereditaments, corporeal and  incorporeal, fixtures, and all bridges and trestle work, and  structures  connected  therewith,  erected  for the use of railroads, and all oil or  gas wells and structures and fixtures connected therewith, and any lease  of oil lands or other right to operate for the production of oil or  gas  upon  such  lands,  and  the  right  of  franchise  granted  by a public  corporation for the use of the streets or public places thereof, and all  structures placed thereon for the use of such right or franchise.    3. Owner. The term "owner," when used in this  chapter,  includes  the  owner in fee of real property, or of a less estate therein, a lessee for  a  term  of  years,  a  vendee  in  possession  under a contract for the  purchase of such real property, and all persons having any right,  title  or  interest in such real property, which may be sold under an execution  in pursuance of the provisions of statutes relating to  the  enforcement  of  liens  of  judgment,  and  all persons having any right or franchise  granted by a public corporation to use the  streets  and  public  places  thereof,  and any right, title or interest in and to such franchise. The  purchaser of real property at a statutory  or  judicial  sale  shall  be  deemed the owner thereof from the time of such sale. If the purchaser at  such  sale  fails to complete the purchase, pursuant to the terms of the  sale, all liens created by his consent after such sale shall be  a  lien  on any deposit made by him and not on the real property sold.    4.  Improvement.  The  term  "improvement," when used in this chapter,  includes the demolition, erection, alteration or repair of any structure  upon, connected with, or beneath the surface of, any real  property  and  any  work  done  upon  such  property  or  materials  furnished  for its  permanent improvement, and shall also include any work done or materials  furnished in equipping any such structure with any chandeliers, brackets  or other fixtures or apparatus for supplying gas or electric  light  and  shall also include the drawing by any architect or engineer or surveyor,  of any plans or specifications or survey, which are prepared for or used  in  connection with such improvement and shall also include the value of  materials actually manufactured  for  but  not  delivered  to  the  real  property,  and  shall  also  include the reasonable rental value for the  period of actual use of machinery, tools and equipment and the value  of  compressed gases furnished for welding or cutting in connection with the  demolition, erection, alteration or repair of any real property, and the  value  of  fuel  and  lubricants  consumed by machinery operating on the  improvement, or by motor vehicles owned, operated or controlled  by  the  owner, or a contractor or subcontractor while engaged exclusively in the  transportation  of materials to or from the improvement for the purposes  thereof and shall also include the performance of real estate  brokerage  services  in  obtaining  a lessee for a term of more than three years of  all or any part of real property to be used for other  than  residential  purposes  pursuant  to  a  written  contract  of brokerage employment or  compensation.    5. Cost of improvement. The term "cost of improvement," when  used  in  this  chapter,  means  expenditures  incurred by the owner in paying the  claims  of  a  contractor,  an  architect,  engineer  or   surveyor,   a  subcontractor,  laborer and materialman, arising out of the improvement,  and in paying the amount of  taxes  based  on  payrolls  including  such  persons  and  withheld or required to be withheld and taxes based on the  purchase price or  value  of  materials  or  equipment  required  to  be  installed  or  furnished  in  connection  with  the  performance  of theimprovement, payment of  taxes  and  unemployment  insurance  and  other  contributions  due  by  reason  of  the employment out of which any such  claim arose, and payment of any benefits  or  wage  supplements  or  the  amounts  necessary to provide such benefits or furnish such supplements,  to the extent that the owner,  as  employer,  is  obligated  to  pay  or  provide  such  benefits  or furnish such supplements by any agreement to  which he is a party, and shall also include  fair  and  reasonable  sums  paid  for  obtaining building loan and subsequent financing, premiums on  bond or bonds filed pursuant to section thirty-seven of this chapter  or  required  by  any  such  building  loan  contract  or by any lease to be  mortgaged  pursuant  thereto,  or  required  by  any  mortgage   to   be  subordinated  to  the  building loan mortgage, premiums on bond or bonds  filed to discharge liens, sums paid to take by assignment prior existing  mortgages, which are consolidated with building loan mortgages and  also  the interest charges on such mortgages, sums paid to discharge or reduce  the  indebtedness under mortgages and accrued interest thereon and other  encumbrances upon real estate existing prior to the time when  the  lien  provided for in this chapter may attach, sums paid to discharge building  loan  mortgages  whenever  recorded,  taxes, assessments and water rents  existing prior to the commencement of the improvement,  and  also  those  accruing  during the making of the improvement, and interest on building  loan mortgages, ground rent and premiums on insurance likewise  accruing  during the making of the improvement. The application of the proceeds of  any  building loan mortgage or other mortgage to reimburse the owner for  any payments made  for  any  of  the  above  mentioned  items  for  said  improvement  prior to the date of the initial advance received under the  building loan mortgage or other  mortgage  shall  be  deemed  to  be  an  expenditure within the "cost of improvement" as above defined; provided,  however, such payments are itemized in the building loan contract and/or  other  mortgage  other  than  a  building  loan  mortgage,  and provided  further, that the payments have been made subsequent to the commencement  of the improvement.    5-a. Benefits and  wage  supplements.  The  term  "benefits  and  wage  supplements"  as  used  in  this  chapter  means  all  remuneration  for  employment paid in any medium other  than  cash,  or  reimbursement  for  expenses,  or  any  payments which are not "wages" within the meaning of  the   law,   including,   but   not   limited   to,   health,   welfare,  non-occupational  disability, retirement, vacation benefits, holiday pay  and life insurance.    6. Public corporation. The term "public  corporation,"  when  used  in  this chapter, means a municipal corporation or a district corporation or  a public benefit corporation as such corporations are defined in section  three of the general corporation law.    7.  Public  improvement.  The  term "public improvement," when used in  this chapter, means an improvement of any real property belonging to the  state or a public corporation; however, if the beneficial interest of an  improvement is in an entity other than the state or a public corporation  notwithstanding legal title being vested in  an  industrial  development  agency  created  under  article eighteen-A of the general municipal law,  then such  improvement  shall  be  considered  an  improvement  of  real  property  subject  to  mechanics'  liens on real property as provided in  section three of this chapter. Nothing contained in this  section  shall  create  or  be  deemed  to  create  any  liability  upon  any industrial  development agency for the payment of the cost of  any  improvement,  or  otherwise.  For  the  purposes  of this subdivision the term "beneficial  interest" shall mean  the  beneficial  incidents  of  ownership  of  the  improvement  to include, but not be limited to, the right to possession,  the right to claim tax benefits, if any, and the right  to  purchase  orsecure  title  to  the  improvement pursuant to an executory contract of  sale, option agreement or lease.    8.  Improvement  of  real  property.  The  term  "improvement  of real  property," when used in this chapter,  means  any  improvement  of  real  property not belonging to the state or a public corporation.    9. Contractor. The term "contractor," when used in this chapter, means  a  person who enters into a contract with the owner of real property for  the improvement thereof, or with the state or a public corporation for a  public improvement.    10. Subcontractor. The term "subcontractor" when used in this chapter,  means a person who enters into a contract with a contractor and/or  with  a subcontractor for the improvement of such real property or such public  improvement  or  with  a  person who has contracted with or through such  contractor for the performance of his contract or any part thereof.    11. Laborer. The term "laborer," when used in this chapter, means  any  person who performs labor or services upon such improvement.    12.  Materialman.  The  term  "materialman" when used in this chapter,  means any person who furnishes material or the use of machinery,  tools,  or  equipment,  or  compressed  gases for welding or cutting, or fuel or  lubricants for the operation of machinery or motor vehicles,  either  to  an  owner,  contractor  or  subcontractor, for, or in the prosecution of  such improvement.    The  expression  "furnishes  material"  or  other  similar  expression  wherever  used  in this chapter, shall be deemed to mean and include the  reasonable rental value for the period of actual use of machinery, tools  or equipment, and the value of compressed gases furnished for welding or  cutting, and the value of fuel  and  lubricants  consumed  by  machinery  operating  on, or by motor vehicles owned, operated or controlled by the  owner, or a contractor or subcontractor while engaged exclusively in the  transportation of materials to or from the improvement for the  purposes  thereof.    13.  Building  loan  contract. The term "building loan contract," when  used in this chapter, means a contract whereby a party thereto, in  this  chapter  termed  "lender," in consideration of the express promise of an  owner to make an improvement upon real property, agrees to make advances  to or for the account of such owner to be secured by a mortgage on  such  real  property,  whether  such advances represent moneys to be loaned or  represent moneys to be paid in purchasing from or in  selling  for  such  owner  bonds  or  certificates  secured  by such mortgage upon such real  property, providing, however, nothing herein contained shall  be  deemed  to  construe as a building loan contract a preliminary application for a  building loan made by  such  owner  and  accepted  by  such  lender  if,  pursuant to such application and acceptance, a building loan contract is  thereafter  entered  into  between the owner and the lender and filed as  provided in section twenty-two of this chapter.    14. Building loan mortgage. The term "building  loan  mortgage,"  when  used  in this chapter, means a mortgage made pursuant to a building loan  contract and includes an agreement wherein and whereby a  building  loan  mortgage is consolidated with existing mortgages so as to constitute one  lien upon the mortgaged property.    15.  Subsequent financing. By the term "subsequent financing" is meant  moneys borrowed upon the security of the improvement after the recording  of a building loan contract and/or mortgage other than a  building  loan  mortgage  upon  the premises to be improved and within four months after  the completion thereof.    16. Prior mortgage. By the term "prior mortgage" is meant  a  mortgage  on  real property and/or leasehold recorded prior to the commencement of  an improvement thereon.17. Consideration. The term "consideration" when used in this chapter,  includes real property as defined in section two  hereof,  and  personal  property  as  defined in section thirty-nine of the general construction  law.    18.  Advances. The term "advances" when used in this chapter, includes  money, real property as defined in section two  hereof  and/or  personal  property  as  defined in section thirty-nine of the general construction  law.    19. Funds. The term "funds" when used in this chapter, includes money,  real property as defined in section two hereof and/or personal  property  as defined in section thirty-nine of the general construction law.    20. Persons. The term "persons" when used in this chapter, includes an  individual, partnership, association, trust or corporation.