NEW YORK CITY
                          INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

                                       AND

            THE EQUITABLE LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES
                                       and
                   EQUITABLE VARIABLE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY,
                                   as Lessees


          ------------------------------------------------------------

             AMENDED AND RESTATED LEASE AGREEMENT (PROJECT PROPERTY)
          ------------------------------------------------------------


                             Dated as of May 1, 1996

                   New York City Industrial Development Agency
        The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States Project




                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                    ARTICLE I
                         Definitions and Representations

Section 1.1.  Definitions
Section 1.2.  Construction
Section 1.3.  Representations and Warranties by Agency
Section 1.4.  Findings by Agency
Section 1.5.  Representations and Warranties by Lessees

                                   ARTICLE II
                                   The Project

Section 2.1.  The Project
Section 2.2.  Commitment to Project
Section 2.3.  Issuance of Bonds
Section 2.4.  Title Insurance

                                  ARTICLE III
                Lease of Project Property and Rental Provisions

Section 3.1.  Lease of the Project Property
Section 3.2.  Duration of Term
Section 3.3.  Rental Provisions; Pledge of Agreement and Rent
Section 3.4.  Obligation of Lessees Unconditional
Section 3.5.  Rent Relating to Leased Personalty and Maintenance Contracts

                                   ARTICLE IV
                        Maintenance, Taxes and Insurance

Section 4.1.  Maintenance, Alterations and Improvements
Section 4.2.  Removal of Project Property
Section 4.3.  Taxes, Assessments and Charges
Section 4.4.  Insurance
Section 4.5.  Advances by Agency
Section 4.6.  Compliance with Law
Section 4.7.  Enforcement of Rights Under Prime Lease Against Prime Landlord

                                    ARTICLE V
                      Damage, Destruction and Condemnation

Section 5.1.  Damage, Destruction and Condemnation





                                   ARTICLE VI
                              Particular Covenants

Section 6.1.  Dissolution or Merger of Lessees; Restrictions on Lessees
Section 6.2.  Indemnity
Section 6.3.  Compensation and Expenses of Trustee, Bond Registrar,
              Paying Agents and Agency
Section 6.4.  Retention of Interest in Project Property
Section 6.5.  Financial Statements; Annual Certificates
Section 6.6.  Discharge of Liens
Section 6.7.  Agency's Authority; Covenant of Quiet Enjoyment
Section 6.8.  No Warranty of Condition or Suitability
Section 6.9.  Amounts Remaining in Funds
Section 6.10. Obligations under and Covenants with Respect to the Prime
              Lease
Section 6.11. [Reserved]
Section 6.12. Redemption Under Certain Circumstances
Section 6.13. Further Assurances
Section 6.14. Project Property Registry
Section 6.15. Recording and Filing
Section 6.16. Right to Cure Agency Defaults
Section 6.17. Release of Portions of the Facility Realty
Section 6.18. Additions to the Facility Realty
Section 6.19  Equitable to Remain Tenant Under Prime Lease
Section 6.20. Joint and Several Liability of the Lessees
Section 6.21. Eligibility of EVLICO as Lessee
Section 6.22. Equitable to Act as Agent of Lessees


                                   ARTICLE VII
                           Events of Default; Remedies

Section 7.1.  Events of Default
Section 7.2.  Remedies on Default
Section 7.3.  Remedies Cumulative
Section 7.4.  No Additional Waiver Implied by One Waiver
Section 7.5.  Effect of Discontinuance of Proceedings
Section 7.6.  Agreement to Pay Attorneys' Fees and Expenses

                                  ARTICLE VIII
                                     Options

Section 8.1.  Options
Section 8.2.  Conveyance and Reversion on Exercise of Option
Section 8.3.  Option to Purchase or Invite Tenders of Bonds
Section 8.4.  Termination of Agreement

                                   ARTICLE IX
                                  Miscellaneous

Section 9.1.  Indenture; Amendment
Section 9.2.  Force Majeure
Section 9.3.  Assignment or Sublease
Section 9.4.  Priority of Indenture
Section 9.5.  Benefit of, Enforcement and Binding Effect of this
              Agreement
Section 9.6.  Amendments
Section 9.7.  Notices
Section 9.8.  Prior Agreements Superseded
Section 9.9.  Severability
Section 9.10. Inspection of the Project Property
Section 9.11. Effective Date; Counterparts
Section 9.12. Binding Effect
Section 9.13. Net Lease
Section 9.14. Law Governing
Section 9.15. Investment of Funds
Section 9.16. Investment Tax Credit
Section 9.17. Waiver of Trial by Jury
Section 9.18. Non-Discrimination
Section 9.19. No Recourse under This Agreement or on Bonds
Section 9.20. This Agreement to Constitute an Amendment and Restatement
Section 9.21. Date of Agreement for Reference Purposes Only

                                   APPENDICES

Description of Project
Description of Pre-Bond Issuance Project Costs
Description of Facility Realty



             AMENDED AND RESTATED LEASE AGREEMENT (PROJECT PROPERTY)

     THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED  LEASE  AGREEMENT  (PROJECT  PROPERTY),  made and
entered  into  as of May 1,  1996,  by and  between  NEW  YORK  CITY  INDUSTRIAL
DEVELOPMENT  AGENCY,  a  corporate   governmental  agency  constituting  a  body
corporate and politic and a public benefit corporation of the State of New York,
duly  organized  and  existing  under  the laws of the  State  of New York  (the
"Agency"),  having its principal  office at 110 William  Street,  New York,  New
York,  party of the first part, and THE EQUITABLE LIFE ASSURANCE  SOCIETY OF THE
UNITED  STATES and  EQUITABLE  VARIABLE  LIFE  INSURANCE  COMPANY,  each being a
corporation  organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State
of New York  ("Equitable"  and "EVLICO",  respectively,  and  collectively,  the
"Lessees"),  having their principal office at 787 Seventh Avenue,  New York, New
York,  parties of the second part (capitalized terms used but not defined in the
recitals to this Amended and Restated Lease Agreement  (Project  Property) shall
have the respective  meanings assigned such terms in Section 1.1 hereof),  which
amends and restates a certain Interim Sublease  Agreement,  dated as of December
29, 1995, between the Agency and the Lessees (the"Interim Sublease Agreement"):

                                   WITNESSETH:

     WHEREAS, the New York State Industrial Development Agency Act, constituting
Title  1 of  Article  18-A  of the  General  Municipal  Law,  Chapter  24 of the
Consolidated  Laws of New York,  as amended,  authorizes  and  provides  for the
creation of industrial  development  agencies in the several  counties,  cities,
villages  and towns in the State of New York (the  "State")  and  empowers  such
agencies,  among  other  things,  to  acquire,  construct,  reconstruct,  lease,
improve,  maintain,  equip and furnish land, any building or other  improvement,
and all real and personal properties, including but not limited to machinery and
equipment  deemed  necessary  in  connection  therewith,  whether  or not now in
existence  or under  construction,  which shall be suitable  for  manufacturing,
warehousing, research, commercial, industrial or civic purposes, to the end that
such agencies may be able to promote, develop, encourage, assist and advance the
job opportunities, health, general prosperity and economic welfare of the people
of the State and to improve their prosperity and standard of living; and

     WHEREAS,  pursuant to and in accordance  with the provisions of the Act the
Agency was  established for the benefit of The City of New York (the "City") and
the inhabitants thereof; and

     WHEREAS,  Equitable  has  advised  each of the Agency  and the  appropriate
officials of the City as follows:  that Equitable currently leases approximately
1,500,000  square  feet of space at six  locations  throughout  the City,  which
leases begin to expire in late 1996;  that Equitable  desired to consolidate its
locations for a more  efficient  operation  and to reduce its overall  occupancy
costs; that Equitable had been analyzing  alternative  locations for its offices
outside  of the  City  (in  particular,  in  Westchester)  and  determined  that
remaining in the City would cost Equitable  approximately  $63,500,000 more than
relocating and leasing space in Westchester;  that in order to induce  Equitable
to retain  its  offices  within  the City and to  reduce  the  competitive  cost
differential,  the Agency and  appropriate  officials  of the City  entered into
negotiations with Equitable to secure satisfactory  public financial  incentives
and thereby induce Equitable to consolidate its existing  operations  within the
City; that financial  assistance from the Agency in the form of sales and/or use
tax exemptions for the Project (as defined below) is a vital element in bridging
the cost  differential  between the New York City and Westchester  locations and
retaining  the  operations in New York City and the sales tax benefits will help
lower  Equitable's  cost of doing business in New York City and obviate the need
to relocate to Westchester;  and that based upon the public financial incentives
provided  through the Agency,  Equitable  desires to proceed with the Project in
the City; and

     WHEREAS,  Equitable  and  representatives  of the  City  and of the  Agency
commenced  discussions  in order to induce  Equitable,  among other  things,  to
acquire a leasehold  interest in that certain  building  known as 1290 Avenue of
the Americas, New York, New York (the "Project Building"), to induce the Lessees
to construct  from time to time  leasehold  improvements  and  renovations  to a
portion of those premises within the Project Building to be leased to Equitable,
and  to  acquire,  lease,  sublease,   install,  maintain,  repair  and  replace
furniture,  machinery,  equipment,  and certain other tangible personal property
for use at Approved Equitable City Locations (as defined herein), all for use by
Equitable  as its  corporate  headquarters  and for the  providing  of financial
services, insurance and related operations by the Lessees, and for the Permitted
Incidental Use, as defined herein (the "Project") within the City; and

     WHEREAS, the appropriate  officials of the Agency and the City entered into
negotiations  with  Equitable in order to induce  Equitable to remain and expand
its operations within the City; and




     WHEREAS,  to accomplish the purposes of the Act, and in furtherance of said
purposes,  on June 13, 1995, as amended on December 12, 1995, the Agency adopted
a resolution  authorizing,  among other things, the leasing (and sub-subleasing)
and licensing (and  sublicensing),  as the case may be, of the Project  Property
(as  defined  herein)  to the  Lessees,  the  construction  from time to time of
leasehold   improvements   and  renovations  to  the  Facility  Realty  and  the
acquisition  (by purchase or lease) from time to time of  furniture,  machinery,
equipment  and certain  other  tangible  personal  property  for use at Approved
Equitable  City  Locations  by the  Lessees  within  the  City,  all  for use in
conducting the Equitable Business,  as defined herein, and undertaking to permit
the issuance from time to time of its  industrial  development  revenue bonds to
finance the Project; and

     WHEREAS,  Agency  financing  assistance  and related  Agency  benefits  are
necessary to provide  employment in, and beneficial for the economy of, the City
and are reasonably  necessary to induce the Lessees to proceed with the Project;
and

     WHEREAS,  pursuant  to the  Prime  Lease  (as  defined  herein),  the Prime
Landlord  (also as defined  herein)  has leased  the  Facility  Realty and other
premises within the Project  Building to Equitable,  and pursuant to the Company
Lease (as defined  herein),  Equitable has subleased the Facility  Realty to the
Agency; and

     WHEREAS,  it is intended by the Agency and the  Lessees  that the  Facility
Realty is to be  sub-subleased,  and the remainder of the Project Property is to
be  leased,  by the  Agency to the  Lessees  pursuant  to this  Lease  Agreement
(Project Property); and

     WHEREAS, simultaneously with the execution of this Lease Agreement (Project
Property),  the Agency and the Lessees have entered into a Project  Agreement of
even  date  herewith  pursuant  to which the  Lessees  have  undertaken  certain
additional obligations, covenants and agreements with the Agency; and

     WHEREAS, the Agency, in order to provide funds for a portion of the cost of
the Project and for incidental  and related costs  thereto,  will issue and sell
from time to time in various  Series its  Industrial  Development  Revenue Bonds
(The  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Society of the  United  States  Project)  (the
"Bonds"),  in the  aggregate  principal  amount of up to One  Hundred  Fifty-Six
Million Dollars  ($156,000,000)  pursuant to the Act, a resolution of the Agency
adopted  on March  12,  1996,  Certificates  of  Determination  (as  hereinafter
defined)  of the  Agency,  an  Indenture  of Trust of even date  herewith by and
between  the Agency and United  States  Trust  Company of New York,  as Trustee,
securing  said Bonds,  and a Bond  Supplemental  Indenture of Trust of even date
herewith between the Agency and the Trustee; and

     WHEREAS,  the Agency and the Lessees  desire hereby to amend and restate in
its entirety the Interim Sublease Agreement;

     NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the  premises  and  the  respective
representations and agreements hereinafter  contained,  the parties hereto agree
as follows  (provided  that in the  performance  of the agreements of the Agency
herein contained, any obligation it may incur for the payment of money shall not
create a debt of the State of New York or of The City of New York,  and  neither
the State of New York nor The City of New York shall be liable on any obligation
so incurred,  but any such  obligation  shall be payable solely out of the lease
rentals  payable by the Lessees under this Amended and Restated Lease  Agreement
(Project Property)):




                                   ARTICLE I
                        Definitions and Representations

     Section 1.1. Definitions. Terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the
same meanings as used in the Indenture or in the Project  Agreement herein below
defined.  The following  terms shall have the  following  meanings in this Lease
Agreement (Project Property):

     Act shall mean,  collectively,  the New York State  Industrial  Development
Agency Act  (constituting  Title 1 of Article 18-A of the General Municipal Law,
Chapter 24 of the Consolidated  Laws of New York), as amended,  and Chapter 1082
of the 1974 Laws of New York, as amended.

     An Affiliate of a Person shall mean a Person which  directly or  indirectly
through one or more intermediaries controls, or is under common control with, or
is controlled by, such Person.  The term "control"  (including the related terms
"controlled  by" and "under  common  control  with")  means (i) the  possession,
directly or  indirectly,  of the power to direct or cause the  direction  of the
management  and policies of a Person,  whether  through the  ownership of voting
securities, by contract or otherwise, and (ii) the ownership, either directly or
indirectly, of at least 51% of the voting stock or other equity interest of such
Person.

     Agency  shall  mean the New York  City  Industrial  Development  Agency,  a
corporate  governmental  agency  constituting a body corporate and politic and a
public benefit  corporation of the State,  duly organized and existing under the
laws of the State, and any body, board, authority,  agency or other governmental
agency or instrumentality  which shall hereafter succeed to the powers,  duties,
obligations and functions thereof.

     Agency's Reserved Rights shall mean, collectively,

     (i) the right of the Agency in its own behalf to receive  all  Opinions  of
Counsel,  reports,  financial  statements,   certificates,  insurance  policies,
binders or  certificates,  or other  notices or  communications  required  to be
delivered to the Agency under this Agreement;

     (ii) the right of the Agency to grant or withhold any consents or approvals
required of the Agency under this Agreement;

     (iii) the right of the Agency to enforce or  otherwise  exercise in its own
behalf all  agreements  of the Lessees with respect to ensuring that the Project
Property  shall  always  constitute  a qualified  "project" as defined in and as
contemplated  by the Act for the general  purposes  set forth in the recitals to
this Agreement;

     (iv)  the  right of the  Agency  in its own  behalf  (or on  behalf  of the
appropriate  taxing  authorities)  to enforce,  receive amounts payable under or
otherwise  exercise its rights under Sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4,
3.5, 4.1,  4.2,  4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5,  6.6(b),
6.8, 6.10,  6.11,  6.12,  6.13,  6.14, 6.15, 6.17, 6.18, 6.19, 6.20, 6.21, 6.22,
7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 8.4, 9.2, 9.3, 9.10,  9.13, 9.17, 9.18 and 9.19 of
this Agreement;

     (v)the  right of the Agency to exercise on its own behalf its rights  under
Section 2.4 hereof with respect to the proceeds of leasehold title insurance;

     (vi) the right of the Agency, in its own absolute discretion, but only upon
the  prior  written  request  of the  Lessees,  to issue  Bonds in an  aggregate
principal amount in excess of $156,000,000; and

     (vii) the  right of the  Agency in its own  behalf to  declare  an Event of
Default under Section 7.1 of this  Agreement with respect to any of the Agency's
Reserved Rights.

     Agreement  shall mean this Amended and Restated  Lease  Agreement  (Project
Property) dated as of May 1, 1996 between the Agency and the Lessees,  and shall
include any and all amendments  hereof and supplements  hereto hereafter made in
conformity herewith and with the Indenture.

     Annual Bond Amount  Period  shall mean (i) that  period  commencing  on the
Lease Commencement Date and ending on the day preceding the first anniversary of
the Lease Commencement Date, which shall be the First Annual Bond Amount Period,
and (ii) thereafter,  each annual period commencing on the next anniversary date
of the  Lease  Commencement  Date  and  ending  on the day  preceding  the  next
anniversary  of such  anniversary  date  (i.e.,  the Second  Annual  Bond Amount
Period, the Third Annual Bond Amount Period, etc.).




     Approved  Equitable  City  Location  shall mean any or all of the following
locations  within the City (each for and only to the extent  that such  location
shall be occupied  in whole or in part by  Equitable  (subject to the  Permitted
Incidental Use) for the operation of the Equitable Business):

                  (i)    1290 Avenue of the Americas, Manhattan, New York;
                  (ii)   787 Seventh Avenue, Manhattan, New York;
                  (iii)  135 West 50th Street, Manhattan, New York;
                  (iv)   2 Penn Plaza, Manhattan, New York;
                  (v)    1755 Broadway, Manhattan, New York;
                  (vi)   21 Penn Plaza, Manhattan, New York; and

such other locations  within the City as the Agency shall,  upon written request
by an Authorized  Representative of the Lessees,  approve in accordance with the
requirements  of the Act,  such  approval  by the  Agency to be  evidenced  by a
writing to such effect delivered by the Agency to the Lessees.

     Authorized  Representative  shall mean, (i) in the case of the Agency,  the
Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer,  Assistant Treasurer,  Secretary,  Assistant
Secretary, Executive Director or Deputy Executive Director of the Agency, or any
officer or  employee of the Agency  authorized  to perform  specific  acts or to
discharge  specific duties,  and (ii) in the case of the Lessees,  the Chairman,
any Vice Chairman,  the President,  the Chief Financial Officer,  the Secretary,
any Executive Vice  President,  any Senior Vice  President,  the Treasurer,  any
Assistant Treasurer or any Vice President of Equitable;  provided, however, that
in each case for which a  certification  or other statement of fact or condition
is  required  to be  submitted  by an  Authorized  Representative  to any Person
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement,  such certificate or statement shall be
executed only by an Authorized Representative in a position to know or to obtain
knowledge of the facts or conditions that are the subject of such certificate or
statement.

     Bond  Resolution  shall mean the  resolution of the Agency adopted on March
12, 1996 authorizing,  among other things, the issuance from time to time of the
Bonds.

     Bonds shall mean the Agency's  Industrial  Development  Revenue  Bonds (The
Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States Project)  authorized to be
issued from time to time,  in one or more Series,  pursuant to  Certificates  of
Determination,  the Bond  Resolution,  the Indenture  and the Bond  Supplemental
Indenture,  in the  aggregate  principal  amount  of not to exceed  One  Hundred
Fifty-Six Million Dollars ($156,000,000).

     Bond Supplemental  Indenture shall mean the Bond Supplemental  Indenture of
Trust of even date  herewith  between  the  Agency  and the  Trustee,  and shall
include any and all amendments thereof and supplements thereto hereafter made in
conformity therewith and with the Indenture.

     Business  Day shall  mean any day which  shall not be a  Saturday,  Sunday,
legal holiday or a day on which banking  institutions in the City are authorized
by law or executive order to close.

     Certificate of  Determination  shall mean a Certificate of Determination of
the Chairman,  Vice Chairman,  Executive  Director,  Deputy Executive  Director,
Secretary or Assistant  Secretary of the Agency,  substantially  in the form set
forth in the  Appendices  attached to the  Indenture as Form of  Certificate  of
Determination,  with respect to and as a condition for the issuance of, a Series
of Bonds.

     City shall mean The City of New York.

     Code shall mean the  Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as amended,  and the
regulations thereunder.

     Company Lease shall mean the Company Lease Agreement  (Facility  Realty) of
even date herewith  between  Equitable  and the Agency  relative to the Facility
Realty, and shall include any and all amendments thereof and supplements thereto
hereafter made in conformity therewith.

     Defeasance Securities shall mean Government Securities;  provided, however,
that, with respect to any particular  Series of Bonds,  "Defeasance  Securities"
shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Certificate of Determination
pursuant to which such Series of Bonds is issued.




     Equitable  shall mean The Equitable  Life  Assurance  Society of the United
States, a corporation  organized and existing under the laws of the State of New
York, and its permitted  successors  and assigns  pursuant to Section 6.1 or 9.3
hereof (including any surviving, resulting or transferee corporation as provided
in Section 6.1 hereof).

     Equitable  Business shall mean the corporate  headquarters of Equitable and
the  providing  of  financial  services,  insurance  and related  operations  by
Equitable and EVLICO.

     Event of Default shall have the meaning specified in Section 7.1 hereof.

     EVLICO shall mean Equitable  Variable Life Insurance Company, a corporation
organized  and  existing  under  the  laws of the  State  of New  York,  and its
permitted  successors  and  assigns  pursuant  to  Section  6.1  or  9.3  hereof
(including  any  surviving,  resulting or transferee  corporation as provided in
Section 6.1 hereof).

     Excluded  Property shall mean all  machinery,  equipment and other tangible
personal property as constitute the Lessees' Property.

     Existing  Project  Property  shall have the  meaning  specified  in Section
4.2(a) hereof.

     Facility  Equipment  shall mean the machinery,  equipment,  trade fixtures,
furniture,  furnishings and other tangible personal property  financed,  paid or
reimbursed  in whole or in part from the  proceeds of the Bonds and the title to
which shall be  acquired by or on behalf of the Agency for use or  installation,
as the  case may be,  at an  Approved  Equitable  City  Location  as part of the
Project  pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof and  described  in the Project  Property
Registry which is incorporated herein and made a part hereof (including, without
limitation,  computers and peripherals,  personal computers,  telecommunications
equipment,  business  machines and software  (which  software is  capitalized or
capable of being capitalized under generally accepted  accounting  principles)),
together  with  all  repairs,  replacements,   improvements,  substitutions  and
renewals  thereof  or  therefor,   and  all  parts,  additions  and  accessories
incorporated therein or affixed thereto. Facility Equipment shall, in accordance
with the  provisions  of  Sections  4.2 and 5.1  hereof,  include  all  property
substituted for or replacing  items of Facility  Equipment and exclude all items
of Facility  Equipment so substituted  for or replaced,  and further exclude all
items of Facility Equipment removed (other than Temporary  Removals) as provided
in Section 4.2 hereof. Facility Equipment shall not include rolling stock.

     Facility  Realty  shall  mean those  certain  premises  within the  Project
Building  described  in the  Description  of Facility  Realty in the  appendices
attached hereto and to the Company Lease, together with all fixtures (other than
trade  fixtures) and  improvements  now or at any time made or situated  thereon
(including the Tenant Improvements made pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof), and all
replacements, improvements, extensions, substitutions,  restorations, repairs or
additions thereto,  subject,  however,  to the provisions of Sections 5.1, 6.17,
6.18,  7.2 and 9.3 hereof  providing  for the  addition  and release of Facility
Realty. Facility Realty shall not include Excluded Property.

     Federal  Bankruptcy  Code shall mean the Bankruptcy  Reform Act of 1978, as
amended (constituting Title 11, United States Code, as amended).

     Force Majeure shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.2 hereof.

     Government  Securities  shall mean direct  obligations  of, or  obligations
fully  guaranteed  as to payment of principal and interest by, the United States
of America.

     Indenture  shall mean the  Indenture of Trust of even date  herewith by and
between the Agency and the Trustee, as from time to time amended or supplemented
by Supplemental Indentures in accordance with Article XI of the Indenture.

     Independent  Accountant  shall  mean  (y) any of the "Big  Six"  accounting
firms, or (z) an independent  certified public accountant or firm of independent
certified  public  accountants  selected by Equitable and approved in writing by
the  Agency  (such  approval  not  to  be  unreasonably  withheld,   delayed  or
conditioned).

     Independent  Engineer  shall mean a Person  (not an  employee of either the
Agency,  the Lessees or any  Affiliate  thereof)  registered  and  qualified  to
practice  engineering or architecture  under the laws of the State,  selected by
the Lessees,  and approved by the Trustee and the Agency (which  approvals shall
not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned).

     Initial  Bonds  shall  mean the  first  Series  of Bonds  issued  under the
Indenture.



     Interest  Payment  Date  shall  mean each date upon  which  interest,  with
respect to a Series of Outstanding Bonds, shall be due and payable.

     Issue Date shall  mean,  with  respect to each fully  registered  Bond of a
Series, the date of the initial  authentication and delivery of any of the Bonds
of such  Series,  as stated  by the  Trustee  in the  Trustee's  Certificate  of
Authentication appearing thereon to be the "Issue Date."

     Lease  Commencement  Date shall mean the date of  original  issuance of the
Initial Bonds.

     Leased  Personalty  shall mean one or more items of tangible or  intangible
personal property, including, without limitation,  mainframes (and peripherals),
personal  computers,  telecommunications  equipment,  equipment  relating to the
operation of the three foregoing  categories,  and software, in which the Agency
shall acquire a leasehold or license interest under a Qualified Personalty Lease
in  accordance  with  Section  2.1 hereof,  and for which the Leased  Personalty
Semi-Annual  Capital  Investment  shall be financed in whole or in part from the
proceeds  of the  Bonds,  to be  used  by any of  the  Lessees  (subject  to the
Permitted  Incidental Use) at an Approved Equitable City Location as part of the
Project. Leased Personalty shall not include rolling stock.

     Leased Personalty  Semi-Annual Capital Investment shall mean that amount as
set forth in the  certificate  of an  Authorized  Representative  of the Lessees
delivered to the Agency  pursuant to Section 3.1 of the Project  Agreement  with
respect to each Qualified Personalty Lease in effect, as equal to the reasonably
estimated  principal  amortization  relative  to the  property  subject  to such
Qualified  Personalty Lease for the semi-annual period to which such certificate
relates,  as representing  the incremental  acquisition of a capital interest in
such property;  provided,  however,  that in calculating  the Leased  Personalty
Semi-Annual  Capital  Investment  with respect to a Qualified  Personalty  Lease
qualifying  as such only under clause (z) of the  definition  of such term,  the
principal  amortization for the relevant  semi-annual period shall be calculated
as equal to (y) the aggregate rental paid under such Qualified  Personalty Lease
during such semi-annual  period,  less (z) the deemed interest component of such
aggregate  rentals  calculated as being the same rate of interest as that Series
of  Bonds  issued  immediately  prior  to the  entering  into of such  Qualified
Personalty Lease.

     Lease  Rental  Payment  Date  shall  mean each date upon  which  principal,
interest,  Redemption Price, if applicable,  or other amounts shall be due under
the Bonds.

     Lessees shall mean, collectively, Equitable and EVLICO.

     Lessees'  Property  shall have the  meaning  specified  in  Section  4.1(c)
hereof.

     Liens shall have the meaning specified in Section 6.6(a) hereof.

     Loss Event shall have the meaning specified in Section 5.1(a) hereof.

     Maintenance Contracts shall mean contracts for the maintenance,  service or
repair of Facility  Equipment  or Leased  Personalty  used by any of the Lessees
(subject to Permitted  Incidental Use) for the Equitable Business at an Approved
Equitable City Location,  to the extent such contracts only encompass  Qualified
Maintenance.

     Moody's shall mean Moody's Investors Service, Inc., a corporation organized
and existing  under the laws of the State of Delaware,  its successors and their
assigns,  and, if such corporation  shall be dissolved or liquidated or shall no
longer perform the functions of a securities  rating agency,  "Moody's" shall be
deemed to refer to any other  nationally  recognized  securities  rating  agency
reasonably designated by the Agency, by notice to the Lessees and the Trustee.

     Nationally Recognized Bond Counsel shall mean Hawkins,  Delafield & Wood or
other counsel  reasonably  acceptable to the Agency and  experienced  in matters
relating  to tax  exemption  of  interest  on bonds  issued by states  and their
political subdivisions.

     Net Proceeds shall mean,  when used with respect to any insurance  proceeds
or condemnation award,  compensation or damages,  the gross amount from any such
proceeds, award, compensation or damages less all reasonable expenses (including
reasonable  attorneys'  fees,  reasonable  adjusters' fees and other  reasonable
expenses of the  Agency,  other than fees or expense of  in-house  attorneys  or
other in-house professionals) incurred in the collection thereof.

     Non-Qualified  User shall mean any Person  other than the Lessees who shall
use or occupy any of the Facility Realty  (whether by lease, or otherwise);  but
subject, however, to Permitted Incidental Use.



     Opinion of Counsel shall mean a written  opinion of counsel who may (except
as otherwise  expressly  provided in this Agreement or the Indenture) be counsel
for the Lessees or the Agency,  as the case may be, and, if such  counsel  shall
not be an in-house counsel of the Lessees, who shall be reasonably acceptable to
the Person(s) to whom the opinion is to be addressed.

     Outstanding,  when used with  reference  to a Bond or Bonds of a particular
Series,  as of any  particular  date,  shall mean all Bonds of such Series which
have been issued,  executed,  authenticated  and delivered  under the Indenture,
except:

     (i) Bonds of a Series  cancelled  by the  Trustee  because  of  payment  or
redemption  prior to maturity or  surrendered to the Trustee under the Indenture
for cancellation;

     (ii) Any Bond of such Series (or portion of a Bond of such  Series) for the
payment  or  redemption  of  which,  in  accordance  with  Section  10.01 of the
Indenture, there has been separately set aside and held in a separate account of
the Bond Fund moneys and/or  Defeasance  Securities  in an amount  sufficient to
effect  payment of the  principal or applicable  Redemption  Price of such Bond,
together with accrued  interest on such Bond to the payment or redemption  date,
which interest on such Bond to the payment or redemption date shall be specified
in  irrevocable  instructions  given to the Trustee to apply such moneys  and/or
Defeasance Securities to such payment on the date so specified,  provided, that,
if such Bond or portion  thereof is to be  redeemed,  notice of such  redemption
shall have been given as provided in the Indenture or provision  satisfactory to
the Trustee shall have been made for the giving of such notice; and

     (iii) Bonds in exchange for or in lieu of which other Bonds shall have been
authenticated and delivered under Article III of the Indenture.

     Paying Agent shall mean any paying  agent or co-paying  agent for the Bonds
(and may include the Trustee)  and its  successor  or  successors  and any other
corporation  which may at any time be  substituted  in its place pursuant to the
Indenture.

     Permanent  Removals  shall have the  meaning  set forth in  Section  4.2(c)
hereof.

     Permitted Encumbrances shall mean, as of any particular time,

     (i) the Prime Lease,  the Company  Lease,  this  Agreement  (including  the
rights of the Lessees under Sections 4.2 and 8.1 hereof),  the Indenture and any
other Security  Document,  and any mortgage,  lien,  security  interest or other
encumbrance created thereby;

     (ii) any  mortgages now or hereafter  granted by the Prime  Landlord in the
Facility Realty;

     (iii)  liens  for  real  estate  taxes,   assessments,   levies  and  other
governmental  charges,  the  payment  of  which  is not  in  default; 

     (iv) any mechanic's, workmen's, repairmen's,  materialmen's,  contractors',
carriers', suppliers' or vendors' Lien or right in respect thereof if payment is
not yet due and  payable,  all if and to the extent  permitted  by  Section  6.6
hereof;

     (v) those  exceptions  to title to the Facility  Realty  enumerated  in the
title insurance  policies  delivered pursuant to Section 2.4 hereof insuring the
Agency's leasehold interest in the Facility Realty, copies of which policies are
on file at the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee and at the office
of the Agency; and 

     (vi)  any  lien,  security  interest,   encumbrance  or  charge,  or  any
conditional  sale or other  title  retention  agreement,  which  any  vendor  of
Facility  Equipment or any lessor of Leased Personalty or any contractor under a
Maintenance  Contract or any contractor hired to install Tenant Improvements may
place on or with  respect to the Facility  Realty,  Facility  Equipment,  Leased
Personalty, a Maintenance Contract or Tenant Improvements.

     Permitted  Incidental  Use shall mean  incidental use of any of the Project
Property in the  ordinary  course of  business  by a direct or  indirect  parent
corporation of Equitable or by other legal entities which are direct or indirect
subsidiaries of Equitable.

     Person shall mean any individual, corporation,  partnership, joint venture,
association,   joint  stock  company,  trust,   unincorporated  organization  or
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.



     Pre-Bond  Issuance  Project  Costs shall mean those items of Project  Costs
paid or  incurred  by any of the  Lessees  after  June 13,  1995 and  which  are
enumerated in the appendices hereto in "Description of Pre-Bond Issuance Project
Costs."

     Pre-Bond  Issuance  Sales  Tax  Letter  shall  mean that  certain  Pre-Bond
Issuance  Sales Tax Letter dated  October 12,  1995,  as amended and restated on
December 29, 1995 and on April 1, 1996, issued by the Agency to the Lessees with
respect to Pre-Bond  Issuance Project Costs prior to the issuance of the Initial
Bonds and expiring on the Lease Commencement Date.

     Prime Landlord shall mean 1290 Associates,  a limited partnership organized
and existing  under the laws of the State of New York,  and its  successors  and
assigns under the Prime Lease.

     Prime  Lease shall mean the  Agreement  of Lease  dated July 20,  1995,  as
amended  through the Lease  Commencement  Date,  between the Prime  Landlord and
Equitable  relative  to the  Facility  Realty,  and  shall  include  any and all
amendments  thereof  and  supplements   thereto  hereafter  made  in  conformity
therewith and herewith.

     Principal  Payment  Date  shall mean each date upon  which  principal  with
respect to a Series of Outstanding Bonds shall be due and payable.

     Prohibited Person shall mean:

     (i) any  Person (A) that is in  material  default  or in  material  breach,
beyond any  applicable  grace  period,  of its  obligations  under any  material
written  agreement  with  the  City  or the  Agency,  or (B)  that  directly  or
indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, a Person
that is in material default or in material  breach,  beyond any applicable grace
period, of its obligations under any material written agreement with the City or
the Agency,  unless such material  default or material breach has been waived in
writing by the City or the Agency, respectively;

     (ii) any Person (A) that has been convicted in a criminal  proceeding for a
felony or any crime  involving  moral  turpitude or that is an  organized  crime
figure or is reputed to have substantial  business or other affiliations with an
organized  crime  figure,  or (B)  that  directly  or  indirectly  controls,  is
controlled  by, or is under common control with a Person that has been convicted
in a criminal  proceeding for a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude or
that is an organized crime figure or is reputed to have substantial  business or
other affiliations with an organized crime figure;

     (iii)  any  government,  or any  Person  that  is  directly  or  indirectly
controlled  (rather  than  only  regulated)  by a  government,  that is  finally
determined to be in violation of (including, but not limited to, any participant
in an international  boycott in violation of) the Export  Administration  Act of
1979, or successor  act, or the  regulations  issued  pursuant  thereto,  or any
government  that is, or any Person that,  directly or indirectly,  is controlled
(rather than only  regulated) by a government that is subject to the regulations
or controls thereof; or

     (iv) any  government,  or any  Person  that,  directly  or  indirectly,  is
controlled  (rather than only  regulated)  by a  government,  the effects of the
activities of which are regulated or controlled  pursuant to  regulations of the
United States  Treasury  Department or executive  orders of the President of the
United  States of America  issued  pursuant to the Trading with the Enemy Act of
1917, as amended (including the Arms Export Control Act of 1979, as amended).

     Project shall mean the construction  and installation  from time to time of
Tenant  Improvements  to the  Facility  Realty,  and the  acquisition,  leasing,
subleasing,  licensing,  sublicensing  and  maintenance  of Facility  Equipment,
Leased  Personalty  and  Maintenance  Contracts  for  location  at  an  Approved
Equitable  City  Location,  all for use by the  Lessees  (subject  to  Permitted
Incidental  Use) in the  Equitable  Business,  as more  fully  described  in the
Description of Project in the appendices attached hereto and made a part hereof.

     Project  Agreement  shall mean the Project  Agreement of even date herewith
between the Lessees and the Agency,  and shall include any and all modifications
thereof and amendments thereto hereafter made in accordance therewith.

     Project  Building shall mean that certain  building known as 1290 Avenue of
the Americas, New York, New York, and any substitutions,  additions,  repairs or
improvements thereto.

     (b) Costs shall mean ( the Pre-Bond  Issuance  Project  Costs,  and (b) all
costs paid or incurred by any of the Lessees:



     (i) for engineering and architectural services with respect to the Project,
including the cost of estimates,  plans and  specifications  and for supervising
Tenant Improvements,  equipping and installation, as well as for the performance
of all other  duties  required  by or  consequent  upon the  proper  renovation,
alteration, improving, equipping and installation of the Project;

     (ii) for the Leased Personalty  Semi-Annual Capital  Investment;  (iii) for
labor, contract bonds, materials, services, supplies, machinery or equipment and
other  expenses,  and to  contractors,  suppliers,  builders and  materialmen in
connection  with Tenant  Improvements,  including costs of contract bonds and of
insurance that may be required or necessary  during periods of renovation of the
Facility Realty;

     (iv) for the title insurance  policy  delivered by the Lessees  pursuant to
Section 2.4 hereof;

     (v) for the acquisition of computer software provided that such software is
treated or capable of being  treated  (whether or not so treated) in  accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles as a capital expenditure;

     (vi) for the payment of the initial fees and expenses of the Trustee, legal
and financial  fees and expenses,  printing and engraving  costs,  and all other
costs and  expenses  incurred by or for the account of the Agency in  connection
with the preparation,  authorization, sale, printing, rating and issuance of the
Bonds from time to time, and the  preparation  and execution of this  Agreement,
the Indenture,  the Project Agreement, the Company Lease and all other documents
to which the Agency shall be a party;

     (vii) for which any of the  Lessees  shall be  required  to pay,  under the
terms of any purchase  order,  contract or  contracts,  or lease or leases,  for
Tenant  Improvements,  the  acquisition  of  Facility  Equipment  and the Leased
Personalty  Semi-Annual  Capital  Investment,  including any amounts required to
reimburse  any  of  the  Lessees  for  advances  made  for  any  item  otherwise
constituting  a Project  Cost or for any other costs  incurred and for work done
which are properly chargeable to the capital account of the Project; and

     (viii) for the payment of such other costs with respect to which any of the
Lessees is entitled to receive a sales and/or use tax exemption  under the Sales
Tax Letter, as may hereafter be agreed upon by the Agency and the Lessees.

"Project  Costs"  shall not  include  (i)  counsel  fees of the  Lessees  or any
Affiliate  of any of the  Lessees,  (ii)  fees or  commissions  of  real  estate
brokers,  (iii)  moving  expenses,  (iv)  operational  costs,  (v) the  costs of
acquiring  and  installing  any item of personalty  unless such  personalty is a
capital  tangible asset with a useful life of one year or more, (vi) charges for
utilities services, (vii) working capital costs, (viii) management,  development
or leasing fees or commissions,  (ix) the costs of Maintenance  Contracts or the
interest portion of rentals under Qualified Personalty Leases, (x) costs paid or
incurred prior to June 13, 1995, (xi) costs or expenses with respect to property
not constituting  Project Property,  (xii) expenses for work done by officers or
employees of any of the Lessees or any  Affiliate  thereof,  (xiii) any costs of
landscaping  (including  but not limited to the costs of acquiring  and planting
shrubs, trees, flowers, lawns and other plants, as well as the cost of landscape
design services, (xiv) the costs of acquiring or leasing rolling stock, (xv) the
cost of acquiring and installing  fine art,  objets d'art,  or any other similar
decorative  items,  and  (xvi) to the  extent  not  included  in the  preceding,
operating and other working capital costs.

     Project  Documents  shall mean,  collectively,  this  Agreement,  the Prime
Lease,  the Company Lease, the Project  Agreement,  the Sales Tax Letter and the
Indenture.

     Project Property shall mean, collectively,  the Facility Realty, the Tenant
Improvements,  the Facility Equipment, the Leased Personalty and the Maintenance
Contracts.

     Project Property Registry shall mean the registry  maintained by the Agency
at its  office  of all  the  Facility  Equipment,  the  Leased  Personalty,  the
Maintenance  Contracts and the Tenant  Improvements,  as such registry  shall be
modified,  amended or supplemented  from time to time in accordance with Section
6.14 hereof.



     Qualified  Investments  shall mean,  to the extent  permitted by applicable
law, the following (except to the extent that any of the following are issued or
guaranteed by or otherwise a security or an obligation,  directly or indirectly,
of any of the Lessees or any of their Affiliates):

                  (i)          Government Securities.

                  (ii)        Securities  issued  or  guaranteed  by  any of the
                              following  instrumentalities or agencies of the
                              United States of America:

                              (a)    Federal Home Loan Bank System

                              (b)    Export-Import Bank of the United States

                              (c)    Federal Financing Bank

                              (d)    Government National Mortgage Association

                              (e)    Farmers Home Administration

                              (f)    Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

                              (g)    Federal Housing Administration

                              (h)    Private Export Funding Corporation

                              (i)    Tennessee Valley Authority.

                  (iii)       Commercial paper rated at least "P-1" or better by
                              Moody's or at least "A-1" or better by S&P, issued
                              by a corporation or banking institution  organized
                              under the laws of the  United  States or any state
                              thereof.

                  (iv)        Direct and general  long-term  obligations  of any
                              state of the United States to which the full faith
                              and credit of the state is  pledged  and which are
                              rated  in  either  of  the  two   highest   rating
                              categories by Moody's or S&P.

                  (v)         Direct and general  short-term  obligations of any
                              state of the United States to which the full faith
                              and credit of the state is  pledged  and which are
                              rated in the  highest  rating  category by Moody's
                              and S&P.

                  (vi)        Interest  bearing  demand or time deposits with or
                              certificates  of  deposit  issued  by  a  national
                              banking  association  or a  state  bank  or  trust
                              company or a savings  and loan  association  which
                              are (a) continuously insured by the Bank Insurance
                              Fund or the  Savings  Association  Insurance  Fund
                              under  the   auspices  of  the   Federal   Deposit
                              Insurance Corporation,or (b) with a bank which has
                              outstanding  debt,  or which is a subsidiary  of a
                              bank holding company which has  outstanding  debt,
                              rated at least  "P-1" by  Moody's or "A-1" by S&P,
                              or (c) continuously  secured by obligations of the
                              type  described in (i) and (ii) above which have a
                              market  value at all  times at least  equal to the
                              principal amount of the deposit and which are held
                              by the  Trustee  or its  agent  or, in the case of
                              uncertificated  securities,  are registered in the
                              name of the Trustee as pledgee.



                  (vii)       Repurchase  agreements,  the maturity of which are
                              less than thirty (30) days,  entered into (a) with
                              a bank or trust company  organized  under the laws
                              of  any  state  of the  United  States  or  with a
                              national banking  association,  insurance company,
                              or government  bond dealer  reporting to,  trading
                              with,  and  recognized as a primary  dealer by the
                              Federal  Reserve  Bank of New York and  which is a
                              member  of  the  Security   Investors   Protection
                              Corporation,   or   (b)   with  a   dealer   whose
                              obligations  are  rated,  or  the  parent  holding
                              company  of which is  rated,  investment  grade by
                              Moody's or S&P. The securities that are subject to
                              a repurchase  agreement must be obligations of the
                              type  described  in (i) or (ii) above which have a
                              fair market value,  exclusive of accrued interest,
                              at  least  equal  to the  amount  invested  in the
                              repurchase  agreement  and  which  are held by the
                              Trustee   or  its   agent   or,  in  the  case  of
                              uncertificated  securities,  are registered in the
                              name of the Trustee as pledgee.

                  (viii)      Money market mutual funds with assets in excess of
                              $2,000,000,000  investing in Qualified Investments
                              of the type specified in (i) or (ii) above.

     Qualified  Maintenance  shall  mean,  with  respect to any item of Facility
Equipment  or Leased  Personalty  having a useful life of one year or more,  the
replacement of parts (other than parts that contain materials or substances that
are consumed in the operation of such property (e.g., a toner  cartridge)  where
such parts must be replaced whenever the substance is consumed) or the making of
repairs,  but  shall not  include  maintenance  of the type as shall  constitute
janitorial services.

     Qualified  Personalty  Lease  shall  mean a lease or license of one or more
items of Leased  Personalty  to any of the Lessees on behalf of and as agent for
the  Agency,  (y)  which  lease or  license  would be  characterized  under  the
Accounting  Standards of the Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board,  and is so
recorded  on the books and  records  of the  Lessees,  as a  "capital  lease" or
"capital  license,"  or (z)  pursuant to which an option to purchase the subject
property  of such  lease or  license  is  granted  thereunder  by the  lessor or
licensor.

     Rating  Category shall mean one of the generic rating  categories of either
Moody's or S&P without regard to any refinement or gradation of such rating by a
numerical modifier or otherwise.

     Redemption Price shall mean, with respect to any Bond, the principal amount
thereof to be redeemed in whole or in part, plus the applicable premium, if any,
payable upon redemption thereof pursuant to such Bond or the Indenture.

     Retention Period shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.2(a) hereof.

     Sales Tax  Letter  shall  mean the  Letter of  Authorization  for Sales Tax
Exemption  which the Agency shall make  available  to the Lessees in  accordance
with and  substantially  in the form set forth in the  appendices to the Project
Agreement.

     S&P shall mean Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, a division of the McGraw
Hill Companies, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the
State, its successors and assigns,  and, if such corporation  shall be dissolved
or  liquidated or shall no longer  perform the functions of a securities  rating
agency,  "S&P"  shall be  deemed  to refer to any  other  nationally  recognized
securities rating agency  reasonably  designated by the Agency, by notice to the
Lessees and the Trustee.

     Security Documents shall mean, collectively and severally,  this Agreement,
the Indenture, the Bond Supplemental Indenture and any other document inuring to
the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of Bonds.

     Series shall mean all of the Bonds  designated  as being of the same Series
authenticated and delivered on original issuance in a simultaneous  transaction,
and any Bonds of the same Series thereafter  authenticated and delivered in lieu
thereof or in substitution  therefor pursuant to the Indenture and a Certificate
of Determination.



     State shall mean the State of New York.

     Supplemental   Indenture  shall  mean  any  indenture  supplemental  to  or
amendatory  of the  Indenture,  executed  and  delivered  by the  Agency and the
Trustee in accordance with Article XI of the Indenture.

     Temporary  Removals  shall have the  meaning  specified  in Section  4.2(b)
hereof.

     Tenant  Improvements  shall  mean all  improvements,  additions,  fixtures,
alterations or modifications (and all labor costs related thereto) to any of the
space  comprising  the Facility  Realty for use by the Lessees and for Permitted
Incidental Use, and for which sales or use tax exemptions  shall have been taken
pursuant to this Agreement, the Project Agreement and the Sales Tax Letter.

     Trustee shall mean United States Trust Company of New York,  New York,  New
York, in its capacity as Trustee,  and its successors in such capacity and their
assigns hereafter appointed in the manner provided in the Indenture.

     Trust  Estate  shall  mean  all  property,   interests,   revenues,  funds,
contracts,  rights and other security  granted to the Trustee under the Security
Documents.

     1.2.Construction. In this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:

     (a) The terms "hereby," "hereof,"  "hereto," "herein,"  "hereunder" and any
similar terms, as used in this Agreement,  refer to this Agreement, and the term
"hereafter" shall mean after, and the term "heretofore"  shall mean before,  the
Lease Commencement Date.

     (b) Words of the masculine gender shall mean and include  correlative words
of the feminine and neuter genders and words importing the singular number shall
mean and include the plural number and vice versa.

     (c) Words importing persons shall include firms, associations, partnerships
(including limited partnerships), trusts, corporations and other legal entities,
including public bodies, as well as natural persons.

     (d) Any headings  preceding the texts of the several  Articles and Sections
of this Agreement, and any table of contents appended to copies hereof, shall be
solely for  convenience  of  reference  and shall not  constitute a part of this
Agreement, nor shall they affect its meaning, construction or effect.

     (e) Except as otherwise  provided in the Indenture or this  Agreement,  all
approvals,  consents and acceptances  required to be given or made by any Person
or party  hereunder shall be at the sole discretion of the Person or party whose
approval, consent or acceptance is required.

     Section 1.3. Representations and Warranties by Agency. The Agency makes the
following representations and warranties:

     (a) The  Agency is a  corporate  governmental  agency  constituting  a body
corporate  and politic  and a public  benefit  corporation  duly  organized  and
existing  under the laws of the State,  and is authorized and empowered to enter
into and effectuate the transactions  contemplated on its part by this Agreement
and has taken all requisite  action to carry out its obligations  hereunder.  By
proper action of its members,  the Agency has duly  authorized the execution and
delivery of this Agreement.

     (b) In order to finance  all or a portion of the cost of the  Project,  the
Agency proposes to issue the Bonds, in the aggregate  principal amount of not to
exceed One Hundred  Fifty-Six  Million  Dollars  ($156,000,000)  (subject to the
Agency's  Reserved  Right,  upon the  prior  written  request  of an  Authorized
Representative of the Lessees,  to issue Bonds in an aggregate  principal amount
exceeding  $156,000,000)  from time to time, in various Series,  pursuant to the
Indenture,   the  Bond  Supplemental  Indenture,   the  Bond  Resolution  and  a
Certificate of Determination for each Series of Bonds. Each Series of Bonds will
mature, bear interest, be redeemable and have the other terms and provisions set
forth in the Indenture and the related Certificate of Determination.

     (c) The execution, delivery and performance by the Agency of this Agreement
and each other Project Document and Security Document to which it is a party and
the consummation of the transactions  herein and therein  contemplated have been
duly  authorized  by all  requisite  corporate  action  on its part and will not
violate any provision of law, any order of any court or agency of government, or
its by-laws, or any material  indenture,  agreement or other instrument to which
it is a party or by which it is subject to or bound, or be in material  conflict
with or result in a material  breach of or  constitute  (with due notice  and/or
lapse of time) a material default under any such material  indenture,  agreement
or other instrument.



     (d)  Assuming  due and proper  execution  hereof and thereof by all parties
other than the  Agency,  this  Agreement  and each other  Project  Document  and
Security Document to which it is a party,  constitutes the Agency's legal, valid
and binding  obligation  enforceable  against it in  accordance  with its terms,
except as such  validity,  binding effect and  enforceability  may be limited by
(and  subject  to)  bankruptcy,  insolvency,   reorganization,   rehabilitation,
moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors'  rights
from time to time in effect and  general  principles  of equity  (regardless  of
whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).

     (e) There is no action or proceeding  pending or, to its best knowledge and
of its officers having reason to be familiar with any such action or proceeding,
threatened by or against it by or before any court or administrative agency that
might  adversely  affect  its  ability  to perform  its  obligations  under this
Agreement and each other Project Document and Security Document to which it is a
party, and all authorizations,  consents and approvals of governmental bodies or
agencies  required to be obtained by it as of the date hereof in connection with
the execution and delivery of this Agreement and each other Project Document and
Security  Document to which it is a party or in connection  with the performance
of its obligations hereunder and thereunder has been obtained.

     Section 1.4. Findings by Agency. The Agency, based upon the representations
and warranties of the Lessees  contained in this  Agreement and the  information
contained in the application and other materials  heretofore  submitted by or on
behalf of the  Lessees  to the  Agency,  hereby  finds and  determines  that the
financing  of all or a portion of the costs of the Project by the Agency and the
providing  of  certain  benefits  to the  Lessees  in  connection  therewith  is
reasonably  necessary to discourage the Lessees from removing  their  operations
from the City to a location  outside the City and the State and to encourage the
Lessees to proceed with the Project, and is reasonably necessary to preserve the
competitive position of the Lessees in their industry.

     Section  1.5.Representations  and Warranties by Lessees. In order to induce
the  Agency to issue the Bonds and to enter  into those  Project  Documents  and
Security Documents to which the Agency is a party, each of the Lessees makes the
following representations and warranties:

     (a) It is a  corporation  duly  organized,  validly  existing  and in  good
standing  under the laws of the State of New York,  is not in  violation  of any
material  provision of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws,  and has the
corporate  power and  authority to own its property and assets,  to carry on its
business as now being conducted by it, and to execute,  deliver and perform this
Agreement  and each  Project  Document  and  Security  Document to which it is a
party.  It is duly qualified to do business in every  jurisdiction  in which the
failure to so qualify would have a material  adverse effect upon its properties,
business, affairs, assets or condition (financial or otherwise).

     (b) The  execution,  delivery and  performance  by it of this Agreement and
each other Project Document and Security Document to which it is a party and the
consummation by the Lessees of the transactions herein and therein  contemplated
have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on its part and will
not  violate  any  provision  of law,  any  order  of any  court  or  agency  of
government,  its  certificate  of  incorporation  or  by-laws,  or any  material
indenture,  agreement or other  instrument to which it is a party or by which it
is bound or to which any of its property is subject,  or be in material conflict
with or result in a material  breach of or  constitute  (with due notice  and/or
lapse of time) a material default under any such material  indenture,  agreement
or  other  instrument  or  result  in the  imposition  of any  lien,  charge  or
encumbrance of any nature whatsoever other than Permitted Encumbrances.

     (c)  Assuming  due and proper  execution  hereof and thereof by all parties
other than the  Lessees,  this  Agreement  and each other  Project  Document and
Security  Document  to which it is a party,  constitutes  its  legal,  valid and
binding obligation  enforceable  against it in accordance with its terms, except
as  such  validity,   binding  effect  and  enforceability  may  be  limited  by
bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,  rehabilitation,  moratorium  or other
similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights from time to time in
effect  and  by  general  principles  of  equity  (regardless  of  whether  such
enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).

     (d) There is no action or  proceeding  pending  or, to its best  knowledge,
threatened by or against it by or before any court or administrative agency that
would be likely to adversely affect its ability to perform its obligations under
this Agreement and each other Project Document and Security Document to which it
is a party;  and all  authorizations,  consents and  approvals  of  governmental
bodies  or  agencies  required  to be  obtained  by it as of the date  hereof in
connection  with the execution and delivery of this  Agreement and of each other
Project  Document and Security  Document to which it is a party or in connection
with the  performance  of its  obligations  hereunder  and  thereunder  has been
obtained.



     (e) Except as provided in this Agreement,  none of the Facility  Equipment,
Leased Personalty, Maintenance Contracts or Tenant Improvements shall be located
or used at any location other than an Approved  Equitable City Location  (except
that Tenant Improvements shall be located or used only at the Facility Realty).

     (f) It shall cause all Tenant Improvements,  Leased Personalty (but only to
the extent of the Leased Personalty  Semi-Annual Capital  Investment),  Facility
Equipment  and  Project  Costs for which a sales or use tax  exemption  is taken
under the Pre-Bond Issuance Sales Tax Letter,  the Sales Tax Letter, the Project
Agreement or this  Agreement to be paid for in whole and/or  reimbursed in whole
from the proceeds of the Bonds,  except that Maintenance  Contracts shall not be
funded with proceeds of the Bonds;  provided,  however,  that although Bonds may
not be issued to fund the costs of Maintenance Contracts or the interest portion
of rentals under Qualified Personalty Leases, such costs, to the extent the same
shall  constitute  Qualified  Maintenance  or be  with  respect  to a  Qualified
Personalty  Lease,  shall be  eligible  under the Sales Tax Letter for Sales Tax
Savings.

     (g) No  Maintenance  Contracts  will be entered into for any property other
than for Qualified Maintenance for Facility Equipment or Leased Personalty (with
respect to which a Qualified Personalty Lease shall exist).

     (h) The  Project  and related  Agency  Benefits  (as defined in the Project
Agreement) are reasonably  necessary to allow the Lessees to remain  competitive
within their industry.  The Lessees require the Project and such Agency Benefits
to induce Equitable to retain approximately 1,750 Eligible Employees (as defined
in the Project Agreement) and related operations within the City, in the absence
of which Project and Benefits, Equitable would relocate a substantial portion of
its  operations  and divisions  outside of the City,  and not thereby remain and
consolidate its operations within the City.

     (i) Any costs  incurred  with respect to that part of the Project paid from
the  proceeds  of the sale of the Bonds  shall be  treated  or  capable of being
treated on the books of the Lessees as capital  expenditures  in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis.

     (j)  The  Project  will  not  result  in  the  removal  of  an  industrial,
manufacturing, warehousing or commercial plant or facility of any of the Lessees
from  outside of the City (but  within the State) to within the City,  or in the
abandonment of one or more of such plants or facilities of any of the Lessees or
any Affiliate thereof outside of the City (but within the State).

     (k) No part of the proceeds of the Bonds will be used to finance  inventory
or rolling  stock or will be used for  working  capital or to finance  any other
cost not constituting a Project Cost.

     (l) To the best  knowledge of the Lessees,  the Project is included  within
the definition of "project" under the Act.

     (m) Each  representation  or warranty made by Equitable in the  application
and related materials submitted to the Agency for approval of the Project or its
financing,  or by the  Lessees  in  this  Agreement  and in each  other  Project
Document and Security  Document to which any shall be a party, is true,  correct
and complete in all material  respects as of the date made. Each  representation
or warranty made by it in any Letter of Representation  and Indemnity  Agreement
delivered to the Agency,  the Trustee and the original  purchasers of any Series
of Bonds, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other instrument
furnished  pursuant to this Agreement and any other Project Document or Security
Document, shall be true, correct and complete in all material respects as of the
date made.

     (n) The  aggregate  amount of sales and use tax  benefits  received  by the
Lessees pursuant to the Pre-Bond Issuance Sales Tax Letter is $169,873.39, which
amount does not exceed the Maximum  Sales Tax Benefit (as defined in the Project
Agreement).

     (o) No Person other than the Lessees is in occupancy or  possession  of any
portion of the Facility Realty (subject to Permitted Incidental Use).

     (p) The Project will be designed, and the construction and operation of the
Project Property will be, in compliance with all applicable  Federal,  State and
local laws or ordinances  (including rules and  regulations)  relating to safety
and environmental quality.

     (q) The  property  included  in the  Project  Property  is  either  land or
property  of the  character  subject to the  allowance  for  depreciation  under
Section 167 of the Code.



     (r) The Lessees intend to operate the Project Property or cause the Project
Property to be operated in  accordance  with this  Agreement  and as a qualified
"project" in accordance with and as defined under the Act.

     (s) The Lessees shall cause all Project Costs with respect to which a sales
or use tax exemption shall be or have been claimed as agent for the Agency to be
paid for in whole  and/or  reimbursed  in whole from the  proceeds  of the Bonds
(other than Maintenance Contracts,  and, in the case of Leased Personalty,  only
to  the  extent  of  the  Leased  Personalty  Semi-Annual  Capital  Investment);
provided,  however,  that although  Bonds may not be issued to fund the costs of
Maintenance  Contracts  or the  interest  portion  of  rentals  under  Qualified
Personalty Leases, such costs, to the extent the same shall constitute Qualified
Maintenance  or be with  respect  to a  Qualified  Personalty  Lease,  shall  be
eligible under the Sales Tax Letter for Sales Tax Savings.

     (t) The Prime Lease is in full force and effect  without  material  default
thereunder  by  Equitable  or, to the best  knowledge  of  Equitable,  the Prime
Landlord,  and the Facility Realty is subject to the Prime Lease and the Company
Lease.

     (u) No part of the  proceeds of the Bonds will be used to finance a project
(and no sales or use tax exemption has been or will be made available  under the
Pre-Bond  Issuance Sales Tax Letter or the Sales Tax Letter) where facilities or
property  that are  primarily  used in  making  retail  sales to  customers  who
personally  visit such  facilities  constitute  more than one third of the total
project cost. For purposes of this representation,  retail sales shall mean: (i)
sales by a registered vendor under article  twenty-eight of the New York Tax Law
primarily engaged in the retail sale of tangible personal  property,  as defined
in  subparagraph  (i) of paragraph  four of  subdivision  (b) of section  eleven
hundred  one of the New  York  Tax  Law;  or (ii)  sales  of a  service  to such
customers.

     (v) The Facility  Realty  constitutes a portion of the property  demised to
Equitable  under the Prime Lease,  and all of the  Facility  Realty has been the
subject  of the Phase I  Environmental  Report  referred  to in  Section  6.2(c)
hereof.

     (w) To the best  knowledge of the Lessees,  there is no existing  violation
against the Facility Realty filed by any court or administrative agency that may
prohibit the use or operation of the Facility Realty for its intended purposes.

     (x) No sales tax exemptions will be claimed by any of the Lessees under the
Sales Tax Letter for any leasehold  improvements  or renovations  other than the
Tenant Improvements.

     (y) The  execution,  delivery and  performance of this Agreement and of the
Company Lease by the Lessees does not constitute a breach,  default or violation
of the terms of the Prime  Lease,  nor does it require  any consent of the Prime
Landlord (which consent has not been obtained prior to the date hereof).

     (z) The Facility Realty consists of floors fourteen (14) through twenty-two
(22),  inclusive,   together  with  the  concourse,  of  the  Project  Building,
comprising approximately 298,238 rentable square feet.

     (aa) As of April 30, 1996, the number of Eligible  Employees (as defined in
the Project Agreement) within the City was 1,850.

     (bb) EVLICO is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Equitable.

     (cc) Equitable has subleased the Facility  Realty to the Agency pursuant to
the Company Lease for a nominal rental therefor, and the Agency has been thereby
vested  with a valid  leasehold  estate  therein,  free and clear of all  liens,
encumbrances,   security   interests  and   servitudes   other  than   Permitted
Encumbrances.



                                   ARTICLE II
                                   The Project

     Section 2.1. The Project.  (a) The Lessees  will,  on behalf of the Agency,
and from time to time and in the  ordinary  course of their  business,  continue
and/or  proceed  with the making of Tenant  Improvements,  the  acquisition  and
installation of the Facility Equipment, the leasing (or subleasing) or licensing
(or  sublicensing)  of Leased  Personalty  and the entering into of  Maintenance
Contracts,  all to be effected in accordance with this Agreement, the Indenture,
the Project  Agreement  and the Prime Lease.  The Project Costs shall be paid or
reimbursed from the Project Fund established  under the Indenture as provided in
this Section 2.1. All  contractors,  materialmen,  vendors,  suppliers and other
companies, firms or persons furnishing labor, machinery,  equipment, services or
materials  for or in  connection  with  the  Project  shall be  selected  by the
Lessees.

     (b) The  Lessees  shall be  responsible  for the  payment of (i) all of the
costs and expenses in connection  with the  preparation  of any  instruments  of
lease  of the  Facility  Realty  to the  Agency,  and the  delivery  of any such
instruments and documents and their filing and recording,  if required, (ii) all
taxes and charges  payable in connection  with such leasing,  or attributable to
periods  prior to such  leasing,  to the Agency as set forth in  Section  2.1(a)
hereof,  and (iii) all shipping and delivery  charges and all other  expenses or
claims incurred by or on behalf of the Lessees in connection with the Project.

     (c) The  Agency and the  Lessees  acknowledge  and agree  that the  Project
Property is to be acquired,  leased (or subleased),  licensed (or  sublicensed),
equipped,  installed,  maintained,  replaced  and  repaired  for use at Approved
Equitable City Locations (except that Tenant Improvements shall be effected only
at the Facility  Realty),  and that the nature  thereof,  all as comprising  the
Project, may change from time to time over the term of this Agreement to reflect
amendments,  modifications,  replacements, accessions to and supplements made to
the Project. Upon the acquisition, leasing, subleasing, licensing, sublicensing,
equipping, furnishing,  installation,  maintenance, repair or replacement of the
Project Property,  such property shall become subject to the leasehold  interest
of this Agreement.

     At the request of the Agency to the Lessees, the Lessees shall provide such
reasonable additional  information and clarifications  concerning any portion of
the Project Property to be acquired,  equipped,  installed,  leased,  subleased,
maintained,  replaced  or  repaired,  as shall be  reasonably  requested  by the
Agency.

     All Facility Equipment and Tenant Improvements financed in whole or in part
from the  proceeds  of the Bonds,  and all  Leased  Personalty  and  Maintenance
Contracts,  shall be enumerated in sufficient detail for accurate identification
(as to date of  acquisition,  vendor,  location,  physical  description,  serial
number  (if  applicable  and to the extent  available),  price and the amount of
sales and use tax exemptions  afforded to any of the Lessees in connection  with
such acquisition) in the Project Property Registry.

     (d) The Lessees will obtain or cause to be obtained all necessary approvals
from any and all  governmental  agencies  requisite to the  effectuation  by the
Lessees of the Project and the operation of the Project  Property,  all of which
will be done in compliance  with all Federal,  State and local laws,  ordinances
and regulations  applicable thereto, and with the conditions and requirements of
all policies of insurance  required to be maintained  hereunder  with respect to
the Project  Property and this  Agreement.  The Lessees  will further  obtain or
cause to be obtained all  necessary  permits,  authorizations  and licenses from
appropriate  authorities,  authorizing  the  operation  and  use of the  Project
Property for the  purposes  contemplated  by this  Agreement  and shall  furnish
copies of same to the Agency immediately upon receipt thereof.

     (e) Upon request, the Lessees will extend to the Agency, or the Agency will
extend to the Lessees,  the benefit of all vendors'  warranties  received by the
other  party (to the extent  permitted  under the terms of such  warranties)  in
connection  with  the  Project  Property,  including  any  warranties  given  by
contractors,  manufacturers  or  service  organizations  who  perform  work with
respect to the Project.

     (f) The Lessees shall take such action and institute  such  proceedings  as
shall be reasonably necessary to cause all contractors and material suppliers to
complete their  contracts in accordance  with the terms of said  contracts.  The
Agency will  cooperate in any such action or  proceeding,  at the Lessees'  sole
cost and  expense,  provided  that the Agency  shall not be required to take any
action  it does not  deem to be  reasonable.  Any  amounts  recovered  by way of
damages,  refunds,  adjustments  or otherwise in connection  with the foregoing,
after  deduction  of expenses  incurred in such  recovery,  shall be paid to the
Lessees.



     (g)  Concurrently  with the execution of this  Agreement,  the Lessees will
surrender the Pre-Bond Issuance Sales Tax Letter to the Agency for cancellation,
and the Agency shall make available to the Lessees the Sales Tax Letter.

     (h) Title to, or a leasehold or license  interest in, as  appropriate,  all
materials,  equipment,  machinery and other property intended to be incorporated
or installed  as Tenant  Improvements  and thereby part of the Project  Property
(excluding  the Lessees'  Property)  shall vest in the Agency  immediately  upon
delivery to or installation or incorporation into the Facility Realty (or in the
case of the Facility Equipment, Leased Personalty or Maintenance Contracts, upon
the execution of a contract,  lease, bill, invoice or purchase order therefor as
agent for the Agency) or payment therefor, whichever shall be so provided in the
related  contract,  invoice,  bill or purchase order. The Lessees shall take all
action reasonably  necessary to protect such title or leasehold  interest of the
Agency against claims of any third parties.

     (i) As and to the extent  required by  applicable  law,  the Lessees  shall
annually  file a statement  with the New York State  Department  of Taxation and
Finance,  on a form and in a manner as is prescribed by the  Commissioner of the
New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, of the value of all sales and
use  tax  exemptions  claimed  by any of the  Lessees  or  agents  of any of the
Lessees,  including,  but not limited to,  consultants or subcontractors of such
agents,  under the authority granted pursuant to the Pre-Bond Issuance Sales Tax
Letter,  the Sales Tax Letter,  the  Project  Agreement  and/or this  Agreement.
Should any of the Lessees  fail to comply with the  foregoing  requirement,  the
Lessees  shall  immediately  cease to be the agent for the Agency in  connection
with the  Project  (such  agency  relationship  being  deemed to be  immediately
revoked)  without any further  action of the  parties.  Nothing  herein shall be
construed as a representation  by the Agency that any property  acquired as part
of the Project is, in fact, exempt from sales taxes or use taxes.

     Section 2.2. Commitment to Project.  The Lessees  unconditionally  covenant
and agree that they will,  from time to time and in the ordinary course of their
business,  proceed  with  the  Tenant  Improvements,  with the  acquisition  and
installation  of Facility  Equipment,  and with the leasing (or  subleasing)  or
licensing  (or  sublicensing)  of Leased  Personalty  and the  entering  into of
Maintenance Contracts,  all on behalf of and as agent for the Agency, and all in
accordance  with  this  Agreement,  the  Prime  Lease  (with  respect  to Tenant
Improvements), the Project Agreement and the Indenture. In the event that moneys
in the Project Fund are not sufficient to pay Project Costs in full, the Lessees
shall, subject to the agreements set forth in Sections 2.1 and 2.3 hereof and in
the  Project  Agreement,  pay that  portion of such  Project  Costs as may be in
excess of the moneys therefor in the Project Fund and, subject to the provisions
below, shall not be entitled to any reimbursement  therefor from the Agency, the
Trustee,  the  Holders  of any of the Bonds or any other  Person,  nor shall the
Lessees be entitled to any  diminution of the rents payable or other payments to
be made under this Agreement or any other Project Document or Security Document,
provided that Project  Costs may be funded or reimbursed  out of any funds which
thereafter may be in the Project Fund.

     Section 2.3. Issuance of Bonds. (a) In order to finance all or a portion of
the Project  Costs,  the Agency  proposes to issue the Bonds,  in the  aggregate
principal amount of up to One Hundred Fifty-Six  Million Dollars  ($156,000,000)
(subject to the Agency's Reserved Right to issue Bonds in an aggregate principal
amount exceeding One Hundred Fifty-Six Million Dollars ($156,000,000)) from time
to time upon request therefor by an Authorized Representative of the Lessees, in
various Series, pursuant to the Indenture,  the Bond Supplemental Indenture, the
Bond  Resolution  and a Certificate of  Determination  for each Series of Bonds.
Each Series of Bonds will mature,  bear  interest,  be  redeemable  and have the
other  terms  and  provisions  set  forth  in  the  Indenture  and  the  related
Certificate of Determination.



     (b)  Contemporaneously  with the execution and delivery of this  Agreement,
the Agency will sell and deliver  the  Initial  Bonds under and  pursuant to the
Bond  Resolution,  a Certificate  of  Determination,  the Indenture and the Bond
Supplemental  Indenture.  The Lessees  shall request the Agency to issue further
Series of Bonds from time to time during the term of this Agreement  pursuant to
Section 2.03 of the Indenture, and the Lessees shall make such requests, deliver
such documents,  agreements and certificates (all as more fully set forth in the
Indenture),  and shall pay such costs and expenses as shall enable the Agency to
issue each such  additional  Series of Bonds. It is the intention of the parties
hereto to cause the issuance of multiple  Series of Bonds beginning on the Lease
Commencement  Date with the  Initial  Bonds and  thereafter  no less  often than
semi-annually  on each March 15 and September 15  commencing  September 15, 1996
for the payment and/or reimbursement of Project Costs as provided in the Project
Agreement;  provided, however, that no further Series of Bonds shall be required
to be issued  after the later of (y) the  receipt by the  Lessees of the Maximum
Sales Tax Benefit (as defined in the Project Agreement), and (z) the issuance of
a final Series of Bonds  necessary for the Lessees to comply with the provisions
of Section 3.1(d)(iii)(C) of the Project Agreement. The proceeds of sale of each
Series of Bonds  shall be  deposited  in the  Project  Fund and  applied  to the
payment of Project Costs in  accordance  with the  provisions of the  Indenture.
Pending  such  application,  amounts  in the  Project  Fund may be  invested  as
provided in the  Indenture.  Nothing  contained in this Section  2.3(b) shall be
deemed to be an obligation of the Agency to obtain a purchaser for any Series of
Bonds.

     (c) The  Lessees  shall  cause the Agency to issue in  accordance  with the
Indenture  (i) on the Lease  Commencement  Date at least  $320,000 in  aggregate
principal  amount of Bonds,  (ii) at least  $1,000,000  in  aggregate  principal
amount  of Bonds by no later  than two (2) years  after  the Lease  Commencement
Date,  (iii) at least  $2,500,000 in aggregate  principal  amount of Bonds by no
later than four (4) years after the Lease  Commencement  Date, and (iv) at least
$4,000,000  in  aggregate  principal  amount of Bonds by no later  than five (5)
years after the Lease  Commencement Date.  Further,  the Lessees shall cause the
aggregate  principal  amount  of  Bonds  Outstanding  during  the  term  of this
Agreement to be not less than the following respective principal amounts for the
corresponding Annual Bond Amount Periods:

                Annual Bond                            Minimum Outstanding
                Amount Period                            Principal Amount

                First                                     $   320,000
                Second                                      1,000,000
                Third                                       2,000,000
                Fourth                                      2,500,000
                Fifth and thereafter                        4,000,000


     (d) Subject to the terms of the related Series of Bonds,  the Lessees shall
have the right to redeem the Bonds in whole or in part, provided, however, that,
(y) no such  redemption  shall  cause the  principal  amount of Bonds  remaining
Outstanding to violate the provisions of Section 2.3(c) above, and (z) no Series
of the  Bonds  shall be  redeemable  prior to six (6)  months  after the date of
issuance of such Series of Bonds,  except in connection with a retirement of all
Bonds upon  termination  of this  Agreement in accordance  with Articles VII and
VIII hereof.

     Section 2.4. Title Insurance.  On the Lease  Commencement Date, the Lessees
will obtain  leasehold  title  insurance  in an amount not less than  $1,000,000
insuring the Agency's leasehold interest under the Company Lease in the Facility
Realty  against  loss as a result of defects in such  leasehold  interest of the
Agency.  Any proceeds of such  leasehold  title  insurance  shall be paid to the
Trustee for  deposit in a special  account to be applied to remedy the defect in
title,  or, if not so capable of being applied,  or if amounts remain,  shall be
paid over to the Lessees.



                                   ARTICLE III
                Lease of Project Property and Rental Provisions

     Section 3.1. Lease of the Project Property. The Agency hereby leases to the
Lessees and the Lessees  hereby lease from the Agency the Project  Property upon
and subject to the terms and  conditions  herein set forth.  The Lessees  shall,
subject to the provisions of Sections 5.1, 6.17, 6.18 and 9.2 of this Agreement,
at all times  during the term of this  Agreement  use and  operate  the  Project
Property as a qualified "project" for the operation of the Equitable Business in
accordance with the provisions of the Act and for the general purposes specified
in the  recitals to this  Agreement.  The  Lessees  shall not use or operate the
Project Property or allow the Project Property or any part thereof to be used or
operated for any unlawful  purpose or in a manner which  constitutes a nuisance,
public or private, or may make void or voidable any insurance required hereunder
then in force with respect thereto.

     Section 3.2. Duration of Term. The term of this Agreement shall commence on
the date of  execution  and delivery of this  Agreement  and shall expire on the
earlier of December  31, 2011 or such earlier  date as this  Agreement  shall be
terminated as hereinafter  provided.  The Agency hereby  delivers to the Lessees
and the Lessees  hereby accept such  possession  of the Project  Property as the
Agency has or may have therein.

     Section 3.3. Rental  Provisions;  Pledge of Agreement and Rent. The Lessees
covenant on each Lease Rental Payment Date to make rental  payments  directly to
the Trustee for deposit in the Bond Fund.  Such rental  shall be paid during the
term of this  Agreement in immediately  available  funds on or prior to each due
date for the payment of the principal of,  interest and redemption  premium,  if
any,  on each  Series  of the  Bonds as set  forth in the  Indenture  until  the
principal of, redemption  premium,  if any, and interest on the Bonds shall have
been fully paid,  or provision  for the payment  thereof shall have been made in
accordance with the provisions of Section 10.01 of the Indenture.  The amount of
each such  rental  payment  shall be an  amount  sufficient,  together  with any
amounts  then  available in the Bond Fund at the time of payment of such rental,
to enable the Trustee to make payment,  on each date on which the payment of the
principal  of,  redemption  premium,  if any, and interest on the Bonds shall be
due,  of an amount  sufficient  to pay the then due total  amount of interest or
interest and principal  (whether at maturity or by redemption or by acceleration
or otherwise as provided in the Indenture) and the then due redemption  premium,
if any, on the Bonds. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary,
if the amount on deposit and available in the Bond Fund is not sufficient to pay
the principal of, redemption premium, if any, and interest on the Bonds when due
(whether  at  maturity or by  redemption  or by  acceleration  or  otherwise  as
provided in the  Indenture),  the Lessees shall forthwith pay the amount of such
deficiency in immediately available funds to the Trustee for deposit in the Bond
Fund and such payment shall  constitute  rental payments under this Section 3.3.
In the  event  the  Lessees  should  fail to make or cause to be made any of the
payments  required under the foregoing  provisions of this Section,  the item or
installment not so paid shall continue as an obligation of the Lessees until the
amount  not so paid  shall  have  been  fully  paid and the  Lessees  shall  pay
immediately upon demand therefor by the Trustee the amount of any administrative
charge as set forth in the Indenture for such overdue payment. The Lessees shall
also pay any amounts stated under the Indenture to be paid by the Lessees.

                  Pursuant to the Indenture,  the Agency shall pledge and assign
to the Trustee as security  for the Bonds all of the Agency's  right,  title and
interest in this Agreement (except for the Agency's Reserved Rights),  including
all rental  payments  under  Sections 3.3 and 8.1 hereof,  and in furtherance of
said pledge the Agency will  unconditionally  assign such rental payments to the
Trustee for deposit in the Bond Fund,  in  accordance  with the  Indenture.  The
Lessees hereby consent to the above-described pledge and assignment.

     The Lessees covenant and agree that they will comply with the provisions of
the Indenture  with respect to the Lessees,  and that the Trustee shall have the
power, authority,  rights and protections provided in the Indenture. The Lessees
further covenant to use their best efforts to cause there to be obtained for the
Agency any documents or opinions required of the Agency under the Indenture.

     The Lessees  shall have the right to make  advance  rental  payments  under
Section 8.1 of this Agreement to the Trustee for deposit in the Bond Fund as and
to the extent provided in the Indenture for redemption of the Bonds,  subject to
the provisions of Sections 2.3 and 8.1 hereof and the Project Agreement.



     Section 3.4.  Obligation of Lessees  Unconditional.  The  obligation of the
Lessees to pay the rent and all other  payments  provided for in this  Agreement
and to maintain  the Project  Property in  accordance  with  Section 4.1 of this
Agreement  shall be absolute and  unconditional,  irrespective of any defense or
any rights of set-off,  recoupment or  counterclaim or deduction and without any
rights of  suspension,  deferment,  diminution or reduction  they or any of them
might otherwise have against the Agency, the Trustee,  the Holder of any Bond or
any other Person whatsoever. For so long as any of the Bonds remain Outstanding,
the Lessees will not suspend or  discontinue  any such payment or terminate this
Agreement  (other than such  termination  as is provided for  hereunder) for any
cause whatsoever,  and the Lessees irrevocably waive all rights now or hereafter
conferred by statute or otherwise to quit,  terminate,  cancel or surrender this
Agreement  or any  obligation  of the  Lessees  under this  Agreement  except as
provided  in  this  Agreement  or  to  any  abatement,  suspension,   deferment,
diminution or reduction in the rentals or other payments hereunder.

     Section 3.5. Rent Relating to Leased Personalty and Maintenance  Contracts.
The Lessees shall pay to the lessors and licensors of all Leased  Personalty and
to the counterparties under all Maintenance  Contracts (and not to the Trustee),
all payments to be made by the Agency,  and perform all obligations  required of
the Agency,  under leases (or subleases) or licenses (or sublicenses) for Leased
Personalty and Maintenance Contracts, as and at the times and in the amounts the
same shall become payable, and as and at the times such obligations are required
to be performed,  under such leases (or subleases) or licenses (or  sublicenses)
and Maintenance Contracts.



                                   ARTICLE IV
               Maintenance, Taxes Maintenance, Taxes and Insurance

     Section 4.1. Maintenance, Alterations and Improvements. (a) During the term
of this Agreement,  the Lessees will keep the Project  Property in good and safe
operating  order and condition,  ordinary wear and tear (and damage from fire or
other  casualty)  excepted,  will use and operate  the  Project  Property in the
manner  for  which  it was  designed  and  intended  and  contemplated  by  this
Agreement,  and will make all replacements and repairs thereto (whether ordinary
or extraordinary,  foreseen or unforeseen) necessary to ensure the continuity of
the  operations  of the Lessees at Approved  Equitable  City  Locations  for the
purposes  contemplated  by  this  Agreement  and  the  Project  Agreement.   All
replacements and repairs shall be performed in a good and workmanlike manner and
be made and  installed  in  compliance  with the  requirements,  if any,  of all
governmental  bodies.  The  Agency  shall  be under no  obligation  to  replace,
service,  test,  adjust,  erect,  maintain or effect  replacements,  renewals or
repairs of the Project  Property,  to effect the  replacement of any inadequate,
obsolete,  worn-out or unsuitable parts of the Project  Property,  or to furnish
any utilities or services for the Project  Property and the Lessees hereby agree
to assume full responsibility therefor.

     (b) The Lessees shall have the right to make such alterations, replacements
or repairs of, or  additions  to, the Project  Property or any part thereof from
time to time as they in their discretion may determine to be desirable for their
uses and purposes, provided that (i) such additions,  alterations,  replacements
or repairs are in compliance with all applicable Legal  Requirements (as defined
in Section  4.6  hereof),  (ii) such  additions,  alterations,  replacements  or
repairs are  promptly and fully paid for by the Lessees in  accordance  with the
terms of the  applicable  contract(s)  therefor,  and in order that the  Project
Property shall at all times be free of any mortgage, lien, charge,  encumbrance,
security  interest or claim other than  Permitted  Encumbrances,  subject to any
good faith disputes as the Lessees may have and prosecute with respect  thereto,
(iii) title thereto (in the case of Tenant  Improvements and Facility Equipment)
or a license or leasehold (in the case of Leased  Personalty)  interest  therein
shall be deemed to be vested in the Agency,  (iv) such  additions,  alterations,
replacements or repairs do not change the nature of the Project Property so that
it would not  constitute  a  commercial  facility  and a qualified  "project" as
defined in the Act for use for the Equitable Business, and (v) the Lessees shall
have  furnished  to the  Agency a labor and  materials  payment  bond,  or other
security,  reasonably  satisfactory to the Agency (as provided in Section 4.1(e)
hereof). All alterations of, substitutions for, replacements of and additions to
the  Project  Property  shall be  deemed  to  constitute  a part of the  Project
Property subject to this Agreement, and the Lessees shall deliver or cause to be
delivered to the Agency appropriate  documents as may be reasonably necessary to
convey  title to, or license or  leasehold  interest  in,  such  property to the
Agency and to subject  such  property to this  Agreement,  free and clear of all
liens, charges, encumbrances,  security interests or claims other than Permitted
Encumbrances.

     (c) The Lessees shall have the right, subject to the Project Agreement,  to
install, remove, repair, replace or finance or permit to be installed,  removed,
repaired, replaced or financed, at the Facility Realty, machinery and equipment,
including,  without limitation,  telecommunications  equipment,  data processing
equipment  and trade  fixtures  installed  by the  Lessees,  and all  furniture,
furnishings and other personal property (the "Lessees' Property"),  not financed
from the  proceeds  of the Bonds and with  respect  to which no sales or use tax
exemption shall have been received  pursuant to the Pre-Bond  Issuance Sales Tax
Letter or the  Sales  Tax  Letter or  otherwise  constituting  Project  Property
without conveying title to or any license or leasehold interest in such property
to the Agency nor subjecting such property to this  Agreement.  The Agency shall
not be  responsible  for any loss of or damage  to the  Lessees'  Property.  The
Lessees  shall  have the right to create or permit to be created  any  mortgage,
encumbrance,  lien or charge on, or  conditional  sale or other title  retention
agreement with respect to, the Lessees' Property.

     (d) The Lessees  shall not create,  permit or suffer to exist any mortgage,
encumbrance,  lien,  security  interest,  claim or charge  against  the  Project
Property  or any part  thereof,  or the  interest  of the Lessees in the Project
Property or this  Agreement,  except for  Permitted  Encumbrances  and except as
provided in Section 6.6 hereof.



     (e) If and to the extent required by the New York State Finance Law ss.137,
prior to executing any contract with any party for any improvement (as such term
is  defined  in the New York Lien Law) in  connection  with the  Project  or the
Project  Property  or the  provision  of any  goods or  services  in  connection
therewith,  and prior to authorizing any party to undertake such improvement (or
the provision of such goods and services) without a contract,  the Lessees shall
deliver  to the Agency a copy of the  proposed  contract  therefor  along with a
bond, in compliance with State Finance Law ss.137,  guaranteeing  prompt payment
of monies due all persons  furnishing  labor or materials for the  contractor or
his  subcontractor in the prosecution of his work provided for in such contract.
The  Agency  shall  have no  liability  or  responsibility  for the cost of such
bond(s).

     Section 4.2. Removal of Project Property.  (a) The Lessees acknowledge that
the Agency is providing financing assistance for the Project and certain related
sales and use tax  exemptions  and other benefits to the Lessees for the purpose
of  inducing  the  Lessees to proceed  with the  Project  and to comply with the
covenants   contained  in  this  Agreement  and  the  Project   Agreement.   The
aforementioned  benefits are being provided solely for the purpose of relocating
and upgrading, as the case may be, the operations of the Lessees (subject to the
Permitted  Incidental Use) at Approved  Equitable City Locations and not for the
purpose of assisting any other  facility or any other  Person.  To this end, the
Lessees hereby represent,  warrant and covenant to and with the Agency that none
of the systems,  Tenant  Improvements,  machinery,  equipment or other  property
constituting  part of the  Project  Property or as may be acquired by any of the
Lessees from time to time in the name of the Agency for installation or location
at Approved  Equitable City Locations,  but shall have not yet been delivered to
and  installed  at an  Approved  Equitable  City  Location  (in each  case,  the
"Existing Project  Property") will ever be acquired,  leased or licensed for any
purpose other than for installation and use at or location in Approved Equitable
City Locations (except that Tenant  Improvements  shall be installed only at the
Facility  Realty) by the Lessees  (subject to the Permitted  Incidental Use) for
use in the  Equitable  Business nor,  except as permitted  below in this Section
4.2,  will any of the Existing  Project  Property  ever be removed from Approved
Equitable City Locations (either on a temporary or permanent basis) prior to the
expiration  of three  (3)  years  after  the  installation  or  location  of the
respective  item of Existing  Project  Property at the Approved  Equitable  City
Locations  (the  "Retention  Period"),  unless  (i) such  removal  is of  Leased
Personalty and the Agency is no longer to be a party (through a Lessee acting as
agent on behalf of the Agency) to the related  Qualified  Personalty Lease after
such removal,  (ii) in the case of Facility Equipment,  simultaneously with such
removal  either an amount equal to the sales tax that would have been payable at
the original  time of such purchase with respect to the purchase of such item of
Facility  Equipment  (based  upon  its  fair  market  value  at the  time of its
removal),  but for the  Pre-Bond  Issuance  Sales  Tax  Letter  or the Sales Tax
Letter,  shall be paid by the Lessees to the Agency with  respect to the item or
items being removed; or (iii) there shall be delivered to the Agency,  except to
the extent the  provisions of Sections  4.2(b) or (c) below shall apply and have
been complied with, a certificate of an Authorized Representative of the Lessees
stating that such item of the Existing  Project Property is obsolete or useless,
or that the Lessees have a good faith  operational  or business  reason for such
removal,  in relation to the  conduct of the  Equitable  Business by the Lessees
(subject to the Permitted  Incidental Use) at Approved  Equitable City Locations
(in  which  event the  provisions  of  Sections  4.2(b)  and (c) below  shall be
inapplicable).  After the  expiration of the Retention  Period,  the Lessees may
remove,  transfer, sell or dispose of any item of Existing Project Property from
Approved Equitable City Locations, provided that such removal, transfer, sale or
disposition  will not violate any other  covenant  or  agreement  of the Lessees
hereunder,  under the Project  Agreement or under any other Security Document or
Project  Document.  In no event,  however,  will the Lessees  cause the removal,
transfer,  sale or  disposition  of  Existing  Project  Property  from  Approved
Equitable  City  Locations in the  aggregate  such that the original cost of the
remaining  Existing  Project  Property  shall be less than (w) $500,000 from the
Lease Commencement Date until the first anniversary thereof, (x) $1,000,000 from
the first anniversary of the Lease Commencement Date until the third anniversary
thereof,  (y) $3,500,000  from the third  anniversary of the Lease  Commencement
Date until the fifth anniversary thereof, and (z) $5,000,000 thereafter.

     (b)  Prior to the  expiration  of the  Retention  Period  as to any item of
Existing  Project  Property,  the  Lessees  may remove  such item from  Approved
Equitable City Locations on a temporary basis ("Temporary  Removals")  provided,
that, no such Temporary Removal shall be effected if

     (i) an  Approved  Equitable  City  Location  ceases  to be  the  "permanent
location" to which the item of Existing Project Property is to be returned after
its temporary off-location use or repair,

     (ii) the  Temporary  Removal  is not  effected  for a good  faith  business
purpose consistent with the Equitable Business conducted by the Lessees (subject
to the Permitted Incidental Use) at an Approved Equitable City Location, and



     (iii)  the  item of  Existing  Project  Property  is to be  absent  from an
Approved  Equitable  City  Location  for a period in excess of ninety (90) days,
subject, however, to any delays as a result of Force Majeure.

Notwithstanding  the limitations  set forth in paragraph  (iii) above,  upon the
occurrence of an unforeseen event or circumstance  unrelated to the financial or
economic  condition  of any of the  Lessees  which,  in the good faith  business
judgment of the Lessees has  precipitated an emergency  condition  necessitating
the extension of the 90-day Temporary Removal period referred to in clause (iii)
above,  such  Temporary  Removal  period may be  extended  for thirty  (30) days
following the cessation of such emergency  condition,  provided that the Lessees
deliver written notice to the Agency of the event or circumstance  precipitating
such  emergency  condition,  and use good faith  diligent  efforts to effect the
return of the item of Existing  Project  Property to an Approved  Equitable City
Location as expeditiously as possible under the circumstances.

     (c)  Prior to the  expiration  of the  Retention  Period  as to any item of
Existing Project Property, the Lessees may remove,  transfer,  sell or otherwise
dispose of such item from Approved Equitable City Locations on a permanent basis
("Permanent  Removals")  and  thereby  acquire  such  item of  Existing  Project
Property from the Agency, provided, that,

     (i) the Lessees shall acquire for  installation at Approved  Equitable City
Locations  (from  sources  other than the  proceeds of Bonds and not through any
sales or use tax  exemption  pursuant to the Sales Tax Letter) a  substitute  or
replacement  item of property having equal or greater utility and capability (or
having a comparable  lesser utility or capability if the Lessees' business needs
have  diminished) as the item of Existing  Project  Property  being  permanently
removed  from an Approved  Equitable  City  Location,  and convey  title to such
substitute or replacement  item of property to the Agency as part of the Project
Property  and thereby  subject  such  property to the  leasehold  estate of this
Agreement as if originally acquired as part of the Project Property; or

     (ii) if the Lessees  shall seek to effect a  Permanent  Removal of Existing
Project  Property for reasons other than as permitted in Section  4.2(a)(iii) or
4.2(c)(i)  above,  and  such  Permanent  Removal  is  occasioned  by  unforeseen
circumstances  but in accordance with a good faith business  purpose on the part
of the Lessees and not as part of any  systematic  or  programmatic  transfer of
Existing  Project Property from Approved  Equitable City Locations,  the Lessees
may on an  occasional  and  immaterial  basis  effect  such  Permanent  Removal;
provided  that the Lessees shall  deliver to the Agency,  with each  certificate
delivered under Section 3.1(d)(v)(A) of the Project Agreement, (y) a certificate
of an Authorized  Representative  of the Lessees  confirming that such Permanent
Removal  is being  effected  in a manner and for a purpose  consistent  with the
conditions  permitting such Permanent  Removal as provided above in this Section
4.2(c)(ii) and not in violation of any other covenant, condition or agreement on
the part of the Lessees hereunder, and (z) an amount, certified as correct by an
Authorized  Representative of the Lessees, of the sales tax that would have been
payable  at the time of  original  purchase  based  upon the fair  market  value
thereof at the time of its removal.

     (d)  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  the Lessees shall effect no Temporary
Removals or  Permanent  Removals  of Existing  Project  Property  from  Approved
Equitable  City  Locations  if any such  removal  would change the nature of the
Project Property as a commercial  facility and a qualified  "project" as defined
under the Act to be used for the Equitable Business.

     (e)  Upon  the  written  request  of an  Authorized  Representative  of the
Lessees, the Agency shall deliver to the Lessees appropriate documents conveying
to the  Lessees  all of the  Agency's  right,  title and  interest in any of the
Existing  Project  Property  removed  from  Approved  Equitable  City  Locations
pursuant to this  Section 4.2. The Lessees  shall pay all  reasonable  costs and
expenses  (including  reasonable  counsel fees) incurred in connection with such
removal and any substitution or replacement.

     (f) The removal  from  Approved  Equitable  City  Locations of any Existing
Project  Property  pursuant  to the  provisions  of this  Section  4.2 shall not
entitle  any of the Lessees to any  abatement  or  reduction  in the rentals and
other amounts  payable by any of the Lessees  under this  Agreement or any other
Project Document or Security Document.



     Section 4.3. Taxes, Assessments and Charges. The Lessees shall pay or cause
to be paid when the same shall become due all taxes and assessments, general and
specific, if any, levied and assessed upon or against the Project Property, this
Agreement,  any estate or  interest  of the Agency or the Lessees in the Project
Property,  or the rentals or other  payments  hereunder  during the term of this
Agreement,   and  all  water  and  sewer  charges,   special  district  charges,
assessments,  Business  Improvement  District  charges  and  other  governmental
charges  and  impositions  whatsoever,   foreseen  or  unforeseen,  ordinary  or
extraordinary,  under any  present  or future  law,  and  charges  for public or
private  utilities or other charges incurred in the occupancy,  use,  operation,
maintenance  or upkeep of the Project  Property,  all of which are herein called
"Impositions".  The Lessees may pay any Imposition in installments if so payable
by law,  whether or not  interest  accrues on the unpaid  balance.  The  Lessees
acknowledge  that the  provisions of section 412-a of the New York Real Property
Tax Law and section 874 of the New York General Municipal Law do not entitle the
Agency to  exemption  from  water and sewer  charges,  special  assessments  and
special ad valorem levies.

     In the event the  Facility  Realty is exempt from  Impositions  (other than
Sales and Use  Taxes,  as defined in the  Project  Agreement)  solely due to the
Agency's  interest in the Facility  Realty,  the Lessees shall  promptly pay all
such  Impositions  to  the  appropriate  taxing  authorities  equivalent  to the
Impositions  which would have been imposed on the Facility  Realty if the Agency
had no such interest in the Facility Realty.

     The Lessees  may at their sole cost and expense and in good faith  commence
and prosecute  proceedings to contest the amount or validity or application,  in
whole or in part,  of any such  Imposition  (upon  prior  written  notice to the
Agency and the Trustee),  provided,  that, (i) if the Lessees withhold  payment,
such  proceeding  shall suspend the execution or enforcement of any lien arising
from the non-payment of such Imposition against the Project Property or any part
thereof or any interest therein or in this Agreement of the Agency,  the Lessees
or the Trustee or against any of the rentals or other amounts payable under this
Agreement or the Project  Agreement,  (ii) neither the Project  Property nor any
portion thereof or interest  therein would be in any reasonably  imminent danger
of being sold,  forfeited or lost,  and (iii)  neither any of the  Lessees,  the
Agency nor the  Trustee  would be in any  reasonable  danger of any civil or any
criminal liability for failure to pay such Imposition.

     Section 4.4. Insurance

     (a) At all times throughout the term of this Agreement,  including  without
limitation  during any period of construction or  reconstruction of the Facility
Realty or any other portion of the Project Property,  the Lessees shall maintain
or cause to be maintained  insurance with respect to the Project Property,  with
insurance  companies  licensed to do business in the State,  against such risks,
loss, damage and liability  (including  liability to third parties) and for such
amounts as are customarily insured against by other enterprises of like size and
type as that of the Lessees, including, without limitation:

     (i) To the extent not covered by the public liability insurance referred to
below,  Owners & Contractors  Protective  Liability Insurance for the benefit of
the Lessees and the Agency in a minimum amount of  $25,000,000  (or such greater
amount as may then be required  under the Prime  Lease)  aggregate  coverage for
personal injury and property damage;

     (ii) Builders' All Risk Insurance written on "100% builders' risk completed
value,  non-reporting  form" including  coverage therein for "completion  and/or
premises  occupancy"  during any period of construction or reconstruction of the
Project Property, and at all other times coverage for property damage insurance,
all of which  insurance shall include  coverage for removal of debris,  insuring
the  buildings,   structures,   improvements,   systems,  machinery,  equipment,
facilities,  fixtures  and other  property  constituting  a part of the  Project
Property  against  loss or damage to the Project  Property  by fire,  lightning,
vandalism,  malicious  mischief and other  casualties,  with  standard  extended
coverage endorsement covering perils of windstorm,  hail,  explosion,  aircraft,
vehicles and smoke (except as limited in the standard form of extended  coverage
endorsement at the time in use in the State) at all times in an amount such that
the proceeds of such insurance shall be sufficient to prevent the Lessees or the
Agency from becoming a co-insurer  of any loss under the insurance  policies but
in any event in  amounts  equal to not less than 80% of the  actual  replacement
value of the Project Property as determined by a qualified  insurance  appraiser
or insurer  (selected by the Lessees and reasonably  approved by the Agency) not
less often than once a year, at the expense of the Lessees;  any such  insurance
may provide  that the  insurer is not liable to the extent of the first  $50,000
with the result  that the Lessees are their own insurer to the extent of $50,000
of such risks;



     (iii) Public  liability  insurance in accordance  with customary  insurance
practices for similar  operations  with respect to the Project  Property and the
business  thereby  conducted in a minimum amount of $25,000,000 (or such greater
amount as may then be required under the Prime Lease),  which insurance (A) will
also provide coverage of the Lessees' obligations of indemnity under Section 6.2
hereof  (other than under  Section  6.2(c) hereof to the extent not available to
either of the Lessees or not otherwise maintained by either of the Lessees), (B)
may be  effected  under  overall  blanket  or excess  coverage  policies  of the
Lessees,  provided,   however,  that  at  least  $1,000,000  is  effected  by  a
comprehensive  liability  insurance  policy,  and  (C)  shall  not  contain  any
provisions for deductible amount in excess of $50,000;

     (iv) Boiler and machine  property damage  insurance in respect of any steam
and  pressure  boilers and similar  apparatus  located on or about the  Facility
Realty from risks normally  insured against under boiler and machinery  policies
and  in  amounts  and  with  deductibles   customarily   obtained  for  business
enterprises similar to Equitable;

     (v) Workers' compensation insurance, disability benefits insurance and such
other forms of  insurance  which any of the Lessees or the Agency is required by
law to provide  covering loss  resulting  from injury,  sickness,  disability or
death of the  employees of any of the Lessees or any Affiliate  thereof,  or any
contractor  or  subcontractor  performing  work  with  respect  to  the  Project
Property; the Lessees shall require that all said contractors and subcontractors
shall maintain all forms or types of insurance  with respect to their  employees
required by laws; and

     (vi) Such other  customary  and  reasonable  insurance  in such  reasonable
amounts and against such  insurable  hazards as the Agency from time to time may
reasonably require.

     (b) All  insurance  required by Section  4.4(a) above shall be procured and
maintained in financially sound and generally recognized  responsible  insurance
companies  authorized to write such insurance in the State,  either (i) having a
"XIII/-A"  rating or better by A.M.  Best & Co., or (ii)  approved by the Agency
(such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned).

     (c) Each of the policies or binders evidencing the insurance required above
to be obtained shall

     (i) designate (except in the case of workers'  compensation  insurance) the
Lessees,  the  Agency and the  Trustee as  additional  named  insureds  as their
respective interests may appear;

     (ii) provide that all insurance  proceeds with respect to loss or damage to
the Project  Property be endorsed and made payable to the Lessees and shall name
the  Lessees  as a loss  payee  under the  standard  loss  payee  clause,  which
insurance  proceeds shall be paid over to the Lessees and applied as provided in
Section 5.1 hereof;

     (iii)  provide  that there shall be no  recourse  against the Agency or the
Trustee  for the  payment of premiums  or  commissions  or (if such  policies or
binders provide for the payment thereof) additional premiums or assessments;

     (iv)  provide  that in respect of the interest of the Agency or the Trustee
in such  policies,  the  insurance  shall not be  invalidated  by any  action or
inaction of any of the Lessees or any other  Person and shall  insure the Agency
and the Trustee regardless of, and any losses shall be payable  notwithstanding,
any act or  negligence,  including any breach of any  condition,  declaration or
warranty contained in any such policy of insurance by the Agency or the Trustee,
any of the Lessees or any other Person; the occupation,  operation or use of the
Project  Property for purposes more hazardous than permitted by the terms of the
policy;  any  foreclosure or other  proceeding or notice of sale relating to the
Project  Property;  or any  change  in the title to or  ownership  of all or any
portion of the Project Property;

     (v) provide  that such  insurance  shall be primary  insurance  without any
right of  contribution  from any other  insurance  carried  by the Agency or the
Trustee  to the  extent  that such other  insurance  provides  the Agency or the
Trustee with contingent  and/or excess  liability  insurance with respect to its
interest in the Project Property;

     (vi)  provide  that if the insurers  cancel such  insurance  for any reason
whatsoever,  including the insured's failure to pay any accrued premium,  or the
same is allowed to lapse or expire,  or there be any reduction in amount, or any
material change is made in the coverage, such cancellation,  lapse,  expiration,
reduction or change shall not be effective as to the Agency or the Trustee until
at least thirty (30) days after  receipt by the Agency or the Trustee of written
notice by such insurers of such cancellation, lapse, expiration or change;



     (vii) waive any right of subrogation of the insurers thereunder against the
Agency and the  Trustee,  and waive any right of the  insurers  to any setoff or
counterclaim  or any other  deduction,  whether by attachment  or otherwise,  in
respect of any liability of the Agency or the Trustee; and

     (viii)  contain such other terms and provisions as any owner or operator of
facilities  similar to the Project Property would, in the prudent  management of
properties,  require to be contained in policies,  binders or interim  insurance
contracts  with respect to facilities  similar to the Project  Property owned or
operated by Equitable or its Affiliates.

     (d) The Net Proceeds of any insurance  received with respect to any loss or
damage to the property of the Project  Property shall be paid to the Lessees and
applied in accordance with Section 5.1 hereof.

     (e) On the Lease  Commencement  Date, the Lessees shall deliver or cause to
be delivered to the Agency and the Trustee policies,  binders or certificates of
insurance evidencing compliance with the insurance  requirements of this Section
4.4.  At least  seven (7)  Business  Days  prior to the  expiration  of any such
policy,  the Lessees shall furnish the Agency and the Trustee with evidence that
such  policy has been  renewed or  replaced or a  certificate  of an  Authorized
Representative  of the  Lessees to the effect that such  insurance  is no longer
required by this Agreement.

     (f) Upon each  exercise  by the Lessees in  accordance  with  Section  6.18
hereof of its option to cause  additional  portions of the  premises  within the
Project  Building to be made subject to the Prime Lease,  the Company  Lease and
this Agreement, the Lessees shall, on or prior to the addition of such premises,
cause such additional  premises to be covered by the types of insurance required
under this Section 4.4 as part of the Project Property.

     (g) The Lessees  shall,  at their own cost and expense,  make all proofs of
loss and take all other steps necessary or reasonably requested by the Agency or
the  Trustee to collect  from  insurers  for any loss  covered by any  insurance
required to be obtained by this Section  4.4. The Lessees  shall not do any act,
or suffer or permit any act to be done,  whereby any insurance  required by this
Section 4.4 would likely be suspended or impaired.

     (h) THE AGENCY DOES NOT IN ANY WAY REPRESENT  THAT THE INSURANCE  SPECIFIED
HEREIN,  WHETHER IN SCOPE OR  COVERAGE  OR LIMITS OF  COVERAGE,  IS  ADEQUATE OR
SUFFICIENT  TO PROTECT  THE  BUSINESS  OR  INTEREST OF ANY OF THE LESSEES OR ANY
AFFILIATE THEREOF.

     Section 4.5.  Advances by Agency.In  the event any of the Lessees  fails to
make any  payment or fails to perform or observe any  obligation  required of it
under this Agreement,  the Agency,  after first  delivering ten (10) days' prior
written  notice to the  Lessees of any such  failure on its part  (except in the
event of an emergency condition which, in the reasonable judgment of the Agency,
necessitates  immediate action) may (but shall not be obligated to), and without
waiver of any of the rights of the  Agency  under  this  Agreement  or any other
Project Document or Security  Document,  make such payment or otherwise cure any
failure by the Lessees to perform and observe their other obligations hereunder.
All  amounts so  advanced  therefor  by the Agency  shall  become an  additional
obligation of the Lessees to the Agency,  which amounts,  together with interest
thereon at the rate of eighteen  percent (18%) per annum from the date advanced,
shall be paid by the Lessees  promptly upon demand  therefor by the Agency.  Any
remedy herein vested in the Agency for the collection of the rental  payments or
other  amounts  due  hereunder  shall  also be  available  to the Agency for the
collection of all such amounts so advanced.



     Section  4.6.  Compliance  with Law.  The  Lessees  agree  that they  will,
throughout  the term of this  Agreement  and at  their  sole  cost and  expense,
promptly observe and comply with all Federal,  State and local statutes,  codes,
laws, acts,  ordinances,  orders,  judgments,  decrees,  rules,  regulations and
authorizations, whether foreseen or unforeseen, ordinary or extraordinary, which
shall now or at any time  hereafter be binding upon or  applicable to any of the
Lessees,  any owner,  occupant,  user or operator of the Project Property or any
portion thereof  (including  without  limitation those relating to zoning,  land
use, building codes,  environmental  protection,  air, water and land pollution,
asbestos  removal,  toxic wastes,  hazardous  wastes,  solid  wastes,  wetlands,
health, safety, equal opportunity, minimum wages, and employment practices) (the
"Legal  Requirements"),  and  will  observe  and  comply  with  all  conditions,
requirements,  and  schedules  necessary  to  preserve  and extend  all  rights,
licenses,  permits  (including,  without limitation,  zoning variances,  special
exception and non-conforming uses), privileges,  franchises and concessions. The
Lessees and the Agency will not, without the prior written consent of each other
(which consents shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed),  initiate,  join
in or consent to any private restrictive  covenant,  zoning ordinance,  or other
public or private restrictions,  limiting or defining the uses which may be made
of the Project  Property or any part thereof.  The Lessees  shall  indemnify and
hold  harmless the  Indemnified  Parties (as defined in Section 6.2 hereof) from
and against all loss, cost,  liability and expense (a) in any manner arising out
of or related to any violation of or failure by any of the Lessees (or any other
Person owning,  occupying,  operating or using the Project  Property or any part
thereof) to comply with any Legal  Requirement,  or (b) imposed  upon any of the
Lessees or any of the Indemnified Parties by any Legal Requirement;  in case any
action or  proceedings  is brought  against  any of the  Indemnified  Parties in
respect to any Legal Requirement,  the Lessees shall upon notice from any of the
Indemnified Parties defend such action or proceeding by counsel  satisfactory to
the Indemnified Party.

     The  Lessees  may  contest  in  good  faith  the  validity,   existence  or
applicability  of any of the  foregoing if (i) such contest  shall not result in
the  Project  Property  or any part  thereof or  interest  therein  being in any
reasonably  imminent  danger of being  sold,  forfeited  or lost,  and (ii) such
contest shall not result in any of the Lessees,  the Agency or the Trustee being
in any  reasonable  danger of any civil or  criminal  liability  for  failure to
comply therewith.

     Section  4.7.  Enforcement  of  Rights  Under  Prime  Lease  Against  Prime
Landlord.  Equitable  covenants  and agrees  that to the  extent  that the Prime
Landlord is  obligated  to  Equitable  under the Prime Lease to comply (or cause
their  subtenants of the Facility Realty to comply) with all Federal,  State and
local statutes,  codes,  laws, acts,  ordinances,  orders,  judgments,  decrees,
rules,  regulations and authorizations  (including,  without  limitation,  those
relating to zoning,  land use,  environmental  protection,  air,  water and land
pollution,  asbestos  removal,  toxic wastes,  hazardous  wastes,  solid wastes,
health,  safety,  equal  opportunity,  minimum wages and employment  practices),
whether foreseen or unforeseen, ordinary or extraordinary,  that shall now or at
any  time  hereafter  govern  the  ownership,  improvement,  maintenance  and/or
operation of the Project Building (the foregoing covenants of the Prime Landlord
being the "Prime Landlord  Covenants"),  Equitable  shall never amend,  waive or
modify,  or permit the amendment,  waiver or  modification  of, any of the Prime
Landlord  Covenants  in a manner  which would  materially  adversely  affect the
Agency's  interests,  and, in the event that Equitable shall have knowledge that
the Prime Landlord shall be in material  default of any Prime Landlord  Covenant
such as may result in any reasonably  imminent danger of causing harm to life or
property or might otherwise  subject the Agency to risk of public  condemnation,
then, upon the direction of the Agency,  Equitable shall promptly  exercise good
faith diligent efforts to enforce the Prime Landlord Covenants against the Prime
Landlord.



                                      ARTICLE V
    Damage, Destruction and CondemnationDamage, Destruction and Condemnation

     Section 5.1. Damage, Destruction and Condemnation.

     (a) In the event  that at any time  during the term of this  Agreement  the
whole or any part of the  Project  Property  shall be damaged or  destroyed,  or
taken or condemned by a competent authority for any public use or purpose, or by
agreement (at the request of or with the consent of the Prime Landlord)  between
the Agency and those  authorized to exercise such right, or if the temporary use
of the Project  Property shall be so taken by condemnation or agreement (a "Loss
Event"):

     (i) the Agency shall have no obligation  to replace,  repair or restore the
Project Property,

     (ii) there shall be no abatement,  postponement or reduction in the rent or
other amounts payable by the Lessees under this Agreement, the Project Agreement
or any other Project Document or Security Document, and

     (iii) the  Lessees  will  promptly  give  notice of such Loss  Event to the
Agency and the Trustee, generally describing the nature and extent thereof.

     (b) Upon the occurrence of a Loss Event, the Net Proceeds derived therefrom
with  respect to the  Project  Property  shall be paid to the  Lessees,  and the
Lessees (except to the extent provided in Section 5.1(e) hereof), shall at their
own cost and expense (except to the extent paid from the Net Proceeds)

     (i) as to each item of damaged or  destroyed  Facility  Equipment or Leased
Personalty,   either  (y)   promptly  and   diligently   replace  such  item  to
substantially  its  condition  immediately  prior  to the  Loss  Event,  or to a
condition of at least equivalent  utility,  regardless of whether or not the Net
Proceeds  derived  from  the Loss  Event  shall  be  sufficient  to pay the cost
thereof, and the Lessees shall not by reason of payment of any such excess costs
be entitled to any reimbursement from the Agency, the Trustee, any Holder of any
of the Bonds or any other Person, nor shall the rent or other amounts payable by
any of the Lessees  under this  Agreement,  the Project  Agreement  or any other
Project Document or Security  Document be abated,  postponed or reduced,  or (z)
discard or  otherwise  dispose of such item for use other than by the Lessees or
any Affiliate thereof, and not replace, repair or restore the same; and

     (ii) as to the  Facility  Realty,  either  (y) cause  that  portion  of the
Facility  Realty as shall be the  subject of the Loss Event (or so much  thereof
not to be  rebuilt,  replaced,  repaired  or  restored as provided in clause (z)
below) to be released from the Company Lease and this Agreement, or (z) promptly
and diligently replace,  repair or restore the Project Property to substantially
its condition immediately prior to the Loss Event, or to a condition of at least
equivalent  utility,  value,  operating  efficiency and function,  regardless of
whether or not the Net Proceeds  derived from the Loss Event shall be sufficient
to pay the cost  thereof,  and the Lessees shall not by reason of payment of any
such excess costs be entitled to any reimbursement from the Agency, the Trustee,
any Holder of any of the Bonds or any other Person,  nor shall the rent or other
amounts  payable  by  any of the  Lessees  under  this  Agreement,  the  Project
Agreement  or any  other  Project  Document  or  Security  Document  be  abated,
postponed or reduced.

     (c) Any rebuilding,  replacement, repair or restoration of Project Property
shall

     (i) automatically be deemed a part of the Project Property and owned by, or
leased or licensed to, the Agency and be subject to the Prime Lease, the Company
Lease and this Agreement,

     (ii) not change the nature of the Project Property as a qualified "project"
as defined in and as contemplated  by the Act or change the general  purposes of
the Project Property from those specified in the recitals to this Agreement, and

     (iii) be effected with due diligence in a good and workmanlike  manner,  in
compliance in all material  respects with all applicable Legal  Requirements (as
defined in Section 4.6 hereof) and be promptly and fully paid for by the Lessees
in accordance with the terms of the applicable contract(s) therefor.



     (d) The Agency,  the Trustee and the Lessees  shall  cooperate  and consult
with  each  other  in all  matters  pertaining  to the  settlement,  compromise,
arbitration  or  adjustment of any claim or demand on account of any Loss Event,
but the settlement,  compromise,  arbitration or adjustment of any such claim or
demand shall be decided by the Lessees.  The Agency shall,  at the sole cost and
expense  of  the  Lessees,   cooperate  with  the  Lessees  in  the  settlement,
compromise,  arbitration  or  adjustment  of any such  claim or demand and shall
execute such documents as shall be reasonably necessary to accomplish the same.

     (e) If all or substantially all of any portion of the Facility Realty shall
be damaged or destroyed or taken or  condemned,  or if the  casualty,  taking or
condemnation  renders such portion of the Facility Realty  unsuitable for use by
the Lessees as contemplated  herein, the Lessees shall within one hundred twenty
(120)  days after the Loss Event  deliver  written  notice to the Agency and the
Trustee as to whether the Lessees intend to rebuild,  replace, repair or restore
such portion of the Facility  Realty and  continue its  occupancy  and use or to
abandon such portion of the Facility Realty,  in which latter event such portion
of the  Facility  Realty  shall be  released  from the  Company  Lease  and this
Agreement as provided in Section 6.17 hereof.

     (f) The Lessees  hereby waive the provisions of Section 227 of the New York
Real Property Law or any law of like import now or hereafter in effect.



                                   ARTICLE VI
                              Particular Covenants

     Section 6.1.  Dissolution  or Merger of Lessees;  Restrictions  on Lessees.
Each of the Lessees  covenants  and agrees that at all times  during the term of
this Agreement,  it will (i) maintain its corporate existence,  (ii) continue to
be subject to service of process in the State and either be organized  under the
laws of the  State of New  York,  or under  the laws of any  other  state of the
United States and duly qualified to do business as a foreign  corporation in the
State,  (iii) not liquidate,  wind-up or dissolve or otherwise dispose of all or
substantially all of its property,  business or assets, and (iv) not consolidate
with or merge into another  corporation  or permit one or more  corporations  to
consolidate with or merge into it. Any Lessee may,  however,  without  violating
the  foregoing,  but upon prior  written  notice to the Agency and the  Trustee,
consolidate  with or merge  into  another  corporation,  or  permit  one or more
corporations to consolidate with or merge into it, or sell or otherwise transfer
all or  substantially  all of its  property,  business or assets to another such
corporation  (and  thereafter  liquidate,  wind-up or  dissolve  or not, as such
Lessee may elect) if (I) such Lessee is the  surviving,  resulting or transferee
corporation,  as the case may be (which shall  include a merger of Equitable and
EVLICO),  or (II) in the event that such Lessee is not the surviving,  resulting
or transferee corporation, as the case may be, such corporation (A) is a solvent
corporation  subject to  service  of  process in the State and either  organized
under  the laws of the  State of New York,  or  organized  under the laws of any
other state of the United States and duly qualified to do business in the State,
(B) is not, nor is it an Affiliate  of, a  Prohibited  Person,  (C) is primarily
engaged at Approved  Equitable  City  Locations in the Equitable  Business,  (D)
assumes in writing  all of the  obligations  of such  Lessee  contained  in this
Agreement and the other Project  Documents and Security  Documents to which such
Lessee  shall be a party and, in the Opinion of Counsel  delivered to the Agency
and the  Trustee,  (x) such  corporation  shall  be  bound  by all of the  terms
applicable to such Lessee of this Agreement and the other Project  Documents and
Security  Documents to which such Lessee  shall be a party,  and (y) such action
does not legally  impair the security  for the Holders of the Bonds  afforded by
the  Security  Documents,  and (E) in the opinion of an  Independent  Accountant
delivered to the Agency and the Trustee,  has a net worth (as  determined by the
Independent   Accountant  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted   accounting
principles) after the merger, consolidation,  sale or transfer at least equal to
the net worth of such Lessee  immediately  prior to such merger,  consolidation,
sale or transfer.

     Each of the Lessees  further  covenants and agrees as to itself that at all
times  during the term of this  Agreement,  it is and will  continue  to be duly
qualified  to do  business in the State,  and any  corporation  or other  entity
succeeding to the rights of a Lessee under this Agreement  shall be and continue
to be duly qualified to do business in the State.

     Section 6.2.  Indemnity.(a) The Lessees shall at all times protect and hold
the Agency, the Trustee, the Bond Registrar and the Paying Agents (collectively,
the  "Indemnified  Parties")  harmless  of,  from and against any and all claims
(whether in tort, contract or otherwise),  demands,  costs, expenses (including,
without limitation,  court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees) and liabilities
for losses,  damage,  injury and  liability of every kind and nature and however
caused, and taxes (of any kind and by whomsoever imposed),  other than, (y) with
respect to the Agency, if the claim,  demand,  cost,  expense or liability shall
have  arisen  by  reason  of a  separate  "project"  unrelated  to  the  Project
undertaken by the Agency under the Act, and (z) with respect to any  Indemnified
Party  (including  the  Agency),  losses  arising from the gross  negligence  or
willful  misconduct of such Indemnified  Party  (including the Agency),  arising
during the term of this Agreement upon,  about or in connection with the Project
Building or the Project  Property or resulting  from,  arising out of, or in any
way connected  with (i) the  financing of the costs of the Project  Property and
the marketing, remarketing, issuance and sale of the Agency's Bonds from time to
time for such purpose, (ii) the planning, design, acquisition, site preparation,
construction,  renovation,  equipping,  installation,   maintenance,  repair  or
replacement  of the  Project  Building  or the  Project  Property or any part of
either  thereof or the effecting of any work done with respect to or in or about
the Project Building or the Project Property,  (iii) any defects (whether latent
or patent) in the Project Building or the Project Property or any part of either
thereof, (iv) the maintenance,  repair,  replacement,  restoration,  rebuilding,
demolition, upkeep, use, occupancy,  ownership, leasing, subletting,  licensing,
sublicensing or operation of the Project Building or the Project Property or any
portion of either thereof,  and (v) this Agreement,  the Indenture,  the Project
Agreement,  the Sales Tax Letter,  the Pre-Bond  Issuance Sales Tax Letter,  the
Prime Lease, the Company Lease, the Project Agreement,  the Indenture,  the Bond



Supplemental  Indenture or any other Project Document or Security  Document,  or
any other document or instrument  delivered in connection  herewith or therewith
or the  enforcement  of any of the terms or provisions  hereof or thereof or the
transactions  contemplated  hereby or thereby.  Such  indemnification  set forth
above  shall  be  binding  upon the  Lessees  for any and all  claims,  demands,
expenses,  liabilities  and  taxes  set  forth  herein  and  shall  survive  the
termination  of this  Agreement.  No  Indemnified  Party shall be liable for any
damage or  injury  to the  person or  property  of any of the  Lessees  or their
respective directors,  officers,  employees, agents or servants or persons under
the control or  supervision  of any such  Person or any other  Person who may be
involved  with the Project  Building or the Project  Property  due to any act or
negligence of any Person other than, with respect to any such Indemnified Party,
the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party.

     (b) The Lessees  release  each  Indemnified  Party from,  and agree that no
Indemnified  Party shall be liable for,  and agrees to  indemnify  and hold each
Indemnified  Party  harmless  against,  any  expense,  loss,  damage,  injury or
liability  incurred because of any lawsuit commenced as a result of action taken
by such  Indemnified  Party  with  respect  to any of the  matters  set forth in
subdivisions (i) through (v) of Section 6.2(a) hereof or at the direction of any
of the Lessees;  provided,  however, that the indemnification provisions of this
Section  6.2 shall not apply to an  Indemnified  Party to the  extent  that such
expense,  loss,  damage,  injury or  liability  shall have arisen from the gross
negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party. An Indemnified Party
shall  promptly  notify the  Lessees  in writing of any claim or action  brought
against such  Indemnified  Party in which  indemnity  may be sought  against the
Lessees  pursuant to this Section 6.2;  such notice shall be given in sufficient
time to allow the Lessees to defend or participate in such claim or action,  but
the  failure  to give such  notice in  sufficient  time shall not  constitute  a
defense  hereunder  nor in any way impair the  obligations  of the Lessees under
this Section 6.2.

     (c) In  addition to and without  limitation  of all other  representations,
warranties and covenants made by the Lessees under this  Agreement,  the Lessees
further  represent  and  warrant  that none of the  Lessees  has used  Hazardous
Materials (as defined  hereinafter)  on, from, or affecting the Project Property
or any portion  thereof in any manner  which  violates  Federal,  state or local
laws, ordinances,  rules,  regulations,  or policies governing the use, storage,
treatment,  transportation,  manufacture,  refinement,  handling,  production or
disposal  of  Hazardous  Materials,  and that,  except as set forth in a certain
Phase I Environmental  Assessment  dated as of June 22, 1995 prepared by Hillman
Environmental  Company with respect to the  Facility  Realty,  true and complete
copies  of  which  the  Lessees  have  delivered  to the  Agency  (the  "Phase I
Environmental  Report"), to the best of the Lessees' actual knowledge,  no prior
owner, user, or occupant of the Project Property or any portion thereof has used
Hazardous  Materials on, from, or affecting the Project  Property or any portion
thereof in any manner which violates Federal,  state or local laws,  ordinances,
rules,   regulations  or  policies   governing  the  use,  storage,   treatment,
transportation,  manufacture,  refinement,  handling,  production or disposal of
Hazardous Materials.  The Lessees shall keep or cause the Project Property to be
kept free of Hazardous  Materials (other than materials  customarily used in the
conduct of the Equitable  Business),  except as provided in applicable  Federal,
state and local laws,  ordinances,  rules,  regulations  and  policies.  Without
limiting  the  foregoing,  the  Lessees  shall not cause or permit  the  Project
Property  or any  part  thereof  to be used to  generate,  manufacture,  refine,
transport, treat, store, handle, dispose, transfer, produce or process Hazardous
Materials,  except in compliance  with all applicable  Federal,  state and local
laws or regulations,  nor shall the Lessees cause or permit,  as a result of any
intentional or  unintentional  act or omission on the part of any of the Lessees
or any  operator,  user,  or  occupant  of the  Project  Property,  a release of
Hazardous Materials onto the Project Property or any portion thereof or onto any
other  property.  The Lessees  shall comply with and use  reasonable  efforts to
ensure  compliance  by all other  owners,  users,  tenants or  subtenants of the
Project Property with all applicable Federal,  state and local laws, ordinances,
rules and  regulations  relating  to  Hazardous  Materials  with  respect to the
acquisition,   leasing,   subleasing,   licensing,   construction,   renovation,
improving, equipping, furnishing,  installation,  operation, maintenance, repair
and replacement of the Project Property, whenever and by whomever triggered, and
shall  obtain and comply  with,  and use  reasonable  efforts to ensure that all
owners,  users,  tenants or occupants of the Project  Property obtain and comply
with, any and all approvals,  registrations or permits required thereunder.  The
Lessees  shall (i) take all  actions  necessary  to clean up and  remediate  all
Hazardous Materials,  on, from, or affecting the Project Property, to the extent
that the Lessees have control thereof,  (y) to the extent required in accordance
with  all  applicable  Federal,  state  and  local  laws,   ordinances,   rules,
regulations,  and policies, and (z) in accordance with the orders and directives
of all  Federal,  state and local  governmental  authorities,  and (ii)  defend,
indemnify,  and hold  harmless  the  Indemnified  Parties  from and  against any
claims, demands, penalties, fines, liabilities,  settlements, damages, costs, or



expenses of whatever kind or nature, known or unknown,  contingent or otherwise,
arising out of, or in any way related to, (1) the presence,  disposal,  release,
or  threatened  release  of any  Hazardous  Materials  which  are on,  from,  or
affecting the Project Property or any portion  thereof;  (2) any personal injury
(including  wrongful death) or property damage (real or personal) arising out of
or related to such Hazardous  Materials;  (3) any lawsuit brought or threatened,
settlement  reached,  or government order relating to such Hazardous  Materials,
and/or (4) any violation of laws, orders,  regulations,  requirements or demands
of  government  authorities,  which are based upon or in any way related to such
Hazardous  Materials  including,  without  limitation,  reasonable  attorney and
consultant fees,  investigation and laboratory fees, court costs, and litigation
expenses.  For  purposes  of this  paragraph,  "Hazardous  Materials"  includes,
without limitation, any flammable explosives,  radioactive materials,  hazardous
materials, hazardous wastes, hazardous or toxic substances, or related materials
defined or so treated in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C.  Sections  9601, et seq.),  the
Hazardous Materials  Transportation Act, as amended (49 U.S.C.  Sections 1801 et
seq.), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended (42 U.S.C.
Sections 6901, et seq.), and in the regulations adopted and promulgated pursuant
thereto,  or any other Federal,  state or local  environmental  law,  ordinance,
rule, or regulation.  The  provisions of this paragraph  shall be in addition to
any and all  other  obligations  and  liabilities  the  Lessees  may have to the
Indemnified  Parties  at  common  law  or  otherwise,  and  the  indemnification
provisions hereof shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

     The parties  hereto agree that the reference in this Section  6.2(c) to the
Phase I  Environmental  Report  is not  intended,  and  should  not be deemed to
intend, to modify, qualify, reduce or diminish the obligations of the Lessees to
carry out and  perform  all of the  covenants  stated in Section  4.6 hereof and
throughout  this Section  6.2,  including  but not limited to,  those  covenants
wherein the Lessees are  obligated  to  indemnify  the  Indemnified  Parties and
comply with all laws, ordinances,  rules and regulations pertaining to Hazardous
Materials.

     (d) The  indemnifications  and  protections  set forth in this  Section 6.2
shall be  extended,  with  respect to each  Indemnified  Party,  to its members,
directors,  officers,  employees,  agents and  servants  and persons  under such
Indemnified Party's control or supervision.

     (e) To  effectuate  the  purposes of this  Section  6.2,  the Lessees  will
provide for and insure, in the public liability policies required in Section 4.4
hereof, not only their own liability in respect of the matters therein mentioned
but also the  liability  pursuant to this Section 6.2 (other than under  Section
6.2(c)  hereof to the  extent  not  available  to either of the  Lessees  or not
otherwise maintained by either of the Lessees). Anything to the contrary in this
Agreement   notwithstanding,   the  indemnification  covenants  of  the  Lessees
contained  in this  Section 6.2 shall  remain in full force and effect after the
termination  of this  Agreement  until  the later of (i) the  expiration  of the
period stated in the applicable  statute of limitations  during which a claim or
cause of action may be brought and (ii) payment in full or the  satisfaction  of
such claim or cause of action and of all  expenses  and charges  incurred by any
Indemnified   Party  relating  to  the  enforcement  of  the  provisions  herein
specified.

     (f) For the purposes of this Section 6.2, neither of the Lessees nor any of
their  respective  subsidiaries  or  affiliates,  nor any other Person  (whether
related or unrelated to any Lessee) who has received  "financial  assistance" in
connection with any other "project" (as such terms are defined in the Act) under
the Act, shall be deemed an employee, agent or servant of the Agency or a person
under the Agency's control or supervision.

     Section 6.3. Compensation and Expenses of Trustee,  Bond Registrar,  Paying
Agents and Agency.  (a) The Agency Lessees shall,  to the extent not paid out of
the proceeds of the Bonds as financing expenses,  pay the following annual fees,
charges and  expenses  and other  amounts (i) the initial and annual fees of the
Trustee  for the  ordinary  services of the Trustee  rendered  and its  ordinary
expenses  incurred  under the  Indenture,  including  fees and  expenses as Bond
Registrar  and in connection  with  preparation  of new Bonds upon  exchanges or
transfers or making any investments in accordance  with the Indenture,  (ii) the
reasonable  fees  and  charges  of the  Trustee,  the Bond  Registrar,  the Bond
Registrar  and any  Paying  Agents on the Bonds for  acting as paying  agents as
provided in the Indenture,  including the reasonable fees of its counsel,  (iii)
the  reasonable  fees and  charges of the  Trustee  for  extraordinary  services
rendered by it and  extraordinary  expenses  incurred by it under the Indenture,
including  reasonable  counsel  fees,  and (iv) the  fees,  costs  and  expenses
(including legal,  accounting and other administrative  expenses) of the Agency.
The Lessees  shall further pay the  reasonable  costs and expenses of the Agency
together with any  reasonable  fees and  disbursements  incurred by the Agency's
Bond  Counsel  and  General  Counsel in  performing  services  for the Agency in
connection with this Agreement, the Project Agreement, the Sales Tax Letter, the
Indenture or any other Project Document or Security Document.



     (b) The  Lessees  further  agree to pay to the  Agency a  financing  fee of
$805,000 payable in two installments consisting of $600,000 payable on the Lease
Commencement Date (less $15,000 paid by the Lessees as an application fee to the
Agency prior to the Lease Commencement Date) and $205,000 payable by the Lessees
on the first  anniversary  of the Lease  Commencement  Date.  In  addition,  the
Lessees  agrees to pay an annual  administrative  fee of $15,000 to the  Agency,
payable  initially  on the  Lease  Commencement  Date and on  every  anniversary
thereof until the termination of this Agreement.

     Section 6.4.  Retention of Interest in Project  Property.  The Agency shall
not sell,  assign,  encumber  (other  than  Permitted  Encumbrances),  convey or
otherwise dispose of its interest in the Project Property or any part thereof or
interest  therein  during  the term of this  Agreement,  except  as set forth in
Sections 2.3, 4.2, 5.1, 6.17,  6.18, 7.2, 8.2 and 9.3 hereof,  without the prior
written  consent of the Lessees and the  Trustee and any  purported  disposition
without such consent shall be void.

     Section 6.5. Financial  Statements;  Annual  Certificates.  (a) The Lessees
shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agency and to the Trustee, as soon
as  available  and in any event  within one hundred  twenty (120) days after the
close of each fiscal year of Equitable, a copy of the most recently filed "Equal
Employment  Opportunity,  Employer Information Report EEO-1" and "New York State
Department of Labor Form IA-5" or other equivalent or successor report as may be
required of the Lessees to be filed with appropriate government authorities.

     (b) The  Lessees  shall  deliver to the Agency  and the  Trustee  with each
delivery of annual financial  statements  required by Section 6.1 of the Project
Agreement,  a certificate of an Authorized  Representative of the Lessees (i) as
to whether or not, as of the close of such preceding fiscal year of the Lessees,
and at all times  during such fiscal  year,  and to the best  knowledge  of such
Authorized  Representative,  the  Lessees  were in  compliance  in all  material
respects with all the  provisions  which relate to the Lessees in this Agreement
and the Project Documents and Security  Documents to which any of the Lessees is
a party, and if such Authorized  Representative shall have obtained knowledge of
any default in such  compliance or notice of such default,  he shall disclose in
such  certificate  such  default or  defaults  or notice  thereof and the nature
thereof, whether or not the same shall constitute an Event of default hereunder,
and any action proposed to be taken by the Lessees with respect thereto, (ii) as
to whether or not an "event of default"  exists under the Prime Lease or written
notice of an uncured  default  has been  received by  Equitable  under the Prime
Lease,  (iii)  that  the  insurance  the  Lessees  maintain  complies  with  the
provisions  of Section 4.4 of this  Agreement,  that such  insurance has been in
full  force and  effect at all times  during the  preceding  fiscal  year of the
Lessees,  and that duplicate copies of all policies or certificates thereof have
been  filed with the  Agency  and are in full  force and  effect,  (iv) that the
Agency has been vested with valid title to all items of Facility  Equipment  and
has a valid  leasehold or licensee  interest in all other  Project  Property and
that all property  constituting the Project Property is subject to the leasehold
interest of this  Agreement,  (v) that none of the Lessees has availed itself of
the benefits of the Pre-Bond  Issuance  Sales Tax Letter or the Sales Tax Letter
except in  conformance  with the  requirements  of  Section  3.1 of the  Project
Agreement, the Pre-Bond Issuance Sales Tax Letter and the Sales Tax Letter, (vi)
as to the  percentage  of  rentable  square  feet of each floor  comprising  the
Facility Realty,  and of the Facility Realty in the aggregate,  as shall be used
or occupied by  Non-Qualified  Users, and (vii) that no item of Existing Project
Property has been removed  from  Approved  Equitable  City  Locations  except in
accordance with Sections 4.2 or 5.1 hereof. In addition,  upon twenty (20) days'
prior request by the Agency,  the Lessees will execute,  acknowledge and deliver
to the Agency and the Trustee a certificate of an Authorized  Representative  of
the Lessees as to whether  any default  shall exist on the part of either of the
Lessees in those  provisions  of this  Agreement  as shall be the subject of the
request  (which  request  must be specific  in  nature),  and if so, the details
thereof and the action proposed to be taken by the Lessees to cure the same.

     (c) The  Lessees  shall  promptly  notify the Agency and the Trustee of the
occurrence  and  continuance  of any Event of  Default  or any event  which with
notice  and/or lapse of time would  constitute  an "event of default"  under the
Prime Lease,  or an Event of Default  under this  Agreement or any other Project
Document or  Security  Document  of which any Lessee has  knowledge.  Any notice
required  to be  given  pursuant  to  this  subsection  shall  be  signed  by an
Authorized  Representative  of the  Lessees and set forth a  description  of the
default and the steps,  if any,  being taken to cure said  default.  If no steps
have been taken, the Lessees shall state this fact in the notice.



     Section 6.6 Discharge of Liens.  (a) If any lien,  encumbrance or charge is
filed or asserted, or any judgment,  decree, order, levy or process of any court
or  governmental  body  is  entered  and  attached  against  any of the  Project
Property,  made or issued  or any  claim  (such  liens,  encumbrances,  charges,
judgments,   decrees,   orders,  levies,   processes  and  claims  being  herein
collectively called "Liens"),  whether or not valid, is made against the Project
Property or any part thereof or the interest  therein of the Agency,  any of the
Lessees or the Trustee or against any of the  rentals or other  amounts  payable
under this  Agreement  or the Project  Agreement  or the  interest of any of the
Lessees  under this  Agreement or under any other  Security  Document or Project
Document other than Liens for Impositions (as defined in Section 4.3 hereof) not
yet payable,  Permitted  Encumbrances,  or Liens being contested as permitted by
Section  6.6(b)  hereof,  the Lessees  forthwith  upon  receipt of notice of the
filing,  assertion,  entry or issuance of such Lien (regardless of the source of
such notice) shall give written notice thereof to the Agency and the Trustee and
take all action  (including  the payment of money and/or the securing of a bond)
at their own cost and expense as may be necessary or  appropriate  to obtain the
discharge in full thereof and to remove or nullify the basis  therefor.  Nothing
contained in this Agreement  shall be construed as  constituting  the express or
implied  consent to or permission of the Agency for the performance of any labor
or services or the  furnishing of any materials that would give rise to any Lien
against the  Agency's  interest in the Project  Property or the rentals or other
amounts  payable under this Agreement or any other Project  Document or Security
Document.

     (b) The  Lessees  may at their sole cost and  expense  contest  (on written
notice to the Agency and the Trustee),  by appropriate  action conducted in good
faith and with due diligence, the amount or validity or application, in whole or
in part,  of any Lien,  if (1) such  proceeding  shall  suspend the execution or
enforcement of such Lien against the Project  Property or any portion thereof or
interest  therein or against  the  Agency,  any of the Lessees or the Trustee or
against any of the rentals or other amounts  payable under this Agreement or any
other Project  Document or Security  Document,  (2) neither the Project Property
nor any portion thereof or interest therein would be in any reasonably  imminent
danger of being sold, forfeited or lost, and (3) neither any of the Lessees, the
Agency nor the  Trustee  would be in any  reasonable  danger of any  criminal or
civil liability for failure to comply therewith.

     Section 6.7. Agency's  Authority;  Covenant of Quiet Enjoyment.  The Agency
covenants  and agrees that it has full right and lawful  authority to enter into
this  Agreement  for the full term  hereof,  and that,  subject to the terms and
provisions  of the  Indenture and other  Permitted  Encumbrances  (and any other
title defects not disclosed in the title insurance  policies  delivered pursuant
to  Section  2.4  hereof),  so long as an  Event  of  Default  shall  not  exist
hereunder,  the Lessees  shall  have,  hold and enjoy,  during the term  hereof,
peaceful,  quiet and  undisputed  possession  of the  Project  Property  without
molestation or disturbance by or from the Agency or any Person claiming  through
the Agency, subject to Permitted Encumbrances.

     Section 6.8. No Warranty of Condition or  Suitability.  THE AGENCY HAS MADE
AND MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY  WHATSOEVER,  EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
WITH RESPECT TO THE MERCHANTABILITY,  CONDITION,  FITNESS,  DESIGN, OPERATION OR
WORKMANSHIP OF ANY PART OF THE PROJECT PROPERTY,  ITS FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR
PURPOSE,  THE QUALITY OR CAPACITY OF THE MATERIALS IN THE PROJECT  PROPERTY,  OR
THE SUITABILITY OF THE PROJECT  PROPERTY FOR THE PURPOSES OR NEEDS OF ANY OF THE
LESSEES OR ANY OTHER  PERSON OR THE EXTENT TO WHICH  PROCEEDS  DERIVED  FROM THE
SALE  OF THE  BONDS  WILL  BE  SUFFICIENT  TO PAY  PROJECT  COSTS.  THE  LESSEES
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE AGENCY IS NOT THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FACILITY EQUIPMENT OR
THE OTHER PROJECT  PROPERTY NOR THE  MANUFACTURER'S  AGENT NOR A DEALER THEREIN.
NEITHER THE LESSEES (NOR ANY PERSON OR AFFILIATE  UNDER THE CONTROL OF EITHER OF
THE  LESSEES)  SHALL  ASSERT A CLAIM  AGAINST  THE  AGENCY ON THE BASIS THAT THE
PROJECT  PROPERTY IS NOT SUITABLE OR FIT FOR ITS PURPOSES.  THE AGENCY SHALL NOT
BE  LIABLE IN ANY  MANNER  WHATSOEVER  TO ANY OF THE  LESSEES  OR ANY  AFFILIATE
THEREOF OR OTHER PERSON OR AFFILIATE  UNDER THE CONTROL OF EITHER OF THE LESSEES
FOR ANY  LOSS,  DAMAGE OR  EXPENSE  OF ANY KIND OR NATURE  CAUSED,  DIRECTLY  OR
INDIRECTLY,  BY THE PROJECT PROPERTY OR THE USE OR MAINTENANCE OF ANY THEREOF OR
THE FAILURE OF OPERATION OF ANY THEREOF, OR THE REPAIR, SERVICE OR ADJUSTMENT OF
ANY  THEREOF,  OR BY ANY  DELAY OR  FAILURE  TO  PROVIDE  ANY SUCH  MAINTENANCE,
REPAIRS, SERVICE OR ADJUSTMENT, OR BY ANY INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE OR LOSS OF USE
OF ANY THEREOF OR FOR ANY LOSS OF BUSINESS HOWSOEVER CAUSED.

     Section 6.9. Amounts  Remaining in Funds.  Any amounts  remaining in any of
the  Funds  and  Accounts  held by the  Trustee  under  the  Indenture  upon the
expiration or termination of the term of this  Agreement,  after payment in full
of the Bonds (or provisions for such payment in full in accordance  with Section
10.01 of the Indenture), the fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee, the Bond
Registrar, the Paying Agents and the Agency in accordance with the Indenture and
after all rents and all other  amounts due and payable  hereunder and under each
other  Security  Document and Project  Document shall have been paid in full (or
provision for such payment in full is made in  accordance  with Section 10.01 of
the  Indenture)  shall  belong to and be paid  promptly  to the  Lessees  by the
Trustee as overpayment of rents.



     Section  6.10.Obligations  under and  Covenants  with  Respect to the Prime
Lease. (a) Equitable covenants and agrees that it shall not enter into, consent,
permit or approve an amendment,  waiver, supplement or modification to the Prime
Lease which would  materially  and adversely  affect the interests of the Agency
(or  otherwise  amend,  supplement,  modify or waive  any of the Prime  Landlord
Covenants,  as  defined  in  Section  4.7  hereof).  Equitable  shall  deliver a
certified copy of any such amendment,  waiver, supplement or modification to the
Agency and the Trustee promptly following the execution thereof.

     (b)  Equitable  agrees to  promptly  transmit to the Agency and the Trustee
copies of any  termination  or default  notice it shall receive from, or deliver
to, the Prime Landlord under the Prime Lease.

     Section 6.11.[Reserved].

     Section   6.12.Redemption  Under  Certain   Circumstances.   (a)  Upon  the
determination by resolution of the members of the Agency that any of the Lessees
is operating the Project  Property or any portion thereof in material  violation
of applicable  material law or not as a qualified "project" as defined in and in
accordance  with the Act and the failure of the Lessees  within  sixty (60) days
(or such  longer  period as may be  established  pursuant to the proviso to this
sentence) of the receipt by the Lessees of written notice of such  noncompliance
from  the  Agency  to  cure  such  noncompliance  together  with a copy  of such
resolution  (a copy of which notice shall be sent to the  Trustee),  the Lessees
covenant  and agree that they  shall,  on the  immediately  succeeding  Interest
Payment  Date  following  the  termination  of such sixty  (60) day (or  longer)
period, pay to the Trustee advance rentals in immediately  available funds in an
amount  sufficient to redeem the Bonds  Outstanding  in whole at the  Redemption
Price  of  100% of the  aggregate  principal  amount  of the  Outstanding  Bonds
together with interest accrued thereon to such interest payment date,  provided,
however,  that if such noncompliance cannot be cured within such period of sixty
(60) days  with  diligence  (and is  capable  of being  cured)  and the  Lessees
promptly commence the curing of such non-compliance and thereafter prosecute the
curing thereof with diligence and to the Agency's reasonable satisfaction,  such
period of time within which the Lessees may cure such failure  shall be extended
for such  additional  period of time as may be  necessary  to cure the same with
diligence  and the Agency  shall notify the Trustee of any such  extension.  The
Agency  shall give prior  written  notice of the meeting at which the members of
the Agency are to consider such resolution to the Lessees and the Trustee, which
notice shall be no less than sixty (60) days prior to such meeting.

     (b) Upon (i) the  occurrence  of an Event of Default  under this  Agreement
(with respect to any of the Agency's  Reserved Rights  hereunder) or the Project
Agreement, which has not been cured within the applicable grace period set forth
therein, (ii) no Bonds being Outstanding under the Indenture, or Bonds not being
issued and  Outstanding  under the  Indenture in the minimum  principal  amounts
required under Section  2.3(c)  hereof,  or (iii) the Agency ceasing to have any
title,  leasehold or license  interest in any of the property  constituting  the
Project  Property,  the Agency shall have the right,  on thirty (30) days' prior
written  notice to the Lessees and the Trustee,  to require that the Lessees pay
to the Trustee on the  thirtieth  (30th) day  following the date of such notice,
advance rentals in immediately available funds in an amount sufficient to redeem
the Bonds  Outstanding in whole at the Redemption Price of 100% of the principal
amount of the Outstanding  Bonds,  together with interest accrued thereon to the
date of redemption.

     Section 6.13. Further Assurances.  The Lessees covenant and agree that each
will do,  execute,  acknowledge  and  deliver  or  cause  to be done,  executed,
acknowledged   and  delivered  such  further   reasonable   acts,   instruments,
conveyances,  transfers  and  assurances,  at the sole cost and  expense  of the
Lessees (it being agreed,  however, that the Lessees shall have no obligation to
pay any expenses  attributable to any in-house  professionals of the Agency), as
the  Agency or the  Trustee  reasonably  deem  necessary  or  advisable  for the
implementation,  effectuation,  correction,  confirmation  or perfection of this
Agreement  and any rights of the Agency or the  Trustee  hereunder  or under the
Indenture,  under  any  other  Security  Document  or under  any  other  Project
Document.

     Section 6.14.  Project  Property  Registry.  The Agency shall  maintain the
Project Property  Registry,  which shall be available for inspection in the City
during Agency regular  business hours upon  reasonable  request  therefor by the
Lessees.  On each  March 5 and  September  5 during  the term of this  Agreement
commencing September 15, 1996, the Lessees shall deliver to the Agency, together
with the  certificates  required under Section 3.1 of the Project  Agreement,  a
certificate  of an  Authorized  Representative  of the  Lessees  certifying  the
deletions and other updates that should be made to the Project Property Registry
so that such Registry shall constitute (taking into consideration such additions
and deletions and all previously  certified additions and deletions) an accurate
and complete description of the property comprising the Facility Equipment,  the
Tenant Improvements, the Leased Personalty and the Maintenance Contracts.



     Section  6.15.  Recording  and Filing.  A memorandum  of this  Agreement as
originally  executed  shall  be  recorded  by  the  Lessees  subsequent  to  the
recordation of the Indenture,  in the appropriate  office of the Register of The
City of New York,  or in such other office as may at the time be provided by law
as the proper place for the recordation  thereof.  The security  interest of the
Agency  granted to the Trustee  under the  Indenture in this  Agreement  and the
rentals  payable  hereunder  shall  be  perfected  by the  filing  of  financing
statements  by the Agency  which fully  comply  with the New York State  Uniform
Commercial  Code - Secured  Transactions in the office of the Secretary of State
of the State, in the City of Albany,  New York and in the appropriate  office of
the  Register of the City of New York.  The Lessees  agree to furnish the Agency
and the  Trustee  with the  Opinion of Counsel  addressed  to the Agency and the
Trustee referred to in Section 7.08 of the Indenture and shall perform all other
acts  (including  the  payment  of all costs)  necessary  in order to enable the
Agency to comply with Section 7.08 of the Indenture.

     Section 6.16. Right to Cure Agency  Defaults.  The Agency hereby grants the
Lessees full  authority for the account of the Agency to perform any covenant or
obligation the  non-performance of which is alleged to constitute a default,  in
the name and stead of the Agency, with full power of substitution.

     Section 6.17.  Release of Portions of the Facility Realty. (a) Upon receipt
by the Agency of written notice from an Authorized Representative of the Lessees
(a copy of which shall be delivered by the Lessees to the  Trustee),  describing
any floor or partial floor of the Facility Realty and the date, which shall be a
Business  Day not sooner than thirty (30) days from the receipt by the Agency of
such notice, upon which such floor or partial floor of the Facility Realty is to
be  released  from  the  leasehold  estates  of the  Company  Lease  and of this
Agreement,  then, to the extent then permitted under  applicable law, the Agency
shall on the date  indicated  in such notice and at the sole cost and expense of
the  Lessees,  enter  into  such  amendments  to the  Company  Lease and to this
Agreement,  and shall take such further action to effectuate  such amendments as
the Lessees may reasonably  request, to effect or facilitate such release of the
floor or partial floor.

     (b) In the event that more than the greater of (y) fifteen percent (15%) of
the aggregate rentable square feet of the Facility Realty, or (z) one full floor
of the Facility  Realty (the greater of clauses (y) and (z) being referred to as
the  "Maximum  Sublet  Space"),  shall  at any one time be used or  occupied  by
Persons constituting Non-Qualified Users (whether by sublease or otherwise), the
Lessees shall promptly deliver written notice to such effect to the Agency,  and
this  Agreement  and the Company  Lease shall be deemed  terminated  (unless the
Lessees  shall,  within  thirty (30) days of the  delivery of such notice or the
date upon which such notice should have been delivered  hereunder,  whichever is
earlier,  have cured such  condition) with respect to all of the Facility Realty
so used or occupied  (including  the portion of the Facility  Realty as shall be
within such one floor or such fifteen percent (15%) parameter) as if the term of
this  Agreement  and of the Company  Lease with  respect to such  portion of the
Facility  Realty had expired with respect  thereto,  and the Lessees  shall,  at
their sole cost and expense,  take such  reasonable  action to  effectuate  such
termination as the Agency may reasonably request, including, without limitation,
the entering into of such  amendments to this Agreement and the Company Lease as
the Agency may reasonably require to effect such termination.

     (c)  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  in the event the use or possession of
any portion of the  Facility  Realty  shall at any time be for a purpose or by a
Person  which is not a qualified  "project"  as defined in the Act,  the Lessees
shall  promptly  deliver  written  notice to such effect to the Agency,  and the
Lessees  shall,  upon receipt of written  notice from the Agency to such effect,
proceed with  diligent  good faith efforts to cause such use or possession to be
for a purpose and by a Person within the  definition  of qualified  "project" as
defined in the Act,  or failing  that,  to cause  such  portion of the  Facility
Realty so used or possessed to no longer be included in the leasehold estates of
the Company Lease and of this  Agreement.  The Agency shall  cooperate  with the
Lessees and execute such documents or other such  instruments,  at the sole cost
and expense of the Lessees,  as the Lessees shall reasonably  request, to effect
such release.

     Section 6.18.  Additions to the Facility Realty. The Lessees shall have the
right,  from time to time, to cause  additional  portions of the premises within
the Project Building  ("Additional  Leased  Premises") to be made subject to the
Prime Lease,  the Company Lease and this Agreement,  on the condition,  however,
that:



     (a) at least fifteen (15) days prior to the proposed addition,  the Lessees
shall have delivered to the Agency a certificate of an Authorized Representative
of the Lessees stating the intention of the Lessees to effect such addition, and
certifying (i) as to the Additional Leased Premises to be added and the proposed
date of such addition which date shall be a Business Day (the "Additional Leased
Premises Closing Date"),  (ii) as to the aggregate  rentable square feet of each
floor (or partial floor) of such  Additional  Leased  Premises,  (iii) as to the
aggregate rentable square feet of Facility Realty in which the Agency would have
a  leasehold  interest  after such  addition,  (iv) as to a  description  of any
Non-Qualified User as shall be occupying or using any portion of such Additional
Leased  Premises  (accompanied by a true and complete copy of the lease or other
use or  occupancy  agreement  with  such  Non-Qualified  User),  the use by such
Non-Qualified  User of such space,  that the  aggregate  amount of the  rentable
square feet of each floor  comprising  such  Additional  Leased Premises used or
occupied  by a  Non-Qualified  User is not in  excess,  together  with all other
rentable  square feet  comprising  the  Facility  Realty  which shall be used or
occupied by  Non-Qualified  Users, of the greater of (y) one full floor, and (z)
fifteen percent (15%) of the total rentable square feet of the Facility  Realty,
that the Agency is not a landlord to such Non-Qualified User whether as a matter
of  agreement  with such  Non-Qualified  User or by law,  and the Agency has and
shall have no landlord  obligations or liabilities  owing to such  Non-Qualified
User,  that no such  use is for a  retail  purpose,  the  rentable  square  feet
occupied  by each such  Non-Qualified  User,  the  aggregate  amount of rentable
square feet of the Facility  Realty after the addition of the Additional  Leased
Premises to the Agency as would be occupied by each Non-Qualified  User, and the
percentage  of  aggregate  rentable  square feet as would  comprise the Facility
Realty  after  such   conveyance   which  would  be  used  or  occupied  by  all
Non-Qualified  Users, (v) that other than that portion of the Additional  Leased
Premises  stated to be used or occupied by a  Non-Qualified  User(s),  the space
comprising  the  Additional  Leased  Premises  will either  remain  vacant or be
occupied and used by the Lessees  (subject to Permitted  Incidental  Use) in the
Equitable  Business,  (vi) that no portion of the Additional Leased Premises are
or  shall  be used by a Person  or for a  purpose  as  shall  not  constitute  a
qualified "project" under the Act, (vii) that the Additional Leased Premises are
subject to the Prime  Lease,  (viii)  that the  Maximum  Sales Tax  Benefit  (as
defined in the Project  Agreement) has not yet been  attained,  and (ix) that no
"event of default"  exists under the Prime Lease and no Event of Default  exists
under this Agreement or the Project Agreement, nor an event which upon notice or
lapse of time or both would constitute such an Event of Default;

     (b) on the  Additional  Leased  Premises  Closing  Date,  the Agency  shall
receive:

     (i) if the Additional  Leased  Premises  Closing Date is after November 30,
1996, a "Phase I Environmental Audit" and an executed Form ACP-5 with respect to
the Additional  Leased Premises,  reasonably  satisfactory to the Agency,  by an
environmental engineer who is reasonably acceptable to the Agency;

     (ii) an endorsement to the public liability and other insurance referred to
in Section 4.4 hereof  including  such  Additional  Leased  Premises  within the
property covered by such insurance;

     (iii) an  endorsement  to the existing  leasehold  title  insurance  policy
described in Section 2.4 hereof (or an additional title insurance policy of form
and tenor reasonably  acceptable to the Agency)  including the Additional Leased
Premises  within  such  policy;  provided,  however,  that such  endorsement  or
separate title insurance policy shall not indicate any exceptions to title which
would  subject the Agency to liability and for which the Agency does not receive
an indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Agency; and

     (iv)  a  certificate  of  an  Authorized   Representative  of  the  Lessees
certifying,  as of the  Additional  Leased  Premises  Closing  Date, as true and
correct the matters set forth in Section 6.18(a) above;

then, on the Additional  Leased Premises  Closing Date, if no "event of default"
shall exist under the Prime Lease and no Event of Default shall exist under this
Agreement  or the Project  Agreement,  or an event which upon notice or lapse of
time or both would  become  such an Event of  Default,  and if no portion of the
space  comprising  the  Additional  Leased  Premises  shall be used for a retail
purpose,  the Agency shall accept a leasehold  interest in the Additional Leased
Premises, and shall enter into an amendment to this Agreement and to the Company
Lease to reflect the inclusion of the Additional Leased Premises in the Facility
Realty leased under this Agreement,  the Prime Lease and the Company Lease,  and
the Lessees shall be entitled to Benefits (as defined in the Project  Agreement)
for Tenant Improvements thereafter effected at the Additional Leased Premises.



     Section  6.19.Equitable  to Remain  Tenant  Under  Prime  Lease.  Equitable
covenants  and agrees not to assign the Prime Lease to any Person.  In the event
Equitable  shall at any time or for any reason  assign its interest in the Prime
Lease to any Person then:

     (a) the Lessees  shall  deliver  immediate  written  notice  thereof to the
Agency and the Trustee,

     (b) the  Lessees  shall  promptly  cause all of the Bonds to be redeemed as
provided in Section 6.12(b) hereof,

     (c) the  Lessees  shall  promptly  pay all other  amounts  due  under  this
Agreement and the Project Agreement,

     (d) this  Agreement and the Company Lease shall  terminate  with respect to
the Facility  Realty,  subject to the survival of the obligations of the Lessees
hereunder pursuant to Sections 6.1, 6.2 and 9.17 hereof, and

     (e) the Lessees shall promptly surrender the Sales Tax Letter to the Agency
for cancellation.

     Section 6.20. Joint and Several Liability of the Lessees.  All obligations,
covenants,  agreements,  promises and liabilities of the Lessees hereunder shall
be joint and several obligations of the Lessees in all respects.

     Section  6.21.  Eligibility  of EVLICO as Lessee.  In the event that EVLICO
shall  cease  to be a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of  Equitable  engaged  in  the
Equitable Business, (i) Equitable shall deliver immediate written notice thereof
to the Agency, (ii) EVLICO shall be released from this Agreement and the Project
Agreement  (subject to the  survival of all  obligations  as shall have  accrued
prior to the date of such release or which are stated in this  Agreement  and/or
the Project  Agreement to survive the  termination of this Agreement  and/or the
Project  Agreement),  and (iii) EVLICO shall  promptly  surrender  the Sales Tax
Letter to the Agency,  and the Agency  shall  thereupon  deliver to Equitable an
amended Sales Tax Letter  removing  EVLICO as an agent of the Agency  thereunder
(it being  agreed  that  Equitable  shall  remain  entitled to continue to avail
itself of Sales Tax  Savings,  as defined in the  Project  Agreement,  until the
Agency shall deliver to Equitable the amended Sales Tax Letter,  and  thereafter
Equitable  may continue to utilize the Sales Tax Letter in  accordance  with the
terms thereof).

     Section 6.22. Equitable to Act as Agent of Lessees. Each Lessee agrees that
Equitable shall act as, and is hereby appointed, agent of the Lessees to receive
and/or send all notices,  directions and documents to be received and/or sent by
the Lessees pursuant to this Agreement.  The Agency may conclusively rely on the
authority  of  Equitable  to act as agent of the  Lessees  with  respect  to all
matters under this Agreement and any other Project Document.



                                   ARTICLE VII
                           Events of Default; Remedies

     Section 7.1.  Events of Default.  Any one or more of the  following  events
shall constitute an "Event of Default" hereunder:

     (a) Failure of either of the  Lessees to pay any rent under  Section 3.3 of
this  Agreement  that has become due and  payable by the terms  hereof and which
results in an Event of Default under the Indenture or the respective Bonds;

     (b)  Failure  of  either  of the  Lessees  to pay any  amount  (except  the
obligation to pay rent under Section 3.3 of this  Agreement) that has become due
and payable under Section 4.2, 4.6, 4.7, 5.1, 6.1, 6.10, 6.14, 6.21, 6.22 or 8.4
hereof,  or to observe and perform any  covenant,  condition or agreement on its
part to be performed under Section 2.3, 3.3, 3.5, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 6.2, 6.3, 6.12,
6.17, 6.19, 6.20, 7.2, 7.6 or 9.3 hereof,  and continuance of such failure for a
period of thirty (30) days after receipt by the Lessees of notice specifying the
nature of such  default  from the Agency or the  Trustee or the  Holders of more
than  twenty-five  per centum (25%) in aggregate  principal  amount of the Bonds
Outstanding;

     (c) Failure of either of the  Lessees to observe and perform any  covenant,
condition or agreement on its part to be performed  under Section 4.2, 4.6, 4.7,
5.1, 6.10, 6.14, 6.18, 6.21 or 8.4 hereof, and continuance of such failure for a
period of thirty (30) days after receipt by the Lessees of notice specifying the
nature of such  default  from the Agency or the  Trustee or Holders of more than
twenty-five  per  centum  (25%)  in  aggregate  principal  amount  of the  Bonds
Outstanding, and, if by reason of the nature of such default the same can not be
remedied  within the said (30) days but can be remedied within ninety (90) days,
the  Lessees  fail to remedy  such  default at the end of such  ninety  (90) day
period after proceeding with due diligence to cure such default;

     (d) Failure of either of the  Lessees to observe and perform any  covenant,
condition or agreement  on its part to be  performed  under  Section 6.1 or 6.22
hereof,  and the  continuance  of such  failure for a period of thirty (30) days
after  receipt by the Lessees of notice  specifying  the nature of such  default
from the Agency or the  Trustee or Holders of more than  twenty-five  per centum
(25%) in aggregate principal amounts of the Bonds Outstanding, but which default
is capable of being remedied, and the Lessees shall fail to proceed and continue
with due diligence their efforts to cure such default;

     (e) If no Bonds shall be Outstanding under the Indenture, or if Bonds shall
not be issued and  Outstanding  under the  Indenture  in the  minimum  principal
amounts by the respective years specified in Section 2.3(c) hereof;

     (f)  Failure of either of the  Lessees to pay any amount or to observe  and
perform  any  covenant,  condition  or  agreement  hereunder  on its  part to be
performed (except as set forth in Section 7.1(a), (b), (c) or (d) above) and (1)
continuance  of such  failure for a period of thirty (30) days after  receipt by
the Lessees of notice  specifying  the nature of such default from the Agency or
the  Trustee  or the  Holders  of more  than  twenty-five  per  centum  (25%) in
aggregate principal amount of the Bonds Outstanding,  or (2) if by reason of the
nature of such default the same can be remedied,  but not within the said thirty
(30) days, the Lessees fail to proceed with  reasonable  diligence after receipt
of said notice to cure the same or fail to continue  with  reasonable  diligence
their efforts to cure the same;

     (g) Equitable  shall (i) apply for or consent to the  appointment of or the
taking of possession by a receiver,  liquidator,  custodian or trustee of itself
or of all or a  substantial  part of its  property,  (ii) admit in  writing  its
inability,  or be  generally  unable,  to pay its debts as such debts  generally
become due,  (iii) make a general  assignment  for the benefit of its creditors,
(iv)  commence a  voluntary  case under the Federal  Bankruptcy  Code (as now or
hereafter in effect), (v) file a petition seeking to take advantage of any other
law  relating  to  bankruptcy,   insolvency,   reorganization,   rehabilitation,
winding-up,  or composition or adjustment of debts, (vi) fail to controvert in a
timely or  appropriate  manner,  or acquiesce in writing to, any petition  filed
against itself in an involuntary  case under such  Bankruptcy Code (or under any
other laws referenced in clause (v) above, (vii) take any action for the purpose
of  effecting  any of the  foregoing,  or (viii) be  adjudicated  a bankrupt  or
insolvent by any court of competent jurisdiction, provided, that, in the case of
any of the actions specified in clauses (i) through (viii) above, the same shall
not be  dismissed  within one  hundred  sixty  (160)  days after the  initiation
thereof;



     (h) A proceeding or case shall be  commenced,  without the  application  or
consent of  Equitable,  in any court of  competent  jurisdiction,  seeking,  (i)
liquidation,   reorganization,   dissolution,   winding-up  or   composition  or
adjustment of debts,  (ii) the appointment of a trustee,  receiver,  liquidator,
custodian  or the like of  Equitable  or of all or any  substantial  part of its
assets,   or  (iii)  similar  relief  under  any  law  relating  to  bankruptcy,
insolvency,  rehabilitation,   reorganization,   winding-up  or  composition  or
adjustment of debts, and such proceeding or case shall continue undismissed,  or
an order, judgment or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be
entered and continue unstayed and in effect,  for a period of one hundred twenty
(120) days; or Equitable shall acquiesce in writing to any of the foregoing;  or
any order for relief against  Equitable shall be entered in an involuntary  case
under the Federal  Bankruptcy Code; the terms  "dissolution" or "liquidation" of
Equitable as used above shall not be construed to prohibit any action  otherwise
permitted by Section 6.1 hereof;

     (i) Any material  representation  or warranty  made (i) by Equitable in the
application  and related  materials  submitted to the Agency for approval of the
Project or its financing,  or (ii) by any of the Lessees herein, or (iii) in any
Letter of Representation  and Indemnity  Agreement  delivered to the Agency, the
Trustee and the  original  purchaser(s)  of any Series of Bonds,  or (iv) in any
report, certificate,  financial statement or other instrument furnished pursuant
hereto or any of the foregoing shall have been relied on by the Agency and prove
to be knowingly false, misleading or incorrect in any material respect as of the
date made; or

     (j) An "Event of Default" under the Indenture, the Project Agreement or any
other Project Document or Security Agreement shall occur and be continuing.

     Section 7.2. Remedies on Default. Whenever any Event of Default referred to
in Section 7.1 hereof shall have occurred and be continuing,  the Agency, or the
Trustee where so provided,  may, take any one or more of the following  remedial
steps:

     (a) The Trustee (at the  direction of the Holders of at least a majority in
aggregate  principal amount of the Bonds Outstanding except if the Trustee shall
be enforcing  defaults for its own benefit  under  Sections 6.2 or 6.3 hereof or
any other  provision of this  Agreement the uncured  default under which exposes
the  Trustee to any  imminent  civil or criminal  liability),  (y) as and to the
extent provided in Article VIII of the Indenture,  may take any action permitted
under the  Indenture  with respect to an Event of Default  thereunder  including
causing all principal  installments of rent payable under Section 3.3 hereof for
the remainder of the term of this Agreement to be  immediately  due and payable,
whereupon the same,  together with the accrued  interest  thereon,  shall become
immediately due and payable;  provided,  however, that upon the occurrence of an
Event of Default under Section 7.1(f) or (g) hereof, all principal  installments
of rent payable  under  Section 3.3 hereof for the remainder of the term of this
Agreement,  together with the accrued interest thereon, shall immediately become
due and payable without any  declaration,  notice or other action of the Agency,
the  Trustee,  the Holders of the Bonds or any other Person being a condition to
such  acceleration;  or (z) may take whatever  action at law or in equity as may
appear  necessary or desirable  to collect the rent then due and  thereafter  to
become  due,  or to  enforce  performance  or  observance  of  any  obligations,
agreements or covenants of the Lessees under this Agreement;

     (b) The Agency,  with the prior written  consent of the Trustee  (except as
provided in Section 7.2(c) below), or the Trustee, may terminate this Agreement,
in which case this  Agreement  and all of the right,  title and interest  herein
granted or vested in the  Lessees  shall  cease and  terminate  (except  for the
Lessees'  rights under Section 8.1 hereof) unless prior to such  termination all
accrued and unpaid rent  (exclusive of any such rent accrued solely by virtue of
the acceleration of the due date of the Bonds as provided in Section 8.01 of the
Indenture),  shall  have been paid and all such  defaults  shall have been fully
cured. No such  termination of this Agreement shall relieve the Lessees of their
liabilities and obligations  hereunder and such liability and obligations  shall
survive any such termination; and



     (c) Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default under the Project  Agreement
or with respect to any of the Agency's Reserved Rights, the Agency,  without the
consent of the Trustee,  any Holder of Bonds or any other Person, may proceed to
enforce the Agency's Reserved Rights by (i) (A) terminating this Agreement (with
the effect (y) as set forth in Section  7.2(b) hereof and without  relieving the
Lessees  of their  liabilities  and  obligations  under  this  Agreement,  which
liabilities and  obligations  shall survive such  termination,  and (z) that the
term  of  this  Agreement  shall  be  deemed  to have  expired  on such  date of
termination  as if such date were the  original  expiration  date of the term of
this  Agreement),  and/or (B)  conveying  all of the Agency's  right,  title and
interest in the Project  Property to the Lessees in accordance  with Section 8.2
hereof,  suspending or terminating the Sales Tax Letter or not re-confirming the
Sales Tax Letter on any annual confirmation date and/or requiring the Lessees to
surrender the Sales Tax Letter to the Agency for cancellation, and requiring the
Lessees  to redeem  the Bonds in  whole,  and/or  (ii)  bringing  an action  for
damages, injunction or specific performance, and/or (iii) taking whatever action
at law or in equity as may appear  necessary or desirable to collect  payment of
amounts due under this Agreement, or to enforce performance or observance of any
obligations, agreements or covenants of the Lessees under this Agreement.

     In the event that the Lessees fail to make any rental  payment  required in
Section  3.3  hereof,  the  installment  so  in  default  shall  continue  as an
obligation  of the  Lessees  until the amount in  default  shall have been fully
paid.

     No action taken pursuant to this Section 7.2 (including termination of this
Agreement  pursuant to this  Section 7.2 or by  operation  of law or  otherwise)
shall,  except as  expressly  provided  herein,  relieve the Lessees  from their
obligations hereunder, all of which shall survive any such action.

     Section 7.3. Remedies Cumulative.  Except as specifically  provided in this
Agreement,  the rights and  remedies  of the  Agency or the  Trustee  under this
Agreement  shall be  cumulative  and shall not  exclude  any  other  rights  and
remedies of the Agency or the Trustee allowed by law with respect to any default
under this  Agreement.  Failure by the Agency or the  Trustee to insist upon the
strict performance of any of the covenants and agreements herein set forth or to
exercise  any rights or remedies  upon  default by any of the Lessees  hereunder
shall not be considered or taken as a waiver or relinquishment for the future of
the  right to insist  upon and to  enforce  by  mandatory  injunction,  specific
performance or other appropriate legal remedy a strict compliance by the Lessees
with all of the covenants and  conditions  hereof,  or of the rights to exercise
any such rights or  remedies,  if such  default by the Lessees be  continued  or
repeated.

     Section 7.4. No Additional  Waiver Implied by One Waiver.  In the event any
covenant or agreement  contained in this Agreement  should be breached by either
party and thereafter  waived by the other party, such waiver shall be limited to
the  particular  breach  so  waived  and  shall not be deemed to waive any other
breach hereunder.  No waiver shall be binding unless it is in writing and signed
by the party making such waiver.  No course of dealing between the Agency and/or
the  Trustee  and the Lessees or any delay or omission on the part of the Agency
and/or the Trustee in exercising  any rights  hereunder,  under the Indenture or
under any other Project Document or Security Document shall operate as a waiver.

     Section  7.5.  Effect  of  Discontinuance  of  Proceedings.   In  case  any
proceeding  taken  by the  Trustee  or the  Agency  under  the  Indenture,  this
Agreement,  or any other Project Document or Security Document on account of any
Event of Default  hereunder or under the Indenture or any other Project Document
or Security Document shall have been discontinued or abandoned for any reason or
shall have been  determined  adversely to the Trustee,  then,  and in every such
case,  the Agency,  the Trustee and the Holders of the Bonds shall be  restored,
respectively, to their former positions and rights hereunder and thereunder, and
all  rights,  remedies,  powers and duties of the Agency and the  Trustee  shall
continue as in effect prior to the commencement of such proceedings.

     Section 7.6.  Agreement to Pay Attorneys'  Fees and Expenses.  In the event
any of the Lessees  should default under any of the provisions of this Agreement
after notice and the expiration of any applicable  grace period,  and the Agency
or the Trustee  should  employ  outside  attorneys or incur other  out-of-pocket
expenses for the collection of rentals or other amounts payable hereunder or the
enforcement  of  performance or observance of any obligation or agreement on the
part of the Lessees herein contained, the Lessees will on demand therefor pay to
the Agency or the Trustee the reasonable fees and  disbursements of such outside
attorneys and such other reasonable out-of-pocket expenses so incurred.



                                  ARTICLE VIII
                                    Options

     Section 8.1. Options.  (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.3 hereof,
the Lessees have the option to make advance  rental  payments for deposit in the
Bond Fund to effect the  retirement  of the Bonds in whole or the  redemption in
whole or in part of the Bonds of any Series, all in accordance with the terms of
the  Indenture and the related  Certificate  of  Determination  of the Series of
Bonds to be redeemed (except that no partial retirement or partial redemption of
Bonds shall be effected if less than the applicable  minimum principal amount of
Bonds as set forth in Section  2.3(c) hereof shall remain  Outstanding by reason
thereof).  The Lessees  shall  further  have the option of causing  money and/or
Defeasance  Securities  to be deposited in the Bond Fund so long as such deposit
shall not cause less than the applicable  minimum  principal  amount of Bonds as
set forth in Section 2.3(c) hereof to cease to be Outstanding. The Lessees shall
exercise  their  option to make such  advance  rental  payments by  delivering a
notice  of an  Authorized  Representative  of  the  Lessees  to the  Trustee  in
accordance with the Indenture,  with a copy to the Agency, setting forth (i) the
amount  of the  advance  rental  payment,  (ii) the  Series  of the  Bonds to be
redeemed,  (iii)  the  principal  amount  of Bonds  Outstanding  of such  Series
requested  to be redeemed  with such advance  rental  payment  (which  principal
amount  shall be in such minimum  amount or integral  multiple of such amount as
shall be permitted in the Indenture),  and (iv) the date on which such principal
amount of Bonds of such Series is to be redeemed. Such date of redemption may be
any date during the term of this Agreement  (subject to the terms of Section 2.3
hereof),  and shall be a date  sufficient  to enable the Trustee to deliver such
notice of redemption in the time period  required for the  respective  Series of
Bonds being  redeemed.  Such advance rental payment shall be paid to the Trustee
in legal tender on or before the  redemption  date and shall be an amount which,
when added to the amount on  deposit  in the Bond Fund and  available  therefor,
will be sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of the Bonds of such Series to be
redeemed,  together with  interest to accrue to the date of  redemption  and all
reasonable  expenses of the Agency,  the  Trustee,  the Bond  Registrar  and the
Paying Agents in connection with such redemption.  In the event all Bonds are to
be redeemed in whole or  otherwise  retired,  the Lessees  shall  further pay or
cause to be paid on or before such  redemption  date,  in legal  tender,  to the
Agency,  the Trustee,  the Bond Registrar and the Paying Agents, as the case may
be, all fees and expenses  owed such party or any other party  entitled  thereto
under this Agreement, the Project Agreement and the Indenture, together with all
other amounts due and payable under this  Agreement,  the Project  Agreement and
the Indenture.

     (b) The Lessees,  in  exercising  their option to redeem all Bonds in whole
(subject to the  provisions of Section 2.3 hereof),  shall pay to the Trustee in
legal tender,  advance rental payments for deposit in the Bond Fund equal to the
sum of the following:

     (i) an amount  which,  when added to the amount on deposit in the Bond Fund
and  available  therefor,  will be  sufficient  to pay,  retire  and  redeem the
Outstanding Bonds in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture  (including
the provisions of Section 10.01 thereof),  including,  without  limitation,  the
principal  of or the  Redemption  Price (as the case may be) of,  together  with
interest to maturity or redemption date (as the case may be) on, the Outstanding
Bonds;

     (ii) the expenses of  redemption  and expenses of the Agency,  the Trustee,
the Bond  Registrar  and the Paying Agents and all other amounts due and payable
under this  Agreement,  the  Indenture,  and each other  Security  Document  and
Project Document (other than the Prime Lease); and

     (iii) one dollar.

     (c)  Upon the  payment  in full of the  principal  of and  interest  on the
Outstanding Bonds (whether at maturity or earlier redemption), the Lessees shall
have the option to terminate this Agreement and acquire the Agency's interest in
the Tenant Improvements,  the Leased Personalty,  the Maintenance  Contracts and
the Facility  Equipment and shall  exercise such option by (1) delivering to the
Agency prior written  notice of an Authorized  Representative  of the Lessees no
more  than  thirty  (30)  days  after  the  payment  in full of the Bonds of the
exercise of such option,  which notice shall set forth a requested  closing date
for such purchase  which shall be not later than ten (10) days after the payment
in full of the Bonds,  and (2) paying on such closing  date an aggregate  sum of
one dollar, the expenses of the Agency, the Trustee,  the Bond Registrar and the
Paying Agents and all other amounts due and payable  under this  Agreement,  the
Project  Agreement,  the  Indenture or any other  Security  Documents or Project
Documents (other than the Prime Lease). Upon the written request of the Lessees,
the Agency may approve the  extension  or waiver of any of the time  periods set
forth in this paragraph.



     (d) None of the Lessees shall,  at any time,  assign or transfer its option
to  acquire  the  Agency's  interest  in the  Tenant  Improvements,  the  Leased
Personalty,  the Maintenance Contracts and the Facility Equipment,  as contained
in this Section 8.1,  except upon an  assignment of this  Agreement  effected in
accordance with Section 9.3 hereof.

     Section  8.2.  Conveyance  and  Reversion  on Exercise of Option.  Upon the
termination of this Agreement,  the Agency will deliver or cause to be delivered
to the Lessees, at the sole cost and expense of the Lessees,  (a) documents (the
form of which may be provided by the Lessees so long as the Agency shall make no
covenants  nor  warranties  thereunder  nor have any liability by reason of such
documents)  conveying to the Lessees for a one dollar  consideration  all of the
Agency's right,  title and interest in the Project  Property,  and (b) documents
releasing and conveying to the Lessees all of the Agency's  rights and interests
in and to any rights of action (other than the Agency's Reserved Rights), or any
insurance  proceeds (other than liability  insurance proceeds for the benefit of
the  Agency)  or  condemnation  award,  with  respect to the  Project  Property.
Concurrently  with the delivery of such  documents,  there shall be delivered by
the Agency to the  Trustee any  instructions  or other  instruments  required by
Section 10.01 of the Indenture to defease and pay the Bonds.

     Upon conveyance of the Agency's  interest in the Project Property  pursuant
to this Section 8.2, this Agreement and all obligations of the Lessees hereunder
shall be terminated  except the  obligations  of the Lessees under Sections 6.1,
6.2 and 9.17 hereof shall survive such termination.

     Section 8.3.  Option to Purchase or Invite  Tenders of Bonds.  In the event
any of the Lessees shall purchase  Bonds for its own account,  whether by direct
negotiation,  through a broker  or  dealer,  or by making a tender  offer to the
Holders of the Bonds,  the Bonds so  purchased  by any of the  Lessees  shall be
delivered to the Trustee for  cancellation  within fifteen (15) days of the date
of purchase.

     Section  8.4.  Termination  of  Agreement.  After full payment of the Bonds
shall have been made in  accordance  with Section  10.01 of the  Indenture,  the
Lessees  shall  terminate  this  Agreement by paying all amounts due and payable
under this Agreement,  the Project  Agreement,  and the other Security Documents
and Project  Documents  (other than the Prime  Lease) to which the Lessees are a
party,  and by giving the  Agency  notice in  writing  of such  termination  and
thereupon such termination shall forthwith become effective,  subject,  however,
to the survival of the  obligations  of the Lessees under  Sections 6.1, 6.2 and
9.17  hereof.  In the event  that the  Lessees,  within ten (10) days after full
payment of the Bonds having been made in  accordance  with Section  10.01 of the
Indenture,  shall not have terminated this Agreement,  the Agency shall have the
right to terminate this Agreement  (subject to the survival of those  provisions
of this  Agreement  stated  to  survive  in the  last  clause  of the  preceding
sentence)  and to require  the Lessees to make the  payments  referred to in the
preceding sentence.

     Upon  termination of this Agreement,  the Agency,  upon the written request
and at the sole cost and expense of the Lessees,  shall execute such instruments
as the Lessees may reasonably  request to discharge this Agreement as a document
of record with respect to the Facility Realty.



                                   ARTICLE IX
                                  Miscellaneous

     Section 9.1. Indenture;  Amendment. The Lessees shall have and may exercise
all  the  rights,  powers  and  authority  stated  to be in the  Lessees  in the
Indenture  and in the  Bonds,  and the  Indenture  and the  Bonds  shall  not be
modified, altered or amended in any manner without the consent of the Lessees.

     Section 9.2. Force Majeure. In case by reason of force majeure either party
hereto shall be rendered  unable wholly or in part to carry out its  obligations
under this  Agreement,  then  except as  otherwise  expressly  provided  in this
Agreement,  if such party shall give notice and full  particulars  of such force
majeure to the other party  within a  reasonable  time after  occurrence  of the
event or cause relied on, the obligations of the party giving such notice (other
than the  obligations  of the  Lessees  to make  the  rental  payments  or other
payments  required under the terms hereof,  or to comply with Sections 2.3, 4.2,
4.3, 4.4, 4.6, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.10,  6.12, 6.17, 6.18, 6.19, 6.20, 6.21, 6.22 or
9.3  hereof),  so far as they  are  affected  by such  force  majeure,  shall be
suspended  during the  continuance  of the  inability  then claimed  which shall
include a  reasonable  time for the  removal of the effect  thereof,  but for no
longer  period,  and such  party  shall  endeavor  to  remove or  overcome  such
inability with all reasonable  dispatch.  The term "force majeure",  as employed
herein,  shall  mean  acts  of  God,  strikes,   lockouts  or  other  industrial
disturbances,  acts of the public enemy, orders of any kind of the Government of
the  United  States  or of  the  State  or  any  civil  or  military  authority,
insurrections,  riots, epidemics,  landslides,  lightning,  earthquakes,  fires,
hurricanes,   storms,  floods,  washouts,   droughts,   arrest,  restraining  of
government and people, civil disturbances, explosions, partial or entire failure
of utilities,  shortages of labor, material, supplies or transportation,  or any
other similar or different cause not reasonably  within the control of the party
claiming  such  inability.  The  settlement  of existing or  impending  strikes,
lockouts  or  other  industrial   disturbances  shall  be  entirely  within  the
discretion of the party having the  difficulty and the above  requirements  that
any force majeure shall be reasonably  beyond the control of the party and shall
be remedied with all  reasonable  dispatch  shall be deemed to be fulfilled even
though  such  existing  or  impending  strikes,  lockouts  and other  industrial
disturbances  may not be settled but could have been  settled by acceding to the
demands of the opposing person or persons.

     The Lessees shall  promptly  notify the Agency upon the  occurrence of each
Force  Majeure,  describing  such Force  Majeure and its  effects in  reasonable
detail.  The Lessees shall also promptly  notify the Agency upon the termination
of each such Force Majeure  occurrence.  The  information  set forth in any such
notice shall not be binding upon the Agency, and the Agency shall be entitled to
dispute the existence of any Force Majeure and any of the contentions  contained
in any such notice received from the Lessees.

     Section  9.3.  Assignment  or Sublease.  (a) Except as otherwise  expressly
permitted herein,  none of the Lessees shall at any time assign or transfer this
Agreement,  or sublet all or substantially all of the Facility Realty without in
each  case the  prior  written  consent  of the  Agency  (which  consent  may be
unreasonably  withheld);  provided,  that, in the event the Agency shall provide
such consent, (i) the Lessees shall nevertheless remain liable to the Agency for
the  payment  of all  rent  and for the full  performance  of all of the  terms,
covenants and conditions of this Agreement and of any other Security Document or
Project Document to which they shall be a party, (ii) any assignee or transferee
of any of the Lessees,  or sublessee of all or substantially all of the Facility
Realty,  shall have  executed  and  delivered  to the Agency and the  Trustee an
instrument,  in form for recording, in and by which the assignee,  transferee or
sublessee  shall have assumed in writing and have agreed to keep and perform all
of the terms of this Agreement  (and of each other Project  Document or Security
Document to which the Lessees shall be a party) on the part of the Lessees to be
kept and performed,  shall be jointly and severally  liable with the Lessees for
the  performance  thereof,  shall be subject to service of process in the State,
and, if a corporation,  shall be qualified to do business in the State, (iii) in
the  Opinion  of  Counsel,  such  assignment  or  transfer  shall  not cause the
obligations  of the  Lessees  for the  payment  of all  rents  nor for the  full
performance of all of the terms, covenants and conditions of this Agreement,  or
of any other Security Document or Project Document to which the Lessees shall be
a party, to cease to be legal, valid and binding on and enforceable  against the
Lessees,  (iv) any assignee,  transferee or sublessee shall utilize the Facility
Realty  as a  qualified  "project"  as  defined  in the Act and for the  general
purposes  specified in the recitals to this  Agreement,  (v) such  assignment or
transfer shall not violate any provision of this Agreement, the Indenture or any
other Security  Document or Project  Document,  (vi) such assignment or transfer



shall in no way  diminish  or  impair  the  Lessees'  obligation  to  carry  the
insurance  required  under  Section 4.4 of this  Agreement and the Lessees shall
furnish written evidence satisfactory to the Agency that such insurance coverage
shall in no manner be  limited by reason of such  assignment  or  transfer,  and
(vii) each such assignment,  transfer or sublease contains such other provisions
as the Agency or the Trustee may reasonably  require (notice of which the Agency
or the Trustee  shall provide to the Lessees  within twenty (20) days  following
the  request  for their  consent).  The  Lessees  shall  furnish  or cause to be
furnished to the Agency and the Trustee a copy of any such assignment,  transfer
or sublease in substantially  final form at least fifteen (15) days prior to the
date of execution thereof.

     (b) The Lessees shall have the right to sublet  (subject to the  provisions
of  Section  6.17  hereof)  portions  of the  Facility  Realty  to  one or  more
Non-Qualified  Users not in excess of the  Maximum  Sublet  Space (as defined in
Section 6.17(b) hereof) of the Facility  Realty,  provided in each case that (i)
no such sublessee is a Prohibited  Person,  (ii) the Lessees shall remain liable
to the Agency for the payment of all rent and for the full performance of all of
the terms,  covenants and conditions of this Agreement and of any other Security
Document or Project Document to which they shall be a party, (iii) any sublessee
shall utilize the Facility Realty as a qualified  "project" as defined under the
Act, and (iv) prior to the entering  into of such  sublease,  the Lessees  shall
have delivered to the Agency:

     (A) a copy of the proposed  sublease  indicating  the proposed  term (which
shall not be later than December 31, 2011), all renewal options,  and the amount
of rentable square feet to be sublet,

     (B)  the  identity  of the  proposed  subtenant  and  the  identity  of its
principal officers,  and, if not a publicly traded corporation,  the identity of
its principal stockholders, and the proposed use of the space to be sublet,

     (C) evidence reasonably  satisfactory to the Agency that such sublease will
not  diminish or impair the  obligation  of the  Lessees to carry the  insurance
required under Section 4.4 hereof,  and that such insurance coverage shall in no
manner be limited by such sublease, and

     (D) evidence  reasonably  satisfactory  to the Agency that the subtenant is
not a Prohibited Person.

In the event the Agency shall  reasonably  request  additional  information with
respect to the proposed  sublease or  subtenant,  the Lessees shall deliver such
information to the Agency  promptly after such request.  In the event the Agency
shall not consent to the proposed  sublease,  the Lessees may effect the release
of the proposed sublet space as provided in Section 6.17.

     (c) The  Lessees  shall not have the right to sublet all or any part of the
Tenant  Improvements,   Facility  Equipment,  Maintenance  Contracts  or  Leased
Personalty to any Person without the prior written consent of the Agency.

     (d) Any  consent by the Agency or the Trustee to any act of  assignment  or
transfer of this  Agreement,  or  sublease  in whole or in part of the  Facility
Realty or the  Project  Property,  shall be held to apply  only to the  specific
transaction thereby authorized.  Such consent shall not be construed as a waiver
of the duty of the Lessees,  or the successors or assigns of any of the Lessees,
to obtain  from the Agency and the  Trustee  consent to any other or  subsequent
assignment or transfer of this Agreement, or sublease in whole or in part of the
Facility Realty or the Project Property,  or as modifying or limiting the rights
of the  Agency or the  Trustee  or the  obligations  of the  Lessees  under this
Section 9.3.

     Section 9.4. Priority of Indenture.  Pursuant to the Indenture,  the Agency
will pledge and assign the rentals and certain  other  moneys  receivable  under
this  Agreement  to the Trustee as  security  for  payment of the  principal  or
Redemption  Price, if applicable,  of and interest on the Bonds.  This Agreement
shall be subject and subordinate to the Indenture, and the pledge and assignment
under the Indenture.

     Section 9.5. Benefit of,  Enforcement and Binding Effect of this Agreement.
This Agreement is executed in part to induce the purchase by others of the Bonds
and for the further  securing of the Bonds,  and  accordingly  all covenants and
agreements  on the  part of the  Agency  and the  Lessees  as set  forth in this
Agreement are hereby declared to be for the benefit of the Agency,  the Lessees,
the Trustee and the Holders  from time to time of the Bonds (and may be enforced
as provided  in Article  VIII of the  Indenture  on behalf of the Holders of the
Bonds by the Trustee) and for no other Person whatsoever.

     Section  9.6.  Amendments.  This  Agreement  may be  amended  only with the
consent of the Trustee given in accordance  with the provisions of the Indenture
and only if such  amendment  shall be in writing  and signed by both the Lessees
and the Agency.



     Section 9.7.  Notices.  All  notices,  certificates,  requests,  approvals,
consents or other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be sent
by  registered  or certified  United States mail,  postage  prepaid,  or by hand
delivery (receipt acknowledged),  telefacsimile (receipt acknowledged) (or other
medium  of  electronic  communication),  Federal  Express  or  other  nationally
recognized overnight courier service, addressed:

     (a) if to the Agency, to the Chairman, New York City Industrial Development
Agency,  110  William  Street,  New  York,  New York  10038,  with a copy to the
Executive Director of the Agency at the same address;

     (b) if to the Lessees,  c/o The  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Society of the
United States,  787 Seventh  Avenue,  New York, New York 10019,  Attention:  Mr.
Timothy J. Welch and Adam R.  Spilka,  Esq.,  with a copy to Stroock & Stroock &
Lavan, 7 Hanover Square, New York, New York 10004, Attention:  Jacob Bart, Esq.;
and

     (c) if to the Trustee, to United States Trust Company of New York, 114 West
47th Street,  New York, New York 10036,  Attention:  Corporate  Trust and Agency
Division.

     The Agency, the Lessees and the Trustee may, by like notice,  designate any
further  or  different  persons  or  addresses  to  which  subsequent   notices,
certificates,  requests,  approvals,  consents or other  communications shall be
sent.  Any  notice,  certificate,   requests,   approvals,   consents  or  other
communication  hereunder shall,  except as may expressly be provided herein, (i)
if  delivered  by hand or by Federal  Express  (or other  nationally  recognized
overnight  courier  servicer) shall be deemed to have been delivered or given as
of the date received or delivery rejected as indicated on the return receipt, or
(ii) if  delivered by mail,  shall be deemed to have been  received on the third
day after mailing.

     Section 9.8. Prior Agreements  Superseded.  This Agreement shall completely
and fully supersede all other prior  understandings or agreements,  both written
and oral,  between the Agency and the Lessees  relating to the Project  Property
with respect to the subject matter hereof,  other than (y) any Project  Document
or  Security  Document  or  other  document  being  executed   contemporaneously
herewith, or (z) the Pre-Bond Issuance Sales Tax Letter (including the Sales Tax
Savings received thereunder) and related Indemnification Agreement.

     Section  9.9.  Severability.  If any clause,  provision  or section of this
Agreement  be  ruled  invalid  by  any  court  of  competent  jurisdiction,  the
invalidity  of such  clause,  provision  or section  shall not affect any of the
remaining provisions hereof.

     Section  9.10.Inspection  of the Project Property.  The Lessees will permit
the  Trustee,  or its duly  authorized  agents,  at all  reasonable  times  upon
reasonable  notice to enter upon the Facility  Realty and to examine and inspect
the Project  Property  and  exercise  its rights  hereunder  and under the other
Project  Documents and the other Security  Documents with respect to the Project
Property,  and (ii) the Lessees  will  further  permit the  Agency,  or its duly
authorized  agents, at all reasonable times upon reasonable notice to enter upon
any Approved Equitable City Location but solely for the purpose of assuring that
(x) the Lessees are operating the Project  Property,  or are causing the Project
Property to be operated,  as a qualified "project" under the Act consistent with
the  purposes set forth in the  recitals to this  Agreement  and with the public
purposes of the Agency, (y) ascertaining  whether or not a Relocation  Reduction
(as defined in the  Project  Agreement),  a  Non-Relocation  Reduction  (also as
defined in the Project Agreement) or a headquarters  relocation has occurred, or
(z)  determining  whether  the  Project  Property  and/or the use  thereof is in
violation  of any  environmental  law;  but not for any purpose of assuring  the
proper  maintenance or repair of the Project Property as such latter  obligation
is and shall remain solely the obligation of the Lessees.

     Section 9.11.  Effective  Date;  Counterparts.  This Agreement shall become
effective upon its delivery.  It may be executed in counterparts,  each of which
shall be an  original  and all of which  shall  constitute  but one and the same
instrument.

     Section  9.12.Binding  Effect.  This  Agreement  shall be binding  upon the
Agency and the Lessees and their respective successors and assigns, and inure to
the benefit of the Agency,  the Trustee and the Holders of the Bonds,  and to no
other Person.

     Section 9.13.  Net Lease.  It is the  intention of the parties  hereto that
this  Agreement be a "net lease" and that all of the rent be available  for debt
service on the Bonds,  and this  Agreement  shall be  construed  to effect  such
intent.



     Section  9.14.  Law  Governing.  This  Agreement  shall be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State,  without regard to
conflict of law principles.

     Section 9.15.  Investment of Funds.  Any moneys held as part of the Project
Fund or the Bond Fund or in any special fund  provided for in this  Agreement or
in the Indenture to be invested in the same manner as in any said Fund shall, at
the request of an  Authorized  Representative  of the  Lessees,  be invested and
reinvested by the Trustee as provided in the  Indenture.  Neither the Agency nor
any of its members, directors,  officers, agents, servants or employees shall be
liable for any depreciation in the value of any such investments or for any loss
arising therefrom.

     Interest  and profit  derived from such  investments  shall be credited and
applied  as  provided  in the  Indenture,  and  any  loss  resulting  from  such
investments shall be similarly charged.

     Section 9.16.Investment Tax Credit. It is the intention of the parties that
any  investment  tax credit or  comparable  credit  which may ever be  available
accrue to the benefit of the Lessees and the Lessees shall,  and the Agency upon
advice of counsel may,  make any  election  and take other action in  accordance
with the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Treasury Regulations
applicable  thereunder,  as may be necessary to entitle the Lessees to have such
benefit.

     Section 9.17.Waiver of Trial by Jury. The parties do hereby expressly waive
all  rights  to trial by jury on any  cause of  action  directly  or  indirectly
involving the terms,  covenants or  conditions of this  Agreement or the Project
Property or any matters  whatsoever  arising out of or in any way connected with
this Agreement.

     The  provision of this  Agreement  relating to waiver of a jury trial shall
survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement.

     Section  9.18.Non-Discrimination.  (a) At all times during the term of this
Agreement,  the  Lessees  shall  comply with all  federal,  state and local laws
relating to  non-discrimination,  and the Lessees shall not discriminate against
any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, creed, age, sex
or  national  origin.  The Lessees  shall use their best  efforts to ensure that
employees and applicants for employment  with the Lessees at the Facility Realty
are treated  without regard to their race,  color,  creed,  age, sex or national
origin.  As used herein,  the term  "treated"  shall mean and  include,  without
limitation,  the  following:  recruited,  whether by advertising or other means;
compensated, whether in the form of rates of pay or other forms of compensation;
selected for training, including apprenticeship; promoted; upgraded; downgraded;
demoted; transferred; laid off; and terminated.

     (b) Each of the Lessees shall, in all solicitations or  advertisements  for
employees  placed by or on  behalf  of the  Lessees,  state  that all  qualified
applicants  will be considered  for employment  without  regard to race,  color,
creed or  national  origin,  age or sex,  and state that such Lessee is an equal
opportunity employer.

     (c) The  Lessees  shall  furnish to the Agency all  information  reasonably
required by the Agency  pursuant to this  Section  and will  cooperate  with the
Agency for the  purposes of  investigation  to  ascertain  compliance  with this
Section.

     (d) The Agency and the Lessees  shall,  from time to time,  mutually  agree
upon goals for the employment,  training,  or employment and training of members
of minority  groups in connection  with performing work with respect to Approved
Equitable City Locations.

     Section 9.19.No  Recourse under This Agreement or on Bonds.  All covenants,
stipulations,  promises,  agreements and obligations of the Agency  contained in
this  Agreement  shall be deemed to be the  covenants,  stipulations,  promises,
agreements  and  obligations  of the Agency,  and not of any  member,  director,
officer,  employee  or agent of the Agency in his  individual  capacity,  and no
recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of,  redemption  premium,
if any, or interest  on the Bonds or for any claim  based  thereon or  hereunder
against any member,  director,  officer,  employee or agent of the Agency or any
natural person executing the Bonds.

     All covenants,  stipulations,  promises,  agreements and obligations of the
Lessees  contained  in this  Agreement  shall  be  deemed  to be the  covenants,
stipulations,  promises,  agreements and obligations of the Lessees,  and not of
any director, officer, employee or agent of any of the Lessees in his individual
capacity,  and no  recourse  shall be had for the payment of the  principal  of,
redemption  premium,  if any,  or  interest  on the Bonds or for any claim based
thereon or hereunder against any director,  officer, employee or agent of any of
the Lessees.



     Section 9.20.  This  Agreement to Constitute an Amendment and  Restatement.
This  Agreement  shall  constitute  an amendment  and  restatement  of a certain
Interim Sublease  Agreement dated as of December 29, 1995 between the Agency and
the Lessees.

     Section 9.21.  Date of Agreement for Reference  Purposes  Only. The date of
this Agreement  shall be for reference  purposes only and shall not be construed
to imply that this Agreement was executed on the date first above written.  This
Agreement was executed and delivered on the Lease Commencement Date.



     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Agency has caused its corporate name to be hereunto
subscribed by its duly authorized  Deputy Executive  Director and attested under
the seal of the Agency by an  Assistant  Secretary  and each of the  Lessees has
caused its corporate name to be subscribed  hereto by an authorized  officer and
attested  under its corporate  seal by its  Secretary or an Assistant  Secretary
pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by its Board of Directors,  all being done
as of the year and day first above written.

(SEAL)                                               NEW YORK CITY INDUSTRIAL
                                                     DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
Attest:


                                                  By /s/Julia Binkerd
                                                      -------------------------
______________________                                 Julia Binkerd,
Assistant Secretary                                    Deputy Executive Director


(SEAL)                                             THE EQUITABLE LIFE ASSURANCE
                                                   SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES,
                                                   as Lessee
Attest:


/s/Linda Galasso                                   By  /s/Leon Billis
- ----------------------                                 ----------------------
Name:   Linda Galasso                                  Leon Billis
Title:  Vice Presidnet & Assistant Secretary           Senior Vice President



(SEAL)                                             EQUITABLE VARIABLE LIFE
                                                   INSURANCE COMPANY,
                                                   as Lessee
Attest:


/s/Linda Galasso                                   By  /s/Leon Billis
- ----------------------                                 ----------------------
Name:   Linda Galasso                                  Leon Billis
Title:  Vice Presidnet & Assistant Secretary           Senior Vice President





STATE OF NEW YORK                 )
                                  :  ss.:
COUNTY OF NEW YORK                )



     On  the  8th  day of  May,  in the  year  one  thousand  nine  hundred  and
ninety-six,  before me personally came Julia Binkerd,  to me known, who being by
me duly sworn, did depose and say that she resides at 145 West 71st Street,  New
York,  New York;  that she is the  Deputy  Executive  Director  of New York City
Industrial  Development  Agency,  the Agency described in and which executed the
above instrument;  that she knows the seal of said Agency; that the seal affixed
to said  instrument is such corporate  seal; that it was so affixed by authority
of the board of directors  of said Agency,  and that she signed her name thereto
by like authority.


                                                        /s/Laurie A. Edmondson
                                                        ----------------------

                                                              Notary Public





STATE OF NEW YORK                 )
                                  :  ss.:
COUNTY OF NEW YORK                )



     On the 8 th  day of  May,  in  the  year  one  thousand  nine  hundred  and
ninety-six,  before me personally came Leon Billis, to me known, who being by me
duly sworn, did depose and say that he resides at 17 The Chase, St. James,  N.Y.
11780;  that he is a Senior  Vice  President  of The  Equitable  Life  Assurance
Society of the United States, a Lessee described in and which executed the above
instrument; that he knows the seal of such Lessee; that the seal affixed to said
instrument is such  corporate  seal;  that it was so affixed by authority of the
Board of Directors  of such Lessee;  and that he signed his name thereto by like
authority.

                                                        /s/Elizabeth M. Coppolo
                                                        -----------------------

                                                              Notary Public




STATE OF NEW YORK                 )
                                  :  ss.:
COUNTY OF NEW YORK                )



     On  the  8th  day of  May,  in the  year  one  thousand  nine  hundred  and
ninety-six,  before me personally came Leon Billis, to me known, who being by me
duly sworn, did depose and say that he resides at 17 The Chase, St. James,  N.Y.
11780; that he is a Vice President of Equitable Variable Life Insurance Company,
a Lessee described in and which executed the above instrument; that he knows the
seal of such Lessee;  that the seal affixed to said instrument is such corporate
seal;  that it was so affixed by  authority  of the Board of  Directors  of such
Lessee; and that he signed his name thereto by like authority.


                                                        /s/Elizabeth M. Coppolo
                                                        -----------------------

                                                              Notary Public



                                   APPENDICES



                             DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT

     The  construction   from  time  to  time  of  leasehold   improvements  and
renovations to the Facility Realty and the  acquisition  (by purchase,  lease or
license)  from time to time of machinery,  equipment and certain other  personal
property  including  computer  software  for  use  at  Approved  Equitable  City
Locations by the Lessees within the City in conducting the Equitable Business.





                 DESCRIPTION OF PRE-BOND ISSUANCE PROJECT COSTS



                                       Amount              Bond            Bond
Category                              Purchased         Adjustment        Issue
- --------                        -----------------  ---------------  ----------------
                                                                        
EDP Equipment.................   $    734,615.06    $       -        $    734,615.06
Leasehold Improvements........      1,121,495.62            -           1,121,495.62
Furniture and Equipment.......          4,864.88            -               4,864.88
Computer Accessories..........         65,252.10            -              65,252.10
Equipment Rental..............         76,770.13       (5,107.00)          71,663.13
Maintenance Agreements........            698.59         (698.59)               0
Software......................         55,374.98            -              55,374.98
                                -----------------  ---------------  ----------------
Total.........................   $  2,059,071.36    $  (5,805.59)    $  2,053,265.77
                                =================  ===============  ================




                         DESCRIPTION OF FACILITY REALTY

     Floors fourteen (14) through twenty-two (22), inclusive,  together with the
concourse of that certain building  located at 1290 Avenue of the Americas,  New
York, New York.

     All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in
the  Borough  of  Manhattan,  City,  County and State of New York,  bounded  and
described as follows:

     BEGINNING at the corner formed by the intersection of the northerly side of
West 51st  Street with the  easterly  side of Avenue of the  Americas  (formerly
Sixth Avenue);

     RUNNING THENCE  easterly along the northerly side of West 51st Street,  448
feet to a point  distant  472  feet  westerly  from  the  corner  formed  by the
intersection of the northerly side of West 51st Street with the westerly side of
Fifth Avenue;

     THENCE  northerly  parallel  with  Fifth  Avenue  and part of the  distance
through a party wall,  100 feet 5 inches to the center line of the block between
West 51st Street and West 52nd Street;

     THENCE westerly along the center line of the block 2.0 feet to a point;

     THENCE  northerly  parallel  with  Fifth  Avenue  and part of the  distance
through  a party  wall,  100 feet 5 inches  to the  southerly  side of West 52nd
Street,  at a point therein distant 474 feet westerly from the southwest  corner
of West 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue;

     THENCE  westerly along the southerly side of West 52nd Street,  446 feet to
the easterly side of Avenue of the Americas;

     THENCE  southerly  along the easterly side of Avenue of the  Americas,  200
feet 10 inches to the  northerly  side of West 51st Street at the point or place
of BEGINNING.