Improvements on leased lands, other than leased public lands, shall be assessed to the owner of the leased lands unless before March 1, following any construction thereof or change in the improvements made on or before January 1, the owner of the leased lands or the lessee thereof files with the county assessor, on a form prescribed by the Tax Commissioner, a request stating that specifically designated improvements on such leased lands are the property of the lessee. The improvements shall be assessed as real property, and the taxes imposed on the improvements shall be collected by levy and sale of the interest of the owner in the same manner as in all other cases of the collection of taxes on real property. When the request is filed by the owner of the leased lands, notice shall be given by the county assessor to the lessee at the address on the request.