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The better option is to leave a note on it saying "is this your bike? I'd like to buy it ". If no one responds after a few months just cut off the lock. If they do either buy it off them - since they clearly don't use it - or say "oh that's too expensive for me" and find a new bike to stick the note on.
Otherwise you might get in trouble if the owner is still around
frankenbike
In the basement bike racks of my old office, on Haymarket, there was an amazing 90s Serotta Colorado locked up and gathering dust that didn't move for the entire 18 months I worked there (and looked as though it had been there for at least another 18 months previous, judging by the level of dust on it).
Never worked out whose it was (lots of companies had space in the same building). If our facilities people had been as friendly as yours I'd pretty much come to the conclusion that it would be socially acceptable to have cut it free and had it on long-term loan by now... It was even in my size.