New York's Cooperative and Condominium Community

Habitat Magazine Insider Guide

HABITAT

Subscribe for Daily Updates!
Sidewalk bike rackApr 13, 2016

On the city sidewalk in front of our Manhattan building, there is a small, u-shaped bicycle rack that our condo put up years ago (or perhaps had the city put up at our request) so that deliverypeople don't chain their bikes to our building's metal fence. (We don't have a doorman.)

Yet people -- both from our building and, evidently, elsewhere -- leave bikes locked there for days or weeks at a time. Sometimes we'll even find just a bicycle frame without wheels. Our on-site managing agent, who works for one of the biggest management companies in the country, says there's nothing he can do. He says city law allows bikes to be locked there overnight, night after night, and that if we remove them the condo can be fined.

In the meantime, deliverypeople who legitimately need to use the rack have to use the metal fence instead -- and our manager says restaurants with deliverypeople who do so won't be allowed to deliver to our building. That seems to penalize condo-owners who have nothing to do with these derelict bikes.

Is there nothing we can do? Must we have derelict bikes and ugly abandoned frames in front of our building, preventing deliverypeople or bike-riding visitors from using the rack? And what about penalizing condo-owners because of that? Does anyone have any suggestions?

Join the Conversation Comments (1)
Sidewalk bike rack - Ned in Toronto, Canada Apr 14, 2016

Whether your condo put it up or the City did at your request is irrelevant; if it's on City property, it belongs to them. Your management company is correct as there is nothing they can do - it's a City bike rack, anyone can use it. I suggest that you contact the City (cityrack@dot.nyc.gov) with your problem and see if they have a solution for bikes that are left on the rack for long periods of time and suggestions for delivery people/visitors to park their bikes. You can also confirm with them fine information (if you take action and remove a bike). You can also report derelict bikes to the City and request removal however the bike must meet certain conditions. http://www1.nyc.gov/nyc-resources/service/1191/bicycle-chained-to-public-property

As a sidebar, why can't delivery people use the metal fence? You could always post a sign on the fence saying "Delivery Bikes Only Allowed. All Others Will be Removed". As for guest bikes, what do other buildings do that do not have a bike rack in front of their building?

Thank you for rating!

You have already rated this page, you can only rate it once!

Your rating has been changed, thanks for rating!

Introduce yourself to other members of Board Talk! Login below or register here.

Board Talk members who registered prior to March 9th, 2016 will need to reset their password.

Register

Forgot your password? Click here

> Join the conversation Comments (1)
Sidewalk bicycle rack - JG in NYC Apr 14, 2016

I suspect that the objection to delivery people chaining a bike to the building fence is that the chain will chip the paint on the fence (usually iron) and will need to be touched up regularly to prevent rust.

Thank you for rating!

You have already rated this page, you can only rate it once!

Your rating has been changed, thanks for rating!

Introduce yourself to other members of Board Talk! Login below or register here.

Board Talk members who registered prior to March 9th, 2016 will need to reset their password.

Register

Forgot your password? Click here

> Join the conversation

Introduce yourself to other members of Board Talk! Log in below or register here.

Board Talk members who registered prior to March 9th, 2016 will need to reset their password.

Introduce yourself to other members of Board Talk! Login below or register here.
Board Talk members who registered prior to March 9th, 2016 will need to reset their password.

Ask the Experts

learn more

Learn all the basics of NYC co-op and condo management, with straight talk from heavy hitters in the field of co-op or condo apartments

Professionals in some of the key fields of co-op and condo board governance and building management answer common questions in their areas of expertise

Source Guide

see the guide

Looking for a vendor?