Bike Storage for a 3-Fam
I’m the relatively new owner of a 3 family rowhouse. The prior owner was an absentee landlord and the tenants have gotten used to piling their bikes in the parlor floor hall. This is unsafe, impractical and exposes me to hefty fines if I get inspected by FDNY. That said, hauling bikes upstairs is annoying…
I’m the relatively new owner of a 3 family rowhouse. The prior owner was an absentee landlord and the tenants have gotten used to piling their bikes in the parlor floor hall. This is unsafe, impractical and exposes me to hefty fines if I get inspected by FDNY. That said, hauling bikes upstairs is annoying and they take up lots of room. Has anyone in the forum installed a bike rack inside a typical (i.e., smallish) front stoop/gate area? Any other solutions you’ve come up with?
Thanks!!
you’ve all pretty much summed up my concerns. I do appreciate the feedback. seems like there really is no ideal solution.
I’d happily offer up the cellar if I could, but the only access is through my unit… that’s not an option.
snezan, I know leaving bikes outside isn’t ideal, but hanging racks in a small rowhouse hallway presents the same fire code issues and inconvenience as leaving them on the floor.
If the tenants have to keep them inside their units, the walls get bashed constantly and the tenants lose space. If I put a rack outside theft is an issue, we lose trash storage and people have to keep their stinky trash inside on the off nights when sanitation doesn’t make the rounds (or, in the case of this snowy winter, days on end). no matter what, there’s a trade-off for everybody. I think for now I’ll just tell them the bikes have to go inside their apts or on the street. we’ll see how things go in the meantime and I won’t rule out putting a rack in front at some point in the future.
cellar is a good idea if it is do-able logistically. it’s really hard to never get tire marks on the walls carrying a bike up multiple flights of stairs.
Do they have access to the cellar? I actually specifically ask my tenants not to bring their bikes into their apartments because as they carry them up and down the stairs, they ding the walls, and, as someone said, can ruin their interior walls as well. All my tenants have access to the cellar and can bring their bikes down there. I bought two racks from overstock.com, but they don’t always use them – just lean them against the walls.
Giving my tenants some sort of bike storage is a real benefit to them. If I didn’t have basement access, I’d likely put a bike rack in the front stoop area (and therefore reduce my plants), although some folks might feel uncomfortable keeping bikes outside…
you can buy a hook that attaches to the wall and people can hook their bikes vertically in their hallway.
outside racks aren’t safe and bikes should not be exposed to the elements I would never store my bike outside.
Our landlord lets us store our bikes in the hallway of our floor. If the policy changed I’d buy a hook for our bikes and put it in our apartment.
If I can give you one piece of advice Lamb, I would be that you don’t have to provide outside bike storage. People can take the bikes into their places (the solution for a long time) and there might not be the perfect location right outside your house for a bike rack, but they can leave them in a NYC bike rack in the neighborhood (with heavy chains, minus a wheel).
I was asked by one tenant where should she chain up her new bike outside. I just got a new expensive stoop and the railings were cleaned up, painted, and I have very little space. I told her that there really was nowhere. It would cause blocking entrances, or get in the way of the garbage etc. And I just don’t want bikes out there. Because they get together in the middle of the night and have more bikes and before you know it, it is out of control. So I think she has it at her brother’s not far away, but there is also a NYC bike rack right around the corner.
Anyway, good luck with that (it will be fine, the tenants will understand and be creative in figuring it out) and congratulations on the new place!
hey donatella… sincere thanks for your thoughtful response! you pretty much nailed my concerns. I’ve already started the conversation with the tenants (one even complained about the crowded entryway) and they realize the bikes can’t stay where they are. I’m conflicted about whether I want to use that limited space out front for a bike rack (once my renovations on the owner’s unit are done I’d be able to take advantage of it too), but I only see two alternatives… either I add built-in’s to house trash bins or try to keep the area clear of anything. I did check out the nyc city racks program, but I don’t meet the minimum 12′ sidewalk width. the fact that I’ve yet to see ANY other houses with racks installed makes me question whether this is just a bad idea. that’s why I thought I’d reach out to the forum.
Ahh….one of my favorite topics.
You have a challenge because a culture has been established in your building, i.e. people feel comfortable and your changing that will be a bit of a pain for them. However, you can clear out YOUR building of bikes, which, yes, are a fire hazard and are against the fire code.
There are three challenges:
1) Getting the bikes out of there
2) How to communicate this without alienating tenants
3) Getting alternatives
Getting bikes out of there – you HAVE to do that because it is a fire hazard, not to mention unsightly. Get it in your head that it is your responsibility to be compliant with fire regulations. Also that it is your HOUSE and you get to have a common hallway that is attractive and orderly.
Communicating this: You need to inform tenants that you understand that it might not be what they want to hear, and that they will a grace period but they will need to figure out a place, i.e. a bike rack on the street, their apartment, somewhere else to store their bikes, that they need to be removed from the hallways. Give them a date.
Be respectful. You need to write it into new leases. A one year lease gives you the chance to have a talk about things that are important about your business deal with one another.
Alternatives: Ask yourself, do you WANT a bike rack in your patio/courtyard? Bikes beget bikes. Maybe you want something ELSE there. You don’t have the responsibility to provide external storage for bikes. Better solution…. call the city and see if you can get them to install a bike rack on the street near your house. Caveat: Having tenants bring bikes into their apartments (a perfectly reasonable solution, by the way) WILL result in tire marks on your walls. But that is a better solution than having your house, (YOUR HOUSE) taken over by bicycles.