Bike-Share NIMBYs Suing to Prevent a Rise in Their Property Values?

“The placement of such a massive futuristic structure ... (and) dropping ... a slab in front of (their) 100 year old landmark building located on an historic street in a landmarks protected district is offensive to the public and residents,” the owners’ lawyer, Jeffrey Barr, says in court papers.

Barr said the residents decided to sue the corporate sponsor, Citibank, and the vendors running the program, Alta Bicycle Share and NYC Bike Share, because they are in charge of the program and in position to make a change.

He said they also are responsible when the building’s value drops because the bike racks attract garbage and animal waste and impede pedestrian and vehicular traffic, forcing bikers to ride on the narrow sidewalks to escape the narrow bumpy street.

Residential brokers are also buying into the program. "I deal mostly with clients in their late 20s to mid-30s who are very physically active," Douglas Elliman agent Zakery Risinger said. "Being close to one of the stations will be a huge selling point for apartments."