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UPDATED: What Ever Happened to…the Proposed West 71st Street ‘Deliverista Hub’?

October 23, 2023 | 11:58 AM - Updated on October 24, 2023 | 6:42 PM
in NEWS, OUTDOORS, REAL ESTATE
95
Photo credit: West Side Rag.

By Carol Tannenhauser

It is going forward — quietly and despite fierce opposition from Community Board 7 and the neighborhood, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation is finalizing plans for a “deliverista hub” to be located on a public plaza between 71st and 72nd Streets on Broadway, just south of the 72nd Street subway station. Though it is designated as parkland, all that is there now is an abandoned newsstand.

“As per Manhattan Parks, the plan to place an e-bike charging hub at West 71st Street is proceeding,” City Councilmember Gale Brewer’s chief of staff confirmed in an October 20th email to the co-chairs of CB7’s Parks & Environment Committee, which the Rag obtained. “The draft design and operating plans are still being developed and will be presented to CB7 when ready. That timing is unclear and it appears that the City Hall located site is proceeding first (though not confirmed).”

This news comes after about 300 community residents attended a Valentine’s Day CB 7 Parks & Recreation Committee meeting, 86% of them testifying against the plan. Additionally, over 200 similarly negative written comments were submitted by email. Almost all were in favor of hubs, just not there.

“This location, at the nexus of three subway lines, five bus lines, and a neighborhood heavily populated with commercial and residential buildings is wholly inappropriate for this facility,” said Natasha Kazmi, co-chair of CB 7’s  Parks & Environment Committee, summarizing the community’s arguments.

But the location fits the city’s bill perfectly. The “Street Deliverista Hubs” pilot program aims to “transform existing city infrastructure, like vacant newsstands, into hubs that allow app-based delivery workers time to rest and recharge during their hectic days,” according to a statement from Mayor Eric Adams. “The renovation of select underutilized structures will offer these essential workers shelter from the elements, space to charge electronics [including e-bikes], and provide bike repair services.” The Upper West Side location is one of three proposed for deliverista hubs, the others are near City Hall and in the Bronx. The  pilot program is funded with help from a $1 million federal grant facilitated by New York Senator Charles Schumer.

WSR has reached out to the NYC Parks Department multiple times for comment. We will update when and if they respond.

UPDATE: October 24, 6:30 p.m.

WSR sent the following questions to the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation regarding the 71st Street deliverista hub:

  1. Did the widespread opposition of the community to that specific location for a hub influence the Parks Department at all? What is the purpose of testifying in front of the community board or writing letters to it if they, seemingly, have no effect?
  2. What is the process the hub will go through now, what agencies must review it?
  3. When will the plans be presented to the Community Board?
  4. When will construction on the hub begin?

The Parks Department sent the following statement in response:

“We’re proud to be part of a creative, first-of-its-kind effort to support app-based delivery workers and use our public spaces in a new way. Parks is committed to ensuring these spaces are well-maintained, and safety is our top priority. We are continuing to work on the design for the planned Deliverista Hubs and look forward to presenting a completed design to the Community Board.”

After the Community Board weighs in, the design will be subject to approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC).

If West-Park Presbyterian Church’s experience with the LPC is typical, the hubs have a long road ahead.

To read all our What Ever Happened to…columns click here.

To receive WSR’s free email newsletter, click here.

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charles
charles
1 year ago

“Almost all were in favor of hubs, just not there.”
NIMBY is alive and well on the UWS.

28
Reply
Kim
Kim
1 year ago
Reply to  charles

Have you ever been there? If you had you would understand why “not there” is correct.

63
Reply
subway mom
subway mom
1 year ago
Reply to  charles

charles,
actually not everyone orders food – my family does not.
i think we are entitled to complete subway access

ubereats etc should be developing a proper facility – not screwing subway riders

83
Reply
Peter
Peter
1 year ago
Reply to  charles

Before it becomes our proverbial “backyard”, sweetheart, it’s the actual entrance of one of the busiest train stations of the largest subway system in the world.

73
Reply
Sidney Owl
Sidney Owl
1 year ago
Reply to  Peter

No its not. It’s an under-utilized traffic triangle. It’s not blocking that entry and there are at least three other major entry ways into the station.

4
Reply
Katina Ellison
Katina Ellison
1 year ago
Reply to  Sidney Owl

You are mistaken. 40,000 people a day use that subway daily and countless others try to traverse that already dangerous “bow-tie” intersection daily. It will be dangerous for everyone. All you have to do is stand there for a few minutes and you will see how busy it is and how impossible it would be to place this project there safely.

• The island lies on the nexus of three major streets, Broadway, Amsterdam Ave, and West 72nd Street, each of which falls in the top 2.5% of city streets based on volume of pedestrian traffic as calculated by NYC’s DOT.

5
Reply
Lejabe
Lejabe
1 year ago
Reply to  Peter

Just another example of nothing nice is ever added to the UWS. We already have the filth created by bottle machines on Broadway/76th street. What other major city would do that? Broadway was once a safe clean street. Great for walking etc. now take a look at it. And someone for their own reasons has made it 3rd world slum-like. So keep the ugly garbage piling on. That’s a great space how about just leaving us alone with some breathing room.

16
Reply
Pedestrian
Pedestrian
1 year ago
Reply to  Peter

Well Peetie…..do you misogynist much. I get that you don’t think women are allowed to have an opinion especially if it differs from yours BUT the concerns about the health and safety issues relating to this so called hub are very real. The hub will be another example of corporate subsidy and I am sick of it.

8
Reply
Sarah
Sarah
1 year ago

I support this hub, but we need to start charging the delivery companies fees to offset some of the costs.

25
Reply
subway mom
subway mom
1 year ago

Completely Insane.

Busy with subway riders coming & going.

Complicated, busy street intersection
How will bikes access the area?
Cut vehicles, slow traffic?

People with ebikes on the already narrow platform?

Many other areas with space could be used like:

62nd Street – south side of Damsrosch Park, by garage.
“Parklet” – 57th and Ninth avenue
Blink e-charging locations including 58th Street.
Broadway 23-32nd (closed street).

Many other more suitable locations

PS – My family does not order food delivery.

69
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Christopher Canfield
Christopher Canfield
1 year ago
Reply to  subway mom

It sounds like they’re trying to use City-owned/controlled infrastructure for these charging hubs, and if so, 57th & 9th (Balsley Park) wouldn’t work. It’s a POPS, so it’s privately owned & operated, and isn’t controlled by the Parks Department.

I don’t disagree that the 72nd St triangle plaza is congested, though. I walked through it yesterday, around 1:00 pm, and it was packed with people.

9
Reply
charles
charles
1 year ago
Reply to  subway mom

The 72nd subway stop has 4 entry/exit. points. Closing one will not create a great inconvenience .
Suggestions to place the hub one or two miles from the suggested 72nd street spot defeats the purpose of the hub as a resting spot and a repair spot etc.

11
Reply
Gertrude
Gertrude
1 year ago
Reply to  charles

Perhaps you did not live here when we only had the one building. There was a reason they built the second.

2
Reply
UWSDad
UWSDad
1 year ago
Reply to  charles

I suspect that that Fire Department and Police Department might have other thoughts.

14
Reply
ASJ
ASJ
1 year ago
Reply to  charles

Charles,

It is seriously dangerous to reduce exits to/from the subway as well as situate at an island in the middle of a busy street intersection

23
Reply
Jay
Jay
1 year ago
Reply to  charles

charges,

This block house, which is on the south side of W72nd Street, has 2 access points, closing the south doors, besides being illegal, would significantly inconvenience users.

You could have looked at a basic street map.

32
Reply
Albert F. Walter
Albert F. Walter
1 year ago
Reply to  Jay

For many years, the 72nd Street subway stop only had the 2 access points on the south end of 72nd Street and Broadway. The larger north end has only been there for around 20 years.

2
Reply
evi
evi
1 year ago
Reply to  Albert F. Walter

Albert:
72nd Street was much quieter 20 years ago.

No Trader Joe’s for example – TJ’s is a major “destination”

2
Reply
Jay
Jay
1 year ago
Reply to  evi

evi:

72nd street and that intersection was NOT quieter 20 years ago.

Broadway northbound ran up the east side of the blockhouse. Broadway northbound between 71st and 73rd is no more, so traffic shifted to Amsterdam.

More importantly and Albert addressed this: There was no north blockhouse for the IRT, so everyone using the 72nd IRT station had to use what is now the south blockhouse.

0
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SLA
SLA
1 year ago
Reply to  Jay

Jay,
Have lived here my entire life.
I also think it was a quieter intersection 20 years ago, prior to TJ.

Yes DOT changed much …..including reconfiguring street routes, closing the north side, narrowing lanes. moving 5 bus stop, etc.

1
Reply
Jay
Jay
1 year ago
Reply to  Albert F. Walter

Right.

Charles isn’t real interested familiarizing himself with the situation, history of the blockhouse, or the offenses committed by e-bike drivers.

1
Reply
Paul
Paul
1 year ago
Reply to  charles

No, 62nd is not a mile or two and the deliveristas are on motorized vehicles.
And yes, as someone who used that entrance for 10 years I can tell you that its closure would be an inconvenience.

29
Reply
UWS resident not represented
UWS resident not represented
1 year ago

And the Upper West Side gets dumped on again, no matter what it is, because the city knows that we’ll just take it. Even when CB7 and residents voice an opinion, no one cares because we just end up taking it. The Upper East Side seems to never have as much dumped on them.

“Here come 5 more unaccountable shelters to you, UWS. You just sit there and take it!, says the city. They do what they want to us because they know we’ll just shut up and take it. And all our current elected UWS officials have let it happen for years without much of a fight, if at all.

Hope my comments won’t be screened.

58
Reply
UWS SENIOR
UWS SENIOR
1 year ago
Reply to  UWS resident not represented

I think the reason why we get so much dumped on our space is because no one seems to ever call Gail Brewer’s office and make a complaint.

Anytime I call ….I’m told I’m the only one who’s calling to complain.

Here’s the phone number,

Gale Brewer
Phone: 212-873-0282

please use your voice to politely and respectfully express your dislike,

and explain how it will be dangerous to the pedestrians, who cannot jump out of the way of a motorized bike, going fast on the sidewalk.

23
Reply
Melanie
Melanie
1 year ago
Reply to  UWS SENIOR

I call. Nothing happens. Ever.

19
Reply
Albert F. Walter
Albert F. Walter
1 year ago
Reply to  Melanie

Email gab@pipeline.com

0
Reply
Flo
Flo
1 year ago
Reply to  UWS SENIOR

When will people realize that Gale Brewer only cares about her career and her standing with the city administration? She does not care about the constituents, not even a bit.

Are seriously buying her response about you being the only one raising the issues? do you really believe that she is unaware of the issues?

She is the worst public servant I know. She needs to be voted out asap.

Please don’t screen me again

35
Reply
D M
D M
1 year ago
Reply to  UWS SENIOR

That’s what we keep hearing from Brewer’s office – “same people call”. I do not trust her and neither should you. She says whatever is convenient and doesn’t care if her words prove to be untrue. Remember “responsible adults” re the migrant shelter at Stafford Arms? Remember gaslighting neighbors who complained about it? Her words again “same people call”.

40
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Fanny Erickson
Fanny Erickson
1 year ago
Reply to  UWS SENIOR

https://thevillagesun.com/omg-judsons-rev-micah-bucey-hit-by-wrong-way-e-biker-suffers-devastating-leg-injury

12
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Josh P.
Josh P.
1 year ago

In any disagreement between the city and the local community board, the city absolutely needs to have priority. 300 people showing up to give testimony to a group of unelected volunteers can’t outweigh the decisions made by full time professional experts elected by thousands of upper west siders. Community boards should be able to offer constructive input, but they can’t have a veto over democratically elected officials.

7
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Trish
Trish
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh P.

“Full time professional experts?” The PEOPLE are the experts on THEIR neighborhood. This is a representative democracy, buddy, not a technocratic autocracy. City officials work for us.

16
Reply
BrooklynSandy
BrooklynSandy
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh P.

Nothing less than regulatory capture!

3
Reply
Jay
Jay
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh P.

Those who’d approve this are NOT elected.

11
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Cathy Bernstein
Cathy Bernstein
1 year ago

Folks, I’m going to say this, until I am blue in the face

Please, for the love of the senior citizens who cannot jump out of the way with these bikes- , stop ordering delivery from the restaurants!

Support, support, support our restaurants by going there in person and picking up your food.

Thank you.

64
Reply
Isabella
Isabella
1 year ago
Reply to  Cathy Bernstein

For so many reasons, mainly a city that cares not one whit for its tax-paying residents, and because my friend has permanent brain damage from being hit by an e-vehicle-I will NEVER order another thing from a restaurant-ever!

15
Reply
Josh P.
Josh P.
1 year ago
Reply to  Cathy Bernstein

I’m a new parent with a one year old and both my wife and I work. Going out to a restaurant while getting our kid to bed on time is not always an option for us and not always pleasant for the people around us. Delivery is a life saver for us.

11
Reply
Melanie
Melanie
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh P.

Im sorry. Many of us have children and dont use delivery. You can pick up your food if you dont want to cook. Delivery is out of control and ruining QoL in NYC

22
Reply
mpipik
mpipik
1 year ago
Reply to  Melanie

Doesn’t anyone buy food prepared or not from the local markets and then put the food in the fridge or frozen for later reheating? You can keep refrigerated or frozen food for several days at the least.

10
Reply
subway mom
subway mom
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh P.

Josh p:

Working mom here.
Honestly – it is possible to cook.

In any event, only a few years ago – before the Apps-Uber Eats-DoorDash – people did order in from restaurants.
Delivery was generally within 20 blocks – delivery workers used regular pedal bikes.

34
Reply
RAL
RAL
1 year ago
Reply to  subway mom

In the space of 4 years we got overtaken by speeding throttle e-bikes and illegal mopeds and now the city wants to give them a charging station. Unreal. No other city in the western world has such chaos on its streets

28
Reply
Jen
Jen
1 year ago
Reply to  subway mom

It would have been more convenient for me to have deliveries as they are today when my child was an infant.

However I think we are focusing on the wrong issues – cooking/not cooking , delivery/pick up.

We should focus on enforcement of meaningful rules that both delivery people and others riders should strictly follow.

31
Reply
Marco
Marco
1 year ago
Reply to  Jen

If the city intended to enforce the rules on the books they already would be doing so! The biker lobby wants no regulations and it appears that City Hall and the Mayor have said fine. If you want to do something about this, call your elected leaders and tell them to support Bob Holden’s Bill to license and register e-vehicles. Without it there’s really no way to regulate e-bikes and mopeds as riders are unknown!! This common sense measure must be supported by more council members. Gale Brewer said she won’t support it which is so wrong headed! What about Shaun Abreu?? He’s District 7. As for Brewer today is Election Day isn’t it?

7
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UWS SENIOR
UWS SENIOR
1 year ago
Reply to  Jen

Jen – I hundred percent hear you, and wish, wish, wish that the police would pull these guys over for running the light, going the wrong way, and riding on the sidewalk.

But it’s not happening!!!

I’m doing my part, I am picking up my own food.

Please do the same –

because we need to be the change here

if our elected officials and the police are not going to do anything.

9
Reply
Janned
Janned
1 year ago

I’m glad the Parks Dept. is ignoring the NIMBYs. I live on 71st near Columbus and that triangle is a perfect location. There is nothing there. We all use delivery services, and the people making the deliveries are entitled to respite.

16
Reply
uwsgrl
uwsgrl
1 year ago
Reply to  Janned

This is my subway entrance and I can tell you it is absolutely not the perfect location at all, and I do use delivery services. That entrance, the most southern into the 72nd st train, has a tiny triangle entrance with pedestrian traffic from 3 streets, and already is crowded with pedestrians going to and from the train. I can’t imagine multiple ebikes trying to fight their way through and take up space. If they do install this, it’ll be gone within 3 months between accidents and complaints, so why not find a better spot to begin with?

12
Reply
Bon212
Bon212
1 year ago
Reply to  Janned

Just stand on the McDonalds corner for 5 minutes and tell me there is nothing there.

27
Reply
Kim
Kim
1 year ago
Reply to  Janned

nothing there but a lot of people walking to and from the subway.

28
Reply
west 70s
west 70s
1 year ago
Reply to  Janned

Well, I live on 71st and Amsterdam, literally just off this triangle, where an accident is waiting to happen. There is traffic merging from 3 directions, not to mention a constant flow of pedestrians who ignore the traffic lights.

And I never use delivery services.

53
Reply
Bunny
Bunny
1 year ago

Is there any way the companies behind the delivery apps could be charged a fee to maintain this hub? But I guess this fee would then probably be passed on to the consumers. Tough call.

11
Reply
Anon
Anon
1 year ago
Reply to  Bunny

Thats bit a tough call. Why shouldn’t any costs be passed on to the consumers rather than to all taxpayers?

15
Reply
Lisa
Lisa
1 year ago
Reply to  Anon

Anon, I don’t understand your logic. Why should taxpayers who never use these company’s services pay for them? Why aren’t Doordash, Uber eats, etc. renting storefronts for this purpose?

20
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Sam Katz
Sam Katz
1 year ago

Oh, goodie. Private enterprise on public lands. Charging and exploding e-bikes and a NYC subway entrance and exit. What could go wrong?! Are they also going to place the FDNY there, too? You know, just in case.

47
Reply
Jen
Jen
1 year ago

Didn’t Adams refer to “unused spaces”? How can the very busy area around subway entrances be considered unused?

41
Reply
Brandon
Brandon
1 year ago

“The renovation of select underutilized structures will offer these essential workers shelter from the elements, space to charge electronics [including e-bikes], and provide bike repair services.”

Has anyone made a drawing of how this will work in that triangle? Sounds like there will be chargers, a covered waiting area, and a bike repair shop. That won’t all fir in the abandoned newsstand. How much of the triabgle will it use? Will therr be a specified ramp for the eBikes to get on and off the triangle or will they be riding into the crowds of commuters waiting to cross the streets? Has anyone done a proper study?

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Katherine
Katherine
1 year ago

It’s hard to imagine a worse place for hundreds of delivery workers to charge their bikes than an island surrounded by streets in front of the exit of a busy subway station.

41
Concerned small business owner
Concerned small business owner
1 year ago

Gale Brewer said in a Community Precinct meeting that she had “no problem with tax payers paying for this charging station hub”. Words right out of her mouth in front of 40 people. I never use delivery apps and now I’m paying for this while trying to pay my home rent and my retail store rent, giving this city sales taxes and my own income tax. Seems it doesn’t matter what the tax payers want. So unless people speak up and perhaps vote in someone who listens to their constituents and fights against abuses of power, we are considered not important enough to listen to.

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Reply
Jay
Jay
1 year ago
Reply to  Concerned small business owner

Do you live in council district 6?

If so, tell Brewer that you won’t vote for her if she doesn’t start treating the danger to pedestrians caused by these “bike”‘s driver seriously.

She’s done things for me, but ignored this serious issue. So I’m considering leaving the line blank my ballot on Nov. 7th.

9
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Bill Pearlman
Bill Pearlman
1 year ago
Reply to  Jay

Or you could vote Republican. Diane Di Stasio. I promise, your arm won’t fall off

23
Reply
Jay
Jay
1 year ago
Reply to  Bill Pearlman

I’m not voting for someone who claims, as she did, that Republicans are fiscally responsible.

This makes her…., I can’t use the adjective if I want get this approved.

There’s a 3d candidate, Barbara Simpson, She’s in the booklet the board of elections sent out, but she didn’t submit information and apparently doesn’t have a website. Not sure if she’s on the ballot.

1
Reply
wehstsider
wehstsider
1 year ago
Reply to  Jay

Agree wholeheartedly Jay. Fellow community members – just stand on 71st and Amsterdam and watch the criss-crossing traffic go by, and the people walking to the subways, and the cars who make the illegal left onto Broadway from 71st street. Then do the same thing at the dinner hour – when deliveries are happening in full force – and you will not know which way to look to cross – because many delivery folks are driving the wrong way, going through lights and, speeding and watching their phones instead of the road. This is not smart public policy – it is shortsighted. As others have said – this will cause accidents. They entrance to the subway is already crowded – the crosswalks are busy and I seriously doubt the delivery folks will safely enter the charging station. Born and raised here and cannot believe what I am hearing and seeing. Given what I routinely witness, I have little faith that the majority of delivery workers will follow traffic rules.

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Reply
Eric
Eric
1 year ago
Reply to  wehstsider

Follow traffic rules??? They haven’t yet…

2
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lisa
lisa
1 year ago

BTW the City’s original plan was to start with the closed newsstand on Broadway & Murray – in front of City Hall.
(Plenty of space on the sidewalk there)

No work has been done to convert the City Hall newsstand to a charging/rest space.
The newsstand sits there, empty…..

3
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First and Last Name Unknown
First and Last Name Unknown
1 year ago

This is entirely a private business problem that the “government” should not be involved in, either financially or physically. We don’t provide rest areas for Fed-Ex or UPS drivers — they are businesses that should, and must, provide for their workforce on their own — and they do. Similarly, the restaurants that provide the food and the Apps that arrange the service (and reap the financial benefits) should bear the costs to provide for their “employees” needs and welfare — not the taxpayers. Just because we feel badly for the hard-working, low-paid “deliveristas” doesn’t make this our problem.

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Reply
Juan
Juan
1 year ago
Reply to  First and Last Name Unknown

Exactly. If they need a delivery hub, they should collectively pay to rent one of the many empty storefronts in the neighborhood. Put in some bathrooms, a sink, and charging stations. Very simple solution. Rather than using public space, and in particular a very heavily trafficked public space.

I wish Citibike did the same thing and created a few indoor mega hubs rather than taking more and more street space. I know. I know. People hate cars and love bikes so Citibike should take over the world. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

11
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Lanie
Lanie
1 year ago

Again the UWS continues to deteriorate thanks to our elected officials. I won’t enumerate the ways these officials continue to make our lives miserable, since everyone knows what they are.
We have a city council election coming up. I will be voting against Gail Brewer and anyone one who is dissatisfied with her representation should do the same. Please, please, vote Republican, even you’re a Democrat.
These are local, not national matters! It is time to send a clear message to her and other west side officials that we are mad and we won’t take it anymore.

31
Reply
Al from the neighborhood
Al from the neighborhood
1 year ago

Don’t complain. Vote with your vote. Election Day is coming up. If you don’t like what your representatives are doing, vote the bums out!

21
Reply
Pedestrian
Pedestrian
1 year ago

This is deeply disturbing. I am sorry that Ms Brewer has decided to ignore her constituents wishes and the very real health and safety issues.

20
Reply
Barry
Barry
1 year ago

Beyond the hub, the problem is that any vehicle (electric bike, scooter, moped) virtually never obeys traffic rules making the a terrible hazard to pedestrians.
If there are to be hubs, let’s begin to insist on requiring licenses & insurance.
UWS & NYC are simply being allowed to deteriorate.

19
Reply
Gretchen
Gretchen
1 year ago

Oh, the “ribbon of death” just got a lot more deadly. Anybody notice how those bikers don’t stop for pedestrians and drive the wrong way on one-way streets speeding and illegally ride on sidewalks? Moreover, this is a public park space that’s being ripped off from the public. And dare I mention the deadly lithium bike batteries being charged at a busy intersection and right above a busy subway station? Are they nuts? Can’t wait for the lawsuits to begin.

17
Reply
mat
mat
1 year ago

Besides the many pedestrians, it is surrounded by busy traffic.
Impossible to even imagine how ebikes would access/exit the island?

Trader Joe’s and Duane Reade have increased vehicle traffic in general and especially southbound.

Prior to TJ’s, the M5 and M104 were – properly – co-situated at the bus stop on Broadway.
But the City moved the M5 stop around the corner due to TJ customer congestion and Duane Reade delivery trucks.

Unbelievable someone thinks this is a good location.
It is a disaster.

20
Reply
Jordan
Jordan
1 year ago

Terrible

10
Reply
Christine E
Christine E
1 year ago

Perhaps contact Schumer and tell him that this is not how we want $1 million to be spent.

https://www.schumer.senate.gov/

10
Reply
Petra
Petra
1 year ago

As I have said a few times in response to a lot of posts here on WSR, I have voted straight Democrat for decades in local elections. That is changing next month. Gail Brewer and her ilk don’t give a flying, uh, fig about what we want. It won’t break my heart to vote Republican. But it will break out neighborhood to keep voting otherwise.

14
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72RSD
72RSD
1 year ago

So our politicians are totally unresponsive, great. The farce of community boards continues. If we’re going to do this there are so many places it could go that make more sense.

Put it in front of my building! There’s a huge citi bike station at 72nd and Riverside. The mosque has lots of pedicabs and delivery people park there anyway.

But this intersection of three subway lines, two avenues and multiple bus routes is just a bad location.

12
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lisa
lisa
1 year ago

A related issue:

State MTA bus and subway are essential !

Yet the City prioritizes bicycling, focusing spending and policy on bicycling.

Unbelievable that the City does things like this to subway riders or routinely forces bus rerouting for things like “open streets” (Amsterdam, Columbus, others) for brunch-bicycles….

Feels like the City is sabotaging bus and subway mass transit

10
Reply
ASJ
ASJ
1 year ago

Where does Citibike recharge?

Why doesn’t the City force Uber, Doordash to build a space?
Or contract with places like e-garages.

City Council passed legislation so restaurants are supposed to allow bathroom access.

BTW the City seems unconcerned that gig workers pulling heavy Amazon carts have no place to go to the bathroom…..

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ASJ
ASJ
1 year ago

Concerns should also be messaged to Borough President Mark Levine

6
Reply
Joe
Joe
1 year ago

Please make this a public park.

5
Reply
Tom
Tom
1 year ago

Conceptually, it’s not a bright idea. Newsstands were obviously placed in areas of heavy pedestrian traffic, so they’re a poor choice for locating e-bike hubs. And this site is unusually constricted to a small point. That said, the only way Parks can counteract the complaints is to come up with a design that can alleviate concerns, and that’s what I hope they’re working on. But I would hope that if the design they come up with still has the same disadvantages, they would listen to the people and scrap the idea.

One thought – there is no dedicated bike lane that approaches this triangle. There is one shared use lane that approaches from the south on Amsterdam, and it becomes a dedicated from 71st north. There are a lot of restaurants to the north of the triangle, though. Is there any chance at all that putting in this hub won’t result in deliveristas riding the wrong way down the northbound Amsterdam bike lane to get there? Seems exceedingly likely to me.

5
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Ian Alterman
Ian Alterman
1 year ago

How are they going to enforce that only newer, safer batteries are charged there? Because otherwise, there is the risk that a battery will catch fire (given how many have in the past months, and how many injuries and deaths there have been). And in that tight a space, that could set off a chain reaction that would spread to other batteries, resulting in a MAJOR fire that would also spew acrid smoke throughout the area – on an island that has hundreds if not thousands of people passing through from both the subway and the tri-corner crossing.

Why is this not being discussed?

7
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Susan
Susan
1 year ago
Reply to  Ian Alterman

How about the fact these batteries are now riding the subways!!! I recently attended the Opera Bastille in Paris. On the list of things you are not allowed to bring into the opera house are bicycle batteries!! But oh no-bring them onto our enclosed underground subways! New York is so out of control-I have seen a battery blow up on the street with a rider on the bike!! I’ve been writing and calling the MTA for months! This city does not care about its residents!!

13
Reply
mat
mat
1 year ago
Reply to  Susan

People with bikes routinely take up space on subways and in the case of ebikes, pose a danger.

Today a on a really crowded subway, a “regular” guy (not delivery) with a racing bike – took up 2-3 seats as his bike blocked seat access and bike took up 2-3 standing spaces.
He was on his phone – zero interest in anyone else.

9
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looking-glass
looking-glass
1 year ago

While these workers ought to have a place to charge bikes etc – not on my dime!! Let the Lyft, Ubereats, et. al owners pay for their workers facilities and pay rent to the city for the space and the public have a voice is the location if it’s public space. The garages that used to house taxis were not in public spaces and were not paid for with public monies. Taxpayers shouldn’t be subsidizing multimillion-dollar enterprises. Period.

13
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NewYorkerUWS
NewYorkerUWS
1 year ago

The intersection on the south side of this proposed delivery hub is already one of the most dangerous in the City, I have read. Lots of additional e-bikes coming and going will make it worse.

14
Reply
Deborah jewney
Deborah jewney
1 year ago

We don’t want them in our neighborhood— I can barely walk to the train station with out being run over. Fresh direct already takes over the other island… when willl this stop? I will vote for the politicians who are against this. This will cause death and harm! Think of the children

15
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Gertrude Shadrock
Gertrude Shadrock
1 year ago

What abt the farmers market? The composting? How will we survive? Why do neighbors feel compelled to order everything for delivery? Why live in NYC? Maybe make the cyclist obsolete???? We have killed other businesses through lack of patronage?

6
Reply
Mike G
Mike G
1 year ago

Does anyone on the planning commission understand how these delivery services have turned sidewalks and bike lanes into death zones because the riders ignore all rules? Why are we encouraging them?

9
Reply
Phil
Phil
1 year ago

Yes despite neighborhood opposition they will do it anyway. Screw everyone, we are the government and we do what we want. Peasants

3
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Katina Ellison
Katina Ellison
1 year ago

The West 71st Street Block Association and many others have spoken strongly against this project. We are currently organizing (once again!) a coordinated effort to demand a relocation of this project and to stop it at this location. We have suggested several other locations nearby that would be much safer.

We remain deeply concerned about this plan as the proposal is incredibly dangerous for the community. The severe lack of transparency from our public servants has been shocking and the neighborhood feels blindsided to learn the proposal for that location is moving forward despite the outpouring opposition.

Please sign our petition here to stop this project: sign it here or go to change.org and type in “e-bike charging station”. https://www.change.org/w72ebikestation

Let’s work together to keep our neighborhood safe!

5
Reply
ASJ
ASJ
1 year ago

Situate it on the southern edge of Damrosch Park – the adjoining sidewalk on the north side of 62nd is wide and empty. Also there is a garage on the block.

The City owns the land under Lincoln Center

3
Reply
Anne
Anne
1 year ago

The picture is deceitful. The actual width of the paved space narrows down like triangle shape toward viewer. The green newsstand is annoyingly blocking the view of graceful fassade. MTA bus goes up and down both sides of the space. It’s quite dangerous there

4
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Leslie
Leslie
1 year ago
Reply to  Anne

Yes. Take a look at the picture. See the fences on both sides with entrances and exits only at the south and north ends? Now imagine an e-bike battery exploding when the triangle’s packed with rush hour commuters. What happens if a fire gets going? Panicky people are going to jump those fences to get away — right into traffic. This site is no place to add a large number of motorized vehicles. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. You’re really letting your constituents down, Gale B.

1
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lin
lin
1 year ago

FYI Crain’s article about a new company that rents e-bikes to delivery workers and provides repairs and maintenance as part of the fee

https://www.crainsnewyork.com/chasing-giants/e-bike-startup-whizz-offers-lifeline-delivery-workers

1
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Charlotte
Charlotte
1 year ago

We need a HUB for neighborhood shoppers where we can check our packages so that we can shop local without shlepping then return to collect previous packages or to have our purchases sent to our addresses. This would encourage local purchases.

0
Reply
Katina Ellison
Katina Ellison
1 year ago

The neighborhood was stunned to learn that this ill-conceived and dangerous proposal is moving forward. This is an already crowded and dangerous “bow-tie” intersection, and placing more e-bikes in this area will undoubtedly lead to injuries and deaths. We are urging our lawmakers to support the alternative nearby locations the West 71st Street Block Association has suggested in our presentations.

Please continue to voice your objections to our elected officials and demand a different location which is not on the middle pf a highly trafficked congested pedestrian/subway island.

1
Reply

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