Commuters--office building parking

Fellow bike commuters, I have a question: Does your office building have a bike room? If so, is there a fee to park your bike and how much? My building is about to impose a fee and I'm curious how it compares. Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by lauren sailor on March 7, 2011 at 1:07pm

haha, i love the commuter connection that Serge and Kevin had! i used to recognize all the winter commuting bikes when i worked at 10 S. Riverside, where there are only unattended racks outside.

 

over at 310/300 W. Adams, we have a bike room that is accessed from the alley, through a little door near the loading dock. it is free for workers in the building (not sure if others are permitted, but you could totes sneak in) and "at your own risk--lock up," as signs say. to enter, you press a button on what may be an intercom (though i've never, um, spoken with it), and someone (presumably a front desk attendant) buzzes you into the building. there is a camera over the building door, allowing security to see that you're holding a bike and eager to start your workday; smiling and waving to them is optional. i've never had to wait outside for more than 15 seconds after ringing the bell.

 

right now there's some construction going on, so the building's bike "room" moved to the hallway. this is fine for winter, when there are a half-dozen or so bikes spaced among the three large bike racks that were pulled into the hallway. i assume we'll be back in the bike room before the weather heats up and the bicycles start packing in.

 

Liz, i'm sure the parking garage or delivery center would be fine, though i can definitely see your building nixing bikes in the lobby. since the delivery area is probably easy enough for riders to access, entering and parking near that makes a lot of sense. as for the garage, if the building management is worried about your safety, perhaps they can post a "Watch for Bicycles" sign near the entrance (maybe near the "10mph" sign that's probably there, hah! you ride in Chicago traffic: are they really worried about you in a <i>parking garage</i>?!).

Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on March 7, 2011 at 2:08pm

Secure schmecure.

My building has indoor bike parking but someone that works in the building or accesses it regularly is letting the air out of my tires, poking a needle through the sidewall!

3 flats in Feb/Mar alone!

Not too mention taking the light of my back pack and telling me they will throw my stuff in the garbage if they see me again.

 

I know it's against community posting rules but fuck off!

 

(rant/vent over) carry on.

So much for security.

Permalink Reply by Digital Dario on March 7, 2011 at 2:31pm
Large (25+) 4th floor bike room with key fob access only but only 1 shower. But it looks like I shouldn't complain about having that one shower for all 10-20 people that ride, I know I'm already spoiled with that bike room.
Permalink Reply by Jay on March 7, 2011 at 6:50pm

This is the bike room at 680 N Lakeshore. It's accessible via the parking garage, where there's a narrow walkway along the wall separated from the exit ramp by a metal barrier. There's no charge to use the bike room, though registration with building management required. They give you a sticker to put on your bike and a key to get into the room. There are no shower services provided by the building, but the gym in the building across the street has a "shower/locker room only" plan that was around $40/month when I last inquired about it a couple of years ago. I've never done the shower deal at the gym because my workplace is casual enough where I can get away with a babywipe shower on the hottest days.

 

There are at least four or five obviously abandoned bikes in there, which is super annoying since the room gets overfull in the summer. It was particularly bad the summer of 2008 when gas prices were so high and more people were biking. I expect it will be even worse this summer, though it's hard to complain since it's great to have a secure, indoor bike room when so many people have nothing.

Permalink Reply by mike w. on March 8, 2011 at 3:43am

Sounds like someone there has a personal problem with you. Sorry to hear that. Is he messing with other folk's stuff as well? Do you have another bike no one there has seen that you could use for awhile to see if that one gets left alone?

 

i once had a co-worker who occasionally would puncture my tyre in a similar manner. Never could catch him at it, though. One day, he messed with the wrong person the wrong way and got his sorry butt fired. End of problem. 

Mike Zumwalt said:

Secure schmecure.

My building has indoor bike parking but someone that works in the building or accesses it regularly is letting the air out of my tires, poking a needle through the sidewall!

3 flats in Feb/Mar alone!

Not too mention taking the light of my back pack and telling me they will throw my stuff in the garbage if they see me again.

 

I know it's against community posting rules but fuck off!

 

(rant/vent over) carry on.

So much for security.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on March 8, 2011 at 4:33am

Mike,

He told you?  I interpret it as that you know the person by name? Is there anything that you can do about it by going to your manager/HR/building management ? If that would happen in my company, HR would put an end to it immediately (Or at least I'd like to think they will).


Mike Zumwalt said:

Secure schmecure.

My building has indoor bike parking but someone that works in the building or accesses it regularly is letting the air out of my tires, poking a needle through the sidewall!

3 flats in Feb/Mar alone!

Not too mention taking the light of my back pack and telling me they will throw my stuff in the garbage if they see me again.

 

I know it's against community posting rules but fuck off!

 

(rant/vent over) carry on.

So much for security.

Permalink Reply by Joe Guzzardo on June 12, 2013 at 3:43pm

The parking garage at One Financial Place, at Financial Place and Van Buren has bike parking available for either $20.00 per month or $150.00 per year, last I checked. Its very secure and you have 24/7 access.

Permalink Reply by SlowCoachOnTheRoad on June 12, 2013 at 10:40pm

If a workplace offers a place to park one's bike indoors why should it charge anything at all?  It should simply offer existing space as a courtesy and benefit to its employees.  Thus, not all workplaces offer such indoor parking at all, but if they do, normally it is free. I work at a small university in the Loop that takes up 2 floors of a 17 floor building where the roughly 7 bikers a day (4 staff consistently, and on average another 3 students daily) are allowed to keep their bikes in our storage room in the basement where it keeps spare furniture.  We go through the delivery alley where trucks deliver goods and then use our electronic ID to open the storage room - security can see us enter into this room at all times.  Our workplace has also built a shower and locker room behind each of the women's and men's bathrooms so our stinky clothes can hang on hooks in lockers where they can dry during the day.  I bring a change of clothes but don't use the shower - just underarm deodorant will do.  So I would be surprised if your workplace charges a fee - have it explain what it is for, what cost is being shouldered by the workplace for using existing space.  Maybe it does, in which case it would make some economic sense, but if you are using mere storage space then I don't see it - we don't get charged for having an office after all.  If the fee is small though, you might just have to accept it as it would be better to park indoors than risk theft or pranksters outdoors.  That is what I would do - make a good case for free parking but you don't persuade, just go with it - that culture might change in time later as more bikers appear on the scene.

Permalink Reply by Bez on June 12, 2013 at 11:34pm

The Leo Burnett building has limited bike parking in the executive garage.  There is a fee, but I don't know what it is (we're on Dearborn, so there are bike racks everywhere).  Employees can also join the gym across the street and use the fitness area, showers and laundry service for a decent price.  Personally, I hit the gym after my commute, shower, and toss my riding shirt, drawers, socks, gloves and head scarf (I sweat a LOT, so I need it) into the laundry bag.  That way, the clothes that get the sweatiest every day are clean for my evening commute.

Permalink Reply by pceasy on June 13, 2013 at 10:10am

My office building currently has a bunch of bike racks in the parking garage, free of charge. Free showers in the gym. 

Permalink Reply by JimmyD on June 13, 2013 at 10:36am

There are plenty of bike racks around my office building (behind the Chicago Theater) since there are schools here. However, the president of our company is fine with us parking a bike in the middle of the office, especially since he does it!

Although my commuter bike fits under my desk quite nicely...

Permalink Reply by SarahB4.0 on June 14, 2013 at 2:38am

115 s lasalle / 110 w monroe - there is a room in the basement off the loading doc. $100/yr, limited slots. I think it is a pretty good deal considering what some people pay. I have to sign in, but the building security guys all know me by now. 

155 N. Wacker - my husband's building charges $50/month based on 1-yr term, includes showers at the gym (but not full membership) and a locker, basically $600/yr. That building's slots are all taken and any spots that open up are given out on a first come first serve.

Free is always better...not sure what else that room would be used for if not a bike room. I guess buildings always need storage of some sort.

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