Those who work and live in the area told amNewYork that they are fuming that the bikes continue to remain in the neighborhood after what they cite as years of complaints. According to Hector Dutan, a superintendent of a nearby building, the bikes often go beyond the street and pile up on the sidewalk, preventing him from throwing out the trash and resulting in city summons.
“I can drop my garbage back over here, and sanitation doesn’t pick up, and the rats come,” Dutan explained. “It’s all obstructed here, it’s dangerous.”
Delivery workers have been parking their e-bikes at the location since February 2024, and have continued to do so even after a previous police seizure operation during the Adams administration. The workers themselves say they leave the bikes in the area as they take a break, knowing that they will not be stolen.
“The e-bike congestion around East 11th Street and First Avenue is a problem affecting everyone. Small businesses depend on people walking through the neighborhood, looking through the windows, meeting a friend, coming for coffee or something to eat, a clear, welcoming sidewalk is what makes that possible,” said Robert Zerilli, the co-owner of the historic Veniero’s Pasticceria & Caffè. “When the sidewalk is crowded with e-bikes and difficult to navigate, that works against local businesses trying to bring people through their doors.”
Still, while Zerilli bemoaned the immigrant workers, amNewYork observed those workers entering the pastry shop and retrieving their products to deliver. While some locals demand action, others say it is no issue.
“Personally, I’m happy they’re here. They have got to go somewhere; otherwise, you know, their bikes will get stolen. I’m glad they chose this block. It feels safer because there’s always somebody here. It just feels more lively and interesting. I’ve never had an issue with everyone. Everybody I’ve talked to and interacted with has been nice,” Winston Featherly said.
This comes one day after a scheduled NYPD enforcement on Wednesday, which police say was prompted by community complaints. When officers arrived at around 9 a.m., they inspected the area and looked over some bikes before leaving without removing any. During the operation, one officer could be heard speaking on a cellphone and saying, “There are two people with press passes here.” The officer apparently observed an amNewYork reporter and a journalist from another outlet nearby.
Police returned later that afternoon and junked abandoned bikes in the area.
Still, Christine Renzi, leader of the East Village Beautification Project, said the enforcement is not enough.
While acknowledging that the state of the bikes was better, she said she wanted to see more enforcement operations to get abandoned e-bikes out of the neighborhood. She also said she wants more bike racks installed in the area to prevent overflow and keep the number of bikes down.
“If there was a bike rack here and the city Sanitation [Department] could clean exactly like we have across the street for the city bikes. I feel that that would be acceptable. It limits the number of e-bikes here. You would be able to clean the streets effectively. We can all live peacefully together,” Renzi told amNewYork.
Jamy Bah, who speaks on behalf of the delivery workers, says that he believes this could be a good solution. He also stated that due to a language barrier, many of the workers do not understand the problem. They also struggle to read notices placed around the area.
“They don’t know the rules. So, just explain them,” Bah said. “We are going to try to educate them, to let them know what they are supposed to do because, like back in their country, they don’t know.”
