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Update July 16, 2013- The bikes have arrived and were an instant hit. The rack emptied out right away.
Update July 11, 2013- As we predicted, Citi Bikes have just gone in at Gateway Plaza where the old junk pile of bikes used to be. BatteryPark.TV reporting triggered the removal of the old rack, enabling Citi Bikes to enter. (photo soon)
Update July 5, 2013- The bike rack has been removed, after BatteryPark.TV reported on the problem (below), and a Citi Bike rack seems likely.
Update June 25, 2013- The deadline has passed and it seems that the once planned Citi Bike rack to be installed by Gateway will not happen, thanks to the opposition led by Shelly Mossey. Approximately 6,000 residents of Gateway Plaza will now have to endure the ugly site of the existing bike racks, filled mostly with abandoned bikes, rather than have a functional Citi Bike rack.
Update June 20, 2013- Gateway Plaza is trying again to install a Citi Bike rack at the corner by the cafe, and once again, Shelly Mossey is opposing the removal of the personal-use rack in place now. We spoke with him about his concerns. He explained that if the current rack is removed, then there would be a major bike storage shortage for the residents. Instead, Mr. Mossey suggested placing the Citi Bike rack nearby on the dog run overlooking the marina.
A bigger problem to the Gateway bike racks is that they are mostly filled with abandoned rusting bikes. BatteryPark.TV has been effective working with the parks staff to remove similar bikes throughout the park, and we suggested that Mr. Mossey contact the parks for help. Mr. Mossey also works with a volunteer staff that refurbishes abandoned bikes.
June 10, 2013- By Steven E. Greer
Getting around in New York City is one of the biggest quality of life issues. Taxis are now very costly, not always available, and not always driven by safe drivers. The subways of NYC are far inferior to other cities, and buses are slow. Mayor Bloomberg has tried to address traffic congestion in a variety of ways, ranging from closing streets and converting them to plazas, to attempting to have congestion traffic tolls. However, his biggest accomplishment, without doubt, is the Citi Bike share program.
The Citi Bike share program is now widely applauded as a much overdue alternative to yellow taxis and inconvenient subways or buses. After technical glitches were worked out in the first week, and people got over the learning curve, the main gripes that remain are coming from areas on the city that do not have the program. The initial gripes were “Not in my backyard”. Now, people are upset, “Why didn’t my neighborhood get a Citi Bike rack?”
Battery Park City is fortunate to have two Citi Bike rack stations, but a third one destined for Gateway Plaza was shot down by a minority special interest movement. 
Shelly Mossey founded the Urban Mobility Project which, until recently, rented various forms of bicycles from the existing bike racks outside of Gateway Plaza, by the ice cream cafe, and also inside the courtyard. He organized the resistance to the Citi Bike racks that were supposed to be installed. It is unclear whether his petition of more than 30 people was the cause, but the city backed down from plans to eliminate the personal-use racks and replace them with a Citi Bike station.
Mr. Mossey explained, “The Citi Bikes are welcome to come to Gateway, but they just can’t take away our existing bike racks. They can put the (Citi Bikes) somewhere else, like by the dog run”.
Now, the thousands of residents of Gateway Plaza must walk a half mile to reach either of the two Cit Bike station that were installed. A Gateway Plaza employee explained, “We have some clean-up to do within Gateway to create additional bicycle parking for our residents. We expect to start the clean-up in a couple a weeks and will have additional bicycle racks installed within Gateway in a few weeks. We are not done with the Bike Share program. We will be involved in the second go around.”
The problem with the current private use bike rack is that it is jammed full with nonfunctional abandoned bikes. the problem is not that people truly desiring to store a bike cannot find room. No one with a good bike will store it outside in the rain to be vandalized.
i think people should be responsible enough to realize that leaving abandoned bikes is just downright unfair to all that might want to have a bike to rent from citibank…i am not in favor of the bikes at all as i have almost been hit more that once by a bike on a city street….also the bike lanes can really only be used for bikes …not skaters…as i found out ….eyesores are eyesore but i do think gateway needs to give there tenants a place to safely store there bikes…..
This guy Shelley needs to find something better to complain about…let’s get that bike rack in gateway please!!!
Last week, we had to move our kids bikes from that rack, and the adult rack with a kids seat. Our family bikes are now all scattered. Gateway has no room for our bikes, and as you know, it takes them forever to do these sorts of things. There is so much space adjacent to that rack. I just don’t know why citibikes couldn’t put something up within feet of the community rack or even better on South End Avenue across the street where government employees get free protected parking spots.
The bikes were loaded yesterday. This morning, there were NO bikes available. As we knew, this Bike Share Station is a super “Hot Spot”.
Gregg Tumminia
Gateway Plaza manager
I thought Shelly Mossey was going to chain himself to his rack and be arrested rather than see it go? Or at least that’s what he told the newspapers. What a B.S. artist.
This is awesome! I’ve been hoping for this all summer. Now I just hope it isn’t impossible to get a bike at this rack! Thanks Gregg and BP tv.
Zachary
400 Building