Beyond the obvious solution of providing more indoor bike parking, why doesn't the Times just install bike racks outside?

That was my thought too, #2. Those girders look like a great place to lock your bike: not at all flimsy.

Not on the shortage of indoor space, but about the outdoor chaining-up and the notes: I'll go against most of my feelings on the subject and point out that at least they are leaving warning notes on the bikes, much better than just clipping the locks without warning, like other neanderthals around town have done.

If their argument is that "it's our building and we don't want bikes chained to it," there's little rebuttal to that. But if their argument is that bikes are blocking the sidewalk, and they're responsible for keeping the sidewalks clear, that argument is a zero, because the bikes are, visibly, NOT obstructing the sidewalk! It's like the architect consciously tried to devise the BEST sidewalk bike parking possible, with those perforated girders!

NYC needs a biker's bill of rights. The U.S. needs a biker law modeled on the Americans with Disabilities Act. Peak oil will put these ideas on the table. Not soon, but eventually.

Ratner sucks

The USGBC LEED green building standards specify bike parking for 5% of the expected peak occupant population. If the NYT Building were to meet this part of the LEED rating system, which it doesn't, that would be 20 spaces for every 400 employees/visitors. I don't know how many people the building is designed to hold -- but it's many times 400.

To go with the bike parking, LEED also requires showers and changing rooms for 0.5% of the occupants -- no point in creating bike parking if the bike owners don't have a place to freshen up before work.