Bikes and Condos

Just a short news item on two things I thought were cool:













This Ritz-Carlton (left) is unusually attractive-looking for a downtown hotel. What could have been a nightmare in Philadelphia's most important square instead looks pretty good.

Could this bike scheme(right) in Lyons really work? They brought back the old leave-bikes-around-town-for-free model and this time are trying to make it work. Will credit cards and electronic sensors prevent the theft and vandalism that ruined the concept in past applications? The best part -- the whole system came at no cost as part of the deal that gave anad company the right to put up posters at Lyons' bus shelters.