Another vote for a folding bike. Bike Fridays are a dream to ride, Tikit is made to be a commuter bike. It folds quickly and makes a small package with 16" wheels. You shouldn't have any problems bringing it to work, shops, or even hop on the bus if the weather turns bad, especially if you have it hidden in a bag. And you can keep it in your condo.

Getting a crappy bike of course is an option. If you want to have a crappy ride.

Do you have home insurance? Bikes should be covered under it. Look into it, you may get at least some of the money back.