Berkeley residents fight for post office

[alp227]

Berkeley has slapped a "priority" sticker on saving its downtown post office after the U.S. Postal Service announced plans last month to sell the neoclassical landmark.

The City Council, mayor's office and Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, have all vowed to fight the sale of the downtown building, where Berkeley residents have been buying stamps and mailing packages since 1914.

"It's one of the most beautiful buildings in Berkeley. It belongs to the people - it should stay with the people," said City Councilwoman Susan Wengraf. "Imagine a Walgreens there. A restaurant. If they sell it, anything could happen to it."

The U.S. Postal Service announced last month that it would sell the building due to a general decline in mail volume. The mail trucks and sorting and loading operations would move to a distribution facility on Eighth Street, and the Postal Service would open a storefront downtown for the public to use P.O. boxes, buy stamps and conduct other mail business.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Berkeley-residents-fight-for-post-office-3774136.php

[flamingdem]

1. The historically important Venice, CA post office is being demolished now

much to the dismay of activists who thought though it was sold at least the building would be preserved.. notttt

Santa Monica is next. They asked people to mail their opinions but half the staff had already been moved to the new sterile post office with bad parking

[Downwinder]

2. Liquidating assets. Not a good sign.