BERKELEY TO APPEAL POST OFFICE SALE
  | PRESS RELEASE (April 25, 2013) Activists working to save the Berkeley Post Office were extremely disappointed--but not surprised--to learn Monday that the United States Postal Service made the decision to relocate and sell Berkeley’s landmarked Downtown Post Office. However, the USPS Facilities Vice-President can reverse this decision. The Save the Berkeley Post Office Committee and the city of Berkeley will appeal, and they encourage everyone to write and appeal. From Georgetown to Santa Monica, the USPS is selling historic post offices that were entrusted to it. Save the Berkeley Post Office is working with the National Post Office Collaborate to take joint legal action with other communities to stop these sales. Anyone can file a written appeal. All appeals must be postmarked by May 7, 2013, and mailed to: Vice President, Facilities Save the Berkeley Post Office invites all who want to stop the sale to come to a community meeting at 7 p.m. |
Berkeley residents are united in wanting the US Postal Service to stay in its current central and historic location, and for the federal government to retain ownership of this public building. Author and geographer Gray Brechin remarked that “As elsewhere, the public comment is pro forma; the unanimous opposition of the impacted community counts for precisely nothing.” Berkeley businesses, churches and non-profits want bulk mail receiving services available in downtown Berkeley where it is accessible and convenient.
In April the Postal Service moved ahead with the sale of three other historic post office buildings: the Wall Street post office in La Jolla, Old Chelsea on West 18th Street in New York City, and the Bronx General Post Office on the Grand Concourse. As in Berkeley, these three post offices contain New Deal public artworks. The murals in the Bronx by Ben Shahn are masterpieces, monumental in scale and extremely well-known.
Save the Berkeley Post encourages its supporters to make a tax-deductible donation to the National Post Office Collaborate to support the legal efforts to stop these sales.
In April the Postal Service moved ahead with the sale of three other historic post office buildings: the Wall Street post office in La Jolla, Old Chelsea on West 18th Street in New York City, and the Bronx General Post Office on the Grand Concourse. As in Berkeley, these three post offices contain New Deal public artworks. The murals in the Bronx by Ben Shahn are masterpieces, monumental in scale and extremely well-known.
Save the Berkeley Post encourages its supporters to make a tax-deductible donation to the National Post Office Collaborate to support the legal efforts to stop these sales.
Click here to make a donation to the National Post Office Collaborate
or
Mail a check to:
National Post Office Collaborate
P..O. Box 1234
Berkeley, CA 94701
The USPS notice of approval states that “there will be a marketing alternative to keep a right-sized retail presence in a portion of the existing Berkeley Post Office.” It said that it plans to rent a retail location in downtown Berkeley, either in the existing lobby of the Main Post Office or elsewhere. At present, the USPS owns the Main Post Office and pays no taxes on the property. Becoming a tenant represents a false economy and will leave the USPS vulnerable to rent increases in a high-rent commercial area.
Berkeley city officials asked for a one year time-out to work with the USPS to find a solution that met the long-term financial needs of the Postal Service and maintained federal ownership. The Postal Service wasn't interested.
As of 2003, the USPS real estate portfolio had an estimated worth of $110 billion. The process of privatizing USPS real estate holdings may yield enormous commissions to CB Richard Ellis, the giant commercial realty firm that was awarded an exclusive contract for USPS property sales. University of California Regent Richard Blum is the chairman of CB Richard Ellis and the husband of California Senator Dianne Feinstein.
Berkeley city officials asked for a one year time-out to work with the USPS to find a solution that met the long-term financial needs of the Postal Service and maintained federal ownership. The Postal Service wasn't interested.
As of 2003, the USPS real estate portfolio had an estimated worth of $110 billion. The process of privatizing USPS real estate holdings may yield enormous commissions to CB Richard Ellis, the giant commercial realty firm that was awarded an exclusive contract for USPS property sales. University of California Regent Richard Blum is the chairman of CB Richard Ellis and the husband of California Senator Dianne Feinstein.
CONTACT
Dave Welsh
510-847-8657
