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Post office to relocate North Side retail services
By Kalea Hall
YOUNGSTOWN
It’s not economically feasible for the U.S. Postal Service to keep its North Side retail mail center where it is now at 1716 Guadalupe Ave.
“We don’t like to move something that the whole community is used to,” said David M. Wolff, real-estate specialist for USPS facilities.
Since it is cost prohibitive to stay and USPS hasn’t come to terms on issues with the location with the California landlord, the postal service decided to re-evaluate its tenancy, Wolff explained during a public hearing inside Youngstown City Council chambers Monday.
USPS has considered relocating this site for several years. The post office has operated at the Guadalupe address since the 1960s. The location is owned by CDJD LLC of California, according to the Mahoning County auditor’s website.
Five locations have been identified by the postal service for new North Side operations, but the only one discussed was Union Square Plaza at Gypsy Lane and Belmont Avenue. Those locations are being considered as well as whatever other locations customers may come forward with during a 30-day comment period that began Monday.
The post office would like to resolve this as quickly as possible, Wolff said. Every relocation effort takes a different amount of time.
“What I want to get across to them is the post office really does care,” Wolff said.
During discussion about Union Square Plaza, a Cafaro Co. representative in attendance confirmed to the crowd that a new Giant Eagle GetGo is coming to the plaza. But later, Cafaro Co. spokesman Joe Bell told The Vindicator the development company could not confirm any new deal for the property.
“We are actively evaluating opportunities to bring the GetGo Cafe + Market experience to the Youngstown area, but at this time have no confirmed plans to announce,” said Dan Donovan, director of Giant Eagle corporate communications, in a statement to The Vindicator.
The space inside the plaza where the post office is considering to move is next to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles office.
“Our post office is a part of the community,” Youngstown’s Third Ward Councilman Nathaniel Pinkard said.
Pinkard expressed concern during Monday’s public hearing about the new location options, saying that it appeared the postal service had made up its mind about moving into the Cafaro-owned Union Square Plaza.
“This is their opportunity to vent,” Wolff said.
Those wishing to express their concerns about the relocation or provide suggestions for other location options the postal service could consider for the North Side should contact USPS or email Wolff directly at: david.m.wolff@usps.gov.