By Mary O’KEEFE
In an effort to trim some financial overhead the United States Post Office is reviewing several post offices across the nation for closure. One of those offices being reviewed is the La Crescenta Post Office at 3300 Foothill Blvd.
The renewal date for the building’s lease is approaching, which makes it a good facility to evaluate.
“We are in the process of reviewing the [facility]. We have not decided if we [need to close],” said Richard Maher, spokesman for the United States Postal Service.
There has not been a decision to close or to renew the lease as of press time.
“If we get close to the lease expiring we may renegotiate on a month by month [basis]. Right now we are reviewing our options,” he added.
Those options could range from closing the facility to consolidation or relocation. Whatever the decision the postal service follows a process before they close a facility that includes community notification and time for public input.
Post offices are aggressively looking at all their facilities in an effort to cut costs.
“The last three years we have had a 20% decrease in volume,” Maher said.
The service has seen a $15 billion net loss. “We have to readjust our network to match the current business reality and the way Americans are using the postal service,” he said.
There are 32,000 postal service managed facilities in the nation. That is a larger retail network than McDonalds, Starbucks and Walmart combined, Maher added.
Most people go to the post office to buy stamps. There are 63,000 businesses that now sell stamps outside the brick and mortar post office. In addition customers can also buy stamps from the USPS website.
Congress and the postal commission are pressuring USPS to cut costs.
There has not been a determination on the La Crescenta facility as it is still under review.