Saving the Las Olas Post Office

On July 26, 2011 the USPS announced that it will be closing 3,653 post offices around the country.  The Colee Hammock branch on Las Olas Blvd, downtown Fort Lauderdale, is one of those listed for probable closure.

Before closing an office, the U.S. Postal Service said it would study the impact the closing would have on the community, the effect on employees, compliance with government policy to provide service to rural areas and small towns, and the economic savings.
With this in mind, I am rallying the community to demonstrate the impact it will have on our community.  If our voice isn’t heard within the 60 day evaluation period, we will indeed lose our post office.
Merrilyn Rathbun of the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society says that this post office is “quite historic”, dating back to the 1940’s.
As a local business owner, I use the post office to mail packages to my customers.  Often, I have someone from out of town give me a call or email and say that they would like more of the item that they purchased while visiting us in Fort Lauderdale.  I box it up and walk over to the post office to mail it.  If this post office were to close, I would have to close my store (I’m the only one on duty), drive across town to the Aldridge station on 7^th Ave, stand in line and then drive back, wasting time and gas.  It would be painful to put it mildly, I dread going to that post office branch.
The Colee post office on Las Olas is important to our downtown and to our tourists.  Las Olas is an international tourist destination, and many foreigners come to the post office with their post cards, letters or parcels, and get individualized service from the postal clerks that they would not get from a vending machine, from buying stamps at Publix or Office Depot.  The post office offers their services at the lowest price and not the premium you would spend at a place such as the Mailbag which marks up substantially to offer products that the post office offers.
Furthermore, out of town visitors often do their shopping along Las Olas and then stop in the post office to mail their purchases instead of taking them on the airplane, due to the new luggage restrictions.  Boxes, tape, all types of shipping supplies are on hand at this post office, and daily you can see shoppers loading their purchases into gift boxes or envelopes and mailing them off.
Although many people use email and internet services, there is something to be remembered about OBJECTS.  I mail objects and products and thus utilize the post office, even though most of my transactions are done over the internet in regard to bill paying and sending messages.  Historically, it is tangible OBJECTS such as letters and documents that will chronicle our legacy and emails can be lost in a blink of an eye.
Environmentally speaking, this post office is pedestrian friendly and serves the community, whether its tourists, residents in the neighborhoods, or local businesses.  Closing it will mean that a drive across town will be necessary for anyone living in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Financially, everyone knows the US post office is losing money and therefore must close some of its operations.  But this particular post office does not lose money; it makes money over its expenses and provides a vital service to the community.  However, it falls slightly under the USPS criteria of “less than $600,000 in annual revenue”.  Last year they retailed at about half a million dollars, and currently they are close to approaching that same figure (doing better than last year).  If you need to stock up on stamps, now would be the time to buy those rolls at this post office, to help produce the numbers they need during this evaluation time.
The Colee Hammock area of Las Olas acts somewhat as a Village, with walkable services for the general public.  At a time when the city should be strengthening its core-- its downtown-- yet another building block is about to be lost. Colee Hammock and Las Olas Blvd are woefully lacking care.  It cannot be left to the business owners.  City and County leaders need to step in and help with restoration and revitalization efforts.  The loss of an historic post office without any such efforts will be a terrible blow to this struggling area.  I urge everyone, even those who do not use this post office, to help take action.  Here are some suggestions:
-Stop in and make some purchases, get your supply of stamps at this location.  There is free parking in a lot behind their premises, accessed by the alley.
-“Like” the page on Facebook, entitled “Save the Las Olas Post Office”.  This page acts as a modern version of collecting signatures on a petition.  Yes, it’s ironic to use the internet to help save a dinosaur like the post office, but both services are vital to our needs and we need to learn how to assimilate both without too much loss.
-Write your Congressperson, Senator, and US Postmasters to tell them why you want to rescue this post office.  Snail mail needs to be sent to: USPS Postmaster Sal Vacca, 1900 W. Oakland Park Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33310-Spread the word, get more people involved and activated about this issue.
.  And: USPS South Florida District Manager Mr. Becker,

16000 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines, FL 33082

 Time is of the essence, write now.

I am trying to get permission to do a bit of a Makeover inside this post office, by adding some historical photos and Fort Lauderdale post cards.  A stamp collection has been donated and I’d like to frame it up and hang in the post office.  Stop by the Colee Hammock Post Office and show your support!

-Robin Haines Merrill, August 4, 2011