Bedford Park Residents Without Mail for Over a Week -- UPDATED

We've gotten some complaints regarding the lack of mail service recently to a local apartment building located at 357 E. 201st Street. Here are all the details:

The building has been without mail delivery for over a week. It seems that the mail carrier reported to his supervisor that the building still has the older type of mailboxes and it is too difficult to place all the mail in these smaller boxes. The Post Office has told the landlord that he must install larger boxes. They have also informed some tenants that after this Friday, all mail would be returned to the sender. Tenants may only pick up their mail between 3:30 and 5:30 at the Fordham Station. (Major inconvenience for working people and seniors.) I know that there are more than a few buildings in our area with the older, smaller mailboxes and they are not having a problem with delivery. The mailboxes in question are not broken or vandalized.

Complaints have been logged with Councilman Koppell's office, as well as Senator Espada's office. Does anyone have any insight on the legality of this issue? Any suggestions as to what other actions the tenants could be taking to reinstate their mail delivery?

Update:
We've received an update from someone who attended the building's tenant meeting this week -

I attended the tenant meeting this evening. Senator Espada sent three staff members and Councilmember Koppell sent a staff person. The building manager attended as well as many tenants. There has been some success. The Post Office will start to deliver first class mail tomorrow. The landlord expects to have the new boxes delivered by Monday. Our elected officials made more than a few calls to postal authorities.
One tenant, who is a letter carrier in Manhattan stated that there are many buildings in Manhattan with the same type of mailboxes. He said that there are only two reasons for non-delivery of mail. One was broken boxes and the 2nd was a building which is considered unsafe. Neither of these exists at "357".
The phone numbers which one of your readers listed were invaluable. The tenant leader called the Postmaster General in D.C. and received much help. Thank you again for your help. The elected official"s staff asked that the tenant leader call tomorrow if the Post Office does not follow-up.
The consensus was that the problem was caused by the letter carrier.

~ErLu

Botanical Post Office Saved!

We got some great news in the Bedford Park area this Friday - the United States Postal Service has removed the Botanical Post Office on Webster Avenue from their list of possible site closures. Hooray!

A huge kudos goes out to Barbara Stronczer and other members of the Bedford Mosholu Community Association for collecting tons of signatures from local residents, businesses and community organizations, as well as for attending the public hearing on this matter in September.

Click here if you'd like to read the New York Times piece regarding the reduced postal office closures around the city. In the article, a rep for USPS states that "community opposition probably played into the officials' decision."

It's such a pleasant surprise when the community rallies to keep an essential service alive, and it actually works out. Great news!

~ErLu

Protest the Planned Closure of the Botanical Post Office This Wednesday! (UPDATED)

A public hearing to protest the possible closure of the Botanical Post Office on Webster Avenue is scheduled for this Wednesday, September 23rd from 1 to 4pm at Fordham University's O'Hare Hall. Just use the campus' main gate on Southern Blvd. opposite the Botanical Garden's main entrance.

Please come out to voice your concerns to the USPS if your schedule permits! Me thinks a public hearing somewhere closer to the 6pm hour would accommodate more folks, but oh well...

Update: If you would like to submit a written statement. or to suggest someone to testify at the hearing, please contact Ann Fisher, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations, at 202-789-6803 or ann.fisher@prc.gov.

~ErLu

Save the Botanical/Webster Avenue Post Office!

Please urge the Postal Service to save the Botanical/Webster Avenue location
from elimination by signing our petition below!

You've all probably heard the hub bub about the United States Postal Service looking to close budget gaps by closing post office locations around the country. Well, a whopping 7 of those locations up for possible elimination are right here in the BoogieDown. I know, I know... It's really hard to believe that the Postal Service can actually get any worse, but, alas, it can.

You can read all about the Postal Service's plans in this New York Times article.

Sadly, the Botanical Garden sub-station over on Webster Avenue between Bedford Park Blvd. and E. 201st Street may be one of the locations shuttered if we don't voice our outrage. The Bedford Mosholu Community Association has been circulating hard copy petitions around town, and we'd be pleased as punch if BD readers would get involved as well.

So, please join together with BoogieDowner and the Bedford Mosholu Community Association to urge the United States Postal Service to save the Botanical Garden/Webster Avenue location from possible elimination by signing the below petition.

Please note, you can check "anonymous" if you'd like your name to be kept confidential from the public. Also, you are asked to provide your home address for verification purposes, but only your City and State will be made public.

Click here to view and sign the petition, or simply add your name below.

Petition powered by ThePetitionSite.com

Here's a copy of what will be sent to USPS, as well as our elected officials, once we've rounded up a decent amount of signatures:

We, the undersigned, object to the United States Postal Service's proposed plan to eliminate the Botanical Garden sub-station branch located at 2963 Webster Avenue (between Bedford Park Blvd. and E. 201st Street).

Our objections to the planned closing of the Botanical Garden post office are based on the grounds that the possible loss of this post office location would have extremely negative impacts on the residents and businesses in Bedford Park.

We urge the USPS to protect the mail services of the community of Bedford Park by ensuring the continued operation of the Botanical Garden/Webster Avenue sub-station.

We thank you in advance for your close attention to this matter.

~ErLu