By Heather Niccoli, Staff Writer
The Palmer Square Post Office in Princeton is for sale and the Postal Service is looking for a smaller building.
The South Jersey District recently completed a facility optimization study for the Palmer Square office, according to Raymond Daiutolo Sr., retail spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service.
The study showed the office is underutilized, he said.
The space is about 11,000 square feet and the post office is using about 2,000 square feet, according to Mr. Daiutolo.
”In the face of our financial difficulties, the Postal Service is pursuing solutions and strategies to mitigate the impact,” he said.
The Postal Service is reviewing the operations of the postal service facilities throughout the nation.
It would like to relocate into a smaller building on Palmer Square and is looking for someone to buy its current building, which was built in 1920s.
”No move would occur until we have a buyer and have made arrangements for relocating the retail operations to a new location,” Mr. Daiutolo said.
When they do move there will be “no gap in service,” according to Mr. Daiutolo.
The Princeton Junction Post Office will be going through changes as well.
It will be moving its carriers on Nov.5 to the Princeton Post Office. Mr. Daiutolo said there would be no jobs lost and it would not impact the retail side.
Princeton Junction will still be open for customers to come by and drop off packages.
The plan is to move the carriers from a small space into a larger space. The difference for the carriers would be reporting at a different location.
Mr. Daiutolo said the carriers are cramped in a small space, which sometimes creates a safety issue.
He also said consolidating will save money.
”Occasionally we interchange staff, equipment and other resources to reduce operating costs, increase operational efficiency and sometimes to eliminate a space deficiency issue,” he said. “By eliminating the morning transportation to Princeton Junction, we will make more efficient use of our transportation vehicles.”
The Postal Service has been undergoing money problems and there are talks that many post offices will be shut down or consolidated and that Saturday deliveries will be eliminated. Another estimate is that would result in about 120,000 employees being laid off.
Last Tuesday, more than 30 Postal Service employees rallied outside U.S. Rep. Rush Holt’s office in West Windsor to protest proposed cuts to postal services.
