The nearly 41,600-square-foot Colonial Revival U.S. Post Office location at 217 West 18th Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues is now up for sale, DNAinfo reported. The marketing process began quietly, with an announcement posted inside the location last month, but the process has sparked anger from nearby residents and local officials.
“The above-referenced property is slated for sale, which will transfer the property out of federal ownership,” the letter reads, as written by USPS facilities specialist Ann Yarnel. The letter states that the sale will not have an “adverse affect” on the historical value of the property, as the postal service will amend a “preservation covenant” to the deed, requiring state review to any modifications made to the lobby or façade.
According to DNAinfo, USPS had a $15.9 billion net loss last year and has been downsizing its holdings across the country. The postal service is also selling a property in the Bronx.
“We should not learn of an impending sale and closure only through a letter to the state agency on Historic Preservation,” Congressman Jerrold Nadler told DNAinfo in a statement. “This post office is heavily used and provides a critical service to Chelsea residents, many of whom are seniors or otherwise unable to travel far to conduct postal services.”
Nadler, along with other Chelsea politicians, is drafting a letter to the postal service requesting that it not sell the location. [DNAinfo] —Zachary Kussin