'Save the Berkeley Post Office' Supporters Appeal Sale

Activists working to save the Berkeley Post Office are appealing a recent decision to sell Berkeley’s landmark Main Post Office building.

Nils Moe of the City of Berkeley Mayor's Office said Mayor Tom Bates is putting an emergency item on the council agenda for Tuesday's meeting regarding this. The council will vote on whether to put a letter in as an appeal before the May 7 deadline.

According to a press release issued by the Save the Berkeley Post Office Committee, the USPS Facilities Vice-President can reverse the sale decision.

The committee encourages community members to write in and appeal as well. Save the Berkeley Post Office is working with National Post Office Collaborate to take joint legal action with other communities to stop the sales of historic post office buildings.

Anyone can file a written appeal, according to the committee. All appeals must be postmarked by May 7, 2013, and mailed to the following address:

Vice President, Facilities
Facilities Implementation–Pacific Area
1300 Evans Ave., Ste. 200
San Francisco CA 94188-0200

The Save the Berkeley Post Office committee is also hosting a community meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at 2133 University Ave. (near Walnut).

Save the Berkeley Post Office encourages its supporters to make a tax-deductible donation to National Post Office Collaborate to support the legal efforts to stop these sales by going to the website: http://www.nationalpostofficecollaborate.com and clicking "donate."

You can also mail a check to National Post Office Collaborate, P.O. Box 1234,   Berkeley, CA 94701.

The USPS notice of approval states that “there will be a marketing alternative to keep a right-sized retail presence in a portion of the existing Berkeley Post Office,” according to the committee.

Berkeley city officials had asked for a one year time-out to work with the USPS to find a solution other than selling the Post Ofice building. The Postal Service declined this request, the committee reports.