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@3 When I asked at the post office in the east end, the woman there told me to write to our senator. If you find Sen. Tim Kaine’s email address and post it here, maybe we can get something done.
Sorry I meant the other east end post office, the one out off of Williamsburg Road on Klockner. They have great service out there.
Our neighborhood successfully pushed to keep the 25th St. post office open (http://chpn.net/news/2012/01/18/regarding-the-potential-closure-of-the-east-end-post-office_21094/). It’s a real benefit to a ‘walkable’ neighborhood. The RTD article mentioned in post #21 isn’t available but John M quoted much of it in post #22…and post #12 is spot on….which is why about 300 people showed up for the meet, surprising the hell out of the WDC folks who showed up…and which is why we’ve still got this post office within easy walking distance of much of the neighborhood.
Because it’s a dump with poor customer service us why I filled out the survey to close the things years ago. Those of you that rallied to keep it open years ago have dropped the ball as far organizing to make this less like the ghetto marts in the neighborhood. You should have let it close.
Of all of the various Richmond PO’s I’ve visited, time and again, this is hands-down the worst of the lot.
Nick Barbash is his go-between and his email is:
nick_barbash@kaine.senate.gov
The Post Office is in very sad shape. I had heard a rumor that Josh Bilder may be interested in the building since the 10 year lease can be broken by a government agency. Apparently they do not deliver mail from there any longer. Only maintain a small number of PO Boxes and sell stamps during limited hours behind bulletproof glass. Our mail is handled now by the Montrose Station (5300 Klockner Dr, Henrico, VA 23231).
In April 2015, I sent a letter to Bobby Scott and emails to Tim Kaine and Mark Warner asking them to ask the P.O. to fix the appearance of the 25th street branch. Mark Warner and Bobby Scott forwarded my complaints to the P.O. and Bobby Scott sent me a copy of the letter that her received from the P. O. in response. The letter dated May 6, 2015 states “there are a few items remaining that the landlord has to repair. However, we are pleased to report that all maintenance under the control of the Postal Service has been completed. Specifically, the blinds have been replaced, windows and floors have been cleaned and treated, and a work order for painting the inside of the facility has been submitted. Thank you for writing. If I can be of assistance with other postal issues, please let me know.” Signed by Government Relations Representative Darrell Donnelly.
The last time I was inside I could not tell whether or not the inside has been painted and of course, the outside paint is as bad as ever. I am sorry I have not followed up but I thought the new next door neighbor (The New East End Theater Apartments) would be sure to complain about the appearance and would have more clout and get more attention.
The place is a dump and continues to be a blight on the CH community. The negatives far outweigh the positives (if there are any). And @11, they sell stamps there? Could have fooled me. In one visit they were out of first class stamps. In two separate visits they had no lower denomination stamps so the 100 or so old first class stamps I have are absolutely useless…much like this P.O. I was told that they “no longer get lower denom stamps anymore. If the main P.O. ignores the basic needs of the CH P.O., I say kill it and put us all out of our collective misery.
I have a PO box there and I’m glad for it. Got it after too many packages and mail had been stolen.
I don’t know anything about the service or other problems but I always liked the way this post office looks. The repeated horizontal window panes and the strict grid of the brick look nice, especially with the clean typeface floating over it. The proportion of the building overall is probably not right for 25th st, but I can’t help but find the building sympathetic and likable.
@12 Anita Garcia-Stein, Would you please post the email addresses (or snail mail if that is all that is available) for the appropriate officials so that I could also write to them? Maybe if we all write, very specifically about what we want to see happen, we might see something happen. I have to go look but don’t think the blinds have been replaced, and I want that plexi inside to go away. Many thanks.
I have a PO box at this location and, after filling out the application, I had to wait almost 2 months for one to become available. A lot of people in this area need a post office that they can walk to and they need the services that this post office offers. I also maintain that this building would clean up well and could become an *interesting* landmark.
@14… we added a mail slot in our door a while back and glad we did. As for packages, I have them sent to my work.
@12.. I was there two weeks ago thinking they would be open on Saturday (they do not even list Saturday hours on the door) but was closed and the place looked like a dump to me as well.
The post office was purchased in April 2015 by “EAST END STATION LLC” 17 s. Belmont Ave. RVa 23221 according to city records. Obviously leased to the post office. I was told that this is Josh Bilder. We could write to this address and complain about the appearance of the building. Would love an explanation for installing a new gate to block Alamo’s folks access to the rear of their restaurant project next door. Also blocks 402 n 25th’s access to the back door for no apparent reason.Talk about a lousy neighbor. How about a petition to get rid of the prison fence on 25th?
In one of my articles for the CHA Newsletter, I talked about this building having been built in 1957 and extended in 1968 after the old Patrick Henry Theater was demolished to make way for the open space that is now the Post Office parking lot area to the left of the building. Nothing of any “historic” interest here to be lost and anything developed will be better. The DOWN side to all of this is that the elderly and indigent who have no way to get to the Post Office except for walking or taking a bus, rely on this location. That was brought up before when there was a lot of locations on the chopping block back in 2012 with an article in Style Weekly:
http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/stamped-out/Content?oid=1661388
If you have nothing to hide, you hide nothing! Haven’t we learned anything from recent “secret” real estate deals?
Let’s not forget that Mr. Bilder also owns the Tru-ade building. He made a comment on this web site that renovation will begin shortly after the theater apartments were complete. Let’s see if that happens…
I have seen the roof cave in on the Tru-Aid building – if you are speaking about the one on the corner across from Alamo ? It use to have a Tru-Aid sign on it up until around 2010 whenl it was painted over white. Or is this the one on Broad you are speaking of?
@24 Pierce, also if you look at the banners here you will see that Bilder’s Patrick Henry Square is supposed to open in 8-months and nothing has even been started on it.
@26 Eric, yes the building across from Alamo on Jefferson. What’s funny this building is not listed on the Richmond Vacant building list…
http://chpn.net/news/2014/06/03/new-life-for-2211-east-clay-street_34300/
Why the negative tone surrounding Mr. Bilder? It’s perplexing to me. He has made significant investments in the neighborhood and taken financial risks that most have not. From the properties I’ve seen, he’s also done some nice work that enhances the quality of the neighborhood.
Seems to me that more folks would appreciate the help since there is a direct benefit to all residents from his considerable efforts.
@28 I am just curious, what else has he done? Thanks for details, appreciate it.
@20 not sure I understand what access is being blocked, please explain re Alamo. I have a problem with his buildings, just want an explanation with the access you mention. I think you own (or rehabbed) a building just down the street, thanks.
Post office has been very nice allowing us to drive into the parking lot to the rear of our project buildings, mine at 402 n 25th and Alamos at 412 n25th. Then a few weeks ago a new gate was installed and locked that separates the rear lot from the empty lot on 25th. Very un-neighborly to cut off the rear access to someone’s building without a simple conversation. Especially a building beginning renovation. Cant imagine the post office did it. I am nearly finished but the 412 renovation s just getting started.
Wait, is there now no alley access to 402 and 412?
That seems very problematic.
Shouldn’t right of egress be assured (and really required, to allow for city and utility access?)
@31. Your neighbor isn’t obligated to provide you egress through their property. They own it…it’s theirs and they have rights. Possibly the owner that finds themselves in a challenging access situation should have considered this when they purchased the property.