Old Town post office move considered

FORT COLLINS – The Fort Collins Old Town post office may be slated for a move.

As part of a nationwide restructuring, the U.S. Postal Service is considering merging and consolidating post office locations. Earlier this year, USPS conducted a sweeping study of more than 3,000 offices around the country, including 66 in Colorado.

Three offices in Colorado — Westminster’s Harris Park, Aurora’s Hoffman Heights and Pueblo’s Belmont — are now being looked at for closure and merger into other locations. The office at 301 S. Howes St. in Fort Collins is a unique case, according to USPS spokesman Al Desarro.

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A more detailed study will be conducted to decide if the Old Town Station would be more cost-efficient if the retail and customer service operations were moved to a smaller downtown location. The delivery operations, under such a plan, would be moved to the main USPS office on Boardwalk Drive. The USPS currently leases its downtown space from the Government Services Administration. Desarro said the earliest a decision would be made on any of the mergers or consolidations would be in early October.

The USPS is facing increasing costs at the same time as declining mail volumes. So far this year, mail volumes are down 15 percent compared to last year. USPS is not tax supported.

“We’re looking at a $7 billion deficit this year,” Desarro explained. “We’ve done a number of things to reduce costs.”

In addition to considering consolidation of offices, USPS has reviewed and adjusted mail routes, offered workers early retirement programs, streamlined transportation and adjusted customer service hours. Desarro also pointed out that the USPS is likely to ask Congress for a five-day delivery week rather than six-day, a move that he said could save $3.5 billion annually.