U.S. Postal Service will upgrade facilities

Renovations at the United States post office in Ingleside Hall will require a temporary closing of the campus branch beginning some time during winter break.

“We are renovating the campus office so it meets our current postal standards,” said Richard Levert, architect engineer for the Postal Service. “The new postal store will be roomier, and the traffic flow will improve. We’re actually going to shorten your stay.”

During the renovations, customers may buy stamps and drop off letters or parcels weighing up to 20 pounds at the post office’s mobile van, which will be parked outside Ingleside from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Two alternate stations––Lake Park Station (in the basement of the Hyde Park Co-op), 1526 E. 55th St., and Jackson Park Station, 700 E. 61st St.––are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Jackson Park Station also is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

Levert said physical improvements to stations complement the Postal Service’s recent efforts to make its government offices more businesslike and responsive to customer needs. All services will remain the same, but the Postal Service will add more self-serve stamp machines and install displays of all retail items available, including new packaging materials and stamp collections.

“Our mutual goal is to make the University’s office more efficient and user-friendly,” said Elena Rosas, the University’s Project Manager who will work with the U.S. Postal Service to make sure the conversion runs smoothly.