The U.S. Postal Service announced a final decision Thursday to sell Berkeley’s main post office despite city and community appeals.
In a letter explaining the decision to relocate, Tom Samra, vice president of facilities at the Postal Service, said proposed solutions like leasing out unused space or providing new services were not possible because of legal restraints and conflict with the Postal Service’s core mission of being an efficient postal services, not a landlord.
Despite the continued protest over the decision, the Postal Service stands soundly in its decision.
“I am satisfied the April 9th relocation decision properly took into account community input and is consistent with Postal Service objectives,” said Tamra in his letter.
In an attempt to block sale proceedings, Berkeley City Councilmember Jesse Arreguin introduced a new ordinance — a zoning overlay — at last week’s City Council meeting to limit uses allowed on the property.
“I have also put forward a proposal to change the zoning for the property to significantly restrict what can be done to the property so it remains for civic, cultural or community oriented use and not become a bed and breakfast like some historic post offices have in other cities,” Arreguin said in an email.
Save the Berkeley Post Office, one of two major Berkeley organizations against the sale, decided at a Monday meeting to proceed on multiple fronts to stop the sale of the office.
The organization hopes to support national legislation pending in Congress to stop the sale of historic post offices on a national scale and take direct action by protesting in Berkeley and Washington, D.C., and committing to a lawsuit in federal courts for an injunction to stop any sales transaction.
CBRE Inc., the world’s largest real estate services firm, became the Postal Service’s sole real estate agent in June 2011. The chair of the CBRE board, UC Regent Richard Blum, is also the spouse of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Gray Brechin, a visiting scholar in the campus department of geography who has been active in the fight against the sale of the main post office, believes Blum’s relationship with Feinstein constitutes a conflict of interest.
However, in a February article by the San Francisco Chronicle, Feinstein’s office denied any such conflict.
“Senator Feinstein is not involved with and does not discuss any of her husband’s business decisions with him,” said Feinstein’s office to the Chronicle. “Senator Feinstein’s assets are held in a blind trust.”
Some critics note that the undetermined relocation of the main post office would see it move from a building it owns, in which it has tax-exempt status, into a leased space it does not — another financial burden on a struggling postal service.
The main post office has not been sold yet, but according to Arreguin, many businesses have expressed interest in utilizing the space. Last fall, he took a tour of the building with several businesses that were considering its purchase.
“Buyer beware,” said Moni T. Law, a UC Berkeley alumna and member of the Save the Berkeley Post Office Committee. “Any buyer thinking of buying this building should think twice, because there is a strong and unanimous opposition from the City Council, state legislators, Representative Barbara Lee and an active and vocal citizenry.”
Contact Nico Correia at [email protected]