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Loading...In two years Tooele should have a new post office.
Representatives from the United States Postal Service made it official in a public meeting yesterday. They want to close the post office at 65 N. Main St. in Tooele and move to a bigger location.
“The facilities have become functionally obsolete,” said Tooele Postmaster Robert Hennefer.
Greg Eymann, real estate specialist for the Postal Service working out of Colorado, attended the city council meeting yesterday in an effort to understand the desires of city leaders in regard to moving the post office. He also said the U.S. Postal Service will need about three acres to build a new facility.
“Nothing is set. We wanted to hear what the city council had to say. We certainly want to understand their desires and work with the city in all phases,” Eymann said.
After land specifications are finalized, they will be posted at City Hall and advertised in the media. Post Office officials want to get the word out to property owners that they are looking for a new home.
City Council members indicated that they would prefer to keep the post office in the heart of Tooele. They mentioned the old Albertson’s location at Main Street and 200 North and the old bowling alley property on Main Street. Mayor Charlie Roberts said that space would soon be available at the Al & Lid location which is close to Main Street and 50 South. Al & Lid is building a new store on the north side of Tooele.
“We would like to see you downtown,” Councilman Michael Johnson told post office representatives.
“We need to push development to the south,” Councilman John Hansen said. He said several properties were available on the south end of the city and that private homeowners and other property owners in that area may want to consider working out a plan to offer a proposal for a future post office site.
Once all land agreements are finalized, which could take one year, actual construction of the building would consume about 270 days, according to post office representatives. In about two years Tooele should have a new post office.
Tooele City would like to make use of the current post office once it is vacated. “Will you give us the old post office?” Johnson asked.
Postal officials will post a letter regarding their plans at the post office for a 30-day comment period. “After this comment period, we will advertise for available sites for a new post office,” reads a pamphlet outlining U.S Postal Service plans for relocating.
After the first 30-day comment period, a site review committee will categorize all sites offered.
A list is provided to local officials and also posted at the post office for another 30-day comment period.
The final step in the process is to gather as much public comment as possible on available sites. The Postal Service’s typical plan is to base its decision on what city officials and the majority of the community wants. “We’ll make a final decision on which site best meets the established goals. The results are sent to local officials for one last 30-day comment period before we actually acquire the selected property,” the pamphlet reads.
