Going Postal: Times Plaza P.O. Near Barclays Closing; 2 New Locations Will Divide Mail Services

The planned move of the Times Plaza Post Office has finally arrived, and patrons will need to do the postal two-step.

Two years after the USPS lost its lease at the Boerum Hill location at 542 Atlantic Avenue (between 3rd and 4th Avenues), the office will officially close on Friday, January 13.

The location serves the 11217 zip code, which includes Boerum Hill as well as portions of the Park Slope and Fort Greene neighborhoods.

Beginning Tuesday, January 17, postal services will be divided up into two locations:

• All retail services will be housed at 539 Atlantic Avenue, across the street from the former location. Customers will be able to mail items and purchase stamps here.

• Delivery and carrier services will be located at 594 Dean Street, between Carlton and Vanderbilt Avenues in Prospect Heights. In addition to this location being the main hub for mail carriers making deliveries, customers who miss a package delivery on its first attempt will pick them up here.

DNAinfo reports that mail delivery will continue during the changeover, including a mobile location in the parking lot of 539 Atlantic Avenue.

“The US Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations,” said Xavier C. Hernandez of the USPS. “That’s why the Postal Service must consider the potential impact a relocation will have on our customers, as we balance much-needed important operational efficiencies as well. In this case, we believe we have positive impacts ahead on both fronts.”

The decision to move and then divide locations was not the USPS’ choice. The landlord chose not to renew their lease, however, they received a lease extension during the timeframe they needed to search for and decide on a new site.

Hernandez accentuates the positives of the two new locations. “Now, package pickup customers will not wait behind what can be lengthy retail transactions, such as a passport application, package mailings, or money orders,” he explained. “With more space to process packages and extra evening hours for pickup, we reduce the customer waiting time as we focus on packages and signature-required items, only, at this location.”

In addition, he believes the postal workers at the retail location will be able to focus more on customers at the window. “By reducing the need to step away from the front areas to seek packages in our back office, our window personnel can service transactions quickly and effectively for our Boerum Hill customers,” said Hernandez.

The Pratt Street Post Office, previously located at 524 Myrtle Avenue, also needed to find a new space. They reopened on February 17, 2015 at 609 Myrtle Avenue roughly five blocks away from the original location.

Alternate retail services include:

Van Brunt Postal Station, 275 9th Street (between 4th and 5th Avenues)
Hours: Mondays-Fridays, 9am-5pm; Saturdays, 8am-1pm

Cadman Postal Station, 271 Cadman Plaza East (between Johnson and Tillary Streets)
Hours: Mondays-Fridays, 7am-8pm; Saturdays, 7am-4pm

Additional locations to purchase stamps:

CVS, 30 Flatbush Avenue (at Nevins Street)
Hours: Mondays-Fridays, 7am-8pm; Saturdays, 8am-8pm

Walgreens, 296 Flatbush Avenue (at 7th Avenues)
Open 24 hours.

This article was updated on Monday, January 9 at 4:50pm.