Investigation into Proposed Construction of a Postal Facility in Garden City, New York

In September 1974 the Postal Service began planning for replacement of the Garden City Post Office because the existing facility was too small to handle parcel post and third-class mail processing operations. The Service assigned a real estate specialist to identify potential sites and contracted for an economic analysis of replacement facility alternatives.

The option recommended for the Garden City facility was for lease and improvement of an existing building, but sites of this type were not available. The Stewart Avenue site was recommended for purchase, and engineering personnel reported that the facility was structurally acceptable but would require renovations costing about $1,250,000. When additional problems were identified necessitating more extensive renovations and cost estimates indicated that new construction costs would be only marginally higher than costs for renovation, officials decided to construct a new facility. In 1976 regional Service officials proposed a general mail facility for the Garden City area to consolidate operations and, until a decision is made on this facility, all plans for demolition and construction have been postponed. The Service followed site selection procedures adequately, its selection was correct, and although the site was purchased with intent to renovate the building, constructing a new facility would not have affected the site selected. (HTW)