Save the Venice Post Office

It’s bad enough that throughout Venice most of our mailboxes have disappeared. Now it looks as if we are due to lose our Venice Post Office. The historic structure dominates what used to be the Venice swimming lagoon. In many ways, it is at the heart of our community. It was built in 1939 by the Works Projects Administration (WPA), the federal stimulus program used to combat the Great Depression.

In the past, when a community got a post office it was a recognition that the place had come of age. In Venice, ours is always busy with a line, an opportunity to discuss things with neighbors while waiting. I have always found the staff there to be responsive and professional.

Those who prefer not to chat can take in “First Thirty Years of Venice’s History," a mural by Edward Biberman, painted in 1941.  An imposing Abbot Kinney stands in the middle, surrounded by the town he created.

The proposed closure would move postal windows from the historically significant site to the old Safeway grocery, now the annex, at 313 Grand Ave.  Our post office would have all the distinctiveness and charm of the Marina del Rey branch, but it would save the Postal Service money.

Historic preservation is rarely a priority in Los Angeles. To object to this blow to Venice’s heritage, write the U.S. Post Office, Consumer Affairs Office, 7001 S. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90052-9631.

When we do finally get a member of Congress to represent Venice again, it will be worth letting him or her know how we feel. Our former representative, Jane Harman, was instrumental in preserving the Hermosa Beach Post Office.

We still might be able to save ours.