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.
Do you think our post office is worth saving?
Tell us in the comments.
Gracie Best
1:03 am on Monday, April 25, 2011
That place is an eyesore, a disaster, and the last time I was there, I thought I was at the Baghdad Post Office. TEAR IT DOWN - the sooner the better - and fire those insolent, indolent do-nothing half-wits that "work" there, while you are at it. Can you say "ghetto"? No supplies, trash strewn on the floor, endless lines, stink, filthy - GOOD RIDDANCE!
Laddie Williams
9:58 am on Monday, April 25, 2011
Wow a little bitter?
Nancy Dopp
1:38 pm on Monday, April 25, 2011
Gracie - let me guess you weren't born here in Venice, moved here from "someplace" else and have absolutely NO CLUE about the history of this building and the wonderful city it resides in?
Nancy Dopp
9:18 am on Monday, April 25, 2011
Let us know who we can contact and write to about this latest atrocity to our history. I mean really "Safeway's" = this building has so much history and character - please let us know what we can do to protect this site.
Laddie Williams
9:57 am on Monday, April 25, 2011
This is a great building and it definitely needs to be saved! The address to write your letters to save the building is in the above article and I have already written my letter so let's all save the history in Venice!
Mark Ryavec
2:15 pm on Monday, April 25, 2011
I certainly would like to see our next congressional rep take this in the other direction. The Postal Service should keep the main, historic post office open, it's a real treasure, and move the sorting station now at the Annex to less expensive real estate in-land, and the old Safeway site should be given to the City and made into a park and community/arts center. The VSA has already paid an architect to develop the plans for the park and to convert the sorting facility. We just need some congressional support to make this happen.
john printy
5:28 pm on Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Yes I do think that post office should be saved yes, because from what I just read in this artical, its a post office that has been in the Venice area for many many year's, and I dont see any reason for this post office that looks to be a venice landmark, to be shutterd, and or shut down for any reason other than making it another store, or resturant, just because that post office has been there since 1939, dose not mean you should shut it down, it should be made even better, and made into a historical landmark, and be kept a historical landmark for many years, and decades to come.....
Bonnie Wolfe
2:00 am on Sunday, May 22, 2011
Gracie, having a bad day are you? I'm sorry So tell me how long have you lived in Venice.....oh not very long I see. That's what I thought!
Jonathan Kaplan
6:19 pm on Sunday, May 29, 2011
Let's not waste time with "Gracie." She's obviously joking or trying to get a reaction and is in either case irrelevant. What is relevant is getting enough people together to make sure nothing happens to the post office. I'm going to start by contacting the Venice Historical Society (veniceofamerica.org) and the Los Angeles Conservancy (laconservancy.org) to see if anyone has started any kind of action. Let's all get together on this and make sure the post office doesn't join the hundreds of other Venice treasures that have been lost. Any ideas, Mr. Suchecki?
EdMcQ
11:45 am on Thursday, June 23, 2011
This beautiful, historic building absolutely must be saved, and preferably in its current function as a post office. It's really the heart of the Venice community.
If the postal service has to eliminate something in Venice, how about the annex (to which, I gather, it's proposing to relocate the retail postal functions)?
Regardless, the old Venice Post Office building should remain as is. Hats off to Jonathan in getting something going with the LA Conservancy. And could Mr. Suchecki, or anyone else, provide email contacts for the postal authorities (or any other entity) for people to contact?
Linda Lucks
11:17 pm on Thursday, June 30, 2011
The Venice Neighborhood Council had the Post Office representatives attend the April meeting and they will be back again on July 19 to update the community on the proposed sale and remodelling. Please come and speak to them. Although the board has not taken a position quite yet as they have not definitely decided anything, we appointed a task force, members of whom are in constant communication and we have urged them for over a year to get them to keep the place clean. We also sent a letter outlining a number of concerns about the properties, including saving the building, saving the Biberman Depression era mural as we all should be concerned as people who love Veniice. If you want to be notified about the meeting, please log onto www.Venicenc.org and sign up to get email announcments of meetings and other community issues.
Linda Lucks
President, Venice Neighbhorhood Council
Linda Lucks
11:05 pm on Tuesday, July 26, 2011
The Venice Neighborhood Council will consider a motion to Save the Post Office at an extra meeting of the Board on Thursday night, July 28, 7 p.m. at the Oakwood Recreation Center. Also on the agenda: Consideration of the Draft Ocean Front Walk Ordinance. www.Venicenc.org
Emily
4:55 pm on Monday, November 28, 2011
Save the building, absolutely, but this is the worst Post Office branch I have ever been in, so unless you're going to dump the entire staff and start from scratch, I will not be sorry to this place close. Maybe we'll finally start getting our mail and our packages will stop disappearing.
Jed Pauker
2:25 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
As Emily's note shows, our historic Venice Post Office has suffered from a reduced service level that violates US Postal Service standards.
The Postal Service plans to move this reduced service, along with demoralized employees, to the Postal Annex, and to sell the Venice Post Office to the highest bidder.
The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) recently ruled that reducing services, moving what remains and then exiting the building is not a closure.
They call it a “relocation.”
It would be better, and wiser, for the Postal Service simply to restore full service to the Venice Post Office.
Most post offices on the planned closure list enjoy a 5-month reprieve while the PRC considers the USPS plan to close 3,700 post offices. "Relocations" are denied this protection.
Our historic Venice Post Office can be sold tomorrow, with no protection for the building or for its mural inside.
The sale can happen while Congress prepares legislation to correct the unfair burden of grossly accelerated retirement fund pre-payment with which it yoked the Postal Service in 2006. This legislation can resolve the crisis.
The PRC has concluded that the USPS closure plan is flawed and not likely to achieve its stated goal.
But it may be too late for our Venice Post Office unless we act now.
Please sign the petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/rep-henry-waxman-save-the-venice-post-office
Please join us at Saturday's rally: http://venicenc.org/node/2211
Jed Pauker
11:26 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Has everyone heard the news? Despite prior notice to the otherwise, USPS is now planning to close Santa Monica's historic Main Post Office, too.
Henry Waxman represents Santa Monica today.
On April 16, the Senate will reconvene, with USPS as its first scheduled action item.
Please write Mr. Waxman et al now, rejecting HR2309 and SB1789. Direct them to support HR3591 and SB1853, which will bring comprehensive and lasting reform to the US Postal Service.
Contact information is below:
Senator Barbara Boxer
312 N. Spring Street, Ste 1748
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 894-5000
(202) 224-0357 fax
Email: www.boxer.senate.gov/en/contact
Senator Dianne Feinstein
11111 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 915
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 914-7300
(310) 914-7318 fax
Email: www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me
Representative Henry Waxman
8436 West Third Street, Ste 600 Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 652-3095
(323) 655-0502 fax
Email: https://waxmanforms.house.gov/Contact/ContactForm.htm
Representative Janice Hahn
140 W. 6th Street
San Pedro, CA 90731
(310) 831-1799
Email: https://hahn.house.gov/contact-me
Talking Points: http://venicenc.org/files/vmpo%20talking%20points.doc
http://www.facebook.com/savethevenicepostoffice
http://www.savethepostoffice.com/selling-venice-post-office-more-than-touch-of-evil
http://www.sanders.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/0206PostalIGLetter.pdf
www.savethepostoffice.com
Thank you. Time is of the essence.
Aleen Stein
9:43 am on Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Anyone who would like to own a copy of the fabulous documentary of Biberman's life, please visit organa.com. “Brush With Life: the Art of Being Edward Biberman.”
Featuring memorable encounters with: Paul Robeson, Lena Horne, Frida Kahlo, Joan Crawford, Alexander Calder, Martha Graham, Dashiell Hammett, Diego Rivera, Isamu Noguchi, Georgia O’Keeffe, Gale Sondergaard and Edward Weston.
Sold through www.organa.com and www.amazon.com.
The film brings alive a remarkable Southern California artist’s passionate journey through a turbulent century.
Jed Pauker
10:03 am on Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Thanks for the reminder: The filmmaker graciously provided copies to our coalition for sale to help defray our expenses. I think copies may be available at our rally today:
3-5:30pm at 1601 Main Street, Venice
We understand that Abe Lincoln has plans to attend.
Further information, including contact info for our US representatives, is available here:
http://venicenc.org/vmpo
and here:
http://www.facebook.com/savethevenicepostoffice
As an FYI, Santa Monica has also been hit by the closure/relocation/consolidation gambit:
http://www.facebook.com/SaveTheSantaMonicaMainPostOffice