Historic Downtown Post Office Goes Up for Sale

post offc for saleThe Downtown Post Office has gone up for sale. A large sign was displayed at the downtown landmark this morning as the USPS moves ahead with the consolidating process – which was first reported by TLS in 2011.

In 2011, documents obtained by TLS showed they would be relocating their retail offices to the Swarthmore location.

The USPS said then that the economic downturn and increased diversion to the Internet have caused the agency great losses, forcing the closure.

USPS’s intentions were heavily criticized by the Town and by the Township Committee, when their decision was first publicized here on TLS in May, 2011.

post offc tls 3The company at the time assured customers that they will still receive the ‘high level of postal services’ at their Swarthmore location.

A message left today with a USPS spokesperson has not yet been returned.

The company representing the USPS in the sale tells TLS they have placed the sign only about two hours ago and have already received multiple phone calls in reference to the building. Further information regarding the sale is confidential, the company said.

The historic building was built approximately 1930. [TLS]

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56 COMMENTS

  1. Another bad decision by USPS. Lakewood is a town wih over 90,000 people. Does not make sense not to have a downtown facility. Now there is no reason to ship parcels via USPS over other carriers. The others (UPS & FEDEX) are alot more efficient

  2. Why can’t they open a smaller space somewhere on Clifton Ave. area just to ship packages and sell stamps etc. I’ve seen this in other cities in NJ where they still keep a small presence in Downtown but move main location to further out.

  3. What a shame! There’s nothing left of the “original’ Lakewood. Unless you grew up there and had parents that grew up there you would have no clue how nice it used to be.

  4. The last thing the USPS cares about is the customer. The union makes sure that everyone who “works” there achieves the same level of mediocrity so that anyone trying to be good at what they do doesn’t make everyone look bad. Their days are numbered as small post offices open up in Staples and Office Depot with non union workers

  5. Thank you to our great politicians! First they close down the maternity ward in the hospital which makes no sense to me! Then they close down the post office! What’s next?!

  6. Hopefully it doesn’t have a date with the wrecking ball like so many are historical buildings in this once beautiful town.

  7. #14, that is a really ridiculous statement. the local politcians have no say in this whatsoever. The USPS basically decides where they want to keep there busines and that is it.

    I think a quick mart like they have near jackson would do very well there. The post office is busy. the reason they are closing is related to their shortfall all across the country nothing to do with lakewood.

  8. Haha! They will be getting many phone calls about the building. Not necessarily a buyer. More like a yenta- something there is no shortage of.

  9. Who cares? I don’t. Just LOWER MY TAXES or at least STOP RAISING THEM. The township governing officials should know that taxes are the most important issue!

  10. When the time comes when i desparately need postage stamps, will chaverim come to the rescue or will i have to travel all the way into industrial park?

  11. High level of postal service???? Obviously this guy that released this statement hasn’t been to the post office!! Its been an unmitigated disaster for years!!

  12. It’s no wonder USPS is losing money. It is the most inefficient, backwards agency I have dealt with. It’s just too bad we will lose this particular post office. It’s in a convenient location ant the building is truly historic. It is a shame that old Lakewood is disappearing slowly and giving way to ugly, crowded town house developments.

  13. I think they should close half of the PO’s in the county. As far as it’s historic status……what in Lakewood is historic? Half of the town has been torn down already.

  14. Truth about the postal is they actually turn a profit!! BUT with all the powerful government unions and benefits/pension payouts they are broke…Shhh don’t tell anyone. Do your own research. Its true.

  15. It’s a historic landmark it can’t be torn down. Anyone trying to should be stopped. It should be kept that way. Maybe the Lakewood historical society needs to help and step in. Before someone or some group tries to tear it down .

  16. On January 17, US Congress passed a moratorium on the sale or transfer of any historical post office by USPS. Google ” US Congress House Report 113-172 “. The Postal Service is violating a Federal order here. They probably figure that local officials never heard about the call to suspend all relocations, and they can do the deal before anyone is the wiser.

  17. Agree with grew up in Lakewood. Look at what happened to St Mary’s and the Castle. So many things of Lakewood have been torn down because the people don’t care about the history of this town. So sad !!

  18. Hey, maybe the building could be turned into a homeless shelter for Ocean County!! Since you know, Ocean County doesn’t have one.

  19. It Seems the current Township Committee put’s no effort in trying to make Downtown a place to GO, PARK OR SHOP. They want all the stores to move out!

  20. So sad that the other historic buildings that have been sold in Lakewood have been destroyed or demolished, regardless of the “historic” status. Hope it doesn’t happen to this building as well.
    Seems rules don’t apply in this town.

    Good bye Lakewood….. town of my childhood! {sniff sniff}

  21. Make it a school, give it to LCSW just another property off the tax rolls, and you want to know why your taxes don’t go down.

  22. And now news comes that Staples is consolidating and shutting down many stores. So whatever postal services were outsourced and available there will no longer be available.

    But even worse is that we still have to keep funding the USPS Union’s luxury pensions that caused this whole mess.

  23. A shooting range. Every town has one. IT’S ABOUT TIME!

    This is a great opportunity. There is a large warehouse in the back. Load ’em up, shoot down the target.

  24. For all of you who worry about taxes, the Post Office is federal property and thereby exempt from paying taxes. The “worst case” scenario would be for the property to be sold to a taxable entity and be placed ON the tax rolls.

  25. # 1 the service was always horrible.
    #2 the solution would be to open another location or more for example at a place like beepers plus and maybe in Taylor’s pharmacy or any other stores. It would cut the overhead if the were to just rent a small place in the existing stores.
    #3 bonestly who cares about the history of lakewood ? I’m a Lkwd kid the fact that strand theater is a landmark and vant be used for something more useful for most if Lkwd is just a pain in the brain. Same with the other landmarks of course rather know wn down and build more as long as u don’t touch the parks I’m ok with if.

  26. This is truly sad. Our beautiful Lakewood disappearing before our very eyes. What happened to the town of our youth? How I miss the days.

  27. historic site again, there will be nothing left to lakewood but traffic. what shame. the people who care moved to TR.
    shame, another school means more traffic. need to raise taxes to pay for busing……

  28. Finally a golden opportunity for a homeless shelter in Ocean County! Esp since some are so anxious to cast out Tent City inhabitants.

  29. my 9 year old son was very upset when they knocked down the castle. He said it was terrible to knock it down cuz the king of Lakewood used to live there.

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