Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Five-Points Post Office "on the block"

It has come to my attention that the Five-Points Post Office is under the very serious threat of closure and barring a miracle it is all but a certainty. The days of the neighborhood hardware store, Piggly Wiggly, and even the Hayes Barton Grill have long past but I still find myself yearning for them. Granted, I have somewhat of a skewed/nostalgic view of the area because I grew up there, on the little one-way stretch of White Oak. My experiences there would help shape and define my interests in both urban design and architecture and would help drive me to such ventures as my education, my career, and Raleigh AAU, among other things. As a designer, I am acutely aware that change is the nature of cities, but never did I think I'd see the Five-Points Post Office close down, that place was/is the heart and soul of the area. There are legitimate factors behind it all of course, the USPS is hemorrhaging money and it has to make its cuts somewhere. Unfortunately, for those of us that still enjoy our semi-regular trips, this is the harsh reality of the times. We've known the Postal Clerks for years, they've become integral parts of our lives, they know our families, watched us grow, and seen us at both our best and worst and we always thought they'd be there... When the doors close that final time on Fairview Rd. the end of an era will officially pass and the identity and sense of community among long-time residents will be seriously shaken... It breaks my heart.

If you have similar stories or just want your voice heard on the matter PLEASE WRITE:

Mr. Russell Gardner
USPS District Manager
P.O. Box 9900
Greensboro, NC
27498-9900

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