Citizens and activists of the Belmont area in West Philadelphia won a small but important battle last week when the United States Postal Service reversed its decision to close the post office located at 41st and Lancaster Avenue.
The office had served the community for nearly three decades, but was due to close upon the expiration of its lease this month.
The decision was reached primarily because of the participation and cooperation between three entities -- new Philadelphia Postmaster Henry Dix, Congressman Chaka Fattah and the Lancaster Avenue Business Association, which represented the interests of area residents.
The original decision to close the office stemmed from safety concerns arising from poor maintenance of the independently owned building, according to Postal Service spokeswoman Cathy Yarosky.
The lease is now going to be extended on a monthly basis, while some repairs are being made. "It was a safety hazard," Yarosky said. "We are really concerned about the safety of our employees and customers."
But Aisamah Muhammad, chairwoman and CEO of LABA, saw the situation differently.
"There was conflicting information that the building was not well kept. Actually, it turned out that the condition was fine," she said.
"They were assessing the economic feasibility and productivity in the area," she added. "We were not being recognized as a thriving enough community to retain the service."
Though the U.S. Postal Service had planned the closure for several years, community members were not aware of the proceedings until just recently.
Once they found out, community leaders and organizations fought to keep the post office in the neighborhood.
"We acted on short notice," Muhammad said. "We found out about the original decision in mid-November."
Within a month, petitions were signed, letters sent and community groups organized.
Fattah became aware of the need for the post office in the community, which is currently promoting development along the Lancaster Avenue corridor.
Fattah "saw the need of the post office in the community because there is a lot of development taking place inside," said Bonny Bowser
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