U.S. Postal Service Reverses Decision on New Bedford Post Office Relocation

Unbeknownst to many, the downtown New Bedford post office has not been in any danger of relocating for quite some time.

The U.S. Postal Service in February 2014 had announced intentions to move the services from the Pleasant Street building, citing the sheer size of the building and the high cost of operations and maintenance.

Speaking on his weekly radio show, Mayor Jon Mitchell says after the announcement, he traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with the Postmaster General. "I explained to him that we wanted to keep it open and if they had to close it then we wanted to gain control of it," said Mitchell.

Shortly after that meeting, a tour of the facility was scheduled. Mitchell says it was during that tour that he was made aware of a change of plans. "A Postal Service representative on the tour just broke the news that 'Well, we at the Postal Service have decided to hold onto this facility, after all."

Mitchell says he was informed of the reversal over a year ago, though no formal announcement from the postal service or his office was ever made.