Groundbreaking for Post Office Is Today

Marking another step toward the revitalization of downtown, a groundbreaking ceremony will take place today for a new post office at Broadway and Clementine Street.

It will replace the area’s 62-year-old post office at 311 Broadway near Anaheim Boulevard.

Construction will begin immediately on the 5,600-square-foot post office, with completion targeted for late January, said Lisa Stipkovich, executive director of the city’s Redevelopment Agency.

Stipkovich said the existing post office eventually will be demolished to make way for the widening of Broadway as well as redevelopment of the area.

No specific project is slated for the site, but Stipkovich said that stores and offices are proposed.

Terri Bouffiou, U.S. Postal Service spokeswoman, said the old post office will remain open until the new one is ready.

The city will give the Postal Service the one-third acre site for the new post office and pay the $1.1-million cost to build it.

In return, the city will receive the 1-acre parcel where the existing post office is located.

Stipkovich said the deal “was the only way the agency could get the post office to move. They didn’t want to incur any costs.”

The new post office, Stipkovich added, “will be a much better facility to service the business community as well as the residents in the area.”

Today’s event will be held at 11 a.m. at the northwest corner of Broadway and Clementine.