By Anna Gustafson
The U.S. Postal Service is reviewing possibly closing two post offices in Queens, far fewer than the 11 venues proposed in a preliminary document that had local residents and officials up in arms earlier this week.
Darleen Reid-De Meo, a Postal Service spokeswoman, said Wednesday the organization could shutter the LaGuardia Airport office in Flushing and the Parcel Post Annex in Long Island City.
U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Forest Hills) and some media outlets had reported earlier in the week that the Postal Service was looking to close up to 53 offices in the city, including 11 in Queens. These numbers, Reid-De Meo said, were part of a very rough proposal drawn up by the Postal Service.
A total of 14 offices throughout the city could be closed, including seven in the Bronx, five in Manhattan, and the two in Queens, Reid-De Meo said.
The Postal Service released an official statement on the closings, saying “no decisions will be made until the review is finalized, which will take months.”
The closings would not happen before Sept. 30, and the Postal Service said there would be public notification for any office selected for consolidation.
Weiner held a news conference outside the post office on Horace Harding Expressway in Fresh Meadows Tuesday afternoon. The Fresh Meadows venue had been one of the offices that were on the Postal Service’s preliminary closure list but is no longer in danger of being shuttered.
During the press conference, Weiner and several Fresh Meadows residents criticized the Postal Service for potentially closing the 11 offices.
Weiner said he was sponsoring legislation that would require the USPS to notify public officials and customers prior to closing offices. Additionally, he said was working on plans to curb pension costs for the Postal Service, which he said could help it fill its $7 billion budget gap.
Reach reporter Anna Gustafson by e-mail at agustafson@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 174.
