USPS Tweaks Policy, But Zaps ZIP Plan
The United States Postal Service (USPS) once again turned down a request to grant the neighborhood of Glendale its own ZIP code, but it has agreed to provide the community with some semblance of its own postal identity, two lawmakers announced at a press conference last Friday, June 15.
Rep. Bob Turner and Assemblyman Mike Miller stood outside the Glendale station of the Ridgewood post office to inform members of the media that the USPS will provide “preferred last line” distinction to the neighborhood, meaning that the agency will be able to recognize Glendale as a neighborhood within the 11385 ZIP code it shares with Ridgewood.
For years, Glendale residents have complained that this arrangement has caused confusion and difficulty in sending or receiving mail, as the community’s name is not recognized as being a part of the 11385 area. Rather, Glendale addresses are listed as being in Ridgewood or Flushing.
“It kind of slows up the process for us,” said Robert Kozlowski, first vice president of the Glendale Property Owners Association (GPOA), who participated in last Friday’s press conference with Turner and Miller. “We believe we should have our own ZIP codes based on other areas [nearby] which have a similar or smaller population than Glendale does.”
Turner and Miller formally presented an application for a separate ZIP code for Glendale during a May 22 meeting with USPS District Manager Frank Calabrese, as previously reported in the Times Newsweekly. Their application included letters of support from various community organizations (such as the GPOA) and local businesses, as well as a petition signed by over 1,000 Glendale residents.
“While this is not the desired overall outcome we had hoped for, the inclusion of Glendale as ‘preferred last line’ is a step in the right direction for this cause-a cause Assemblyman Miller and I intend to keep pushing,” Turner said last Friday. He went on to note that “we have finally made some progress to alleviate the hassles associated with this joint ZIP code and to give Glendale the unique identity it deserves.”
“I have lived in this community since I was a child and, in that time, my neighbors and I have struggled with getting our community acknowledged,” Miller added. “Whether using mail services, shopping online or using GPS devices in our cars, Glendale has struggled to achieve the unique recognition it deserves. Today, we are able to support Glendale’s unique character.”
Glendale and Ridgewood were originally assigned 11227, which was considered part of the Brooklyn postal zone. Through a campaign led in part by the late-Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, the communities were assigned their present code in 1979.
At that time, it was noted, the switch was desired by many in the community since insurance rates were set based on ZIP codes, and the premiums paid by residents living in ZIP codes based in Queens were generally lower.
In recent years, Glendale has sought own ZIP code as a symbol of its own identity, among other reasons. Five years ago, the GPOA and local elected officials petitioned the United States Postal Service (USPS) to create a separate code for the neighborhood, but was turned down in November 2007. A USPS spokesperson said at that time that there were “operational factors” which led to the decision.
As for continuing the battle, Turner and Miller indicated that they would appeal the decision to the USPS National Service Headquarters seeking that the 11384 ZIP code, which is currently unassigned, be designated for Glendale.
