USPS Statement Regarding Kendall Station Closing

Statement from the U.S. Postal Service regarding the closing of the Whittier Kendall Post Office:

Tulsa, OK -- The Postal Service will consolidate all customer service operations at Whittier Station located at 111 S. Lewis Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma, effective May 1, 2009. 

On that date, all retail services provided at Whittier Station will be transferred to the Downtown Station located at 334 W. 4^th Street.

Factors impacting this decision include:

• The number of customer transactions has decreased significantly for each of the past two years.
• The size of this facility exceeds current Postal Service space requirements.
• Access to U.S. Postal Service retail and Post Office Box service is available at alternate locations within close proximity to Whittier Station.
• The current lease is set to expire on May 24, 2009.

Arrangements have been made so that any current Post Office Box customers at Whittier Station choosing to receive mail at the Downtown Station can retain their current Post Office Box number and ZIP Code. Customers interested in transferring their Post Office Box service to Donaldson Station, located just 1.44 mile south of Whittier Station at 1423 Terrace Drive, will be required to change their Post Office Box number and ZIP Code.

In response to concerns expressed at a community meeting held February 10, 2009, additional Post Office Box units have been installed at Donaldson Station, and negotiations are ongoing with the owners of an adjacent facility to secure additional customer parking.

An alternate option available to Whittier Post Office Box customers is to receive mail delivery service through letter carriers. Customers selecting mail delivery service would be required to ensure a mail receptacle meeting Postal Service requirements is available at the street address, and that it corresponds with the current line of travel for the mail delivery route. Customers interested in this option should visit the Downtown Station or call 1-800-ASK-USPS for additional information.

In the face of continuing economic challenges, the Postal Service has been taking, and will continue to take, appropriate operational steps to cut costs and increase efficiencies.  We recognize the local Post Office is an integral part of the communities we serve.  However, in order to meet our mandate to provide universal postal services at affordable prices, we must carefully balance customer access with operational efficiency. In some instances, consolidating operations with another facility is a viable alternative.