Turns out the U.S. Postal Service won’t be moving its White Flint Mall post office to Edson Lane.
The Postal Service announced the move to 5420 Edson Lane in January. But on Friday, USPS real estate specialist Rick Hancock said that site “was not economically viable.”
Now, Hancock says the post office will relocate to 5056-B Nicholson Lane. The USPS searched for months for a new location for the post office, which has a lease that’s about to end and wouldn’t survive the anticipated demolition and redevelopment of White Flint Mall.
“We believe this new location will provide the community with an upgraded, modern facility that offers a safe working environment for our employees at the level of service expected by our customers,” Hancock wrote in a letter (see PDF below) to Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Director Ken Hartman.
The Edson Lane location would have put the post office in a detached house used as office space. It also would have put it in the 20852 zip code, not the Kensington 20895 zip that somewhat confusingly includes the area of White Flint Mall.
The newly selected Nicholson Lane location, in a strip shopping center, would keep the White Flint post office in the 20895 zip.
No word what specific economic reasons forced the change. An email to Hancock bounced back because of “security issues.”
When the search started, Hancock said USPS was looking for a five-year lease with a five-year extension option at any new site.
PDF: White Flint post office site letter
Photo via Google Maps
