Representatives from the US Postal Service recently met with the Board of Selectmen to begin the process of finding a new site for a new Post Office in Lincoln, to replace the Post Office now located in the Lincoln Mall.  The current Post Office facility has been deemed unsafe for both postal employees and pedestrians walking along the sidewalk near the back door  Discussions regarding a new Post Office were held several years ago, but were put on hold due to a Federal budget freeze on new postal construction projects.  Now, the moratorium has been lifted, and the Postal Service has put a high priority on completing a new facility in Lincoln to address the serious safety issues at the present site. 

The real estate agent for the Postal Service, Kathleen Walker, indicated that as an initial step they would like to reach an understanding with the Town as to the most desired location for a new facility.  The Service will ultimately issue a request for proposals, and its objective is to identify a large enough target area to attract interest from more than a single developer.  Several property owners in the vicinity of the South Lincoln Business district, offering sites for possible development, have already contacted the Postal Service. However, the Postal Service also understands how important an institution the Post Office can be as an anchor for a town’s commercial center, and thus recognizes the need to draw the target area narrowly enough to assure protection of community interests.   In this regard Ms. Walker said that the Service wanted to work with the Town and willing land owners and had no intention of obtaining a site through eminent domain.

The Selectmen see obvious advantages in locating a new facility very near the current Post Office at the Mall in South Lincoln.  In fact the Rural Land Foundation, the owner of the Mall, is already pursuing a redevelopment plan designed to meet the needs of the Postal Service and other current tenants.  There are also other locations, mentioned above, in the B-1 and B-2 commercial zones immediately adjacent to the Mall that might be viable candidates. 

Nevertheless, there may be interest in another approach.  Might a less central location actually be better in terms of safety and traffic congestion?  If so, where are there potential sites? Taking yet another tack, is there a location near Rte. 2, for example, that most citizens normally pass by on regular basis?  Are there other “out of the box” possibilities?

We would like your thoughts on locating the Post Office.  The BOS will discuss this issue and invite citizen comments at its next regular meeting at Town Hall on Monday, May 24th.  Please join us at 7:30 p.m. if you would like to participate or are simply interested.  If you prefer to offer comments in writing, please e-mail them to Chris Coleman at colemanc@lincolntown.org or simply drop them off with Donna Adam in the Selectmen’s Office in Town Hall.  We look forward to hearing from you.