Algonquin post office to stay; Cary building up for sale
The east-side Algonquin post office that was on the verge of closing will remain open after all.
At the same time, the building that houses the Cary post office is now up for sale.
A survey conducted by the United States Postal Service concluded that although overall transactions have declined on the east side of Algonquin, many residents like it because of its good service and convenient location.
It was meant as a temporary fix when opened in the early 1990s after the village's main post office burned down.
The postal service kept it open due to high demand.
Officials had been considering merging it with the main office on Algonquin Road for months, but changed their minds once they saw how popular it was around town.
"We're not going to shut it down," said Sean Hargadon, a spokesman for the USPS Northern Illinois District. "People really like that place a lot."
But as mail volumes continue to plummet nationwide, authorities may consider reducing hours at that particular office to save money, Hargadon said.
They may also revisit the idea of merging the offices after the Western Algonquin Bypass is completed.
"It'll get looked at regardless," Hargadon said. "We have a lot of extra space and facilities and we're trying to consolidate offices and optimize space."
Meanwhile, the postal service is consolidating its Cary operations. The postal building is up for sale and authorities are also researching the possibility of moving Cary's 35 mail carriers to the post office in Crystal Lake, where they would continue to deliver for Cary.
"It will have little to no impact on the community," Cary Village President Tom Kierna said.
The goal is to maintain a retail presence in Cary that still lets people buy stamps and send packages, Hargadon said.
If the building's sale goes through and the new owners would rather not keep the retail portion of the post office there, the postal service is prepared to move it to another spot in the village.
"We're not leaving the town," Hargadon said. "What we're trying to do is right size ourselves so we can save money."