Lake Zurich post office set to close
The main post office in Lake Zurich is set to close its doors later this year, but area residents will continue to receive the same services just a short drive away.
Although the facility at 380 Surryse Road will close, likely by the end of the year, the retail services provided there will move to the carrier annex located on 25 Telser Road.
The Lake Zurich post office is one of many closing in an effort to consolidate to save money, U.S. Postal Service real estate specialist Marla Larsen-Williams said.
"It is what the postal service is doing in these economic times, and it is ongoing nationwide with the postal service," Larsen-Williams said.
She is also working on consolidation projects in Cary and Geneva. Larsen-Williams oversees projects in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Missouri.
"In the five-state region, I have over 35 active projects where we are looking to sell the building," Larsen-Williams said. "The majority are in Northern Illinois and Michigan."
The USPS will save on the costs of maintaining the two separate buildings and the cost to manage them, she said. She could not specify the amount it will save.
Because there is less mail in circulation, the USPS needs less room for its operational procedures and it can change that space to the retail services it provides at the main office on Surryse Road.
Almost all mail sorting operations in the community already occur at the carrier annex. Retail services like post boxes occur at the main post office.
The USPS is working on the plans to outfit the annex to handle the retail services, and construction is set to begin as early as June. The USPS also plans to expand the parking lot at the carrier annex.
The closure of the main post office will not take place until later this year after those changes are made.