Delaware Delegation Writes Letter to Postmaster General Expressing Support for Downtown Wilmington Post Office

Washington, DC – Senators Joe Biden and Tom Carper and Congressman Mike Castle co-signed a letter today to the United States Postmaster General, The Honorable John Potter, expressing strong support for the Wilmington Post Office remaining in downtown Wilmington. Below is a copy of the letter sent to the U.S. Postal Service: June 16, 2004 The Honorable John E. Potter Postmaster General United States Postal Service 475 L’Efant Plaza S.W. Washington, DC 20260-0001 Dear General Potter: We are writing to express our strong support for the Wilmington Post Office remaining in downtown Wilmington. As you are certainly aware, Wilmington Trust has decided not to renew the Postal Service’s lease for the space at 11th and Market Streets that currently houses the Wilmington Post Office. This is a major concern for us and for all of our constituents in the City of Wilmington. The City of Wilmington has over 75,000 residents, 12 million square feet of office space and is home to many large and successful Fortune 500 companies – MBNA, DuPont, Wilmington Trust, ING Direct, Hercules, JP Morgan Chase/Bank One, Juniper Bank and, recently, AAA, to name a few. In addition, a number of colleges and universities also have operations in the city – the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Wilmington College, Drexel, Springfield College and the Delaware College of Arts and Design. All of these businesses and organizations and more – from the banking and insurance industries to chemical and pharmaceutical firms to the legal profession – rely on the Wilmington Post Office to meet their needs and the needs of their customers and employees. Downtown Wilmington is on its way to being one of the most popular places to live and do business in Delaware. The convenience and access to the Wilmington Post Office adds to the area’s attraction. We would not want to see the city lose business or residents due to its inability to accommodate their needs for efficient mail service delivery system. We are also certain that the Postal Service would not want to lose such a successful, efficient facility. As you know, the Wilmington Post Office continues to generate considerable volume of mail – 19.2 million pieces in 2003 – and revenue – between $17 million and $18 million in 2003. It is our understanding that Wilmington Mayor James Baker has been in contact with you to offer assistance in finding a suitable downtown location for a new post office. As a delegation, we share in the city’s desire to have the Wilmington Post Office remain downtown, and we are willing to work with you and Mayor Baker to secure a suitable site. As always, we thank you for your time and consideration.