USPS Officials Choose New ‘Permanent’ Location for Post Office

A rendering of the new three-story building where the post office will relocate, above, will be located at Pond Road and Enighed Road, below.

After months without communication with the Virgin Islands government, the U.S. Postal Service has abandoned its plans to move its St. John post office to the proposed vendors plaza, and has instead settled on a still to be constructed building at Pond Road and Enighed Road, across from Enighed Pond, where a car wash is currently located.

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Pond Mouth and Enighed Road, above.

The land is owned by the Boynes family, who will construct a three-story building on the site — the lower floor will provide nearly 6,000 square feet for the post office; the second floor will provide anywhere from 12 to 15 parking spaces for post office customers; and the third floor will be office space for the Boynes family, according to renderings displayed by the project’s St. Thomas-based architect, Trinity Architectural Services.

The site was chosen after months without communication with the Virgin Islands government, according to USPS real estate manager Thomas Pino.

“We’ve had zero communication,” he said. “We had public meetings with all sorts of promises. We’re not sure the vendors plaza will ever get built.”

Although plans to relocate the post office to the vendors plaza fell through, St. John residents can rest assured that the Enighed location is final.

“The Postal Service has now identified the permanent replacement site,” said Pino, who pointed out that ironically, the Enighed site was proposed as a new post office location nearly six years ago.

The new post office location is good for everyone, according to USPS manager of design and construction Dane Weir.
“It’s ideal,” said Weir. “It will allow customers to drive to the post office and park. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Long-Term Lease
The lease for the space, which is still being finalized, will be long-term, according to Pino.

“The terms of the lease are still being negotiated,” he said. “We plan on making a long-term commitment.”

The Boynes family has a contractor on board, according to Weir, who estimated that once the building is constructed, it will take approximately 90 days for the USPS to do its interior renovations.

Residents were happy about the new location, which will provide the post office with nearly three times the space it has at its current Cruz Bay location.

“Most citizens are thrilled that the post office is going where it’s going to go,” said St. John resident Bonny Corbeil. “We love that the post office is going in a place where everyone can go.”

One resident congratulated USPS officials for not waiting around for the government.

Plans Allow for Growth
“Congratulations on moving forward this way and not waiting for the vendors plaza,” said the resident.

The plans for the new facility allow for 10 years growth, according to Weir.

“We always project 10 years of growth,” he said. “We always plan for expansion and growth.”

USPS officials did not estimate the date the new facility will be operational.