The Town of Crested Butte spent the last few months seriously stressing the looming closure of its downtown post office, where the U.S. Postal Service’s long-term lease was set to expire in February.
The town has spent years trying to find a new location for the post office, but negotiations with the Postal Service stalled. With a lease set to expire in February, the town braced for shuffling some 4,000 households 30 to 40 miles down to Gunnison to get their mail. And the Gunnison post office was ill-equipped for that sudden increase.
Letters from senators and town leaders pleaded with the Postal Service to make a move. Last month it finally did. The service sent a brief note to Crested Butte officials saying it had negotiated a new five-year lease for its location in downtown Crested Butte.
That gives the town time to adjust plans for a new post office on land it acquired a few years ago. It’s been three years since the Postal Service announced its lease was expiring and it was launching a search for a new, much larger location than the often overwhelmed 3,300-square-foot facility on Elk Avenue. Earlier this year the service told The Sun it was facing “significant challenges” in finding a suitable location in the expensive, end-of-the-road mountain community.
“We appreciate this extension and continue exploring options for a larger property that better meets our needs. We remain committed to serving our customers and appreciate their patience as we navigate this process,” Postal Service spokesperson James Boxrud said in an email. “As Crested Butte continues to grow, we will strive to meet the evolving needs of our community.”