The fate of the Boiceville post office’s current closure seems to be in a temporary limbo.
The United States Postal Service, via its official spokesperson, is saying that environmental testing is in process, and no estimate for moving services and staff back from the Shokan post office a few miles down the road can be given yet.
Nancy Occhi, the owner of the building on Route 28 in the former Singer-Denman complex in which the post office sits says she’s heard from both her own inspectors and those hired by the USPS that there was no evidence of mold found in the facility and she’s taken the current closing to hire contractors to fix some other items she’s been meaning to get to for some time. She expects reopening soon, but admits it all depends on the federal agency.
“The testing by our environmental specialist continues. Upon completion, the results and recommended remediation will be given to the property owner, who is responsible for the remediation,” said USPS Northeast Area spokesperson George B. Flood in a September 17 email. “It’s too early in the process to define an exact timeline [regarding reopening].”
Occhi, who also owns the neighboring Boiceville Market facility, noted that, “The post office had an inspector there who told me he found no mold. My inspector also said there was no mold.”
She added that with the facility closed, she has asked her contractor to replace several ceiling tiles and fix an air conditioning unit she doesn’t feel was put in correctly.
“I think the post office jumped the gun on all this,” Occhi added. “They could have contacted me before suddenly closing the place. I learned about everything by reading about it in the newspaper.”
As for whether the USPS will continue paying full rent for the time since they closed their facility, Occhi added, “that’s another discussion.”
The Boiceville post office is in a multi-storefront building at 4117 state Route 28, across from Onteora High School, alongside Good’s Luncheonette, Hong Kong Boiceville, and Miss Kitty’s Hair Salon. It sits adjacent to the former Singer-Denman hardware store, which has been looking for a new owner or renters for several years.
The Boiceville post office’s 190 box customers are getting their mail at the Shokan Post Office with proper identification, with delivery not affected. The facility’s postmaster, two part-time employees and two contract drivers have all been relocated to the post offices in Shokan and West Shokan.
The Shokan Post Office, at 3110 Route 28, operates from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:30 to 5 p.m. weekdays, and 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays. The West Shokan Post Office is at 4079 Route 28A. Its hours are 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. weekdays, and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.
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