About 30 current postal employees and 15 retired postal workers were on hand when the Batavia Post Office was preparing to open for business on Tuesday morning, to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the building with a group photo on the front steps of 2 West Main street.
“It serves our needs, its nice being in one of the still standing original postal buildings, some of the offices now have gone to more newer buildings or they lease facilities,” says Postmaster Lisa Allen-Costa.
The building opened in April of 1919.
According to the Genesee County Historical website:
The federal architect, John Knox Taylor provided plans and George C. Russell of Rochester was employed as the contractor. The building was to be built for under $58,000 but construction prices quickly increased as World War I caused building materials and labor shortages.
After much difficulties and changes in staff the Post Office opened in April of 1919, with over 3,500 people inspecting the building during its first week. This single story structure is an example of government architecture in the early 20th century. It is constructed of brick trimmed with Ohio sandstone. The entrance has three open bays framed with Egyptian pediments. The open porch was enclosed in 1961 to provide customers with additional space.(From Genesee County Historical Department)
According to Karen Mazurkiewicz, Spokesperson for the US Postal Service in WNY, the building is not on the National Registry for Historic buildings.
“This is an icon for sure, there were some built in the 30’s during the New Deal when we were investing in our infrastructure, to have one from 1919 is really fantastic, its an amazing building,” says Mazurkiewicz.
These days a mail carrier spends about an hour at the beginning of their shift sorting mail and seven hours on the streets delivering the mail.
“The job has really changed over the last 30 years with automation, it used to be half sorting in the office and the other half on the streets delivering, but because of technology we are able to take about 96-97% of the letter mail we receive and sort it for them, it is sorted in the exact order they walk the street,” Mazurkiewicz explained.
The trays of sorted mail come from Buffalo and mail carriers place them in their trucks for delivery.
“We can handle more mail without physically touching it, it is more efficient on the cost side.”