After more than two years of discussions, the U.S. Postal Service is now ready to hear from the public about a proposed relocation in the village of Aurora.
The postal service has set a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday prior to the regular village board meeting at the Aurora Fire House.
A relocation project that dates back to at least November 2003 secured village board approval at the end of March, just prior to a deadline imposed by project partner Wells College.
Wells and its prominent benefactor, Pleasant Rowland, are seeking to have the post office move from its existing village-owned location to the historic post office building. The current post office location would be demolished to make room for a parking lot.
Like many Rowland-backed projects in Aurora, this one has encountered resistance from some community members who believe the village shouldn't be giving up its building. Some also said the historic post office is more inconvenient and not adequately accessible for people with disabilities.
For giving up its building, the village would get 150 feet of lake frontage currently owned by the college in exchange for use of the post office parcel as a parking lot. It would also get a long-term lease of another 850 feet of lake frontage to the village.
The village and the college struck the deal at the end of last year. The memorandum of understanding between the two parties imposed a March 31 deadline for the village to approve the demolition.
But while the village has signed off on the project, the postal service still must agree to the relocation. Its lease in the current location runs for several more years. The postal service has agreed to study the relocation project, and Wednesday's meeting is part of that process.
Paul Senk of the postal service's regional real estate division is expected to conduct the public hearing.
A relocation project that dates back to at least November 2003 secured village board approval at the end of March, just prior to a deadline imposed by project partner Wells College.
Wells and its prominent benefactor, Pleasant Rowland, are seeking to have the post office move from its existing village-owned location to the historic post office building. The current post office location would be demolished to make room for a parking lot.
Like many Rowland-backed projects in Aurora, this one has encountered resistance from some community members who believe the village shouldn't be giving up its building. Some also said the historic post office is more inconvenient and not adequately accessible for people with disabilities.
For giving up its building, the village would get 150 feet of lake frontage currently owned by the college in exchange for use of the post office parcel as a parking lot. It would also get a long-term lease of another 850 feet of lake frontage to the village.
The village and the college struck the deal at the end of last year. The memorandum of understanding between the two parties imposed a March 31 deadline for the village to approve the demolition.
But while the village has signed off on the project, the postal service still must agree to the relocation. Its lease in the current location runs for several more years. The postal service has agreed to study the relocation project, and Wednesday's meeting is part of that process.
Paul Senk of the postal service's regional real estate division is expected to conduct the public hearing.