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USPS should site Sylva’s new P.O. in Jackson Plaza
While we must admit to a certain degree of sadness that it’s moving from the historical downtown area, we do acknowledge it’s good to see some concrete steps being taken toward a new post office for Sylva. During the late Sol Schulman’s tenure on the town board (1992-97), a new mail facility for Sylva was a recurring theme at the first-Thursday night City Hall gatherings.
However, given the three sites still in contention – property at the north end of Jackson Plaza, existing space (former Karrtunz next to the bowling alley) in the same shopping center, and the Flaxman tract just off N.C. 107 on Hensley Circle – we feel that U.S. Postal Service officials must choose Jackson Plaza.
And, once they make that determination, we’d like to urge them pick the undeveloped site at the north end (opposite the former Western Sizzlin’ location that’s been purchased as a new home for a public library). While many might argue that the existing storefront is the logical choice because it might speed construction, we see several drawbacks there.
First, there’s its proximity to the bowling alley and a bar. Sylva Police Chief Jeff Jamison has already gone on record with regard to the frequency of law enforcement calls there. Also, given that space’s position in an existing shopping area, there’s no likelihood of any convenient curbside parking for Sylva’s handicapped and elderly.
The site at the north end would offer some distance from the main shopping area and would give post office developers an opportunity to create a somewhat separate parking area for those intent on a quick trip to the post office. It would give planners the option of including close-in parking and would likely offer better access for mail trucks as well.
While a site near fast-food restaurants and Wal-Mart might seem desirable to some, adding one more trip destination to the already over-crowded N.C. 107 is not a possibility we want to contemplate. Forcing additional traffic through Sylva’s main bottleneck – the Business 23/107 junction – would not seem to us to be visionary urban planning.
Sylva leaders have endorsed a Jackson Plaza post office location a number of times; in early 2001 a post office on the Grindstaff property seemed a done deal until a USPS freeze on new construction brought the project to a halt.
We agree with our town officials. It’s time for a new post office, and Jackson Plaza looks like the best choice we have.
It’s too bad Sol’s not here to see it.
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