Roosevelt Island residents are increasingly frustrated finding the doors to our our local US Post Office often closed during hours when the Post Office should be open.
I’ve been told by Post Office staff they close at times because they are severely understaffed.
According to comments from a January 17 Roosevelt Islander Instagram post:
- yeah i feel like every time i go its randomly closed lol
- went on Thursday at 11:30 AM and it was closed. I returned at 2 PM and it was open, but nobody would explain why.
- That office is absolutely of control. They open and close whenever they want, you make appointments for passports and they say the person in charge is not there. This branch needs to be investigated for neglecting RI
- I think is important to report this, otherwise USPS main office is not aware what is happening in the Roosevelt Island branch. This week, I scheduled appointments for passports and took time off from work and my children did the same because of availability. We arrived punctually just to be told that the person in charge to do that is not there and they don’t know when he will be back. Nobody notified anything and the lady was not helpful and gave attitude when we tried to learn why this happens so often on the island.
- Yesterday around 11:30am, several of us were in the lobby with no employee in sight. We were yelling “Hello? Hello? Are you okay?“ through the window with no response. After ~15 min, we called public safety fearing a medical or safety emergency. Someone finally came out and said she only had one employee working who was on their “coffee break.” I’m not sure why she couldn’t cover the break (two people were in the building) or why they didn’t just put up a break sign. I cannot put into words how rude both employees were – the employee who told us to wait 20 min and the employee who then returned to the window. The wait was not the issue at all, it was that we didn’t know what was going on and then they rolled their eyes at us for calling public safety out of what was genuine concern. When public safety arrived, one officer said it had been like this all week. I did report this location to the USPS.
- I was there Saturday at 11 it hadn’t opened yet! It’s suppose to open at 9! What is going on?
- Most USPS are a mess, but this one really takes is the worst. Late openings, early closures, and people there don’t seem to like their job
Yesterday, the Post Office was closed due to flooding which caused water damage.
The Post Office was open today.
Yesterday, I asked Congressman Jerry Nadler’s office:
Do you know anyone I can contact at the Post Office regarding the “Temporary” closing of Roosevelt Island post office due to flooding?
The service at Roosevelt Island post office is often poor because it closes frequently during the day due to inadequate staffing.
How will this effect mail delivery and pick up?
Please let me know if Congressman Nadler has any suggestions or comment about the Roosevelt Island post office.
A spokesperson for Congressman Nadler replied:
Congressman Nadler is aware of the situation regarding the Roosevelt Island Post Office. We are working on getting clarification on what exactly is going on and making inquiries to the USPS. We will update you once we receive an answer to get the word out to Roosevelt Island residents.
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Vice President of Communications and Government Affairs Bryant Daniels adds:
We are aware of the ongoing issues with the Roosevelt Island Post Office and have raised them with Congressman Nadler’s office. Everyone knows how important the post office is to this community and they are working hard to try and resolve the problems. We stand ready to assist in any way that can be helpful.
UPDATE 1/28 – According to Roosevelt Island’s NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright:
The residents of Roosevelt Island deserve dependable and consistent mail service. For many, the Post Office is not just a convenience — it is a lifeline, delivering essential items including medications. Interruptions in service create serious health and security concerns for all residents of the Island. Our office is committed to working closely with our federal representatives — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Congressman Jerrold Nadler — to ensure that Roosevelt Island residents continue to receive reliable mail service.
You’d have a better chance of getting a passport through the North Korean government than the RI post office. Their lack of efficiency is matched only by their lack of accountability.
Right after Trump was inaugurated this post office went down the tubes. There were regular competent workers before the inauguration who just all disappeared.