As you’re well aware by now, there’s a ton of development activity these days in Francisville. We’ve identified an under-the-radar property that could represent one of the most interesting development opportunities in the neighborhood, but it comes with a gigantic caveat. Ready?

Ta Dah!

She’s a beaut, right? Only problem is, she’s owned by the US Postal Service.

Located at 900 N 19th St., this building was once a full service post office. We don’t know exactly when (help us, neighbors), but at some point in the past few years, it downshifted from post office to something called a carrier annex. Presently, at this location, mail carriers organize mail for delivery, postal employees receive and distribute packages, and many locals maintain a post office box. Annnd that’s it.

The building was constructed in 1935, designed by Louis Simon and Victor Abel. It sits on a quarter of an acre of land. While the bones are really wonderful to look at, the building is definitely showing signs of its age throughout the interior. And it doesn’t seem like the USPS is exactly flush with cash to fix the place up any time soon.

Just one window left for service. And it couldn't look more welcoming.

(Lead?) paint, peeling in the corner

Thanks, FDR!

Last summer, when the USPS released a list of possible post office closures, this location was not among the fourteen listed in Philadelphia. The post office on the 1900 block of Fairmount Ave., however, was on the list. We could certainly imagine a situation where the services of the Fairmount Ave. post office were folded into this building.

We would propose an alternate solution: Sell this building and open a new, merged facility somewhere else in the neighborhood, perhaps on Ridge Ave. A developer would pay a pretty penny for this desirable site that probably occupies twice as much square footage as the postal service requires. Two large developments are about to go up in the immediate area, which would make the property even more desirable.

Is this unreasonable? Is this impossible, logistically? Would this be a huge pain for people in the neighborhood? Perhaps. But can’t we dream a little? Wouldn’t an adaptive reuse with condos, and perhaps the addition of two stories to the building be super sweet? We imagine the cafe across the street wouldn’t complain one bit…