1300 Perry Avenue (Racine, Wisconsin): Difference between revisions
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'''1300 Perry Avenue''' is the current location of the [[West Racine Post Office (Wisconsin)|West Racine Post Office]] in [[Racine, Wisconsin]], which opened in 1988. The address sits at the northwest corner of [[Wright Avenue (Racine, Wisconsin)|Wright Avenue]] and [[Perry Avenue (Racine, Wisconsin)|Perry Avenue]].
==History==
With the construction of the [[Perry Avenue Water Tower (Racine, Wisconsin)|Perry Avenue Water Tower]] in 1930, the Racine Water Utility acquired what would become the site of [[5005 Washington Avenue (Racine, Wisconsin)|5005 Washington Avenue]], [[Westgate Cinema (Racine, Wisconsin)|Westgate Cinema]], and the 1300 Perry Avenue. In 1962, the city of Racine was expanding [[Washington Avenue (Racine, Wisconsin)|Washington Avenue]], requiring the purchase of a 44-foot strip of land along the north end of the [[Turn Style Family Center (Racine, Wisconsin)|Turn Style Family Center]] and [[5005 Washington Avenue (Racine, Wisconsin)|Holleb House motel]] properties. The owner of the two properties, Spiro J. Papas, agreed to give the strip to the city on the condition that he be allowed to buy the 1300 Perry Avenue property for $15,000.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49076914/the-journal-times/ "Continue Talks on Hy. 20 Land Exchange"], [[Racine Journal Times]], November 1, 1962, page six.</ref> The city accepted Papas' offer.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49077715/the-journal-times/ "City Asks Talks on Dumping at Hy. 38 Quarry"], [[Racine Journal Times]], November 29, 1962, page 2A.</ref>
By 1984, the [[West Racine Post Office (Wisconsin)|West Racine Post Office]], then located at [[1219 Grove Avenue (Racine, Wisconsin)|1219 Grove Avenue]], suffered from serious overcrowding. The Postal Service was also concerned by the office's location in a leased building, rather than one owned by the Postal Service. In December of that year, it announced plans to purchase land and construct a new building at the northwest corner of [[Wright Avenue (Racine, Wisconsin)|Wright Avenue]] and [[Perry Avenue (Racine, Wisconsin)|Perry Avenue]].<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46996485/the-journal-times/ "Relocation planned for post office at West Racine"], [[Racine Journal Times]], December 17, 1984, page 3A.</ref> Construction of the new post office began in June 1987.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46996848/the-journal-times/ "At last, new mail facilities"], [[Racine Journal Times]], June 23, 1987, front page.</ref>
The final day of service at the old West Racine location was May 2, 1988. There was no window service in West Racine on May 3, as [[Merchants Moving and Storage]] spent the day moving equipment into the new facility, but mail delivery in the area was unaffected. The new post office at 1300 Perry Avenue opened on May 4.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46996970/the-journal-times/ "Moving day"], [[Racine Journal Times]], May 3, 1988, page 3A.</ref><ref>Sharma-Jensen, Geeta. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46997160/the-journal-times/ "Moving day doesn't stop delivery of mail"], [[Racine Journal Times]], May 4, 1988, page 1E.</ref> The mailboxes in the post office parking lot caused traffic issues and accidents, requiring them to be moved to the curb of Perry Avenue, where they led motorists to drive on the wrong side of the street to reach them more quickly.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46997405/the-journal-times/ "Mailbox move confuses some"], [[Racine Journal Times]], August 6, 1991, front page.</ref>
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