Signed, Sealed, Delivered: It’s Our Post Office!

Friday Grand Opening Program Celebrates Meriden Postal Facility

WHAT:
On Friday, the Meriden Post Office will host an opening celebration for its Center Street facility. Postal operations were housed for more than 100 years at the previous Post Office at 87 Colony Street. The public is invited to attend.

WHO:
Meriden Mayor Mark Benigni and State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal will join Postmaster Candace Winzer and local postal officials in the grand opening program. The Maloney High School Jazz Ensemble and postal employee Kit Richardson will provide musical entertainment.

Several past postmasters of Meriden are slated to attend as well.

WHERE:
190 Center Street in Meriden

WHEN:
Friday, February 29, 2008 Ceremonies begin at 11 am.

BACKGROUND:
Meriden Postmaster Candace Winzer is the first woman to serve as postmaster of the community. According to postal records, Joel H. Guy was first appointed as postmaster for West Meriden in January 1846. In August 1880, the community name was changed to Meriden. Edwin D. Hall was postmaster at that time.

Today’s Meriden Post Office occupies 30,000 square feet. The project began more than seven years ago and was one of the first approved under stricter, revised requirements established for the Postal Service and its facility process.

Environmental issues were addressed with the demolition of an old public school which occupied the site for over 70 years. The Jordan Brook, which ran underground across the site, had to be relocated. Access and parking issues were resolved with abutters.

DuBose Associates of Hartford were the architects for this project.