Plan arrives for new post office
The preliminary layout plan for the new post office in New Ulm was received here Thursday for approval by local postmaster Paul Vorwerk.
Vorwerk told the Journal he intends to return the plan in a couple days to the Chicago designing firm with his okay.
“I don’t want to throw any bricks at it. The only thing I will ask is what the outside decor will be, just to remind them about that,” he said.
VORWERK HAD been told by a postal official some months ago that the outside of the new building here could be just a little bit different than usual to try to blend in with the unique New Ulm decor. So far the Postal Service has supplied no details on the outside decor.
When the new post office was announced last May construction was scheduled to start in about six months. But acquisition of the start in about six months. But acquisition of the property took longer than expected, as did preparation of the preliminary plan.
“I’m just tickled pink it’s this far,” Vorwerk said Thursday of the preliminary plan. Last May’s announcement capped 15years of local efforts for a new structure.
The project engineer told officials here that preparation of final plans will take another two to three months, then it will be another two months until building contracts are awarded. Construction is then expected to take nine months.
Vorwerk has been out on sick leave but he came in Thursday to look over the plans. He said he will be back at work next week.
THE PRELIMINARY plan calls for the post office to face S. German and be set back enough to leave room for landscaping, for eight off-street customer parking stalls, and for an off-street drive- up mailbox, to be approached on the driver’s side. Drivers will enter from German and exist onto First S.
The building will be sunken somewhat from the German Street level. It will be built in two levels.
The upper level will have the front en-trance, the postmaster’s office and separate lobbies for rented boxes and customer service. The lobby for rented boxes will be open 24 ours a day, the service lobby open just during regular hours.
In addition to the eight customer stalls in front, there will be off-street parking in back for 18 employee cars, five carrier vehicles, plus 11 covered spaces for carrier cars.
WHEREAS THE present office has 3,960 square feet of space the new building will have 8,000 square feet, plus 4,000 square feet for vehicle storage and 1,760square feet of platform and ramp.
Project cost was estimated at $250,000 last May. The Postal Service paid $49,000 for the almost half-block parcel of land on which the structure will be built. The land is on the northeast corner of First S. and German.
The city will be asked to vacate a platted north-south alley for a half block, to make way for the new postal facility, Vorwerk said.
New Ulm Daily Journal
Jan. 10, 1975