Post Offices Destroyed By Fire Relocate; Mail Delivery Resumes

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — With two Post Office locations obliterated by fire, the Postal Service announced the return of mail delivery within Minneapolis and St. Paul after a night of protests produced relative calm amid the ongoing nationwide outrage over the death of George Floyd.

Two Post Office locations, the Minnehaha Station and Lake Street Post Offices — both which began service in the 1970s — were destroyed by fire Friday during nighttime hours of street violence that had broken with the day's earlier peaceful protesting.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out those impacted by recent events," USPS Northland District Manager Anthony Williams said in a news release. "We are committed to providing First Class service to our customers. I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this has caused to the residents of these communities and I thank you for your patience as we work to bring permanent services back into these neighborhoods."

On Thursday, as protests built in intensity, the Postal Service announced it was suspending mail service to ZIP codes in 55104, 55114, 55406, 55407 and 55408, an area affecting some 58,000 homes and businesses, in addition to over 1,700 PO Box customers.

Mail operations at the Minnehaha Station post office, which served the 55406 ZIP code, have been relocated to the Minneapolis Main Post Office, 100 S. 1st St., 55401.

Meanwhile, service for Lake Street, which served the ZIP codes of 55408 and 55409, has moved to Loring Station, 18 N. 12th Street, 55403.

Both locations will include a designated window for customers to pick up mail held "due to damaged businesses and residences," according to the USPS news release. All mail pickups will require customers provide an ID.

A special window has been set up for customers to pick up their post office box mail and mail held due to damaged businesses or residences. An ID will be required for all mail pickups.

The Powderhorn Station post office, at 3045 Bloomington Avenue, will reopen Wednesday, though USPS added that the Loop Station office at 811 Lasalle Avenue remains "temporarily closed until further notice."