By Meredith McCulloch
As the Markeplace shopping center (home to Marshalls and Whole Foods) renovation gets underway, many residents wonder what will happen to the Post Office. The stand-alone building at 160 The Great Road was built in 1961 and once housed all Bedford postal service operations. It was where everyone went to buy stamps, collect mail or post packages. Since the “retail” functions moved to another section of the shopping center, the building has been the distribution center only.
Distribution functions will move out by September 13 and demolition of Bedford’s old post office” will begin September 30. The building is currently leased from RFPS, a financial realty firm that bought the shopping center in 2007.
The distribution functions will relocate to 5 Steves Street in Burlington, MA and may later move to 175 The Great Road in the building across the street also occupied by TD Bank.
The direct retail services of the post office are located now in a separate part of the shopping center, designated Building B on the site plans. It is flanked by Subway and by Ka-Noon Thai Cuisine. Plans call for a new Building B to be relocated in the same general area but closer to The Great Road. It is not clear yet how the post office will function during the reconstruction.
For previous information on the redevelopment of the Marketplace shopping center see: https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2014/08/23/changes-to-bedford-marketplaces-2008-plan-have-been-approved-by-the-planning-board/
