Post office building owner says mold work done

Lawrence Fine contends everything the U.S. Post Office asked for to keep the 158 W. Main Street facility active was done but some $30,000 in roof repairs, mold remediation and miscellaneous work was not enough.

Fine, who owns the property, said during a recent telephone interview post office officials seemed determine to find fault with the building despite certification that health and safety standards had been met or exceeded.

“The work was done by a mold mitigation company ... (under recommendations) of the postal service,” he said. “I got a letter of clearance of any violations from the fire inspector and the town of Esopus.”

Fine added a state certified inspection has cleared the building for public use but a postal service inspector did not agree.

In a June 29 email from postal service lease management specialist Janice Korodaj, the report suggest Fine take additional steps to restore the building to use.

“Initiate active drying and dehumidification of facility,” postal officials wrote.

“Active drying must be performed following the removal of ... wetted building materials,” they wrote. “Continue to actively dry and dehumidify the space until wood in the area of the repaired roof leaks and throughout measures moisture content below 16 percent and until all other building materials are below 1 percent moisture content, or at least one week.

“Use sufficient dehumidifier and air mover units throughout the facility to thoroughly circulate air and remove moisture.”

Esopus Supervisor Shannon Harris in a telephone

interview confirmed Fine had met requirements imposed by the town to facilitate postal officials. However, she noted it did not stop decision to have the post office relocated to a town-owned vacant parcel W. Stout Avenue and Bowne Street that will have a trailer placed on it under an $1,800 per month lease.

Fine’s building had been used under lease for $1,777 per month with a six-year successor agreement scheduled to increase the amount to $1,862 in 2019.

U.S. Post Office spokesman George Flood said the decision was made to stop using the building based on not having the remediation done but did not have information about the response to Fine’s inspections. He said the 12-by40-foot trailer is expected to be installed as soon the postal service receives the necessary highway transportation permits.

Use of the site was discontinued in April after a leak in the roof force operations to be moved. Mail for Port Ewen addresses is being sent to the Ulster Park Post Office at 364 Union Center Road, which is seven miles away from the currently closed post office