In the early 1900s, federal buildings tended to be monumental—beautifully designed and built with high-quality construction materials so they would last. One hundred years later, the result is an inventory of historic post offices that are often larger than the U.S. Postal Service requires due to the declining volume of mail and increased automation.
Federal court litigation over the Stamford Main Post Office, built in 1916, is just the latest example of how the USPS’s modernization efforts are putting the quasi-public agency in conflict with laws meant to preserve history and protect the environment.
