Summary: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 Big changes seem to coming to the Eastside of the City of Santa Cruz. Specifically, it appears that the U.S. Post Office located at the corner of Soquel Drive and Morrissey Boulevard is going to disappear around the first of next year. As listeners probably know, budget problems have led the U.S. Postal Service to close post offices all across the country. In this case, though, it doesn’t appear that the Postal Service has initiated the closure. It seems that they have simply lost their lease. Obviously, budget and financial issues do play a role whenever a lease comes up for renewal. Usually, being willing to pay more lets an existing user continue to occupy a rented property. Whatever the negotiations may have been, however, a letter dated January 13th informed at least some Eastside residents that changes were on the way. The letter sent out on January 13th wasn’t from the Postal Service. It was from Grocery Outlet, a self‑described “bargain market.” Grocery Outlet plans to join Safeway, Whole Foods, Staff of Life and Shoppers Corner to make the two-block area between Branciforte and Morrissey, into a kind of “Grocery Central.” Grocery Outlet has announced its intention to host a neighborhood meeting at the end of February. No specifics are currently available. At least some City planning approvals will be required, and if residents want to get engaged on this issue, I’d suggest sooner rather than later! More Information: Land Use Links Gary Patton’s Two Worlds Blog Santa Cruz Sentinel Article on Grocery Outlet plans
