U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer called on the Postal Service to restore operations at the West Kill post office, which has been closed for 19 months following an electrical fire.
“The West Kill Post Office is more than a place to pick up and drop off mail,” said Schumer, a Democrat, in a statement on Aug. 20. “For nearly two centuries, it’s been a community hub for residents. Upstate New Yorkers rely on their local post office to receive medications, pay bills, and connect with the rest of the world.”
The Spruceton Road post office closed in January 2025 after an electrical fire broke out in an adjacent building. Smoke damage forced the office to close, and operations were moved to the Shandaken post office, more than seven miles away in Ulster County.
More than 40 locals gathered outside the Lexington post office, around 4 miles away, on Aug. 8. They demanded the return of the West Kill post office or the relocation of its services to Lexington rather than Shandaken.
Residents described the West Kill post office as an important community hub, and some said the trip down state Route 42 to Shandaken can be difficult and dangerous during the winter.
Schumer cited The Overlook’s coverage of the rally in his Aug. 20 statement.
“Every day this post office remains closed, the community of West Kill is deprived of an essential service,” Schumer said. “For a year and a half, the West Kill community has been asking for answers but has heard nothing. West Kill deserves transparency and action, which is why I’m calling on the USPS to work with residents to immediately reinstate postal service in the town.”
In a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner, Schumer urged the Postal Service to “act swiftly and diligently” to reopen the post office at 30 Spruceton Road or find another location in West Kill.
Schumer called any further delay “unacceptable.”
“The West Kill community has also demonstrated its willingness to work constructively with USPS and local officials to find a solution,” the letter reads. “After more than a year and a half, however, residents still lack a clear timeline or meaningful explanation regarding when and where full postal services will return to West Kill. USPS must provide the community with a concrete plan and commitment to restoring local postal services.”
Schumer is the second federal lawmaker to press the Postal Service to restore operations in West Kill. U.S. Rep. Josh Riley, who represents the 19th Congressional District, which includes Lexington, coauthored a letter with Lexington Supervisor Robert Riccardella in June calling for the return of the post office.
Postal Service officials have said the landlord who owns the building has been “unresponsive” to the agency’s inquiries about restoring the space, prompting a search for another location.
The agency couldn’t “offer a timeframe for completion at this time,” James Cari, a Postal Service government relations representative, wrote in a July 28 response to Riley.
Cari said operations were moved to Shandaken rather than Lexington because the Lexington post office doesn’t offer mail delivery and is open only for half-days. The Shandaken office has longer hours. Residents may open post office boxes in Lexington or buy stamps online to avoid traveling to Shandaken, he said.
Mark Lawrence, a Postal Service spokesperson, said earlier this month that the West Kill office could close permanently if a solution isn’t found.
Riccardella welcomed Schumer’s support on Aug. 20.
“We are absolutely thrilled that Senator Schumer is stepping into the fight,” he said. “I thank everybody—Congressman Riley, Senator Schumer, State Senator Michelle Hinchey—for all realizing that the rural post offices are on the radar for getting wiped out, one at a time. Especially the small ones, which are key in a lot of these communities up here.”
Connor Greco is a staff reporter for The Overlook covering Windham, Hunter, and surrounding Greene County communities. Send correspondence to connor@theoverlooknews.com.
