The Cortez Post Office isn’t in the clear just yet.
John Banyas, owner of the strip plaza on Cortez Road that includes the post office at 12112 44th Ave. W., said Nov. 29 an agreement was reached with the U.S. Postal Service to keep the office open.
The post office has occupied the building for many years, including before Banyas became the owner in 2015. However, USPS has not confirmed that a new lease is finalized.
Banyas told The Islander an agreement was made for a five-year lease in exchange for USPS adding him to its insurance policy for the facility.
In 2020, Banyas was sued after a flagpole attached to the exterior of the post office fell and injured Richard C. Kiley, according to court records. Banyas maintains the injury was due to USPS’s failure to maintain its equipment, violating the lease.
According to Banyas, requests to be included in USPS’s insurance coverage were rejected, prompting him to decline renewal for the lease in August.
David Walton, spokesman for the USPS in the central Florida region, said the service’s legal team has not confirmed whether the terms were agreed upon.
“While we can’t confirm an agreement has been reached, we have sort of a verbal agreement that the office will remain open for now,” he told The Islander Dec. 2.
The USPS in late July had received a notice from Banyas that their lease would not be renewed. The USPS did not vacate and became a hold-over tenant, remaining despite the lease’s expiration.
Banyas filed to have the USPS evicted Sept. 21.
A notice of closure posted at the post office in late October prompted residents to rally to save the post office or secure home delivery for south Cortez.
Their efforts resulted in the intervention of U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key.
An extension on the eviction was granted through November while an agreement was negotiated.
The status of the post office lease is a concern to residents in the village because the area south of Cortez Road does not have home delivery.
People without home delivery receive free P.O. boxes at the Cortez Post Office, which serves 50-60 people each day, according to staff.
Hazel Petree of Cortez says it’s important the post office stays open.
“I grew up in Cortez. I’m 71 and I moved away as an adult for eight years, but otherwise, I’ve lived here all my life. …There are people here who probably don’t even drive anymore. So they may have a golf cart or they walk down here or have someone else pick up their mail for them,” she said.
Petree and others like her are hoping the post office stays open.
