An old post office in Mesa has found new life as a city-owned community and event space called the Post.
Constructed in the 1930s, the building near Macdonald and Pepper Place was Mesa’s first first-class post office. It was later used for government offices and then as a storage facility. In 2018, Mesa voters approved a $7.4 million bond initiative to turn it into a community space.
The improvements to the building include a new sound system, HVAC and an elevator.
Robert Wadsack with GH2 Architects said revitalizing and repurposing any old building comes with challenges.
"We put restrooms where restrooms were never meant to be. We put mechanical systems into a building that didn’t have any to start," he said.
Mesa Mayor John Giles said getting support for the project was tough.
"Success has many parents. Failure is an orphan," he said. "And unfortunately, for decades, this building was an orphan," Giles said.
This week's ribbon cutting ceremony celebrated the historic preservation effort. Recalling childhood memories of that post office, Giles said he is grateful the building is once again a place for the community to come together.
The city also plans to add an outdoor venue that features neon business signs preserved by the Mesa Preservation Foundation and the city.
