The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
February 2026 coming faster than we think…
By Mark Reaman
While the Crested Butte town council is attempting to negotiate a deal with regional U.S. Post Office representatives over where it might move its primary North Valley facility after its current lease on Elk Avenue expires in early 2026, Post Office representatives don’t appear much interested in the negotiation aspect of any future deal. The town has offered the potential of a new building on a vacant lot it owns at Sixth Street and Gothic Avenue as a possible relocation site. It could accommodate thousands of Post Office boxes and provide more room for package processing. But town was clear it wanted continued and even expanded PO box annexes for residents of CB South and Mt. Crested Butte.
Crested Butte community development director Troy Russ told the town council on Monday that he had received a phone call that day from United States Postal Service (USPS) representatives expressing that, despite the early expectation from town that PO boxes be placed in Mt. Crested Butte and Crested Butte South along with any primary town location the word was — no.
“They told us today they won’t put boxes in either Mt. CB or CB South,” Russ said.
The town has been working with USPS real estate representatives to relocate the post office to the so-called Cosentino lot across from Gothic Field on Sixth Street. The town council directed staff to negotiate a deal where the town would build and lease the facility to the USPS with a minimum of two affordable housing units on the second floor. The initial program proposed by the USPS was to make the post office portion of the building between 8,000 and 11,000 square feet. While no firm commitment has been struck, it appears the USPS has no other building or vacant lot in mind to use after the Elk Avenue lease expires.
“We can figure out what trying to put all the PO Boxes in one building means for that lot,” said Russ. “But I want to get a contract in front of them as soon as possible.”
“Do we have any leverage,” asked councilmember Jason MacMillan.
“That was what we have,” responded Russ. “But it’s the post office. February of 2026 is coming faster than we think and it’s important to have a post office in town.”
“That’s the way they are and likely the way they will be for the next 50 years,” said mayor Ian Billick.
“Can we have a package pick-up spot separate from the post office,” asked councilmember Anna Fenerty.
“We haven’t talked about that,” said Russ.
Russ said town can do a study of the impacts of what having every North Valley post office box in one location means for traffic flow. “Not every boxholder comes to town just to check their box every day,” he said. “But there are a lot of boxes in the annex and in CB South.”
Fenerty also suggested the town do an analysis of using the town-owned property south of Stepping Stones at the entrance to town by the dragon sculpture as another possible location for a future post office. Russ said they could do that. No one on council objected to the study.
Billick agreed with Russ that it should be a top priority to get a potential lease/contract for an alternative in-town post office location in front of USPS officials as quickly as possible. “I support moving forward. If we wait to solve everything, we won’t solve anything,” he said. “We need a post office in the community and will continue to have these discussions for many more years.”
“What other choice do we have,” asked councilmember Mallika Magner.
“Until they see how the programming works operationally in a new building they won’t move on Mt. CB and CB South,” said Russ. “Maybe they’ll change their mind if the space isn’t there. But I want to get a contract in front of them.”
It has not been clear what responsibility the USPS has in terms of service to the North Valley if an alternative location is not found after the Elk Avenue PO facility lease expires.
