You know what’s great? The United States Postal Service. You give them something and they deliver it to anyone in the country. Or, better yet, they deliver something to you. Letters, postcards, that subscription to Rolling Stone you don’t remember ever signing up for, whatever. This has been happening, in one form or another, since the dawn of our country. How about that! It’s practically magic!
But, just like the rest of us, even quasi-magical independent federal agencies have to promise not to trash their apartment, lest they lose their security deposit and get kicked out by their landlord. Late Tuesday night, Chicago-based investor and developer Matt Garrison, a.k.a. the owner of Milwaukee’s downtown Post Office building, 341 W. St. Paul Ave., announced he was “seeking to remove” the USPS from the premises. He did so via Twitter, which seemed about right.
Here are Garrison’s tweets. Is his Twitter handle @condoshark? Of course it is.
We have filed an eviction against our 1.1 million square foot tenant at 345 St. Paul, the Milwaukee Post Office. (1/5)
— Matt Garrison (@condoshark) August 29, 2018
Under the lease, the USPS shall “keep the property in good repair and tenantable condition… the term “repair” … includes repairs of every character, exterior and interior, structural and non-structural, ordinary as well as extraordinary…” (2/5)
— Matt Garrison (@condoshark) August 29, 2018
We have awaited a response from the USPS for ~5 months, with no material communications, and they have not shared plans to address repairs and capital issues with the property for which they are 100% responsible. (3/5)
— Matt Garrison (@condoshark) August 29, 2018
Since it appears that the USPS is unwilling/unable to perform under the terms of the lease, we are seeking to remove them and begin renovations of the property. As one of the most visible structures/locations in MKE, this building deserves better. (4/5)
— Matt Garrison (@condoshark) August 29, 2018
We do not take this action lightly. However, we expect ALL tenants to abide by the terms of the lease, as we do, regardless of size or standing. The USPS is no exception. nec temere, nec timide. (5/5)
— Matt Garrison (@condoshark) August 29, 2018
BizTimes has a bunch of background on the tenant/landlord dispute. Garrison, managing principal of R2 Companies, purchased the four-story Post Office building in 2015 for a cool $13.1 million. Soon after, he announced big plans once USPS’ lease expired:
Renovations to the existing structure would create 300,000 square feet of space to be filled by restaurants, bars and entertainment venues as well as 212,000 square feet of space for a big box retailer. A 13,000-square-foot extension of the river walk and a 14,000-square-foot pedestrian bridge connecting the building to the Harley-Davidson Museum across the Menomonee river would also be added, according to the plans.
BizTimes also notes that the post office’s lease is (was?) in place until 2020, with an eventual option to extend it for up to 30 years.
“When reached Tuesday evening, Garrison said right now, he is focused on the current task of evicting the Post Office,” concludes BizTimes. When reached Wednesday morning, the Post Office said the heat still wasn’t on in October, and that Garrison better watch out because its dad is totally a lawyer.