Post Office Could Be Sent Packing After Eviction Suit

An eviction suit filed against the U.S. Postal Service could speed up ambitious plans for redeveloping a huge downtown Milwaukee building. The owner is trying to evict its only tenant, which holds a lease that could extend until 2040. The owner filed a lawsuit in Milwaukee County Circuit Court asking a judge to evict the Postal Service from a building the agency has used for about 50 years. The suit, filed in August, claims the Postal Service has defaulted on its lease by failing to make building repairs.

A lease default notice was sent to the Postal Service, giving the agency until Aug. 15 to make the repairs, which haven’t been addressed. A hearing is set for early October. The Postal Service could respond by creating a plan to maintain the building.

In announcing the suit on his Twitter account, however, the owner said he was seeking to evict the Postal Service and begin renovations at the massive St. Paul Avenue facility, prompting some critics to assert that the underlying motivation is the redevelopment that could bring lucrative deals.

In the meantime, the owner has said his only expectation is that the agency performs under the lease, which runs at least through March 2025. Barring an eviction, plans to redevelop the building could be several years away.