The U.S. Post Office Paints Over The Work Of Brooklyn Heights’ “Captain Cleanup”

It’s a shame his hard work is lost and the aesthetic has been downgraded.

On the other hand, if this is what it takes to get the post office to get rid of the graffiti so be it.

I hope they made painting the various mailboxes in the neighborhood that have been graphittied with the word “ill” recently a priority over Captain Cleanup’s mailboxes.

not sure why only a few thousand people have this installed, but if you like taking pictures… you might as well send the graffiti ones to 311 through their app…

android: http://goo.gl/MLx8A

itunes:https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nyc-311/id324897619?mt=8

My work on restoring the two unsightly United States Post Office Relay Mailboxes on the corner of Remsen and Henry Streets took several days and was still not complete when the Post Office decided to repaint the work I had done so far. I think that several comments here are appropriate. I take no exception the the Post Service or any other organization (private or public) from painting their publicly placed objects, especially when these objects are covered in graffiti or are in poor and unsightly condition. The mailboxes above were in terrible condition and were the most prominent objects at the very visible Remsen and Henry Street intersection. They had been neglected for many many years (I walk by them almost daily). I take no issue with the colors the Post Office used to repaint over my work of a couple days ago. In this case, I prefer the shade of green I selected, but I am more interested in the fact that the boxes are painted and the graffiti is now removed. Preparing these boxes for a nice paint job was no small feat. I removed every piece of adhesive and scotch tape, whether painted over or on the outer surface, from the boxes. Every surface was wire brushed to remove loose paint and rust. I also used a razor blade to take off excess paint. The exposed metal was also covered with a rust proof prime coat of paint. So, regardless of who painted them or what color the boxes were painted, the preparation work should translate into a smoother and nicer looking finish for everyone to enjoy. However, where I take exception is that Post Office chose to promptly repaint the boxes I had just completed when less than one full block away on the same side of the street on the corner of Remsen and Henry Streets are two identical side-by-side USPS Relay Mailboxes and a blue ordinary USPS mailbox that are in the most deplorable and disgusting condition. I find it hard to believe that the post office would go to the time and expense to repaint the boxes I had just fixed up when on the same block of Remsen Street there are more of the exact same items in desperate need of repair and paint. How does this make any sense? It doesn’t, of course. What this indicates is that someone in the Post Office got wind that these relay mailboxes got repainted and that was simply unacceptable to some decision maker in that organization. Having a private citizen repair and paint a damaged USPS mailbox must have been viewed by that decision maker in the USPS organization as some form of transgression because it either highlights the sad fact that the USPS has been neglectful in their maintenance of the mailboxes in Brooklyn Heights or because it reflects badly on the difficulties that this USPS person has had in performing his or her job. It is not my intention to make the USPS look badly. In fact, my intention is just the opposite. I would like people to see good looking, well maintained mailboxes (and give the USPS the credit for such) and treat these objects with respect and, as a result, be less inclined to deface them with graffiti and the such. The Post Office fails to realize that very very few people know that the repainting work I performed was done as a private citizen pro bono. Most people seeing me doing this work actually think I work for the post office, as most who stop to speak to me comment to that effect. Furthermore, does the USPS think that a private citizen repainting a few disfigured mailboxes is going to impinge upon the public’s view towards that organization when the neighborhood is blanketed with countless graffiti covered mailboxes? What does the USPS think the average passerby will conclude when that person sees an increasing number of mailboxes well painted, good looking mailboxes? The USPS is a fine organization and their service in delivering mail is nothing short of exceptional. The USPS mail delivery personnel are professional and the most pleasant of people. I do not think I have ever met a USPS mail delivery person that I did not like. Unfortunately, the USPS is losing money as volumes have fallen from 103.7 million pieces of first class mail in 2001 to 68.7 million in 2012 (due to the advancement of email and other forms of electronic communication). The pressure of falling revenues and rising costs has created a 2012 net loss position for $16 billion, despite legitimate ongoing efforts at efficiency and cost reduction. With the above in mind, I am more than happy to be of service to the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood and the USPS by performing some maintenance work (that may be put off due to budget constraints) at my own time and expense and to do so in a manner that does not “deface” USPS property. In thinking about this development, it only steels my resolve in working towards improving Brooklyn Heights along these lines. This work, by me and others (such as the Brooklyn Heights Association), transcends the USPS. Since this initiative began, repainting in the neighborhood has been going on now for USPS boxes, vintage fire department alarms, rusted traffic sign poles, traffic control boxes, street light poles, and more. There are man many more objects in need of repair and repainting, including all the tree guards along Montague Street, the flag pole in the entrance to the Promenade at Montague Street, additional USPS boxes, the poles for the old parking meters, and so on. I see no turning back now. I hope that others decide to join the effort. Your s Truly, Mr. X (now aka Captain Clean-up).

311, NYC has no jurisdiction over mail boxes.

Arch, you need a check on what you are willing to accept.