Olathe plans to relocate the downtown Post Office next year as part of the city’s efforts to revitalize the area.
The city council announced the preliminary plans on June 25 at the first workshop for next year’s budget.
The move is a collaborative effort with the United States Postal Service.
Little is known about the project so far, but more information could be made available within the next three to five months once more refined conversations are had.
According to City of Olathe Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Cody Kennedy, conversations have been “purely introductory” at this point.
“I do know that as we look to activate Downtown Olathe, it was identified as an opportunity for redevelopment,” he said.
Currently, the post office sits at 110 N. Chestnut St., on the corner of Park Street, a block east of Johnson County Square and the county courthouse complex to the north.
The prospective site of a relocation is unknown, but development of the new site would start and finish within the year according to the city’s proposed 2025-29 Capital Improvement Plan.
In page outlining the post office relocation and its costs, the Capital Improvement Plan justifies the move by saying, “City, County and Private investment in Downtown Olathe has greatly increased the profile of the area and interest in bringing additional public spaces, retail and dining options continues to grow … This project provides for the land acquisition, design and construction of a new post office to allow for the redevelopment of the existing Downtown Olathe Post Office site.”
The total cost for the relocation is projected at $8 million with $4.2 million of that slated to go towards construction of the new building.
Funding for the project, according to the Capital Improvement Project summary, will come from $6 million in cash and $2 million in a grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce.
