CHAPMAN RANCH, TX - The U.S. Postal Service has installed temporary post office boxes outside the Chapman Ranch Post Office for customers’ use starting today.  On Friday, Oct. 17, the Postal Service implemented an emergency suspension for the Chapman Ranch Post Office due to concerns for customer and employee safety after an inspection of the building revealed potentially hazardous structural damage.  As a result of the emergency suspension, Post Office Box mail service for about 50 Chapman Ranch Post Office customers was temporarily moved to Corpus Christi's Portairs Station Post Office until better, alternate arrangements could be made. 

Starting today, Chapman Ranch Post Office ZIP 78347 PO Box customers' mail will be delivered to the temporary cluster mailboxes located outside the Chapman Ranch Post Office, at 1004 County Rd. 8A. Customers will need to make one final trip to the Portairs Station Post Office, located at 4213 S. Port Ave., in Corpus Christi, to pick up the keys for their new mailboxes.  Customers will be required to provide proper identification to obtain their mailbox keys.  No change of address will be required.

In addition to the new cluster mailboxes, the Postal Service will install parcel lockers to eliminate the need for customers to go to the Portairs Station Post Office to pick up items too large for their mailbox.  However, for accountable items requiring a signature, customers will still need to pick these up at the Portairs postal station or make arrangements with the rural mail carrier servicing the Chapman Ranch location

This is an emergency suspension of this office, not a permanent closure.  No determination has been made regarding future operations at this facility.  Until Chapman Ranch Post Office operations can be restored, customers may ship packages and purchase stamps, money orders and other items normally available at Post Office retail counters from the rural mail carrier servicing the their mailboxes.

For more information about postal products and services, customers may call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) or visit the Postal Service online at www.usps.com.

Customers are reminded that the Post Office is always open, 24/7 including holidays, at www.usps.com. Customers can skip the trip to the post office to mail a letter, ship a package, or purchase stamps. The Postal Service is right on your desktop and also now available in Spanish and simplified Chinese.

Using usps.com, customers can look up a ZIP Code, request free Priority Mail Flat Rate packaging, hold their mail, set up Premium Forwarding Service, even print a mailing label, and pay for postage using Click-N-Ship.

USPS Mobile on Apple's iPhone is frequently rated at the top for free business applications on iTunes. The app enables customers to track packages via a tracking number or by scanning a barcode, find a post office location, collection box or self-service kiosk, look up a ZIP Code, order free shipping supplies, request package pickup and calculate prices.  Now USPS Mobile is enhanced to include Hold Mail service and the USPS app for Android has been upgraded to match the current services available on the iPhone.

Additionally, postage stamps can easily be purchased at many area retail businesses, like grocery stores, drug stores and big-box stores outside of a traditional Post Office:  Many area banks also provide stamps via their ATM machines.

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