Howe Post Office under renovation as Stevens grows rapidly

Stevens recently began a complete renovation of the Howe Post Office in order to increase efficiency, accessibility, and functionality. The project is currently in the design phase and is expected to be completed in summer 2022. While the Howe location works on renovations, the physical plant building on Frank Sinatra Drive is housing an overflow of packages.

The reorganizing comes at a time when Stevens is rapidly expanding: freshman class sizes consistently break previous year records and construction for the University Center is almost complete, signaling that older facilities need to adapt. Long wait times and select mailboxes for upperclassmen have been issues the post office has faced among other things, and the renovations are aiming to solve them.

​Summer Cureton-Gustave, Supervisor of the Post Office, provided insight into the construction taking place in the mail room. She has been working with the Design and Construction Project Manager to create requirements for the design plan. Cureton-Gustave’s experience in her position allowed her to understand the changes that needed to be made in order to improve the daily operations within the mailroom. 

A new floor plan is being created to boost the functionality of the Post Office and increase visibility, while encouraging an efficient flow throughout the workspace. Square footage is being added to make room for the new design. 

Additionally, all of the existing student mailboxes will be replaced with new secure smart lockers. These lockers are fully automated and use self-serving technology to give students greater control over receiving their mail. The mailboxes will be available to students 24/7 as opposed to the current mail system which only allows packages to be received from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. After the renovation is complete, students will be able to access their mail between classes or outside of Post Office hours, which will eliminate wait time during the day. This change is also said to improve the visual appearance of the Post Office by creating a uniform mailbox style. 

According to Cureton-Gustave, “management within the Division of Facilities and Operations is going above and beyond to ensure that the Post Office is carefully planned, designed, and equipped to not only maximize the efficiency of our mailroom operations, but to also provide the highest level of service for our students, faculty, and staff.”