Mail routing in Detroit

[Rocko]

As many people know, Detroit's Metroplex mail processing facility opened a year or so ago. This facility now processes most outgoing mail from not just Detroit and suburbs, but basically everywhere from Luna Pier to the thumb. Mail is cancelled and killed at this facility for all destinations both around the D and far beyond.

But what about incoming mail?

I just mailed something from my home state of Connecticut back to my family in Dearborn through certified mail, allowing me to track it as it goes. The most recent entry is

Processed through Sort Facility, April 09, 2011, 3:06 am, DETROIT, MI 48233

48233 is listed as the Main Post Office on Fort Street. Despite the Metroplex being in service out in Pontiac, the Main PO loading docks are still full of postal trucks coming and going all day and night. Is this still where most/all incoming mail is brought for distribution to the Detroit area? What other functions are still being carried out at the main PO besides the retail branch on the main floor and the Postal Police?

On an unrelated note, prior to the construction of this PO in the early 60s, where was Detroit downtown Post Office? I know there was a fantastic Romanesque post office building on Fort downtown around the turn of the 20th Century downtown, but where was it located between the demolition of this grand building [[depression era, I believe) and the construction of the new one out next to Fort Street Union Depot?

[313WX]

I do know that's where the post office's administrative offices are. The only thing to my knowledge branched out from GWY is the postal truck warehouse, the credit union and the letter carriers union. The large package pickup used to be branched out from GWY too, but I'm not sure if it still is. Most if not all of these branches however are in the same general vicinity of GWY.

The latest I heard however is they plan to relocate all of their processing to Pontiac in the near future, and that wil also include closing the processing buildings in Romulus and Brownstown.

[MikeM]

On an unrelated note, prior to the construction of this PO in the early 60s, where was Detroit downtown Post Office? I know there was a fantastic Romanesque post office building on Fort downtown around the turn of the 20th Century downtown, but where was it located between the demolition of this grand building [[depression era, I believe) and the construction of the new one out next to Fort Street Union Depot?

It was in the Federal Courthouse on Lafayette.