The Venice Post Office and Bus Stop sidewalk has consistently been one of the dirtiest catchalls for litter in Venice for years … until recently.  The photo above was taken Memorial Day.   Photo below shows Roberto heading down the sidewalk to get the bus stop.  He is part of the construction crew and his daily job is to sweep the sidewalk from one end of the construction site to the other, which includes the bus stop. What a difference.  Bus stop needs a sweep each day.

Mention the post office mail and one immediately thinks of emails and on-line banking. Mention no mail on Saturdays and a few ears perk up. But mention the United States Post Office, Venice, CA and the world hears you. It has become synonymous with apple pie.

Venice residents take “messing with the the United States Post Office, Venice, CA” seriously. Even opponents in other Venice conflicts unite when it comes to protecting “their” post office.

Mark Ryavec, president of Venice Stakeholders Association, recently made a complaint to the city regarding the fence at the post office. The fence is on public property in the public right of way. “Billboards he says can be only on private property and they must have a permit.”

Carolyn Rios brought up the fact that he has extended into the street on the north side. (See Comments.)
David Ewing calls the posters graffiti. (See Comments.)

Monday, Miguel, the contractor, was busy trying to put up the sheets of advertising posters in the wind. Miguel said these sheets are plastic of some kind. They are meant to be more durable than the paper ones normally used. Problem is that they are harder to put up and apparently do not adhere as well, he said.   They create curling corners and bubbles which become attractive to “tearer downers.” Miguel and his helper were cleaning up the mess, removing the curled posters, and installing new posters early Monday morning.

This is the area that Carolyn Rios wrote about.

Post Office recently got a new face lift with a plywood fence in front of the wrought iron fence.   New fence got painted and it looked even better.  The problem with the wrought iron fence was that the green mesh that was hung on it became graffiti bate.  

            There is a company that puts up plywood fences, paints them, puts advertising posters on them, maintains them, and keeps them graffiti free.  There is another such fence at the corner of Lincoln and Jefferson Way.  No graffiti, just movie ads.

            System has worked great for the Lincoln-Jefferson Way corner.  It is clean and has been clean since the fence went in with the movie posters.  It was a graffiti haven before.   Posters are replaced frequently to reflect new movies.  It is on private property.  Whether owner has permit or not is not known.

            Mark Ryavec, president of Venice Stakeholders, has made a complaint to the city regarding the fence at the post office.  The fence is on public property in the public right of way.  “Billboards he says can be only on private property and they must have a permit.”

            In order to keep the wrought iron fence in tack, the plywood fence was placed slightly on public property, the sidewalk. Now someone is removing the posters that are a little loose in places.  Someone even cut one.  In a few places there is graffiti.  Definitely, more maintenance is needed at that corner.