Mommy FTW

Pratt Post Office closed back in March for what was originally billed as an 8 – 12 week renovation.  5 months later… the original office is still closed – Surprise!?  Today I went to go pick up my mail from my P.O. Box and I saw that the post office has a new temporary home.  It is now located at 510A Myrtle, next to the Beauty Supply Store.

At this little store front you can pick up your packages and your P.O. Box mail.  Directly out front is parked the Mobile Unit where you can buy stamps.  Hopefully this means faster service for package pick up!


Posted from New York, New York, United States.

I am excited to say that in May we’re going on vacation somewhere warm – and not in the US!  So, we needed to get Cameron his passport.  Since the Pratt Post Office is closed, I had to find somewhere else to submit his application.  I searched online at the usps website and found that the Adelphi Station was the place I should check out.  The website said that I needed an appointment – so I got on the phone and called.  And called.  And called.  No one ever answered.  I moved on to another post office – the Cadman Plaza Branch.

Again, the usps website said that I needed an appointment.  So I called – the phone was answered by an automate service saying if I was on a touch tone phone to press 1, and then I was routed through a few menus finally ending up at the passport application people.  The phone rang.  And rang.  And rang.  No answer.  I tried over and over again – with no success.  Finally, I called and when asked if I was on a touch tone phone I said that I wasn’t – and I got a real live person right away!  So, if you are trying to reach someone at Cadman Plaza – I suggest you take this route.  Although, when we got there it didn’t seem to matter that I had an appointment. Good thing I put all that effort into it!  I would just recommend that you show up a few minutes before the passport window opens so you can be first in line.  The whole thing took about 10 minutes.

Anyways, there’s a few necessary things for getting your baby a passport:

1) A passport photo – we got ours at the local Walgreens.  It was easy – they had him stand on a crate and snapped the pic with a digital camera.  1 hour later – voila!  Passport Photo.

2) Fill out the passport form – it’s called DS-11 (you can do this online, and print it out and bring it with you).  Be sure not to sign the form until you are in the presence of the passport agent.

3)Your baby’s official birth certificate with both parents name on it.

4)Your baby’s Social Security Card.

5)IDs for both parents – Drivers License or Passport will work.

6)Copies of the IDs that can be sent in with the passport application.

7)Both parents must show up when applying for the passport.

Check the official government page to read all about the documents required to get a passport for a minor, and to fill out the passport form online.

I know that I never felt as much a part of the Fort Greene / Clinton Hill neighborhoods as since I’ve had Cameron – mostly because I spend so much time walking the streets, playing in the playgrounds and parks, and meeting my neighbors.  Anyways, that’s why I do posts about neighborhood news – because I know most of my readers live in this part of Brooklyn, and I think they want to know whats going on in their ‘hood….

I was walking today down Myrtle to go visit the Pratt Post Office and I saw two new businesses opening – both are going to be Grocery options with Organic Items – one smaller than the other.

You can learn more about them on the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership website.  The store opening in the Walgreens Building (375 Myrtle Avenue between Clermont and Adelphi) is going to be opened by people who run a few Organic and produce markets on Fulton.  The smaller grocery, Mr. Coco says on the awning that it will be open 24 hours – that could be interesting.  It is located at 414 Myrtle Ave.   I wish them both luck!  And I hope the quality of the food is good – we could sure use that!

Now, on to the Post Office.  As you may know the Pratt Post Office is closed for repairs.  I finally got a note in my mail about it!  I went today to the Mobile Unit to pick up my P.O. Box Mail.  There are two Mobile Unit trucks parked at the Post Office during the hours of 9-4 M-F and 8-1 on Saturday.

The truck out front only sells stamps – so don’t bother waiting in line there for anything else.  There is another truck parked in a small alley on the side of the post office which handles giving out the packages and the P.O. Box Mail.  Be sure to bring your ID if you need any of those items!

Hi all – I had two bits of Fort Greene / Clinton Hill news I wanted to share.

First – I was at Story Time yesterday at the Clinton Hill Library and it seems that the usual woman has moved libraries and is gone for good.  They have  a stand in named Steve (I think) and he didn’t give the impression that he was going to be the permanent person in charge.  He seemed a little awkward, but everything worked out fine.  I saw another mom who was at the later session and she said Steve told her class that they might not have the funding to keep Story Time going for more than 6 weeks.  I hope this isn’t true!  It’s such an amazing resource in the neighborhood.  Yesterday there was quite a crowd!

Secondly, I also went to the Pratt Post Office on Myrtle to get the mail from my P.O. Box.  I wasn’t sure what to expect since they quietly and quickly announced their closing.  There was a truck outside that was selling stamps (no money orders, according to the postal worker).

They were also letting people in to use the APC machine and drop items in the big box in the foyer.  I was also allowed to walk into the actual post office and pick up my mail.  The postal worker said they decided to keep it like this until actual construction begins.  Sounds reasonable to me!  After that, she said, who knows.   Yikes….  She recommended that people with P.O. Boxes check their mail daily for now.