July 7, 2004 – U.S. Postal Service customers living on St. Thomas' West End now can get their mail in neighborhood roadside delivery boxes, said Luther Alston, postal officer in charge, Wednesday. The service started Tuesday.
"They had been getting mail in general delivery," Alston said.
He said that West End customers who have post office mailboxes might also get delivery to their neighborhood delivery boxes.
The boxes, called cluster boxes, are part of the postal delivery expansion on St. Thomas. Each has room for 13 customers, a slot for outgoing mail and a parcel locker. When customers receive a package, they'll get a note in their box and the key to the parcel locker.
There is room for 166 customers in Fortuna, 78 in Bordeaux, 26 in Hope, 26 in Bonne Esperance, and 26 in Fortuna Mill.
Customers who want this service must go to the Aubrey C. Ottley Post Office in Sugar Estate to receive their keys and their new addresses. The addresses will have ZIP codes unique to that area.
Residents must show identification and proof of their address.
Alston said that the Postal Service has hired contractors to deliver the mail on what is known as a Star Route.

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