United States Post Office–Bronx Central Annex facts for kids
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Bronx Central Annex-U.S. Post Office
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Bronx Post Office, March 2010
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 Location in New York City
Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 558 Grand Concourse Bronx, New York 10451 |
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| Area | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built | 1935 |
| Architect | Ellett, Thomas Harlan; Shahn, Ben |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002584 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 6, 1980 |
The Bronx Central Annex is a special building in The Bronx, New York. It used to be a big post office for the United States Postal Service. This historic building is located at 558 Grand Concourse. It was built a long time ago, between 1935 and 1937.
In 2014, the building was sold. Now, it is being changed into a place with shops, offices, restaurants, and even some postal services. It's a great example of how old buildings can find new life!
This building is very important. It was named a New York City Landmark in 1975. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means it's a protected historical site. Later, in 2013, the inside of the building also became a city landmark. This was to protect some amazing artwork. These artworks are New Deal-era murals painted in 1939. They were created by artists Ben Shahn and Bernarda Bryson Shahn.
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The Historic Bronx Post Office
The Bronx General Post Office is found at 558 Grand Concourse. It was built between 1935 and 1937. The building was designed by an architect named Thomas Harlan Ellett. It is made of smooth gray brick. The building also has a granite terrace around it. You can see beautiful window openings with marble arches.
Art Outside the Building
On the terrace, there are two cool sculptures. They were made in 1936. One is called The Letter by Henry Kreis. The other is called Noah by Charles Rudy. These sculptures add to the building's unique look.
Amazing Murals Inside
The inside of the building has a special art collection. It's called Resources of America. This collection has 13 large mural panels. They were painted using a technique called fresco. This means the artists painted directly onto wet plaster.
The murals were created by Ben Shahn and his wife Bernarda Bryson Shahn. They finished them in August 1939. The government hired Shahn because he was a famous artist. These murals celebrate American industry and the hard work of people. They show how important different jobs are in America.
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Celebrating the American textile industry
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Woman working on a large loom
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Walt Whitman addressing American workers and their families
A New Chapter for the Building
In 2013, the U.S. Postal Service thought about selling the Bronx General Post Office. They were looking at selling many buildings across the country. This was because fewer people were sending mail. Also, more people were using online services.
The Bronx Post Office was a very special building. Its interior was made a landmark in 2013. This was done to protect Ben Shahn's amazing murals. Even with some people wanting to keep it as a post office, the sale went ahead.
In 2014, a company bought the building. They paid $19 million for it. In 2015, plans were approved to change the building. The ground floor and main floor would have shops and postal services. The top two floors would be office space. There would even be a restaurant on the roof! The plan also included fixing up the outside of the building. They also restored the 13 murals and the lobby. In 2019, the first rooftop restaurant in the Bronx, Zona de Cuba, opened there.
