Changes in public shopping habits, the attraction of malls and shifting economics have brought plenty of ups and downs to Elizabeth City’s downtown. Accordingly, forward-thinking citizens, business leaders and officials have persistently reevaluated, renovated, redefined, updated and in cases rebuilt the traditional city center.

Considering where it could have gone and where the downtown is today, that never-say-die attitude has paid off. The addition of new businesses and services, attractions such as Arts of the Albemarle and Port Discover, construction of county offices and a new library and a growing reputation for a downtown nightlife at restaurants and clubs all embody the realization of an evolving vision for the downtown.

For local merchants and downtown advocates, it’s still a work in progress to navigate various obstacles standing in way of Main Street objectives, but there’s no denying the fresh air of optimism for downtown growth.

That’s why it comes as an unexpected blow to local downtown supporters and local citizens in general that the U.S. Postal Service would announce that one of the city’s Main Street institutions would be shutting its doors come July 22.

Last month, USPS said it would move its operations from the office located in the Herbert Small Federal Building on Main Street to the primary Ehringhaus Street location. The reason for the move, according to Kesha L. Holified, area operations manager, is that the local office is one of thousands across the country being eliminated in a cost-cutting effort brought on by the financial “fiscal crisis” within USPS, which, she said, has seen a “drastic decline in mail volume.”

Granted, the postal service does not hold the monopoly it once did on delivery of mail. USPS is feeling the effects of Internet e-mail and other communications services as well as from carriers like UPS and Federal Express.

Yet, many businesses have been affected by the Internet and competition. Adjustments are made, sometimes drastic ones. We question this particular step because of the permanence of removing a needed service from a business center where growth is occurring and because people have come to depend on it.

And we aren’t the only ones.

The Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce and Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc., also have gone on record to formerly oppose the closing of the downtown postal office.

Both organizations point out the hardship, safety concerns and general inconvenience for local business and downtown residents that would result from the USPS plan.

The concerns from those business interests were echoed last week by U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C.

Butterfield has requested a “thorough and deliberate study” of how the closing would affect the city — before the office is closed. He is requesting a detailed cost analysis justifying closure of the office.

Butterfield also posed the question to USPS of why a study and public comment on the matter had not been conducted. The answer from Laurie Solnik, a member of the Postal Service’s governmental relations staff is, according to Butterfield, that USPS considers the closing “an internal Postal Service management decision.” Also, Solnik said the Postal Service “is under no obligation to solicit public comments,” according to Butterfield.

We think differently.

While the USPS is not taxpayer-funded, it is a government-mandated agency, hence it has obligations to the public. And even if USPS is allowed to make decisions based on finances to open, close or alter offices, there are obligations as a carrier of the United States mails to insure that its decisions don’t harm those whom the mail service is constitutionally guaranteed to serve.

We add our support to Butterfield’s request for analytical financial data so that the public can determine if, in fact, operation of the Main Street office was losing money. And if it was losing money, some explanation is in order for why USPS would simply close the office rather than seek out accommodations to keep it open.

Given the example of how local residents have rallied and responded to the challenges of rescuing their downtown, they should at least be given some opportunity to propose alternatives to closing this post office.