1248 5th St
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Santa Monica Post Office Building · Property For Lease

The Santa Monica Post Office building (SMPO) represents the social, political, and architectural history of the city of Santa Monica. Situated at a prominent corner of 5th Street and Arizona Avenue in downtown Santa Monica, the SMPO at 1248 5th Street served residents and visitors for exactly 75 years. Designed and constructed between 1937 and 1938, the building is an excellent example of the Public Works Administration (PWA) Moderne architectural style, and embodies distinguishing design characteristics associated with that style. Under the New Deal program in the 1930s, some post offices were designed to reflect regional southern California traditions. The SMPO was particularly unique in that local architect Robert Dennis Murray served as its primary architect. With its monumental PWA Moderne style, and its Art Deco-influenced wave and water motifs in concrete and metal, the building continues to make quality architecture, construction, art and sculptural elements accessible to the public. From its opening in 1938 until its closing in 2013, SMPO operated as a center for commerce and communication, served as a valued community meeting place, and disseminated information and ideas from around the world. Today, the Santa Monica Post Office building is a designated City Landmark whose historic lobby and building exterior are protected and preserved, presenting the possibility of old as impetus for new.