Prior to the Tribune’s August 1998 Mr. Zip
campaign, neighborhoods in the borough were clumsily clumped together.
All neighborhoods in the “113” zip code were called Flushing,
neighborhoods that used a “114” zip code were called Jamaica, and
anywhere with a “111” zip code was considered Long Island City. People could address their envelopes with the proper
neighborhood, but the Post Office would not recognize the names. Rogers
said, “We are not going to change our policy.” The policy Rogers was
defending was penned 25 years earlier as part of the U.S. Postal
Service’s 1963 Zoning Improvement Plan (ZIP).
Based
on that system, “Flushing” was the size of Boston, Massachusetts’
largest city, and “Jamaica“ was roughly as large as St. Louis.
Rogers warned that mail would be even slower if individual neighborhoods
were used. Irked by the Tribune reports on the matter,
Rogers threatened to pull advertising from the paper. He said, “Why
should we advertise in a paper that has unfavorable things to say about
us?” After almost a year-long campaign, Congressman Gary
Ackerman championed the cause and with the help of Assemblyman Mark
Weprin revamped the borough’s postal system.
Now, mail intended for Bayside, South
Ozone Park or Astoria would be so indicated.
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