Is it really time to kiss this goodbye?

It was a spot fit for a King, but now Uncle Sam wants it: The U.S. Postal Service has told the city of Eau Claire it wants to build a new downtown post office on a lot that was most recently home to a Burger King at the corner of East Madison and North Barstow streets. City Manager Russ Van Gompel confirmed March 25 that the city had been informed of the Post Service’s decision the previous week. “I think it’s going to be a good spot,” Van Gompel said of the currently vacant lot, which is owned by Eau Claire developer John Mogensen. “It’s still downtown, which is something we all want.” The Postal Service previously had said it was looking to downsize from the 27,000-square-foot building at 126 N. Barstow St. that it has leased for 50 years and relocate into a 3,000- to 4,000-square-foot facility in downtown. While the Postal Service’s lease there lasts until Sept. 30, 2014, it has expressed a desire to be out of the building by the end of 2013.