ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, August 7, 1996              TAG: 9608070060
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MAG POFF STAFF WRITER 

SOCIAL SECURITY FINDS NEW HOME NEW OFFICE IS NEAR HOTEL ROANOKE

The Social Security Administration has leased space for its Roanoke offices in the old Stone Printing Co. building on North Jefferson Street near Hotel Roanoke.

The signing of the lease this week for downtown space ends the search by Social Security officials for a suburban location. The office is currently in the Poff Federal Building in downtown Roanoke, but its space there is needed for expansion of the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities.

The government had advertised for a new location last August, but the original ad for bids said the property had to be near the Roanoke Regional Airport.

Read Lunsford of Hall Associates, who acted as the landlord's leasing agent, said the Stone Printing building is owned by Blue Eagle Partnership. Tom Turner, who is also with Hall, was the adviser to the tenant.

With the signing of the lease, Lunsford said, renovation of the property "has commenced in earnest." Robin Dearing, a Salem architect, designed the interior and exterior renovations.

Roanoke City Council and Mayor David Bowers worked to persuade the General Services Administration, which was handling the lease on behalf of the Social Security Administration, to overturn its earlier decision to leave the central part of the city. The government agreed in September to call for a new round of bidding without specifying a location.

At the same time, Lunsford said, the city's economic development office actively sought submissions from landlords of acceptable property. The General Services Administration wanted easy access and parking facilities for its customers and 44 employees.

The renovations will provide a place to meet the needs of the Social Security Administration for the next 10 years, according to Lunsford.

The building is at 116 N. Jefferson Street, just north of the former Norfolk Southern Corp. general offices.

Lunsford said the property is now one-third leased, and the 8,000 square feet remaining on the ground floor will be available for office or commercial use. The second floor has 24,000 square feet of space available.

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