Those who have visted the Social Security Administration Building on Jefferson Street in Roanoke Virginia are likely to have noticed the surface of the lobby: bluestone granite flooring.
The flooring in the lobby is impressive though just the surface of what this 70,300-square-foot, three-story office building has to offer with a call center, data center, offices, conference rooms, meeting rooms and training rooms.
One of three floors in this building is partially below grade. The facility structure is supported by a deep foundation system, coupling geopiers and a 14-foot retaining wall system. The second and third floors were constructed using steel frame and metal decks, and the exterior of the building features a masonry veneer with buff color cast stone base veneer and stucco parapet. The lobbies of the facility feature include wood paneling and bluestone granite flooring. There is also a three-story open curtainwall system in the lobby.
The project is LEED Silver certified with the interior design This includes LEED credits for sustainable materials in the public and employee entry lobbies such as granite tile flooring, bamboo wall panels, plus wall covering in the public lobby. It was fast tracked with KBS working extensively with the AE in developing and guiding design selections, based on cost.
Project Details:
Owner:
Harwood & Associates
Architect:
MMM Design Group
Location:
Jefferson Street, Roanoke, VA
Size:
70,300 Square Feet
Completed:
July 2009
Source
Social Security benefits
(a few fascinating facts)
In the United States, Social Security is the commonly used term for the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program. You may or may not know that Social Security Cards expressly stated the number and card were not used for identification purposes; that is until the 1980's.
Regardless of this statement, nearly everyone in the USA now has a social security number, which makes social security cards convenient to use for identification. The statement 'not for identification' was quitely removed. This is one of many changes made since the beginning of the program. Remember when that was?
When?
If you already knew or guessed the Roosevelt Administration (1932-1945) introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program, you would be correct. President Roosevelt was the one who signed the Social Security Act into law on August 14, 1935. In addition to several provisions for general welfare, the Social Security Act created a social insurance program designed to pay retired workers age 65 or older a continuous source of income after retirement. Remember the promises? Here are a few with changes.
Promises
1: Participation would be completely voluntary.
Change: Participation is no longer voluntary.
2: Participants pay 1% of the first $1,400 of annual Income.
Change: Participants now pay 7.65% on the first $90,000.
3: The voluntary payments made into the program would be
deductible from their income for tax purposes each year.
Change: Payments made are no longer tax deductible
4: Payments would be deposited into the independent 'Trust Fund'
to fund the Social Security Retirement Program (no other program).
Change: Payments were moved to The 'General Fund' and spent.
5: The annuity payments would never be taxed as income, EVER.
Change: Up to 85% of your Social Security income can be taxed.
Notable:
Those who paid into the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA)
who are receiving Social Security Checks are getting taxed on 85%
of the money that the government was supposed to save in a trust.
Click here to read about the Social Security Adminstration at Wikipedia.
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