ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, October 3, 1996              TAG: 9610030100
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: B-8  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MAG POFF 

ROANOKE EFFORT CITED NATIONWIDE

Roanoke's successful fight to keep the Social Security Administration office downtown has been cited as one of the spurs for a new cooperative effort between the federal government and downtown interests throughout the country.

Matthew Kennell, executive director of Downtown Roanoke Inc., said Roanoke and several other cities, including Phoenix and Tampa, were mentioned at the International Downtown Association annual meeting this week in Dallas.

At the meeting, David J. Barram, acting administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration, announced his agency's "good neighbor program," under which GSA, which manages government properties, will require federal agencies to locate downtown whenever possible. Agencies also must favor historic buildings and districts.

Roanoke City Council and downtown interests successfully opposed plans by the Social Security Administration to move from the Poff Federal Building to a suburban site. Instead, the office will move early next year to the former Stone Printing Co. building on North Jefferson Street.

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