The new 300,000-square-foot facility will maintain the demographic, wage and benefit information of almost every American, according to a news release from SSA. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Monday, and about 80 federal employees will be working in the center by August 2016.
The building was needed because SSA's 30-year-old support center was not constructed as a data center, said Bill Zielinski, chief information officer for SSA. The Woodlawn facility is not up to par with changing technology and electricity requirements. A feasibility study indicated that a new data center was the best way to go, he said.
The Urbana location was found after looking at other sites with the help of the General Services Administration, Zielinski said. The building was constructed to use 30 percent less energy than the typical data center, he said, with LED lighting, a dedicated substation and an efficient heating and cooling system.
Initially, $500 million had been budgeted for construction, with the funding coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Zielinski said. He was unsure of the building's total cost, but he said it came in under budget.
The center could support up to 200 employees, but Zielinski said only employees who need to work with the machinery will be there on a daily basis.
Acting SSA Commissioner Carolyn W. Colvin spoke at Monday's ceremony, saying she was thrilled by the finished product.
"I'm sure you will agree with me that this is a beautiful, up-to-date, energy-efficient facility," Colvin said.
The building was completed three months ahead of schedule, according to Norman Dong, GSA public buildings service coordinator. He said it was the perfect example of GSA's strong relationship with SSA.
"I can think of no other agency that touches our country as closely or as importantly," Dong said of SSA. "It is a great project that we all are proud of."
Commissioner Billy Shreve represented Frederick County at the event. He said he was familiar with the location because his grandparents used to operate a dairy farm in Urbana.
The new center is a plus for the county because it will bring in advanced technology and new jobs, Shreve said.
"To everyone out here who drives here," he said, "you should think about buying a house."
©2014 The Frederick News-Post (Frederick, Md.)
