In front of this government building is an octagonal sky-lit plaza, which acts as a welcome center to the tower. The steel frame has an elongated hexagonal shape that is tailored to shed wind load and turbulence; a wind tunnel test verified a reduction of the applied wind load by nearly 25% from code requirements. The sides of the steel tower are vertical trusses, which are the primary lateral load resistance system, of vast importance in this hurricane prone region of the country.