Norfolk Southern, joined by Georgia state and city leaders, held a March groundbreaking ceremony to launch construction of its new corporate headquarters building in Atlanta.
“This is an exciting day for Norfolk Southern: We break ground on a new headquarters building, and equally important, begin a new chapter of our railroad’s proud history in Atlanta,” said James A. Squires, chairman, president and chief executive officer. “Today, we celebrate the start of an exciting era of collaboration and alignment for the NS corporate team that will benefit our employees, our customers, our shareholders, and the communities we serve.”
Among state and local leaders joining Squires for the event were Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Both the state and the city worked closely with Norfolk Southern on development agreements that contributed to the company’s decision, announced in December, to relocate its corporate headquarters from Norfolk, Virginia, to Atlanta.
“I would like to thank CEO Jim Squires and the entire Norfolk Southern team on their decision to make Atlanta their new home,” said Mayor Bottoms. “This relocation is not only a testament to Atlanta’s thriving, inclusive business community and talented workforce; it exemplifies the power of public-private sector teamwork in our city. We look forward to continued work with the Norfolk Southern team as they begin to transition to Atlanta."
Norfolk Southern and Cousins Properties are designing a campus that reimagines the employee work environment and experience. Amenities to help employees thrive will include a vibrant on-site dining facility, an adjacent rooftop garden and private greenspace, a comprehensive fitness center, state-of-the-art conference and training facilities, on-site child-care, and a variety of individual and shared workspaces to serve employees’ diverse needs while promoting interaction and collaboration.
The headquarters site is in Tech Square, a hub of innovation, technology, and talent in the heart of Midtown Atlanta with close ties to Georgia Tech, a continual source of talent for Norfolk Southern’s management trainee program. In addition, with easy access to MARTA, highways in every direction, and a world-class airport, Norfolk Southern employees will be close to home, close to the Norfolk Southern rail network, and just a step from partners and customers in North America and across the globe.
Plans call for the building to be completed and occupied by Norfolk Southern in the third quarter of 2021.
The railroad’s relocation will bring approximately 850 jobs to Atlanta with an average salary of $105,000 and generate an economic impact of around $811 million for the region.