Norfolk Southern’s ‘smart’ headquarters relocation

With its corporate headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia and its operations and technology teams in Atlanta, Georgia, Norfolk Southern recognized the need to bring all of its functions together in one place to be more agile and work across organizational boundaries. Midtown Atlanta was identified as the site of a new state-of-the-art, collaborative, urban campus headquarters that would foster collaboration and innovation.

Norfolk Southern selected JLL as their project manager to deliver the new project and help create a technology-enabled workplace that fosters the ultimate employee experience. The JLL team adapted to challenges as they emerged, leading the project through the rapidly changing dynamics of the pandemic.

Norfolk Southern wanted to relocate its Virginia-based employees and those already in Atlanta, with a goal of occupying the new building by Q3 of 2021. With that very aggressive schedule, JLL identified a number of proactive initiatives, including facilitating critical collaboration between the core & shell and interior contractors, early vendor procurement and identifying critical work that would keep the project on schedule.

Together with Norfolk Southern and a master systems integrator (MSI), JLL championed an integrated, end-to-end Smart Building technology effort that combines intelligent, automated and highly efficient building systems with customized employee and enterprise applications. With employee engagement, collaboration and health and well-being as critical points of focus, Norfolk Southern’s smart building mobile app was designed exclusively for their employees to manage their day-to-day interactions with the new headquarters space. Employees can move freely and work throughout the building without feeling tethered to their desks, utilizing the app to make room reservations, as well as for food ordering, parking, facilities requests, mobile credentials and fitness.

Targeting LEED NC Gold Certification, the new headquarters also includes health and wellness features such as sit/stand workstations, a fitness center, healthy food options and generous access to greenspace and daylight. The company held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new building on November 10, 2021, recognizing the JLL team for their integral collaboration and contributions.