OREANDA-NEWS. Norfolk Southern today announced that it will close its Roanoke office building at 110 Franklin Road SE later this year and relocate the functions currently housed there to Atlanta or Norfolk.

Approximately 500 people currently work in the building in marketing, accounting, information technology, and other departments. Affected employees will have the option of relocating with their positions.

The action is being taken to foster departmental synergies and to make better use of the company's real estate assets and support the company's goal of streamlining its management workforce. Norfolk Southern is in the final process of evaluating which positions will be relocated to its corporate headquarters in Norfolk, Va., or its operational headquarters in Atlanta, Ga. Some regionally oriented positions will remain in Roanoke but will move to other work locations in the area.

"This will not involve any involuntary force reductions, and we will provide substantial relocation packages for those who choose to relocate," said James A. Squires, Norfolk Southern president. "Norfolk Southern has been a proud corporate citizen of Roanoke for more than 130 years, and that will not change. While our profile may be reduced, Roanoke will remain a key location in our network, and we will remain engaged in the community."

Roanoke will remain the headquarters for Norfolk Southern's Virginia Division, and the company will continue operating a local switching yard and locomotive and car maintenance facilities at Shaffer's Crossing, and a locomotive overhaul and rebuilding facility in its East End Shops. In total, about 1,700 people currently work for Norfolk Southern in Roanoke.

The Roanoke office building was built in 1992 and consists of more than 203,000 square feet of office space. Disposition of the building will be determined at a later time.