ATLANTA, Georgia (From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) -- WestRock is leaving its longtime Norcross campus for one near Sandy Springs, the company announced Thursday.

It plans to relocate about 800 employees to a 180,000-square-foot facility at Northpark Town Center, a tower complex near Ga. 400 and Abernathy Road that's not far from the Sandy Springs MARTA station.

The latter was a key draw, officials said.

"This office will provide additional space for growth for our team and will enable us to enhance collaboration by co-locating key functions," WestRock CEO Steve Voorhees said in a news release. "Access to MARTA and key transportation hubs will also benefit our employees in the region."

Senior leadership, corporate support functions and commercial teams will relocate, WestRock said. The company plans to leave its longtime home on Norcross' Thrasher Street, but will maintain another office in the city, as well as locations in nearby Duluth and in Richmond, Virginia, officials said.

The move is planned to begin in "late fall" and should be complete by spring 2018, a WestRock spokesman said.

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