The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is packing up its longtime St. Francis base and heading to Oak Creek, announcing Wednesday that it will relocate its central offices to the former Master Lock headquarters on South Howell Avenue. The move will shrink the church’s administrative footprint, shift dozens of staff out of the Mary Mother of the Church Pastoral Center in St. Francis, and pull key operations together under one roof in a modern office building. Plans also call for a private chapel inside the revamped space, with staff moves beginning in phases this fall and a blessing of the chapel and building expected in spring 2027.
New Home And What It Contains
The archdiocese’s new home is the roughly 120,000-square-foot former Master Lock headquarters at 6744 S. Howell Avenue in Oak Creek. A LoopNet listing puts the building at about 120,882 square feet and notes the site spans roughly 26 acres. The archdiocese laid out the acquisition details and renovation plans in a news release from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
How Master Lock's Exit Opened The Door
Master Lock shut down its Oak Creek corporate office in 2025 as part of a consolidation by its parent company, a move that affected roughly 120 employees, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. The headquarters then sat vacant before the property changed hands; the Milwaukee Business Journal reported the site sold late last year.
Why The Archdiocese Is Downsizing
The archdiocese says shifting into a smaller, newer building will cut operating costs while bringing staff closer together to support collaboration across parishes, schools and ministries. “This decision reflects our commitment to responsible stewardship and to the long-term mission of the Church,” Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob said in the archdiocese’s news release. Leaders also plan to review what comes next for the current St. Francis campus and will evaluate potential future uses for that property.
Timeline And Who Moves
Renovations at the Oak Creek building begin immediately, and staff will relocate in phases starting this fall, according to the archdiocese. A formal blessing of the building and chapel is slated for spring 2027. The move will involve about 235 employees, including administrative staff and workers for archdiocesan agencies such as Seton Catholic Schools and Catholic Charities, according to reporting by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
