Former Master Lock Campus Sold for $2.6 Million, Redevelopment Plans Announced

The former Master Lock manufacturing campus in Milwaukee has been sold to St. Louis-based Commercial Development Co. (CDC) for $2.6 million, with plans to redevelop the 26-acre property for industrial uses such as manufacturing, warehousing, and storage. The facility, which includes over 780,000 square feet of space across multiple buildings, was shuttered in early 2024 after more than 80 years of operation, resulting in hundreds of job losses. CDC executives stated that acquiring the site is the first step toward restoring it to productive use and believe the campus's features, such as large single-story spaces with high ceilings and secure fencing, will attract a range of industrial tenants. The sale also included machinery and equipment left at the site. Master Lock, once a major Milwaukee employer, closed the campus as part of a broader consolidation under its parent company, Fortune Brands Innovations. The redevelopment is expected to bring new opportunities and potential economic revitalization to the area.