Foot Locker leases space for St. Pete headquarters 

Athletic apparel conglomerate Foot Locker has secured 110,998 square feet of Class A office space in north St. Petersburg to house its global headquarters, and 150 new high-paying jobs.

The Feil Organization, a national real estate investment firm, announced the critical step in Foot Locker’s relocation process Monday morning. City officials expect the company’s move from Manhattan to create $18 million in new local salaries.

Foot Locker will occupy the first, third and fourth floors at 570 Carillon Parkway in St. Petersburg’s business-centric Gateway area. Mayor Ken Welch said his administration was “thrilled” to hear the much-anticipated announcement.

“When a Fortune 500 company relocates its headquarters, its leadership and its team members to the Tampa Bay region, it’s an investment in the promise of St. Pete’s culture, workforce and local economy,” Welch said in a prepared statement. “As we continue our support of Foot Locker’s transition to our city, we remain committed to sustaining an impactful business environment so companies of all sizes can call St. Petersburg home.”

The office building at 570 Carillon Pkwy. Photo: Loopnet.

Built in 1998, the five-story building in the Carillon Business Park features 250,000 square feet of office space. Feil acquired 570 Carillon for $36.8 million in 2019.

Foot Locker will become St. Petersburg’s third Fortune 500 company. The other two, Raymond James Financial and Jabil, also call the Gateway District home.

Feil has extensively renovated 570 Carillon’s lobby and common areas. The building – near walking trails, restaurants and the mixed-use Echelon City Center project – features a cafe, fitness center and 24-hour access.

Foot Locker is familiar with the area. The company operates a corporate office about two miles away at 140 Fountain Pkwy N.

Local stakeholders have already met Foot Locker’s new president. Frank Bracken, then-executive vice president, was the St. Petersburg Economic Development Corporation’s (EDC) keynote speaker for its eighth annual meeting in February.

Bracken told attendees that Foot Locker could serve as a “beacon to attract talent.” He reiterated that belief Monday and credited the city for its warm welcome.

“We’re proud to establish our new headquarters in St. Petersburg,” Bracken said. “With many of our team members already calling this city home, we’re excited to deepen our roots, foster connectivity and create greater alignment and inspiration for our team and brand partners to bring sneaker culture to life.”

Foot Locker announced its move from Manhattan in August 2024. The city council approved a $475,000 incentive package in October.

Brian Caper, the city’s economic development director, said he expected Foot Locker to put $20 million toward capital improvements. The incentive package requires the retailer to create 150 net new jobs with an average annual salary of $120,000, which would generate $18 million in earnings.

Caper believes those jobs will indirectly generate a $5.04 million economic impact. Councilmember Brandi Gabbard lauded the city’s return on investment.

“New York City is a tough place to do business,” Bracken said at the meeting. “We really think we can be sort of a big fish in a little bit of a smaller pond – all due respect communicated here.”

Frank Bracken, president of Foot Locker, addresses a sold-out crowd at the St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corporation’s annual meeting in February. Photo by Mark Parker.

Bracken said the company would fill roles in merchandising, financial planning, accounting, supply chain logistics, digital commerce and data analytics. “All the core functions of our company are going to be needed.”

Foot Locker’s 147,000-square-foot Manhattan office currently houses about 150 people. The company will maintain a minimal presence in New York City.

Caper expects some employees to begin relocating this summer. The St. Petersburg headquarters should be operational by the fall.

Feil called the new lease “long-term” in its announcement. While Foot Locker has 10 years to meet the incentive package’s stipulations, Caper said officials “fully expect they will do that much sooner.”