Construction firm planning new Noblesville facility

Out of space at its Noblesville offices, Elkhart-based LeMaster Steel Erectors plans to invest nearly $1.2 million to accommodate its growing Hamilton County operation.

Parent company LSE Managers Group LLC already has an offer on its existing building at 15249 Stony Creek Way, and it’s seeking a property tax break on a 10,625-square-foot facility it wants to erect at 17540 Kraft Court.

The new structure, in the city’s Pleasant Street Commercial Park east of State Road 37, would include 3,000 square feet of office space (up from the current 1,200 square feet), outdoor storage and an indoor repair shop for construction equipment.

Noblesville Common Council on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to a two-year tax phase in for the property, which would save the company about $37,300. It would sill pay about $12,500 in taxes with the abatement. Members will vote again after a public hearing Jan. 28.

LeMaster President Jim Bigler said the company is ready to start building and hopes to move in July or August. Its staff of 48 has nearly doubled since the end of 2010, and he expects to continue growing.

“We are out of office space,” he said. “We need to move.”

To sweeten the deal, the company promised to add five positions by 2017, with average compensation of $35,000 including benefits. Existing positions pay about $45,000.

LSE Managers Group expects to spend about $220,000 for two acres of land, $830,000 to build the facility and $100,000 to equip it.

The company explored other central Indiana locations that were less expensive, but Bigler said officials would like to keep the operation in Noblesville. LeMaster opened its office there nearly 30 years ago.