Trucking Firm Buys Snap-on Building

By Deneen Smith
Kenosha News

JHT Holdings is consolidating its operations into one building, moving management of all of its subsidiaries into the former Snap-on Inc. headquarters in Pleasant Prairie.

The trucking firm, which operates five separate companies, wants to consolidate management of all of those operations into one building, said Frank Pacetti, JHT's executive vice president.

The company is currently based from five buildings, three in Kenosha and two in Missouri. Bringing all the operations into a single headquarters will make the operation more efficient, Pacetti said.

About 200 people will work at the headquarters when the move is complete.

"We certainly wanted to stay in Kenosha. Our firm has had a commitment to Kenosha since 1933, and we certainly call this home," Pacetti said.

Snap-on had moved out of its former headquarters building in Pleasant Prairie about two years ago, moving its top management back to its offi ces at 2801 80th St. in Kenosha.

The tool maker made the move as part of a cost-savings initiative, and to improve com munication and effi ciency at the management level, the company said at the time. The company built the headquarters in 1994, said Snap-on spokesman Rick Secor.

The building, on 8.5 wooded acres at 10801 Corporate Drive in LakeView Corporate Park, has been vacant since Snap-on moved out in 2005.

According to the records from the Kenosha County Register of Deeds offi ce, Snap-on sold the building for $4.9 million, less than the $5.02 million assessed value for the property. The headquarters had been assessed for as much as $5.3 million in 2004.

JHT had initially leased the building in late 2006.

"The building is exceptionally attractive, an attractive building in an attractive setting," Pacetti said.

But Pacetti said JHT is doing some remodeling before moving in. The company plans to enclose the ground-fl oor covered parking structure in the building into additional office space. The headquarters is currently 36,300 square feet, the extra space will add another 15,000.

With the elimination of the covered parking, JHT will also have to build a parking lot in the grassy area to the west of the building.

The company will delay moving into the building until construction is complete.

Currently JHT is operating in four separate facilities in Kenosha. The company owns two of those buildings, including for former First National Bank Building on the corner of Sixth Avenue and 56th Street downtown. The company also owns a garage building on 39th Avenue.

Pacetti said JHT will look for buyers for those buildings.

Snap-on is also working on improvements at its headquarters.

Since moving back Snap-on has been renovating and modernizing the 80th Street offi ces. "Initially we've taken down a lot of walls inside the building, and created a much more open environment with much more natural light," Secor said.

The company is now working on an outdoor courtyard for employees, and plans to add walking paths and other improvements.