New development company behind project on Williams Drive in Georgetown

Wilkes said Savvy has owned the Williams Drive property for about a year and half.

During that time, the company sold 9 of its 24 acres to Georgetown real estate company Novak Brothers, which plans to build a 216-unit apartment community on the site, he said. Novak is scheduled to begin construction Oct. 28.

Additionally, Savvy sold one other piece of the site to Culver’s, which will break ground on its restaurant and frozen custard concept in December, Wilkes said.

The development company has completed 40% of an extension to Verde Vista. The project, which started at the end of May and is projected to be finished by early September, will connect the existing road to Williams Drive.

In their own words

Wilkes said the city has expressed excitement about the upcoming road extension.

“The city believes it will be a fairly significant traffic relief for people trying to avoid the light at Williams [and] Shell/DB Wood,” he said.

Although there were initial concerts about the large tract of land being developed, Savvy Development met with the nearby Heritage Oaks homeowners association to come up with a vision for the project.

“We were able to kind of calm those fears right away by saying, ‘We want to develop something you guys are proud of,’” Wilkes said. “We really worked hand in hand with the association to make sure it wasn’t going to be something residents were irritated about.”

What to expect

That vision ultimately includes restaurants and retail on the frontage road of Williams Drive with office space in the back, although Wilkes said the market will drive the final product.

Additionally, he said Savvy Development is open to selling the remaining five parcels of land that make up the site or developing them itself.

Travis Wilkes co-founded Savvy Development alongside Ken Schiller, Jillian Foley and Kristopher Johnston. The company moved into its corporate headquarters at 551 S. I-35, Ste. 325, Round Rock, on July 1.