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Editor's note: This article has been edited to correct the spelling of a name.
Delightful Development purchased the Williamson County historic jail site Feb. 10, following approval from county commissioners.
“We've had a variety of interest in [the site], and it's near and dear to our hearts as well as, I think, a lot of people in Georgetown—a lot of people across the county as well,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Russ Boles said.
The details
Delightful Development co-founder Craig Cavileer told county commissioners the team doesn’t have a specific plan for the site yet but expects to incorporate a restaurant and hotel in a mixed-use development. The design will include the historic jail building, Cavileer said.
“The opportunity there to incorporate an adaptive reuse of that historic jail and the site is why we're here. ... The charm that that brings to it and the history and legacy is what's most exciting to us,” Cavileer said.
The developer will work with the city of Georgetown to develop the site following the sale, County Judge Steve Snell said.
Some context
In November 2024, Williamson County began deconstructing the nonhistoric additions near the jail site at 102 W. Third St., and stripping the jail interior in order to repurpose the site and sell it.
“We knocked down everything that wasn't historic ... and I'm real glad that there's an option for moving forward with what I call the castle, the historic jail that's over 100 years old, to remain,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey said.
Georgetown City Council approved a rezoning request from the county Jan. 27, allowing for the following uses:
The history
The Williamson County Jail was built in 1888 and served as the county’s primary jail until 1989. It was then adapted for county and professional offices.
County officials stopped using the historic jail in 2020 due to safety concerns.
