Demolition begins on Gatesville courthouse square after March fire

Crews began tearing down the fire-damaged buildings on Gatesville’s courthouse square, marking the first major step toward reopening a downtown block that has stayed shut since the March blaze. The work started in the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 16, and city officials said the priority now is to clear the rubble, remove the fencing and restore access to the square.

Because asbestos was present in some of the buildings, the contractor used a wet demolition method, spraying debris to keep dust down and protect air quality. The work required a state abatement permit before the City of Gatesville could issue its demolition permit, a reminder that the cleanup is moving through a regulatory process as well as a physical one.

Rexall Demolition and Construction Company of McGregor is doing the job, hired by the three property owners. City Manager Brad Hunt said the original target had been to have the two end buildings finished by July 1, but he said there was no reason to rush the work if it created safety problems or slowed the overall recovery. That timeline leaves the square in a careful holding pattern: the demolition must be completed before the fencing can come down and downtown traffic can move more freely again.

The fire that set off the long recovery was first reported about 6:50 p.m. on Monday, March 16, 2026, on the southwest corner of the square in the 100 block of South Sixth Street near the Coryell County Sheriff’s Office. It burned into the morning of March 17 and destroyed four historic buildings: The Gatesville Messenger, Leaird’s Furniture, A Freedom Bail Bonds and Davidson Chiropractic. Three firefighters were injured with minor smoke inhalation, and Coryell County issued a local disaster declaration that was later extended on March 24 for 35 days.

The demolition carries extra weight because it is taking place in the heart of the Gatesville Downtown Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in early 2026. The district covers 12 blocks and 87 resources, and the Coryell County Courthouse, dating to 1897-98, anchors the square. Leaird’s traces its roots to 1898, while The Gatesville Messenger dates to 1887 and lost archived newspapers in the fire.

State fire investigators said the blaze originated in The Gatesville Messenger building and ruled out criminal intent or other intentional cause, though the exact cause remains under investigation. For now, the most visible sign of progress is the removal of charred walls and debris, a sign that Gatesville is moving from emergency response toward the harder work of rebuilding one of its most important public spaces.