Wayne Halfway House, Inc. Leads Reinvigoration of Historic Downtown Waynesboro

Owner-operator of businesses based in Waynesboro reinvests in community, revitalizing 33,000+ square feet around the town’s historic Public Square

Submitted by WHH; left image taken pre-construction in 2023, right image is an artist rendering of new Wayne Halfway House, Inc. headquarters on Waynesboro’s historic Public Square 

Waynesboro, Tenn. – Wayne Halfway House, Inc. (WHH) has acquired six vacant properties on Waynesboro’s historic Public Square with plans to preserve and renovate them, turning them into an inviting, multifaceted corporate headquarters for the family-owned business group, which employs more than 700 individuals nationwide. Renovation of the first property is close to completion, and the company plans to move into its new corporate headquarters building by early September. 

The vision underscores WHH’s commitment to the Waynesboro community, investing in local properties and creating well-paying job opportunities for area residents. In addition to its portfolio of juvenile facilities which are focused on positive rehabilitation, WHH’s locally owned and operated businesses include C&B Linen, a commercial linen and cleaning supply service, and RaeKar, a trash-hauling and dumpster-rental firm. 

“Waynesboro represents the best of small-town Tennessee living,” said Jason Crews, CEO of WHH. “Investing back into the community we love not only makes good business sense, but it also makes Waynesboro an even more attractive place to live and work. ‘Main Streets’ across the country are disappearing. We’re making sure ours is not only preserved but is set up to thrive for generations to come. It’s an honor to bring these historic buildings back to life, preserving Waynesboro’s history and offering an exciting future where people can find opportunities and take pride in their hometown.” 

The six properties, located on Public Square South, High Street and Jones Lane, total 33,400 square feet of space. The 9,600-square-foot building at 106 Public Square South will open later this summer as a new executive office building for the fast-growing businesses. 203 South High Street will be developed into a corporate staff building, and the building comprising 124, 126 and 132 High Street will become a flexible staff space that will include a cafeteria, gym and recreation/event spaces. Once those properties are completed, a 7,608-square-foot building at 106 Jones Lane will be developed into an employee training center.  

Beyond the downtown square, WHH Inc. also owns a large campus on Andrew Jackson Drive that houses Wayne Youth Academy and Hollis Academy, as well as the rebuilt and expanded C&B Linen facility, which reopened in June after a devastating fire last summer. Construction is also underway on another facility at Andrew Jackson Drive that will house a gym and classroom complex to serve the youth academies. 

C&B’s strategic location allows it to create additional workforce opportunities, partnering with the neighboring youth homes to provide employment and skilled training to residents — job experience they can build on to create a better future once they return to the community. 

WHH works closely with city and county leadership on a number of initiatives to engage the community, including organizing and sponsoring Waynesboro’s annual Fourth of July event, which this year drew more than 3,000 people to the area.  

About Wayne Halfway House, Inc.  

Wayne Halfway House, Inc. began serving children in 1992 with a 16-bed facility in Waynesboro, Tennessee. They have since expanded to serve youth at six residential facilities in Tennessee and three in Florida, with a daily capacity of 440 youth in residential facilities and community settings. The corporate management team has more than 85 years’ experience in child welfare and juvenile justice. WHH provides strong corporate oversight to ensure consistent, high levels of service, and employees are trained to be positive role models for the resident population. Through constant effort and encouragement, WHH residents receive life-changing education and skills training to drive their personal success once they reintegrate into the community.