The commercial strip along Ennis Ave. between Downtown and Interstate 45 was hit by an EF1 tornado in the tornado outbreak of May 15–17, 2013, rendering four homes uninhabitable and damaging as many as 55 businesses. The damage caused by the tornado impacted the National Register Historic District and many other businesses in town, with some of the historic downtown buildings facing demolition. However, the demolition of these historic buildings were opposed by local community leaders and activists. As a result, these damaged buildings were sold by the city to developers with the intention of repairing the buildings and revitalizing the neglected Downtown Historical District. These revitalization plans were implemented in the Downtown Comprehensive Plan, and the city was re-admitted to the Texas Main Street Program in January 2015. Today, almost all of the buildings pending demolition have since been rebuilt and renovated, and revitalization efforts have encouraged the startup of new businesses and festivals in the historic district.