Victoria Preservation, Inc., a 501( c ) (3) non-profit organization, was established in 1980. One of our primary goals has been to make residents of Victoria County more aware of the value of our historic architecture to our city. The most visual aspect of our organization has been the historic homes tours we produce. This past year we held our twenty-sixth tour. Since our first tour in 1981 we have featured 149 historic homes and buildings. VPI spearheaded the restoration of the 1892 Victoria County Courthouse, partnering with Victoria County to do so. This was a $5.6 million project brought to a stunning conclusion in 2001, and resulted in a state-of-the-art facility which is a fully functional courthouse. Since 1992 VPI has given a total of 43 Incentive Grants for work on the exterior of historic structures. These grants total over $72,000. Another of our goals is the revitalization of the historic commercial district of our city. This work is ongoing, and VPI is working closely with the Victoria Main Street Program. We have given a total of 134 awards over the life of our organization. These awards were in the areas of preservation, restoration, adaptive use, rehabilitation, enhancement, block awards, and honor awards. Our recent Downtown Revitalization Awards recognize those who make a substantial investment in the commercial heart of our city.