Located at the corner of 4th and West Streets in downtown Madison, Indiana, this infill project introduces three mixed use buildings to a former car dealership parking lot. The primary challenge involved activating a prominent vacant gap within a National Historic Landmark District while respecting the established scale and architectural language of the area. We reimagined the traditional shotgun house typology by stretching it vertically into a three story format that maintains the district’s characteristic narrow lot patterns. Each 5,600 square foot building houses a street facing commercial space and five residential units designed with large windows to pull light deep into the long footprints. We tucked all surface parking at the rear of the site to ensure the sidewalk remains pedestrian friendly and the primary facades engage directly with the urban edge. This development transforms a leftover site into a functional community hub that provides new housing and retail options within the historic downtown core.