From Two Desks to a Warehouse: Accessible Housing's Next Chapter
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When David Gordon first sat down at StartingBlock Madison, he had one colleague, a growing portfolio of rental properties, and an idea that would quietly reshape how Madison thinks about accessible living. Today, as CEO of Accessible Housing, he's packing up that desk, and many others, not because things didn't work out, but because they worked out almost too well.
"It's bittersweet," Gordon admits with a laugh.Â
Accessible Housing specializes in building and modifying homes for people who need mid-fill accessible housing. This is a major niche that sits at the intersection of construction, community care, and smart urban development. Gordon started by buying houses to rent, stumbled into accessibility modifications, and never looked back. "Never thought I'd have a construction company and get this far," he says.
From two people to a team of ten, Accessible Housing has modified 70 homes across Madison. One of Gordon's proudest accomplishments has been building two-unit ADUs at a moment when Madison's zoning laws were just opening the door for that kind of development. Being first to market with that model wasn't just a business win. It meant community members got quality places to live sooner.
StartingBlock, Gordon says, was the right place to grow. The energy, the network, the connections to community leaders, it all added up. "Some of the nicest office space," he says, only half joking. "The competitors kind of get blown out of the water." He also appreciated something more practical: the rent. Which matters when you're a two-person operation trying to stretch every dollar into something real.
Looking Ahead: Plans for Growth and Innovation
But now Accessible Housing needs a warehouse. Somewhere to store materials, run a cost-effective construction operation, and house a team that has outgrown a coworking desk. Gordon is candid that it's in a worse location and the offices are "a little more sad." That honesty says something about what StartingBlock meant to the company's early years.
Leaving, though, doesn't mean disappearing forever. Gordon is quick to point out that Accessible Housing will remain woven into the fabric of downtown Madison involved with and working closely with local leadership. "We're still a big part of downtown," he says. The mission hasn't changed.
In five years, Gordon sees hundreds of units and a construction operation that runs efficiently, cost-effectively, and at scale. He wants Accessible Housing to be a permanent fixture in the community, not just a developer, but a neighbor.
For StartingBlock Madison, stories like David Gordon's are the whole point. Two people with a vision, a desk, and the right environment. A few years later, they have ten employees, 60-plus homes, and a warehouse to grow into.
That's not leaving. That's graduating.