For the survival of rural communities and their citizens, a strong sense of place, vital resources, focused leadership, and commitment are critical. What are the underlying characteristics that sustain and help in a rural community’s survival? Rural communities are vital because they bring about diversity and change from the demanding and often overburdening large city. Large numbers of the population make up small rural communities, and the extinction of these communities would be detrimental. Society must become more aware of the advantages and characteristics which make up rural communities, to help aid in their survival. The mixed-use building typology was investigated and researched to be found as a viable resource for sustaining a rural community. Learning about the communities for which we design is critical to the success of good design. A number of characteristics of the citizen influence the sustainability of a rural community. This thesis examines how citizens of rural communities directly influence the success and sustainability of the communities in which they live. The users of the project include community members, visitors, and tourists. Within the project, some major project elements become evident. These include a banquet hall, a small hotel, a restaurant, and 4 retail spaces. Calculating these major project spaces and the support spaces, the overall building square footage is 47,596 square feet. The site chosen for the thesis was located in the small west-central town of Glenwood, Minnesota. It is situated on the shore of Lake Minnewaska. The major project emphasis is to create a project which provides a small community with a mixed-use facility. A strong desire to investigate how rural communities sustain themselves also became apparent. Documentation will occur through a strict regimen to provide for proper design decisions. These decisions will also be impacted through the intensive research which is obtained through a mixed methods approach using a Concurrent Transformative Strategy. Making others more aware of the importance of sustaining existing rural communities is critical. The meaning of the research the thesis project is to inform others about the current situation and importance of change.