Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of Certificate 1-B-26-DT, subject to the following condition.1) Sign to be placed centrally, maintaining equal distance from both sides of the sign board.
Applicant Request
Level I - Board Review: New Illuminated Sign- Removal of the existing wall sign and installation of a new wall sign measuring 23' wide by 3' tall (69 sq ft), featuring reverse (halo-lit) channel letters. The black, aluminum channel letters with 3" returns will be mounted on a 1.5" deep backer panel with a 2" standoff and reverse-lit using white LED strip lighting. The backer panel will be painted to match the building's exterior paint and attached to the sign board using 3/8" by 4" anchors at 30" intervals. The sign will be placed 14'-2" above ground level.
Property Notes / Work to be Completed
- The Design Review Board approved a reverse-lit wall sign for Woodruff's building in October 2025 (10-B-25-DT). The applicant now proposes to include a backer panel for the channel letters, which would reduce the number of wall penetrations.
- The Woodruff's building is a contributing structure to the Gay Street Commercial Historic District, so the Historic Resources section of the guidelines applies. The proposed 69-sq-ft sign is "below second-story windows on the sign board" and "proportional to the building where it will be installed," consistent with the guidelines.
- The guidelines discourage internally illuminated signs. However, the Board has approved such signs on a case-by-case basis. Furthermore, although the LED lighting strips are installed within the framework of the channel letters, halo illumination may be considered as a form of external illumination because the light source does not shine through the sign face. The lighting is directed in a way that creates silhouettes of the letters placed in front of the light.
Applicable Guidelines
Downtown Design Guidelines
See Guidelines- C. Historic Resources
- 7. Recommended Signs
- 7a. Locate signs above storefront windows, below second-story windows on the sign board, or on the storefront windows themselves (30% is maximum coverage), or off the front of the building as a projecting sign (maximum size: 9 square feet).
- 7b. Create signs that are proportional to the building where they are located.
- 7c. Do not light signs internally.
- C. Historic Resources
Meeting Date
January 21, 2026
Woodruff's Building
424 S. Gay St. 37902
DK-H (Downtown Knoxville, Historic Subdistrict)
Applicant
