Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of Certificate 10-C-26-DT, subject to the following condition:1) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City's Engineering Department and Urban Forestry Division.2) Submitting the signage package for consideration of approval by the Board under a separate application.
Applicant Request
Level II: Patio Addition and Minor Alteration- Installation of a new covered patio north of the McNutt-Burks building and minor modifications to the building exterior.
- Existing outdoor landscape beds and terraces will be partially replaced with a raised concrete slab (approximately 25' wide by 43' deep) accessible from the sidewalk along N Central Street. A metal shed roof (1:12 slope) supported by eight steel columns will be installed over the patio and connected to the existing exterior brick wall. A metal railing with mesh panels will be installed along the front (east) of the patio and along the northern property boundary. A concrete wall, approximately 3'-4" high and clad in Corten steel, will be installed along the north and west sides of the patio to separate an L-shaped landscape bed. Landscaping will be installed in the landscape bed and in decorative planters. The existing gravel next to the public sidewalk will be removed, and the sidewalk will be widened.
- The mural on the north elevation will be removed, and an existing window will be replaced with a glass door to provide patio access. On the front elevation, the existing garage door with glass panes will be painted, and the entrance door will be replaced with an accordion security gate, leading to a recessed entry vestibule with a double, full-lite entry door.
Property Notes / Work to be Completed
- This proposal is consistent with the design guideline recommendations.
- PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLIST SAFETY: Appropriate.
- DOWNTOWN BEAUTIFICATION: Appropriate. The existing public art will be removed, but the landscaped patio area will offer a more engaging pedestrian-oriented environment.
- BUILDING MASS, SCALE AND FORM: Appropriate.
- BUILDING LOCATION: Appropriate. Proposed grade separation is minimal.
- BUILDING MATERIALS: Appropriate.
- ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER: Appropriate. Although the glass panes in the garage door will be painted, the overall elevation will remain largely transparent.
- GROUND FLOOR DOORS AND WINDOWS: Appropriate. The accordion security gate will remain open during operating hours. There was similar gated access prior to the installation of the current entrance door around 2022.
Applicable Guidelines
Downtown Design Guidelines
See Guidelines- SECTION 1: A. PUBLIC REALM
- 1. PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLIST SAFETY
- 1b. Require sidewalks and crosswalks that are accessible to all and are aesthetically pleasing.
- 1c. Create standards for sidewalks (including size and materials) that establish a sense of visual continuity.
- 4. DOWNTOWN BEAUTIFICATION
- 4a. Foster downtown beautification with landscaping and plantings, public art, and public open space.
- B. PRIVATE REALM
- 1. BUILDING MASS, SCALE AND FORM
- 1a. Maintain a pedestrian-scaled environment from block to block.
- 1e. Avoid blank walls along street-facing elevations.
- 2. BUILDING LOCATION
- 2d. Limit grade separations above or below the sidewalk, generally no more than 3 feet. Allow for clear sightlines into and out of buildings and plazas.
- 3. BUILDING MATERIALS
- 3a. Use complimentary materials and elements, especially next to historic buildings.
- 4. ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
- 4a. Encourage first floor uses that draw walk-in traffic; businesses that do not require pedestrian traffic should be located on other floors.
- 4b. Enhance pedestrian interest in commercial and office buildings by creating a largely transparent and consistent rhythm of entrances and windows.
- 5. GROUND FLOOR DOORS AND WINDOWS
- 5a. Use consistent rhythm of openings, windows, doorways, and entries.
- 5f. Recess ground floor window frames and doors from the exterior building face to provide depth to the facade.
- SECTION 2: C. THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT
- Central Street, from Depot Avenue south to Summit Hill Drive: The Central Street section is composed of one- to two-story buildings that are unremarkable as individual buildings, but draw significance as a collection of commercial buildings that supported warehouse employees and visitors that arrived on the railroad. In the rehabilitation that occurred in the 1980s, details were added that are inappropriate (for instance, wrought iron balconies). Re-creation of the authentic architecture of such buildings is preferred and additional inappropriate details should be avoided. New construction in this area should focus on the storefront designs, masonry, window sizes, setbacks and massing that complement the historic buildings.
Meeting Date
October 21, 2026
Wooden City - Knoxville
309 N. Central St. 37917
DK-W (Downtown Knoxville, Warehouse Subdistrict)
