Level I: Walnut Building
11-B-25-DT
Approve Subject To Conditions
Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of Certificate 11-B-22-DT, subject to one condition:1) Submit details of the internal illumination for review and approval by Planning staff.
Applicant Request
Level I: Signs- Installation of two internally illuminated wall signs, two internally illuminated projecting signs, and one non-illuminated wall sign. The illuminated wall signs feature blue and white square-shaped logos and white channel letters with 5" returns. The double-sided illuminated projecting signs have a depth of 1'-10" and primarily include white logos and texts on a blue background.
- Walnut Avenue Elevation: A projecting sign measuring 2'-8.3" wide by 11'-7.13" tall (31.21 sq ft) will be installed with lag bolts on the fourth-story brick wall on the right side. The sign will be 32'-0" above the ground. Additionally, a non-illuminated wall sign, measuring 1'-5" wide by 1'-6" tall, will be installed on the southernmost column of the ground-floor storefront, at a height of 4'-3" above the grade.
- Church Avenue Elevation: A projecting sign measuring 4'-7" wide by 2'-8.5" tall (12.41 sq ft) is to be installed with lag bolts at the Walnut Street corner of the building. The sign will be 11'-10" above grade. In addition, an internally illuminated wall sign measuring 18'-7.22" wide by 3'-6.5" tall (65.88 sq ft) will be mounted with studs on the wall between the second- and third-story windows.
- East Elevation: An internally illuminated wall sign measuring 13'-11.31" wide by 16'-0.1" tall (223.19 sq ft) to be mounted with studs on the wall between the eighth and ninth stories. The top of the sign will be aligned with the top of the ninth-story windows.
- NOTE: The Board denied the request for the above mentioned projecting sign on the Church Avenue Elevation at the Walnut Street corner of the building (sign #3 on the plan).
Property Notes / Work to be Completed
- Project History: The Design Review Board reviewed the exterior rehabilitation and signage proposal for this project in April 2022 (4-E-22-DT), with two revisions for the exterior rehabilitation (6-B-23-DT and 12-A-23-DT). The previous sign proposal included two wall signs on the Walnut Street Elevation, and one wall sign and one projecting sign on the Church Avenue elevation. The applicant is now proposing three wall signs and two projecting signs, and the location and size of these differ from those approved previously.
- Staff Analysis: Overall, the proposal meets the intent of the design guidelines by providing the recommended sign types for the grid subdistrict. While the proposed signs are somewhat larger in scale, they are proportionate to the building and the wall surfaces where they will be placed. The guidelines recommend projecting signs with a maximum size of 9 sq ft; however, the Board has the authority to approve larger signs. The previous approval also included large wall signs.
- The plans do not include any sectional drawings highlighting the mounting and illumination method. These details should be provided for review. The Board should also discuss the width of the projecting signs.
Applicable Guidelines
Downtown Design Guidelines
See Guidelines- B. The Traditional Grid District
- 1. Recommended Signs
- These recommendations for signs in the traditional grid district recognize that certain types of signs are more pedestrian-friendly and should be encouraged within the grid district.
- 1a. Wall signs on sign boards that are above a transom or first story and mounted flush to the building façade.
- 1b. Projecting signs of modest size (9 square feet, maximum); a larger sign must be approved by the board.
- B. The Traditional Grid District
Meeting Date
November 19, 2025
Walnut Building
706 Walnut St. 37902
DK-G (Downtown Knoxville, Grid Subdistrict)
