Level III: Old City Apartments
12-C-24-DT
Approve Subject To Conditions
Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of Certificate 12-C-24-DT, subject to the following conditions: 1) final elevation drawings and site plan to meet relevant standards of City Engineering and Zoning code; 2) signage to return to the DRB as a separate application.Applicant Request
Level III: Mixed-use, five-story building with retail space and apartments- SUMMARY: Proposed new, five-story, mixed-use building (four stories of residential apartments above one story of retail and residential along Morgan Street). The mixed-use building fronts Morgan Street on an irregularly-shaped site, measuring approximately 112'-5" along Morgan Street and 73'-2.25" along the rear (northwest) property line, fronting the rail line.
- SITE LAYOUT AND ACCESS: One pedestrian entry of storefront systems provides access on the Morgan Street elevation, with two pedestrian entries accessing the retail space on the south elevation. The south elevation fronts a patio which extends towards Jackson Avenue.
- DESIGN ELEMENTS: The flat-roof building is clad in brick of multiple colors on all elevations, featuring a bays of ribbed-pattern brick cladding between window bays. Black fiber cement panels also adjoin some windows on the upper levels.
- The Morgan Street elevation, moving north to south, features one bay of brick solider-course with a building logo and cantilever light fixtures above the signage. A storefront entry system provides access to the residential portion of the building, followed by three bays of full-light storefront windows. On the south elevation, another bay of full-light storefront systems provides access to the retail space. Windows are evenly arranged single- and double-light panes for the upper stories.
Property Notes / Work to be Completed
- 1. SITE: The building is proposed for a triangular-shaped parcel adjacent to James White Parkway on the east, the railroad on the north, and Morgan Street on the west. The site has served as surface parking since an industrial building on the site was demolished in approximately 2005. The property is zoned DK-W (Warehouse district, "characterized by a mix of retail and warehouse/industrial uses in historically significant structures," with "standards intended to reinforce the existing built character of the subdistrict"). The adjacent block is characterized by 2- to 3-story brick masonry buildings which belong to the Southern Terminal and Warehouse Historic District. The parcel is outside of, but close to, the National Register Historic District. On the other side of James White Parkway is the contemporary mixed-use stadium development.
- 2. PARKING: the building does not contain additional parking. The project is proposed by the same architects and property owners as the associated seven-story structured parking garage with retail/residential on the parcel adjacent to the southwest.
- 3. MASSING AND SCALE: the guidelines recommend maintaining a pedestrian-scaled environment from block to block, along with dividing buildings into "modules" similar in scale to traditional downtown buildings with a recognizable base, middle, and top. The five-story building features a clear lower level oriented towards pedestrian access and the patio that fronts Jackson Avenue, with a top defined by a bay of brick veneer and a parapet.
- 4. PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE: guidelines encourage incorporating first-floor uses that are open to pedestrians and draw walk-in traffic. The project includes public spaces along Morgan Street, with retail accessing a patio that covers the south corner of the property. The patio features landscape planting along the Jackson Ave elevation that enhances the overall streetscape and draws pedestrian interest.
- 5. MATERIALS: guidelines recommend the use of building materials that "relate to the scale, durability, color, and texture of the predominate building materials in the area." The surrounding area is characterized largely by brick masonry structures, and the building incorporates brick cladding in multiple patterns and shades on all elevations of the building. The brick masonry-clad building compliments the existing character of the area.
- 6. MECHANICAL: Guidelines recommend minimizing the visual impact of mechanical equipment through screens and recessed equipment, placing rooftop areas within parapet walls and screens, and recessing mechanical functions to the rear of buildings. As depicted, the proposed designs meet the design guidelines. Mechanical equipment will need to meet the standards of Article 10.3.T.2.
- 7. SIGNS: the signs depicted on the elevation drawings do not contain sufficient information for Board review at this time; a separate signage application should be submitted to the DRB for further review.
- 8. Drawings note that "all graphics are preliminary and the design is subject to change." Major modifications would require further design review by the DRB.
- 9. All relevant variances from the DK zoning standards, driven by the irregular shape of the site and the nature of the project, have been secured from the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Applicable Guidelines
Downtown Design Guidelines
See Guidelines- 3. Parking Facilities
- 3a. Create parking garages that do not contain blank walls. Allow for future commercial uses that may not be feasible at the time of construction. 3b. Locate parking garages under structures, or provide for retail, residential or office uses that line the garage. Corner locations are preferable for commercial uses.
- 3g. Access to parking garages should not limit options for future development of contiguous or adjoining space, especially on corners.
- Building Mass, Scale, and Form
- 1a. Maintain a pedestrian-scaled environment from block to block.
- 1b. Foster air circulation and sunlight penetration around new buildings. Buildings may be designed with open space, as allowed under existing DK zoning; or buildings may be 'stepped back' on upper floors with lower floors meeting the sidewalk edge.
- 1c. Use building materials, cornice lines, signs, and awnings of a human scale in order to reduce the mass of buildings as experienced at the street level.
- 1d. Divide larger buildings into 'modules' that are similar in scale to traditional downtown buildings. Buildings should be designed with a recognizable base, middle, and top on all exposed elevations.
- 1e. Avoid blank walls along street-facing elevations
- Building Location
- 2a. Set buildings back five feet in order to provide wider sidewalk space when new construction in non-historic areas is to be more than half the length of the block.
- 2b. Consider using landscape elements to define the sidewalk edge where a building is to be set back from the sidewalk.
- 2c. Maintain sight lines to historic buildings that were originally located in an open setting, providing setbacks for new buildings next to historic structures in order to preserve views.
- 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.
- 2e. Design private plazas to be pedestrian-friendly. Provide human-scale amenities and include landscaping.
- Building Materials
- 3a. Use complimentary materials and elements, especially next to historic buildings.
- 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.
- 4c. Scale first floor signs to pedestrians.
- 4d. Differentiate the architectural features of ground floors from upper floors with traditional considerations such as show-windows, transoms, friezes, and sign boards.
- 4e. Design top floors to enhance the skyline of the block through cornices and details that are harmonious with adjacent architecture.
- 4f. Encourage the use of 'green roofs' and other sustainable practices, while minimizing the visual impact from the street.
- Ground Floor Doors and Windows
- 5a. Use consistent rhythm of openings, windows, doorways, and entries.
- 5b. Orient primary front entrances to the main street; secondary entrances should be clearly defined and oriented to streets or alleys, as appropriate.
- 5c. Design entrances according to the proportions of the building's height and width.
- 5d. Consider corner entrances at the ends of blocks.
- 5e. All windows at the pedestrian level should be clear.
- 5f. Recess ground floor window frames and doors from the exterior building face to provide depth to the facade.
- Residential Buildings
- 6a. Elevate the first floor of townhouses and apartment buildings so that pedestrians cannot look directly into the residence from the sidewalk level.
- 6b. Design entrances to residential buildings so that access is separated from pedestrian flow on the sidewalk.
- 6c. Encourage the development of mixed-use buildings with apartments over lower story commercial uses.
- Mechanical Equipment and Service Utilities
- 7a. Minimize the visual impact of mechanical equipment through screens or recessed/ low-profile equipment.
- 7b. Do not locate units on a primary façade.
- 7c. Screen rooftop vents, heating/ cooling units and related utilities with parapet walls or other screens. Consider sound-buffering of the units as part of the design.
- 7d. Locate utility connections and service boxes on secondary walls.
- 7e. Reduce the visual impacts of trash storage and service areas by locating them at the rear of a building or off an alley, when possible.
- 7f. Screen dumpsters from view.
- New Construction Within or Adjacent to An Historic District or Building
- 10a. Maintain the setback of adjacent historic buildings. The height of the lower stories should be similar to adjacent historic buildings. Upper floors may be 'stepped back' behind the front facade.
- 10b. Duplicate the horizontal floor divisions of existing buildings.
- 10c. Design windows to be of similar proportions to the adjacent historic building windows.
- 10d. Use ornamental stone, brick work, and trim appropriate to the style of the infill building.
- 10e. Recognize the belt courses, strong courses, cornices, and other elements of adjacent buildings.
- 10f. Incorporate storefronts that complement the openness, bulkheads, and transoms of historic buildings.
Meeting Date
February 19, 2025
Old City Apartments
301 E. Jackson Ave.
DK-W (Downtown Knoxville, Warehouse)
Applicant / Owner
