Design Review Board
Level 2: Major alteration of an existing building/structure
2-B-22-DT
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of Certificate 2-B-22-DT, subject to the following conditions:
1) All windows at pedestrian level to be clear;
2) Meeting all relevant standards for exterior lighting in City zoning code;
3) Proposed metal canopy to meet standards in City zoning code (Article 10.3.F.2.a);
4) Finalized sign package to be re-submitted separately to Design Review Board for review.
Location 319 S. Gay St.
Applicant Request
Major exterior rehabilitation and new addition on fourth story (rooftop).
Exterior rehabilitation scopes include removing and replacing portions of the existing storefront on Wall Avenue and Gay Street elevations; replacement of windows on second and third floors; and cleaning and repair to existing brick, precast concrete elements (including precast concrete cornice and coping along primary roofline), and granite accents (including bulkheads, some storefront areas, and bases of columns). Brick to be stained a color to match existing granite accents. Existing metal decoration above transom windows to remain. Existing precast columns to remain, including corner column. Second and third-story windows to be single-light aluminum windows.
Gay Street elevation: portions of existing storefront to be removed to create two additional entries along Gay Street elevation - some sections of storefront to remain and be adjusted in width as necessary to accommodate adjacent new storefronts/doors. A flat metal canopy is centered over the primary entry on the Gay Street elevation, measuring approximately 5' by 28'-6" and located 12' above the sidewalk level.
Strong Street elevation: existing fenestrations to remain, windows to be replaced. Existing precast concrete panels between second and third stories to remain.
Addition: portions of existing mechanical penthouse will be removed for new rooftop addition. New fourth-story (rooftop) addition to measure approximately 113'-3.75" long along Gay Street elevation, including a 50'-4" long mechanical area and a 62'-9.74" long restaurant space. Addition will measure approximately 100' long along Wall Avenue. Addition will feature two bays of aluminum storefront systems along Gay Street and four along Wall Avenue, and a 5' deep cantilevered canopy wrapping around both elevations. The addition will be clad in prefinished, concealed fastener metal panels and trim with a low-slope, single-ply membrane roof on all roof sections not covered by the skylight. Centered on, and sloping towards, the Wall Avenue elevation is a single-pitch skylight system.
Staff Comments
319 S. Gay Street, while zoned DK-H, is not located within the Gay Street Commercial National Register Historic District so the Historic Resources section of the design guidelines does not apply.
Overall, the proposal meets the intent of the design guidelines. While sections of the original building were built prior to 1900, the building has had several exterior rehabilitation campaigns, most recently in 1984, so the proposal will not result in the modification or removal of any character-defining historic features.
The installation of additional storefronts and public uses on the first story will enhance pedestrian interest and engagement in the site. The proposal includes a "largely consistent rhythm of entrances and windows" recommended by the guidelines. The proposal retains the existing building's use of "traditional considerations such as show-windows, transoms, friezes, and signboards," differentiating the ground floor massing from the upper floors. Existing design elements in good condition will be retained, including the granite accents, precast concrete cornice and detailing, and decorative cast metal screening above transom windows. The entrances will be oriented towards the two main streets, with the primary entrance on Gay Street identified via a new projecting canopy and the secondary tenant spaces called out via signage on the sign boards. No new blank wall sections are created by the exterior rehabilitation scopes. While staining a historic brick would be discouraged, staining a 1980s brick veneer to be more compatible with existing granite elements is appropriate.
Removing an interior section and two storefronts at the corner of Gay Street and Wall Avenue to create recessed outdoor space will not result in the removal of any historic features and will activate that block's corner, generating additional interest and activity at the pedestrian level. Any encroachments to the public right-of-way are subject to City review and granting of easements.
The general placement of the proposed signage meets the design guidelines. While some signs may be approved on a staff level, new signs with illumination are required to be reviewed by the Design Review Board. The finalized sign package, including any illumination elements, should be re-submitted to staff or the DRB for review.
Lighting elements are not included in the current submission. Exterior lighting elements should meet the relevant standards of the zoning code (10.2). The proposed metal canopy along the Gay Street elevation should meet the City zoning code standards for awnings and marquees (10.3.F.2.a, related to vertical clearance above sidewalk and width across sidewalk).
Rooftop additions have typically been discouraged or denied on buildings listed as contributing to National Register Historic Districts, due to their incompatibility with the Historic Resources section of the guidelines and the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for Rehabilitation. The subject building is not within a local or National Register historic district, and does not retain features characteristic of its original form. The applicant has included line-of-sight drawings from a sidewalk on Wall Avenue and a sidewalk on Gay Street, showing the limited level of visibility from directly across the street. Due to height, massing, and placement, the rooftop addition will be substantially visible from other points on Gay Street and downtown.
The proposed rooftop addition is significant in scope, effectively adding a fourth story to the building. The additional height is not out of scale with the surrounding context; located just southeast of the TVA Towers, it serves as a visual step-up to the multi-story tower buildings. The addition is recessed 19'-3.75" from the Gay Street roofline and approximately 12' from the Wall Avenue roofline; the placement of existing mechanical units and an existing enclosed rooftop section (housing mechanical equipment) precludes the addition from being recessed further from the primary elevations. One section of mechanical equipment is noted as being in an "outdoor mechanical area," though the outdoor mechanical area will be screened from view by metal panel siding to match the remaining siding.
The use of single-light storefront systems with transom and clerestory windows contributes visual interest and transparency to the rooftop addition, especially along the Wall Avenue elevation. The proposed materials for the addition, including metal panel siding and full-light storefront window systems, are compatible with the existing building and the rehabilitated elements.
