2-B-22-DT

Level II: 319 S. Gay Street

Approve Subject To Conditions

APPROVE 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.

Case File

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.

Applicant Request

Level II: Exterior rehabilitation; rooftop addition

- 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.

Property Notes / Work to be Completed

- 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.

Applicable Guidelines

Downtown Design Guidelines

- B. Private Realm
- 1. 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.
- 2. Building Location
- 2a. Design private plazas to be pedestrian-friendly. Provide human-scale amenities and include landscaping.
- 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.
- 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 signboards.
- 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.
- 5. Ground Floor Doors and Windows
- 5a. Use consistent rhythm of openings, windows, doorways, and entries.
- 5b. Orient front entrances to the main street; secondary entrances should be clearly defined and oriented towards streets and alleys, as appropriate.
- 5c. Design entrances according to the proportions of the building's height and width.
- 5d. 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 façade.
- 7. 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.
- B. The Traditional Grid District
- 1. Recommended Signs
- 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