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Design Review Board

Level 2: Major alteration of an existing building/structure
Level 2: Addition to an existing building/structure

4-C-17-DT

This case has been appealed

Staff Recommendation
APPROVE Certificate 4-C-17-DT subject to the following conditions:
1) Approval from City Council of the necessary use agreements and/or easements to allow the proposed balconies over the Central Street public right-of-way.Case File
Location
112 S Central St
Applicant Request
Central Street elevation:
1) Repair brick as necessary in-kind.
2) On the 3-story building, replace the southern ground floor door (right side of storefront) with a partial glass wood door as shown in the attached plan.
3) The upper story windows will be repaired or replaced in-kind.
4) On the 3-story building, the upper story doors will be replaced to imitate the existing.
5) On the 3-story building, metal balconies will be added to the 2nd and 3rd floors.

Rooftop addition to the 1-story building:
1) A rooftop deck with glass handrail will be setback 6'-0" from the front elevation.
2) New 1-story rooftop enclosed structure will be located behind the proposed deck, at about middle of the building.

Other renovations not to be reviewed for approval by the board because of location:
1) Installation of 2 new windows within new masonry openings on the south side elevation of the 3-story building, near the rear of the building.
2) Installation of 3 new windows on the rear elevation of the 2-story building within new masonry openings.
3) Replacement of doors and installation of Juliet style balconies and railings on the rear elevation of the 3-story building.
4) Other general maintenance to the side and rear elevations as noted on the plans.
Staff Comments
This building is located in the Southern Terminal & Warehouse (National Register) Historic District, so the Historic Resources section of the guidelines apply (Section 1.C). The Historic Resources guidelines recommend that signs not be internally illuminated.

The renovations to the Central Street elevation of the buildings will be fairly minor with the exception of the addition of balconies on the 2nd and 3rd floors on the 3 story building. At the storefront level, one door will be replaced but otherwise the storefronts will remain unchanged. In the 2 story building there will be a new frameless glass vestibule, which will continue to allow visibility from the sidewalk through to the first floor use beyond the vestibule. The windows upper floors will be repaired or replaced in-kind. There will be a rooftop addition and deck on the middle 1-story building, which should not be visible from the street with the exception of a small portion of the glass railing. New window openings are proposed on the rear of the 2-story building and near the rear of the south side of the 3-story building. Because these windows and the other renovations to the rear of the buildings are not visible from the public street, they have not be reviewed for approval by the board.

There is evidence on the exterior of the 3 story building that there was some sort of balcony or emergency stair attached to the front facade, this includes the doors and damage to the brick where it was attached. There is no known photographic evidence to determine if this was balconies or an emergency stair system. While balconies on the fronts of buildings were not typical for downtown Knoxville historically, in the Old City balconies have been attached to the fronts of buildings and are now part of the character. Staff does not typically recommend the installation of new balconies over a public right-of-way, especially on the primary street elevation, because of concerns with damaging historic building elements, detracting from the general historic character of a district, and potential conflicts with items falling from a balcony on pedestrians. However, because of the pre-existing conditions on this building, the established installation of balconies in the Old City, and the need for City Council approval after the DDRB review, staff feels comfortable with the proposal and recommends the approval of the balconies be conditioned upon City Council approving the necessary use agreements and/or easements for the balconies to extend over the public right-of-way.
Applicant

Design Innovation Architects

Planning Staff
Mike Reynolds
Phone: 865-215-3827
Email: mike.reynolds@knoxplanning.org
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Case History