Level I: Walnut Building
4-E-22-DT
Approve Subject To Conditions
APPROVE Certificate 4-E-22-DT, subject to one condition: 1) all new storefront glass to be clear.
Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of Certificate 4-E-22-DT, subject to one condition: 1) all new storefront glass to be clear.Applicant Request
Level I: Exterior rehabilitation, signs- Exterior rehabilitation for new hotel tenant. Exterior rehabilitation scopes include staining the existing red brick masonry to an opaque white color, repair and repainting to the horizontal concrete fin elements, and removal of the existing curved recessed storefront system. The storefront will be replaced with an operable Nanawall storefront system on the south elevation, which will be recessed behind a new glass railing. On the east elevation, some openings will be infilled with masonry on upper levels. An accessible entrance will be installed with a new flat-roof canopy, and an exterior egress stair will access the second story.
- The application also includes new signs. On the Walnut Street elevation, one illuminated wall sign measuring 9'-3.75" wide by 11' tall is located on the right side brick masonry section towards the roofline. A second illuminated wall sign is located between the second and third stories, measuring 23'-5.5" wide by 3'-1" tall. On Church Avenue, another illuminated wall sign measuring 9'-3.75" wide by 11' tall is located between the second and third stories.
Property Notes / Work to be Completed
- Overall, the proposal meets the design guidelines. The new storefront maintains transparency and pedestrian interest on the ground level. The character-defining features of the building (horizontal fins on upper stories) will be repaired and retained. While the proposed signs are somewhat larger in scale, they are proportionate to the building and the wall surfaces where they will be placed. Typically, guidelines and preservation standards discourage painting or staining historic masonry that has not been painted. The Walnut Building is a midcentury structure, clad in a modern masonry veneer which is most likely more compatible with contemporary exterior paints than porous historic bricks. Minor modifications to the accessible entrance (including an additional small sign indicating its location) may be necessary to meet City standards, which can be addressed in permitting.
Applicable Guidelines
Downtown Design Guidelines
See Guidelines- 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.
- 5. 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 façade.
- 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.
Meeting Date
April 20, 2022
Walnut Building
706 Walnut St.
DK (Downtown Knoxville)
Applicant
Hitesh Patel / Elevate Architecture Studio
Owner Siddiqi Holding LLC
