Historic Zoning Commission

Ft. Sanders NC: Level III

Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of Certificate 4-G-24-HZ, subject to the following conditions: 1) meeting all requirements of CU-4 zoning and requirements of the Administrative Review Committee; 2) final site plan and parking to meet City Engineering standards.


Location Knoxville
1800 White Ave. 37921

Owner
IDB, Med LLC

Applicant Request
Other: New primary structure
New multi-unit residential building. The building proposed for HZC review is a section of a larger building outside of the Fort Sanders NC overlay; it will connect to a multi-unit building on the west (fronting White Avenue) and via a proposed overhead alley crossing to a building fronting Cumberland Avenue. The building is proposed for the rear of two houses fronting 1800 and 1804 White Avenue, land which currently serves as surface parking. The building will front 18th Street, measures 66'-1.75" wide by approximately 100' deep.

The flat-roof building is five stories tall on the 18th Street elevation, measuring slightly under 50' tall above grade. The building will be clad in brick veneer on the east elevation (fronting 18th Street) and the eastmost bays of the north and south elevations. Additional exterior siding materials are corrugated metal siding and fiber cement panel siding.

The façade (east) is ten bays wide, arranged symmetrically, with the central four bays on a recessed massing and the outer bays projecting towards the street. On the first through fourth stories, the central bays feature recessed front porches with metal railings. The uppermost level is clad in dark grey corrugated metal siding. Windows are double-hung, 4/4 on the façade and 1/1 on the side elevations. The façade windows feature flat brick headers and sills. A cast cornice detail separates the first and second stories.

The north elevation fronts White Avenue, including the rear of the two houses at 1800 and 1804 White Avenue. The north elevation is four stories tall, featuring 25' of brick cladding on the leftmost bay followed by six bays of double-hung windows surrounded by fiber cement board and batten siding.

The south elevation fronts the alley and the new structure to be built along Cumberland Avenue. The five-story elevation features 25' of brick cladding, a CMU foundation with a garage exit, and six evenly-spaced bays of double-hung windows.

CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL PER 4/2024 HZC REVIEW: 1) meeting all requirements of CU-4 zoning and requirements of the Administrative Review Committee; 2) final site plan and parking to meet City Engineering standards.

Staff Comments
N/A
    Vacant surface parking area behind two houses fronting White Avenue.

A. Height, Scale, & Massing
1. Foundation heights should be consistent with other pre-1940 buildings in the neighborhood.
2. Single-family detached infill housing should be proportional to other pre-1940 houses in terms of height and width.
3. With redevelopment of two or more lots for apartment, office, commercial, or mixed use development, street-facing facades of new buildings should be broken up with bays or porches that are consistent with the dimensions of historic buildings in the neighborhood.
6. For the first 35 feet, buildings should have similar setbacks, bays, and covered entrances that complement the historic architecture on the street.
7. Upper stories should be stepped back at least 8 feet. In addition to providing a pedestrian scale at street level, the landings should be used for balconies, providing open space to those who use the building.

B. Roofs
1. Select a roof pitch that is in keeping with other pre-1940 houses of the neighborhood, not being less than an 8/12 pitch.
2. Use variations in the form of the roof above the second story such as gables at different angles, hipped roofs, and dormers.
3. Use roofing materials that are in keeping with historic development styles. Asphalt shingle, tile, pressed metal, and slate were used.
4. Darker shades of shingles were historically used and should be selected in new construction.

C. Porches
1. Provide porches with proportions and materials that complement pre-1940 housing. For clapboard-type construction, wood is the most appropriate primary material. Brick or cut stone are appropriate as foundations or in column supports.
2. Porches should be no less than 6 feet deep and no more than 10 feet deep. They may be recessed behind the main setback line or alternatively can extend 10 feet into the front setback line.

D. Wall Materials
1. Paint color is not regulated.
2. Clapboard (or clapboard-type materials such as aluminum or vinyl), shingle (or shingle-like material), or brick should be used.
3. Board and batten siding can be used on accessory buildings.
4. Quarried, square cut stone can be used on porches or other accents. Such stone should be used in constructing retaining walls.
6. Materials that are not typical in pre-1940 construction should not be used. These include cinder block, T-111 siding, and stone facing.

E. Windows and Entrances
1. Window proportions and symmetry should be similar to the pre-1940 styles in the neighborhood.
2. Windows should be double-hung sash windows. Vinyl or metal-clad windows may be used in place of wood frame windows.
2 [sic]. Egress windows will have to be designed to comply with fire/building code provisions.
3. Accent windows are appropriate with new construction.
4. Double-hung sash windows are recommended for two- to three-story new construction.
5. Variations of double-hung windows should be considered in relation to the design of new buildings.
6. The proportions of upper-level windows should not exceed the proportion of the first level.
7. Upper level windows should be provided and aligned with doors.
9. Entrances to the building should be provided from the street, using doors that have similar proportions and features to pre-1940 architecture.
10. When parking areas are provided behind buildings, rear entrances are also allowed.

F. Parking
1. In new building construction, the front yard space shall not be used for parking. Do not break up curbs or sidewalks to provide street access.
2. Provide parking access off the alley or off a side street.
3. Plant one native shade tree for every 50 feet of lot width, adjacent to or as islands within the lot area.
7. Surface parking area shall always be to the rear of the building.
8. Primary or secondary entrances to the buildings from parking areas are allowable.

G. Landscaping, Fencing, & Retaining Walls
1. Plant one native shade tree (e.g. oak or maple) and one ornamental tree (e.g. dogwood) in both the front and rear yards for every 50 feet of lot width.
2. Plant shrubs near new buildings to complement the foundation height, windows, and entries. Select species and a distance from the building that will not harm foundation materials.
5. Keeping with tradition, low, square cut stone, poured concrete, or brick walls should be used in constructing retaining walls.

I. Placement on the Lot: Traditional Lot Development
1. The front yard setback should be the same distance as the majority of the pre-1940 houses on the block.
3. Porches should extend 8 to 10 feet into the front yard setback. Steps needed to reach the front of a porch may also extend into the front yard.
4. Bays, composing up to 50% of the side façade, should extend 5 feet into side yard setback on corner lots.
5. Bays, composing up to 60% of the front façade, should extend up to 8 feet beyond the predominant portion of the structure or alternatively a porch should extend along the façade.

Case History