Download as PDF

Design Review Board

Level 2: Major alteration of an existing building/structure

7-B-19-DT

Staff Recommendation

APPROVE Certificate 7-B-19-DT subject to the following condition:
1) All exterior signage is to be approved as a separate application.

Location
122 W. Summit Hill Dr.
Applicant Request
Renovation and conversion of the northeast portion of the Vine Furniture building for 1 floor of commercial space and 1 floor of residential apartments. There will be 2 commercial units with entries on Summit Hill Dr. There will be 4 residential units with an entry court accessed through an existing parking lot to the rear of the building on Charles Place (named alley).

Summit Hill Drive façade:
1) Removal of the interior fire stair and addition of a two-story storefront opening to provide entry to the ground-floor commercial space and windows to bedrooms in one of the apartments above.
2) Removal of the existing storefront, to be altered to allow a larger entry court and storefront at the ground-floor commercial space, and replacement of the storefront on the second story for windows in one of the apartments above.
3) Install concrete planter along the edge of the Summit Hill Dr. sidewalk in the recessed storefront.

Charles Place façade:
1) Replacement of 2 of the 3 windows in the first story with the third opening being extended to grade for an egress door.
2) Replacement of the 5 windows in the second story with the addition of 1 window to match.
3) Cleaning and painting the older (19th century) brick.
4) Security lighting (See revised fixture -- attached)

Commerce Avenue (rear) façade:
1) Install 3 new doors and 2 new windows.
2) Addition of a concrete entry court and loading dock.
3) Addition of an aluminum deck and awning.
4) Electrical service to the building.
5) Security lighting (See revised fixture -- attached)
6) 1 tree within a concrete planter.
Staff Comments
The security lighting proposed on the east (Charles Place) elevation and in the parking lot to the rear of the building is a wall pack that does not control the direction of light. In order to keep light from shining into windows directly across Charles Place, staff is recommending that the lights over the Charles Place right-of-way be shielded so the light is directed down or that a full cut off fixture be used.

Applicable guidelines:

Section 1.B.1 (BUILDING MASS, SCALE AND FORM)
Building form should be consistent with the character of downtown as an urban setting and should reinforce the pedestrian activity at the street level. Creating pedestrian-scale buildings, especially at street level, can reduce the perceived mass of buildings. Historically, building technology limited height and subsequently created pedestrian-scaled buildings typically less than 10 stories. Building technology no longer limits the height of buildings and there are no height limitations imposed by the zoning ordinance for downtown Knoxville. However, there is still a need for buildings that respond to pedestrians. The use of 'human-scale' design elements is necessary to accomplish this. Human-scale design elements are details and shapes that are sized to be proportional to the human body, such as, upper story setbacks, covered entries, and window size and placement.
GUIDELINES:
1a. Maintain a pedestrian-scaled environment from block to block.
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.

Section 1.B.3. (BUILDING MATERIALS)
New building materials should relate to the scale, durability, color, and texture of the predominate building materials in the area.
GUIDELINES:
3a. Use complimentary materials and elements, especially next to historic buildings.

Section 1.B.4. (ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER)
Buildings should be visually interesting to invite exploration by pedestrians. A building should express human scale through materials and forms that were seen traditionally. This is important because buildings are experienced at close proximity by the pedestrian.
GUIDELINES:
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 sign boards.
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.

Section 1.B.5. (GROUND FLOOR DOORS AND WINDOWS)
Entrances and ground floor windows should foster pedestrian comfort, safety and orientation. Not every building in downtown needs to have the same window or entry designs; however, repeating the pattern of historic openings helps to reinforce the character of downtown, differentiating it from suburban areas. GUIDELINES:
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.
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.

Section 1.B.7. (MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE UTILITIES)
Utilities can include telephone and electrical lines, ventilation systems, gas meters, air conditioners, fire protection, telecommunication and alarm systems. Adequate space for these utilities should be planned in a project from the outset and they should be designed such that their visual and noise impacts are minimized.
GUIDELINES:
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.
Applicant

Kirkpatrick

Planning Staff
Mike Reynolds
Phone: 865-215-3827
Email: mike.reynolds@knoxplanning.org
Submit CommentsView Comments

Case History