Historic Zoning Commission

Old North Knoxville H: Level III

7-C-22-HZ  

Applicant Request

New single-family house fronting Leonard Place. The house measures 33' wide by 40' deep, and features a 12/12 pitch, side-gable roof with a full-height, front-gable dormer centered on the primary roof slope, and a lower front-gable roof massing projecting from the left half of the façade. The house is proposed for a 50' wide by 129' deep lot, and proposed to be set 22.5' from the front property line at the closest point. The house is evenly set on the lot, with side setbacks of 8.5' on each side. Parking is provided at the rear of the property, accessed from the alley, via a 25' wide concrete driveway. The site plan features a 5' wide walkway leading to the sidewalk.

The house features an asphalt shingle-clad roof, Hardie plank horizontal lap siding, and a foundation clad in brick veneer.

The facade (south) is three bays wide and features a pair of one-over-one, double-hung wood windows on the projecting gable-roof bay. The following two bays are located on the recessed porch, featuring a centered Craftsman-style front door (material not indicated) and another pair of one-over-one, double-hung wood windows. The 8' deep front porch is recessed below the primary roofline and supported by 6 by 6 square posts. A front-gable dormer (or a cross-gable roof massing) is centered on the façade roof slope, featuring a centered one-over-one, double-hung window; the roof peak of the dormer is aligned with the peak of the primary side-gable roofline.

The left elevation (west) features two windows (30 x 30 and 40 x 40) on the first story, and paired, one-over-one windows on the upper story. The right elevation (east) features two bays of one-over-one, double-hung windows on the first story and paired one-over-one, double-hung windows on the upper story. The rear elevation features two windows and a secondary entry door accessing a 10' by 10' deck.

Site Info

Vacant lot.

1. The house is proposed to be set 22.5 feet from the front property line on the left side of the façade. The average front setback of the block is 18'. The house should be moved slightly towards the front property line to align with the front setback pattern of the block. The house shows even side yard setbacks and will maintain the consistent rhythm of the streetscape.

2. Locating the parking at the rear of the property and accessed from the alley will preserve the existing streetscape along Leonard Place, avoiding a new curb cut or front yard parking. Final site plan should meet City Engineering standards.

3. The simple interpretation of a Craftsman-style house is appropriate for the context.

4. The 1.5-story house is proposed for a block characterized by 1- and 1.5-story houses. A comparably-sized 1.5-story Craftsman-style house is located at 127 Leonard Place. The overall scale of the house is consistent with the dimensions of the lot and the houses on the block.

5. Via a projecting front-gable roof bay, a front-gable dormer, and a recessed porch, the proposal successfully "breaks up uninteresting box-like forms into smaller varied massings by use of bays, extended porches, and roof shapes." The three-bay façade features "a mix of wall areas with door and window elements in the façade like those found on existing buildings."

6. The 12/12 pitch roof is appropriate within the design guidelines. The design should incorporate at least 1' deep eave overhangs on all elevations. The Commission may choose to discuss the size and massing of the front-gable dormer.

7. The elevation drawings indicate an approximately 16" tall, brick-clad foundation. The foundation height is appropriate for the historic context. Guidelines also recommend that "belt courses or other suggestions of divisions between stories" should be incorporated on buildings more than one story; many side-gable roof Craftsman-style houses incorporate a band of horizontal trim between the first story and the gable field.

8. Guidelines recommend that materials for new buildings be consistent with materials on the street. Fiber cement lap siding has been approved for new construction or additions in the ONK overlay; the lap siding should be smooth-finished and 4-5" in exposure to be compatible with original lap siding on the street. Appropriately sized cornerboards should also be provided.

9. The front entry and porch meet the guidelines for a "strong sense of front entry" with a centered door and an 8' deep front porch. Porch columns should be expanded to a size slightly larger than 6" by 6" square posts; the Commission may also choose to discuss any details necessary to align the columns with the historic context. The front porch should incorporate tongue-and-groove porch flooring.

10. Overall, the elevations demonstrate a sufficient amount of transparency in terms of window proportion and placement. One additional window on the left elevation, adjacent to the façade, would contribute additional transparency on an elevation visible from the street. Final window specifications should be submitted to staff for approval; wood, aluminum-clad wood, or some forms of composite windows could be appropriate on new construction, but muntin depth, width, and profiles should align with historic window patterns. The windows should incorporate trim and sills compatible with historic windows in profile and depth, with a profile to be submitted to staff for approval.

11. While the simple Craftsman-style door is appropriate for the selected style of the house, the application doesn't specify materials. Final specifications for the front door should be submitted to staff for approval.