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Design Review Board

Level 1: Minor alteration of an existing building/structure
Level 1: Sign

8-B-10-DT

This project has three components; sign refurbishment, new emergency door and stairs, and window alteration.

An exiting "Park" sign on the building is in need to refurbishment (see Image 1). The operator of the parking facility is proposing to replace the existing sign faces with new sign faces that look exactly like the original but will be made of acrylic. The face of the lower part of the sign that says "Pryor Brown Garage" will be replaced with the Republic Parking System corporate image shown in the lower right corner of Image 1. The signs will be externally illuminated with existing lights.

A new emergency exit is being installed in the building (see drawings S-1 and S-2). The emergency exit will require a door with a stair to be installed toward the back of the building on the Gay Street facing elevation (the red dot on the attached aerial image is the approximate location of the door). The door is 8 feet above the adjacent parking lot and the stair will lead to the surface parking lot. An easement must be obtained to allow the egress into the parking lot. The door, stair and railings will be made of metal.

The building operator is proposing to place a wire mesh behind the fourth story window frames. The wire mesh is intended to keep pigeons from roosting in the ceiling joists. The proposed wire mesh will have openings of 2 inches by 1 inches and will be a black steel wire mesh. The wire mesh will sit in the window opening directly behind the window frames (see section in Window diagram). The wire mesh will be anchored into the existing wall using 1/8 inch ramset bolts. The wire mesh will also be anchored to the existing window frame with 1/8 inch steel u-bolts every 36 inch on center.

Location
314 Church St
Applicant Request
This project has three components; sign refurbishment, new emergency door and stairs, and window alteration.

An exiting "Park" sign on the building is in need to refurbishment (see Image 1). The operator of the parking facility is proposing to replace the existing sign faces with new sign faces that look exactly like the original but will be made of acrylic. The face of the lower part of the sign that says "Pryor Brown Garage" will be replaced with the Republic Parking System corporate image shown in the lower right corner of Image 1. The signs will be externally illuminated with existing lights.

A new emergency exit is being installed in the building (see drawings S-1 and S-2). The emergency exit will require a door with a stair to be installed toward the back of the building on the Gay Street facing elevation (the red dot on the attached aerial image is the approximate location of the door). The door is 8 feet above the adjacent parking lot and the stair will lead to the surface parking lot. An easement must be obtained to allow the egress into the parking lot. The door, stair and railings will be made of metal.

The building operator is proposing to place a wire mesh behind the fourth story window frames. The wire mesh is intended to keep pigeons from roosting in the ceiling joists. The proposed wire mesh will have openings of 2 inches by 1 inches and will be a black steel wire mesh. The wire mesh will sit in the window opening directly behind the window frames (see section in Window diagram). The wire mesh will be anchored into the existing wall using 1/8 inch ramset bolts. The wire mesh will also be anchored to the existing window frame with 1/8 inch steel u-bolts every 36 inch on center.
Staff Comments
The window panes in the upper stories of this building were recently removed in response to issues with the panes falling out and because of air circulation. This proposal for the wire mesh in the fourth floor windows in response to a pigeon problem. In staff's opinion, anchoring the wire mesh to the window frames using the u-bolts will allow the mesh to be removed without damaging the window frames.
Applicant

Asfour & Associates

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