Historic Zoning Commission

Old North Knoxville H: Level II

5-A-24-HZ

Applicant Request

Proposed replacement of front door. The existing door is a single, multi-panel wood door in a non-original corner location. The proposed entry is a pair of half-light wood doors with decorative iron tracery and arched transoms, and will be installed in the original door's location.

The scope of work also includes the installation of one new double-hung window on the projecting bay where the door is removed. The applicant has proposed three window options: 1) one double-hung wood design to match the existing façade windows, 2) one fixed multi-light window to reflect the upper gable window, and 3) one wood double-hung window with a simulated divided light pattern of 20/1.

Site Info

From NRHP nomination: Two and one-half story frame with weatherboard wall covering. Gable roof with asphalt shingle covering, fish scale wood shingles
in gables, applied trim on gable on front elevation, rectangular sawn wood attic vents and semi-circular small-paned windows in gable. Canted corners on east and north elevation with sawn wood trim with drop pendants. Double hung two over two windows with some leaded, stained glass and Queen Anne windows. One story wrap around front and side porch with turned columns and milled balustrade. Second story one bay porch with turned columns and spindle work balustrade. Two interior offset brick chimneys. Brick foundation. Irregular plan. Reportedly designed by George Barber.

1. 523 E. Oklahoma Ave is a contributing resource to the ONK National Register Historic District and local overlay.
2. The proposed scopes of work are part of a broader exterior rehabilitation project approved by the HZC in March 2023 (3-E-23-HZ).
3. The door proposed for replacement is not in its original location; the original door was removed when the interior of the house was converted to multiple units. A c.1930 photograph provided by the applicant shows the current multi-panel wood door in its original central location. Restoring the original front entry fenestration is appropriate within the design guidelines.
4. The application notes that no documentation of the original door exists. The Commission should discuss whether the c.1930 door acquired significance in its own right, and how the proposed door could avoid creating a "false historic appearance" per the guidelines. The proposed arched wood double door is compatible in size and material with the façade. The door contains details that align with existing details on the house, including the fanlight window and other arched openings on gable windows and the porch.
5. Installation of a new window in the projecting façade bay is appropriate within the guidelines; the proposed windows are compatible in materials, scale, and design with the existing windows. The double-hung options should be selected instead of a fixed window, to be compatible with the operation of most of the house's original ground-floor windows. The applicant should provide a specification for the final selection to staff for approval.