Historic Zoning Commission
Old North Knoxville H-1: Level III
1-D-18-HZ
Staff Recommendation
STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR THE 1/18/2018 HZC MEETING: The proposed house is out of compliance with several design guidelines and architecural and dimensional precedents witin the streetscape and the district. Staff recommends exploring other options such as those that have been suggested below to create compatibility of the proposed new construction on this lot within the streetscape:
1) Utilize the full amount of zoning-enabled width for the house at 37 feet, and increase the height as needed to create historic proportions on the façade.
2) Set the house back on the lot to align with the rear-most corner of the house to the adjacent south so that the proposed structure appears as an accessory structure.
3) Orient the house so that it faces the street to the west of th lot, Fremont Street, since the proposed house scale is more in keeping with that of the historic houses on this street.
ADDITIONAL STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR THE 2/15/2018 HZC MEETING:
1) Increase the exposure of the foundation from 6 inches maximum to 8 inches minimum and parge with smooth stucco.
2) Increase the porch entry opening from the proposed 5 feet to a minimum of 6 feet since the range for porch openings in the district is 6 to 12 feet.
3) Eliminate the shingled wall blocking off the north side of the front porch steps.
4) Enclose the metal stove pipe with stuccoed or brick masonry.
5) Reposition and enlarge the low horizontal window on the south elevation to align with and match the size of the more central vertical window, so that there are only 3 different types and sizes of windows on the south side.
6) Provide window and door specifications to staff for future approval.
7) Provide specification sheet on galvalume metal roof to staff indicating that the profile of the interlock component is of a minimal size that is appropriate for residential architecture.
Location Knoxville
1403 Armstrong Ave 37917
OwnerScott Scott Carpenter; - Margaret Hambright Margaret Hambright
Applicant Request
Level III. Construction of primary building - CONTINUED FROM JANUARY 18, 2018 HZC MEETING
Other: new house constructionThe proposed building footprint is 24' wide and 64' long, including front and rear porches. A proposed in-ground pool at the rear of the house is to be surrounded by fencing/ gates and plantings. An opening in the existing stone retaining wall on Armstrong Avenue aligning with a new staircase in the existing stone wall will provide access from the sidewalk and on-street parking. Vehicular access is from Fremont Place with on-grade parking for two cars.
REVISIONS TO THE DESCRIPTION OF WORK 2/18/2018: WOOD-FRAMED DOORS AND WINDOWS AND STUCCOED FOUNDATION. The 1 .5 story, wood framed house is sited within 11- and 13-foot side setbacks. Stylistically, the house alludes the shingle-style. The primary roof pitch is 9:12 and the front porch roof pitch is 5 .5 :12. The exterior ridge elevation of the primary roof is +540' (+24' 6"above the main floor) and the main floor and front porch elevations are +514 (approx. 4' above finished grade in front yard). The material palette reflects the use of prefinished metal roofing (profile), metal gutters and downspouts, painted shingle siding (wood or composite), painted wood trim, wood windows, wood-framed full-light glass doors and stuccoed foundation. The front façade of the house features a recessed balcony under a clipped gable main roof. The integral porch on the rear southwest corner is screened-in.
REVISIONS TO THE JANUARY 18, 2018 PROPOSAL:
Addition of 6'-10"-long x ~ 5'-0" projecting covered entryway/porch toward the back of the south side
Enlargement of the 3 horizontal windows on the south side to become 4'x4'
Widening of the porch entrance and stairs by 1 foot to become 5 feet
Stucco (parge) the exposure (up to 6") of concrete block of the foundation
Wooden windows and door frames
Elimination of lowest window on south elevation
Enlarge window on south side to be 2'-6"x3'-6" and shift approx. 3' east
Increase screen wall height on south wall from 8'-0" to aprox. 13'-0"
Revision as of 7-31-2018
Add 8' wide x 1'-2" bump-out on north side, sheathed in shingles to match main body of house, and shingled roof. Install casement window, parged foundation.
Staff Comments
vacant lot (~49.17 wide by ~320 long)
OLD NORTH KNOX GUIDELINES FOR NEW BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
G. SETBACKS AND PLACEMENT ON THE LOT
1. Maintain the historic façade lines of streetscapes by locating the front walls of new buildings in the same plane as those of adjacent buildings. If existing setbacks vary, a new building's setback shall respect those adjacent.
2. Do not violate the existing setback pattern by placing new buildings in front of or behind historic buildings on the street.
4. Side yard setbacks for new buildings shall be consistent with those of existing historic buildings, so gaps are not left in the streetscape.
H. SCALE AND MASSING
1. Relate the size and proportions of new structures to the scale of adjacent buildings.
2. Break up uninteresting box-like forms into smaller varied masses like those found on existing buildings by the use of bays, extended front porches, and roof shapes.
4. New buildings must reinforce the scale of the neighborhood by their height, width and massing.
5. New buildings must be designed with a mix of wall areas with door and window elements in the façade like those found on existing buildings.
6. Roof shapes must relate to the existing buildings, as must roof coverings.
I. HEIGHT OF FOUNDATION AND STORIES
1. Avoid new construction that varies in height, so that new buildings are equal to the average height of existing buildings.
2. The foundation height of new buildings shall duplicate that of adjacent buildings, or be an average of adjacent building foundation heights.
4. The eave lines of new buildings shall conform to those of adjacent properties.
J. MATERIALS
1. The materials used for new building exteriors shall be consistent with materials already found on buildings on the street.
2. Artificial siding and split-face block are not acceptable materials for use on new buildings.
K. FEATURES
1. Design new buildings with a strong sense of a front entry.
2. Use front porches in new designs, and make the size of those porches useable for sitting. New porches shall be at least eight feet deep, shall contain design features such as columns and balustrades that introduce architectural diversity, and shall extend across more than half of the front façade.
HISTORIC BUILDING FORMS
Houses in Old North Knoxville have a shape, or bulk, consistent with their time of construction. They appear larger and taller than new buildings, often with projecting bays or porches not found in newer designs. The window sizes and proportion of the voids or openings of the windows to the solid portions of walls are often different than new construction.
Roofs
Roof forms are complex in many of Old North Knoxville's buildings. Hip roofs with lower gables, multiple or telescoping gables, conical or round turrets, dormers and balconies are often found. The pitch of historic roofs is also fairly steep.
Foundations
Old North Knoxville's historic houses are not built on slab foundations. Basements and raised foundations are common, and the texture of the masonry foundations adds richness to the neighborhood's architecture, while the height and the multi-story designs are also important in preserving the appearance of the neighborhood.
NEW BUILDINGS
New buildings should be contemporary in spirit. Slavish copies of historic buildings confuse the historic value of the existing buildings. New buildings should respond to the present time, the environment, and the use for which they are intended. New buildings constructed in historic areas should be compatible with the existing historic buildings and sensitive to the patterns of the environment where they will be placed. The use of similar materials can help in developing continuity. These principles apply to new homes as well as garages, sheds and other outbuildings.
