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Design Review Board

Level 2: Major alteration of an existing building/structure

2-C-21-DT

Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of Certificate 2-C-21-DT as submitted, with the condition that the patio size and placement meet all City requirements and a permissive use agreement is obtained.

Applicant Request
Modifications to the Kress Building storefront to create an indoor/outdoor patio space. On the center storefront, the existing storefront glass and central doors will be removed; the existing bases and vertical frames will remain. The transom windows will also remain. The removed storefront windows will accommodate an indoor/outdoor patio in the central storefront, with a new storefront system recessed into the building. The recessed storefronts will feature black storefront to framing to match the existing adjacent storefronts, a transom above, and clear glazing. Recessed can lights in new ceilings will provide illumination for the patio.

A 28'-2" wide by 6' deep patio with a decorative steel railing will extend into the sidewalk.
Staff Comments
The Kress Building is a contributing structure to the Gay Street Commercial Historic District, so the Historic Resources section of the design guidelines applies. All work is located on the center storefront; the left and right storefronts will not be modified in this proposal. The existing configuration is a modern replacement storefront system, reviewed by the DRB in February 2015.

While guidelines encourage storefronts to be maintained as they were originally, the proposed design retains the overall size, location, and proportion of the central storefront and does not introduce any new door or window elements to the storefront (which could introduce a contemporary or incompatible design). The existing storefront does not feature the bulkhead detail noted in the design guidelines, only an approximately 4-6" tall strip of horizontal framing. The existing transom will be retained, along with vertical elements of the framing. The sense of a "formal entrance to the front façade" is maintained in the design.

A new glass mezzanine level will be added to the interior of the storefront; it will be recessed from the existing façade and minimally visible through the divided-light transom windows.

As the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the SOI Standards also apply. The overall "features, spaces, and spatial relationships" on the storefront are retained in the proposed storefront modification. Removing the glass for an open storefront retains the sense of transparency created by large storefront windows. If the indoor/outdoor patio element were removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the Kress Building's façade would be retained. Glass storefront windows could be re-installed in the façade without further effect on the building. No historic materials or details will be removed or altered for the proposal; the historic terracotta elements will remain intact.

The property owner or tenant will need to secure a permissive use agreement with the City of Knoxville for the patio's extension into Gay Street.
Applicant

Core

Planning Staff
Lindsay Lanois
Phone: 865-215-3795
Email: lindsay.lanois@knoxplanning.org
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