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Design Review Board

Level 1: Sign

5-C-19-DT

Installation of three new signs; two on Gay Street elevation and one on the Union Avenue elevation.

Union Avenue elevation:
1) Hanging sign that is approximately 1'-4.25" tall by 9'-8.25" wide (13.11 sqft) from the bottom of the canopy with a clearance to the sidewalk of 15'. The sign will be internally illuminated and have an opaque metal (gray) background. The letters and logo will be routed out of the metal background and will be push thru acrylic.

Gay Street elevation:
1) The board approved plaque sign but requested the mounting bracket be brought back to the board for approval since it was not previously provided. The bracket will be made of metal and will have a black finish to match the sign. It will have an angled back that matches the building wall so the sign will be parallel to Gay Street.

---------------------------------------- Approved by the DDRB on May 15, 2019 ----------------------------------------

Gay Street elevation:
1) Projecting (blade) sign that is approximately 30.26' tall by 2.8' wide (84.75 sqft) and will be internally illuminated. The main part of the sign with the name of the hotel will have a solid metal face with routed letter openings. The logo on top will have an acrylic face with green vinyl background. The sign has as clearance with the sidewalk of approximately 39' (bottom of the sign will be at the 3rd floor) and will be located on the south side of the main proportion of the building, as shown on the East Elevation sheet.

2) Plaque sign that is approximately 2' tall by 2.5' wide (5 sqft) and is non-illuminated. The sign will be attached to the building wall to the right (north) of the main entrance to the hotel, as shown on the East Elevation sheet.

Location
505 S Gay St
Applicant Request
Installation of three new signs; two on Gay Street elevation and one on the Union Avenue elevation.

Union Avenue elevation:
1) Hanging sign that is approximately 1'-4.25" tall by 9'-8.25" wide (13.11 sqft) from the bottom of the canopy with a clearance to the sidewalk of 15'. The sign will be internally illuminated and have an opaque metal (gray) background. The letters and logo will be routed out of the metal background and will be push thru acrylic.

Gay Street elevation:
1) The board approved plaque sign but requested the mounting bracket be brought back to the board for approval since it was not previously provided. The bracket will be made of metal and will have a black finish to match the sign. It will have an angled back that matches the building wall so the sign will be parallel to Gay Street.

---------------------------------------- Approved by the DDRB on May 15, 2019 ----------------------------------------

Gay Street elevation:
1) Projecting (blade) sign that is approximately 30.26' tall by 2.8' wide (84.75 sqft) and will be internally illuminated. The main part of the sign with the name of the hotel will have a solid metal face with routed letter openings. The logo on top will have an acrylic face with green vinyl background. The sign has as clearance with the sidewalk of approximately 39' (bottom of the sign will be at the 3rd floor) and will be located on the south side of the main proportion of the building, as shown on the East Elevation sheet.

2) Plaque sign that is approximately 2' tall by 2.5' wide (5 sqft) and is non-illuminated. The sign will be attached to the building wall to the right (north) of the main entrance to the hotel, as shown on the East Elevation sheet.
Staff Comments
The board approved the Gay Street projecting sign and the plaque sign at the May 2019 board meeting but did require the mounting bracket to be brought back for review and approval, which is on this agenda. The board also requested that the sign proposed for the rear elevation be reconsidered in its size and design in the proposed location, or as a different type of sign, such as a projecting sign on the Union Avenue elevation.

The applicant has chosen to replace the proposed wall sign on the rear elevation with a hanging sign over the Union Avenue sidewalk that is attached to the underside of the canopy. The sign size and clearance with the sidewalk meet the requirements of the zoning ordinance, however, if the sign extends more than two-thirds of the sidewalk measured from the building, the building code requires the sign to have a minimum 15' clearance with the sidewalk. The sign is proposed with a 14'-7" clearance with the sidewalk. It is unknown as of right now if the sign does extend more than two-thirds of the sidewalk width. The staff recommendation is to approve with the condition that the sign meet the minimum standards of the zoning ordinance and the building code with revisions to be reviewed and approved by Staff.

-------------------------------------------------- Staff Comments from the May 15, 2019 agenda -----------------------------------------------------------

The projecting sign on the Gay Street elevation is larger than most signs the board considers for approval but is of similar size as the Hyatt Place sign, which is slightly larger at 94 sqft. The logo at the top of this sign has an acrylic face and staff is recommending approval in this instance because it is a minor component of the overall sign and it is located at the top, about 5 stories above street level.

Applicable guidelines:

Section 1.B.4. (ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER)
Buildings should be visually interesting to invite exploration by pedestrians. A building should express human scale through materials and forms that were seen traditionally. This is important because buildings are experienced at close proximity by the pedestrian.
GUIDELINES:
4c. Scale first floor signs to pedestrians.

Section 2.B.1. (TRADITIONAL GRID DISTRICT)
These recommendations for signs in the traditional grid district recognize that certain types of signs are more pedestrian-friendly and should be encouraged within the grid district.
GUIDELINES:
1a. Wall signs on sign boards that are above a transom or first story and mounted flush to the building façade.
1b. Projecting signs of modest size (9 square feet, maximum); a larger sign must be approved by the board.
1c. Window signs, less than 30 percent coverage, including neon signs.
1d. Building name sign and/or building directory.
Applicant

Bowers / Sycamore Sign Service

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