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Design Review Board

Level 3: Construction of new building/structure

5-E-15-DT

Staff Recommendation

APPROVE Certificate 5-E-15-DT as submitted.

Location
122 S Central St

120 & 122 S. Central Street

Applicant Request
SUMMARY: A new 4-story mixed-use development at 120 & 122 S. Central Street in the Old City. The proposed development plan will require the demolition of the two existing one-story structures. The new structure will include commercial uses at street level and residential uses on the upper three floors. The proposal includes windows on the north elevation above the adjacent two-story structure, however, this will require an 'air rights' agreement with the adjacent property owner.

SITE LAYOUT: The building fronts on two streets, with the primary being Central Street and the secondary being Willow Avenue. Both street frontages are considered "front yards" which require a 5' setback for the first floor of the building, however, the applicant is requesting a 5' setback variance from the board on both frontages to allow the building to conform to historic context of the block (NOTE: included in the setback are cornices and other architectural features that may not be illustrated the site layout or ground floor plan). The building will share a common wall with the adjacent two-story building to the north and be built up to the rear property line.

ACCESS: There are three commercial spaces on the ground floor. The corner space has the main entrance along Central Street with a secondary entrance along Willow Avenue. The other two commercial spaces only have one entrance, each from different streets.

The primary entrance for the upper residential floors will be from Willow Avenue, toward the rear of the building, and will be recessed from Willow Avenue. This entrance will lead to a courtyard and lobby with a stair and elevator. The secondary egress is a stairwell that leads to the Central Street sidewalk.

EXTERIOR MATERIALS:
1) Ground floor: brick, aluminum doors and storefront, cast stone, painted wood sign board
2) Upper level (Central / Willow elevations): brick, aluminum double-hung windows, metal clad fascia and trip (cornice)
3) Rear (east) elevation: aluminum windows and storefront, fiber-cement cladding system, painted CMU, painted aluminum fencing
4) Side (north) elevation: painted CMU, aluminum double-hung windows

MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT: Mechanical equipment will be installed on the roof but it is not anticipated that screening will be required.

CANOPY: A copy is proposed over the middle storefront bay on the Central Street elevation. It will be constructed of a metal frame and wood fascia, with a translucent polycarbonate roof and treaded hanging rods.
Staff Comments
The project is located within the Southern Terminal and Warehouse (National Register) Historic District and the 'Historic Resources' section of the design guidelines will apply.

When a new building is constructed next to a historic structure and is taller than, the guidelines recommend that the stories above the historic structure should be setback. In this case, the adjacent structure is 2-stories, however, the fourth story of the new building is the only floor that is entirely above the adjacent building and is applicable for this recommendation. Exterior detailing divides the facades into horizontal and vertical sections to mimic the lot widths and heights of the adjacent buildings.

Applicable guidelines:

Section 1.B.1 (BUILDING MASS, SCALE AND FORM)
Building form should be consistent with the character of downtown as an urban setting and should reinforce the pedestrian activity at the street level. Creating pedestrian-scale buildings, especially at street level, can reduce the perceived mass of buildings. Historically, building technology limited height and subsequently created pedestrian-scaled buildings typically less than 10 stories. Building technology no longer limits the height of buildings and there are no height limitations imposed by the zoning ordinance for downtown Knoxville. However, there is still a need for buildings that respond to pedestrians. The use of 'human-scale' design elements is necessary to accomplish this.
Human-scale design elements are details and shapes that are sized to be proportional to the human body, such as, upper story setbacks, covered entries, and window size and placement.
GUIDELINES:
1a. Maintain a pedestrian-scaled environment from block to block.
1b. Foster air circulation and sunlight penetration around new buildings. Buildings may be designed with open space, as allowed under existing C-2 zoning; or buildings may be 'stepped back' on upper floors with lower floors meeting the sidewalk edge (see Area Regulations of the C-2 Zoning District).
1c. Use building materials, cornice lines, signs, and awnings of a human scale in order to reduce the mass of buildings as experienced at the street level.
1d. Divide larger buildings into 'modules' that are similar in scale to traditional downtown buildings.
Buildings should be designed with a recognizable base, middle, and top on all exposed elevations.
1e. Avoid blank walls along street-facing elevations.

Section 1.B.2. (BUILDING LOCATION)
It is important to establish a strong relationship among buildings, sidewalks, and streets. This is typically accomplished through consistent setbacks that locate buildings on the same line.
GUIDELINES:
2a. Set buildings back five feet in order to provide wider sidewalk space when new construction in non-historic areas is to be more than half the length of the block.
2b. Consider using landscape elements to define the sidewalk edge where a building is to be set back from the sidewalk.

Section 1.B.3. (BUILDING MATERIALS)
New building materials should relate to the scale, durability, color, and texture of the predominate building materials in the area.
GUIDELINES:
3a. Use complimentary materials and elements, especially next to historic buildings.

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:
4a. Encourage first floor uses that draw walk-in traffic; businesses that do not require pedestrian traffic should be located on other floors.
4b. Enhance pedestrian interest in commercial and office buildings by creating a largely transparent and consistent rhythm of entrances and windows.
4c. Scale first floor signs to pedestrians.
4d. Differentiate the architectural features of ground floors from upper floors with traditional considerations such as show-windows, transoms, friezes, and sign boards.
4e. Design top floors to enhance the skyline of the block through cornices and details that are harmonious with adjacent architecture.
4f. Encourage the use of 'green roofs' and other sustainable practices, while minimizing the visual impact from the street.

Section 1.B.5. (GROUND FLOOR DOORS AND WINDOWS)
Entrances and ground floor windows should foster pedestrian comfort, safety and orientation. Not every building in downtown needs to have the same window or entry designs; however, repeating the pattern of historic openings helps to reinforce the character of downtown, differentiating it from suburban areas.
GUIDELINES:
5a. Use consistent rhythm of openings, windows, doorways, and entries.
5b. Orient primary front entrances to the main street; secondary entrances should be clearly defined and oriented to streets or alleys, as appropriate.
5c. Design entrances according to the proportions of the building's height and width.
5d. Consider corner entrances at the ends of blocks.
5e. All windows at the pedestrian level should be clear.
5f. Recess ground floor window frames and doors from the exterior building face to provide depth to the facade.

7. MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE UTILITIES
Utilities can include telephone and electrical lines, ventilation systems, gas meters, air conditioners, fire protection, telecommunication and alarm systems. Adequate space for these utilities should be planned in a project from the outset and they should be designed such that their visual and noise impacts are minimized.
GUIDELINES:
7a. Minimize the visual impact of mechanical equipment through screens or recessed/low-profile equipment.
7b. Do not locate units on a primary facade.
7c. Screen rooftop vents, heating/cooling units and related utilities with parapet walls or other screens.
Consider sound-buffering of the units as part of the design.
7d. Locate utility connections and service boxes on secondary walls.
7e. Reduce the visual impacts of trash storage and service areas by locating them at the rear of a building or off an alley, when possible.
7f. Screen dumpsters from view.
7g. Locate satellite dishes out of public view, where possible.
7h. Allow solar panels and other technological advances on rooftops and other unobtrusive locations. Solar panels should not be considered on the elevations of historic buildings.

Section 1.C.10. (NEW CONSTRUCTION WITHIN OR ADJACENT TO AN HISTORIC DISTRICT OR BUILDING)
Infill construction should be designed to reflect architectural and historic qualities. Designs should not duplicate current buildings. Issues of concern will be the siting, size, shape, proportion, materials, and the relationship of all of those to the prevalent character of the historic district.
GUIDELINES:
10a. Maintain the setback of adjacent historic buildings. The height of the lower stories should be similar to adjacent historic buildings. Upper floors may be 'stepped back' behind the front facade.
10b. Duplicate the horizontal floor divisions of existing buildings.
10c. Design windows to be of similar proportions to the adjacent historic building windows.
10d. Use ornamental stone, brick work, and trim appropriate to the style of the infill building.
10e. Recognize the belt courses, strong courses, cornices, and other elements of adjacent buildings.
10f. Incorporate storefronts that complement the openness, bulkheads, and transoms of historic buildings.

Section 2.C. THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT
Central Street, from Depot Avenue south to Summit Hill Drive: The Central Street section is composed of one- to two-story buildings that are unremarkable as individual buildings, but draw significance as a collection of commercial buildings that supported warehouse employees and visitors that arrived on the railroad. In the rehabilitation that occurred in the 1980s, details were added that are inappropriate (for instance, wrought iron balconies). Re-creation of the authentic architecture of such buildings is preferred and additional inappropriate details should be avoided. New construction in this area should focus on the storefront designs, masonry, window sizes, setbacks and massing that complement the historic buildings.
Applicant

Smith Ventures LLC

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