Historic Zoning Commission

N/A: Level II

12-F-09-HZ

Applicant Request

Level II. Replacement/repair

Applicant is requesting approval to replace all wood windows in building with metal clad windows that replicate in dimensionk, size and design the deteriorated wood windows now found on the building.

Replace severely deteriorated windows of various dates with exact size and profile duplicate of existing historic windows that is a painted surface, aluminum clad window. Replacement window will duplicate the oldest generation of windows in building, replacing sashes and frame, retaining brick surround and marble trim on exterior. Interior trim and/or finish surrounding windows will not be altered and interior of sash will be stained or finished wood. Transoms will be replaced with stained glass color matched to original stained glass transoms, and will also substitute for original stained glass transoms that have been altered with new clear glass; replacement transoms will have exterior metal clad grids, interior wood grids, and internal grids to provide a visual duplication of existing windows; heavy pulls on exterior of windows will be reused or replicated; lugs or dog ears on bottom of top sashes will be replicated. New windows will incorporate energy saving features and will be in better condition and easily maintained.

Site Info

The site of the Knox County Courthouse is raised above Main Street and Gay Street and surrounded on those elevations by a brick retaining wall with a concrete cap topped by a wrought iron fence. A central entry on the north (primary) elevation, an entry at the northeast corner, and two entries on the east elevation are all marked by rusticated East Tennessee marble ashlared blocks with marble steps. The city block occupied by the Courthouse is heavily landscaped with mature trees.

The Knox County Courthouse is a three story brick building with a projecting clock and bell tower on the north elevation. The building is topped by a hip roof with lower crossed gables and a standing seam copper roof, with the clock tower roofed in patterned slate and topped by a weather vane. A raised basement is marked by a molded brick water table and paired four light windows throughout the main portion of the building. Arched marble buttresses atop rusticated marble ashlared side walls flank steps on the north, east and west that lead to the projecting, arcaded central entry porch on the north elevation. Segmental arched vents at the basement level are enclosed with diagonal patterned iron grills with applied fleur d'lis elements. A marble cornerstone installed by the Freemasons of Knox County and dated 6/24/1885 is embellished with the scales of justice and flanks the porch entry.

The porch itself is marked by a terra cotta balcony with pierced quatrefoils under an arcaded porch. Black and white marble tiles in a diagonal pattern and original bronze lights over each of the staircases lead to paired nine panel wood entry doors, which are topped by an arched transom composed of small sash lights. A plaque notes the National Register listing of the building. The entry is flanked by paired one over one double hung windows with small paned arched transoms in stained glass. Throughout the building, the arched transoms that contain stained glass are marked by red, blue and gold panes. A second story balcony, rounded and supported by a large console bracket, also contains a terra cotta balustrade with the quatrefoil pattern. Three one over one windows with stained glass small pane transoms are located at the balcony level; they are separated by reeded molding on plinths with Doric capitols. A terra cotta plaque above the balcony level is embossed with large letters Court House. The third floor of the tower contains three one over one Eastlake windows separated by reeded trim and brackets. Above them is an arched terra cotta plaque inset, with embossed words and symbols expressing and illustrating the words Agriculture and Commerce. An arched window above that plaque has a terra cotta keystone, and is topped by the bell tower and clock, marked by square columns.

Throughout the remainder of the original building, paired one over one double hung windows with small paned arched transoms, some with stained glass, mark the top floor of the building. Flat arch windows are on the second story. Terra cotta plaques with a Della Robbia pattern are located below these windows, with are separated by paired engaged brick pilasters with terra cotta Ionic capitals. Marble sills and lintels appear at the windows on the middle story, which also boasts marble belt courses and string courses. A gable with an ocular window with a terra cotta surround also appears at the side of the north façade entry below a gable. Brick dentil molding appears at the cornice throughout the building.

The secondary entry to the Courthouse appears on the east elevation facing Gay Street. It contains many of the same decorative elements as the primary entry, with a terra cotta quatrefoil railing, black and white marble floor and bronze lanterns on the front porch, and paired nine-panel wood entry doors topped by an arched small pane stained glass transom. A balcony tops the arcaded entry porch and boasts a terra cotta quatrefoil rail and paired windows with engaged pilasters with terra cotta Ionic capitals.

The 1919 addition to the building forms the rear portion of the east and west facades of the building and the rear elevation. Many design features repeat in this addition, including the marble belt and string courses, marble sills and lintels at windows and doors, arched top story transoms above one over one double hung windows with Della Robbia terra cotta panels and dentils at the cornice line. The only other addition to the building is located on the west elevation of the building, where a modern elevator tower and entry foyer provides access to the building.

Much conjecture has been made of the styling of the Knox County Courthouse. Various details have been attributed to Colonial Revival styling, and to the Gothic Revival period. It is likely that the plans for the original portion of the building were formulated by Palliser and Palliser, a mail order architect known to have supplied plans for other Stephenson and Getaz buildings. Elements of design in the Courthouse also include Neoclassical, and it is this stylistic period that may best describe the overall design of the building.

Without a model window to examine, I cannot write a recommendation.