Historic Zoning Commission

Market Square H-1: Level II

3-D-09-HZ

Applicant Request

Level II. Replacement/repair

Remove existing deteriorated exterior masonry façade wall facing Market Square and along the angled wall at the corner to a point at the east side of the existing pilaster at the corner on Wall Avenue. Existing windows are to be removed, stored and reinstalled with new wall.

Construct new masonry façade wall with metal stud back up to replicate the existing wall configuration from above the existing ground floor storefront to the metal roof coping. New steel columns and beam structure will be installed at the ground level in approximately the same location as existing.

The design of the ground floor storefront along Market Square and Wall Avenue will be submitted to the Knoxville HZC at a later date. Addition work to exterior brick, including tuck pointing, cleaning, etc., to be submitted at a later date. New brick to be painted once full design and construction is completed.

Two structural engineers have recommended that this wall be removed. A temporary construction wall will be built out to the ten foot limit and around the side to just past the limit of construction.

Site Info

Woods & Taylor Building. Four story brick with engaged Tuscan columns punctuating bays, pressed metal cornice with modillions, splayed corner with quoins, altered c 1956 storefront with cast iron columns remaining.

This building housed the Woods and Taylor clothing store, and in 1950 Bower's Department Store, together with restaurants, office space, watch repair shops and beauty shops.

Past attempts to correct the structural problems with the west wall of this building have failed. Mr. Busby has reported that the bricks making up the west wall of the building are being held in tension rather than compression, and subject to complete structural failure. His proposal to rebuild the west façade, duplicating the existing structure as much as possible, is necessary to make the building safe, and to preserve it. For that reason, the recommendation is to allow the work to proceed as proposed.