Historic Zoning Commission

Old North Knoxville H: Level II

3-E-24-HZ

Applicant Request

Major exterior rehabilitation and new secondary structure.

Selective demolition on the existing house:

- Remove upper-level addition; remove front porch enclosure; repair to the front porch foundation (or reconstruction, using as much existing brick as possible); repair to front stairs.
- Removal of shed roof addition on left side/rear.; remove left side stair window; removal of non-historic side porches.
- Removal of rear addition (measuring approximately 11'-6" deep).

Restoration scopes:

- Roofline: reconstruction of centered, two-story, front-gable massing on facade, based on footprint on Sanborn map. Reconstruction of original cross-gable roofline; intersecting gable projecting towards rear to remain. New asphalt shingles on all roof slopes.
- New wrap-around front porch, based on footprint on Sanborn map. The proposed porch will be two stories, featuring composite tongue-and-groove porch flooring (Aeratis Heritage or similar), painted wood balustrades with spindles set into top and bottom rails, new painted wood fluted columns, new upper-level newel posts to match design of lower-level columns. The porch overhang will feature rafter tails. New skirtboard above brick foundation under porch.
- Rear elevation: where non-historic shed-roof addition is removed, a new shed-roof, two-story screened-in back porch is proposed for the rear right corner of the house. The porch will feature painted, fluted wood columns, a painted wood balustrade on the second story, and new composite tongue-and-groove flooring.
- Siding: new wood lap siding, cornerboards, and trim, to match original exposure visible on sections of existing house. New decorative wood shingles proposed for front roof gable.
- Windows: at least 8 existing original windows proposed to be restored to working condition; other non-historic windows proposed to be replaced with new wood double-hung windows with profiles and trim to match original pattern (or simple trim pattern comparable to similar houses in neighborhood).
One new decorative stair window proposed on the left elevation's second story.
- Additional: new gutters, new louvered vent on rear elevation roof gable, new stepped masonry side walls on the existing front steps, with a simple cast iron handrail.

Secondary structure (garage and accessory dwelling unit):

New secondary structure, to be located at the rear right (north) corner of the property, in the location of the historic garage based on the Sanborn map. The secondary structure will measure approximately 716 sq. ft. The building is 1.5-stories tall, with a front-gable roof dormer projecting toward the west elevation, a shed dormer projecting to the east. Carriage-style garage doors will be located on the north elevation (fronting the alley), with secondary entries on the south and west elevations. The roof will be clad in asphalt shingles, with a future rooftop solar array proposed for the west elevation, and the building will be clad in smooth-finished fiber cement lap siding with trim and cornerboards to reflect house. Windows are proposed as paintable fiberglass double-hung windows.

Site Info

Two-story frame residence with a side-gable roof clad in asphalt shingles, an exterior of vinyl siding, and a brick foundation. Enclosed porch extends the full length of the façade. Multiple secondary entries.

1. 217 E. Scott Ave is listed as a contributing resource the ONK local historic overlay, with a designation dating to 1981, and to the ONK National Register Historic District, with a determination made in 1992. The original form of the house is obscured by multiple additions to the front, side, and rear elevations. The house also features multiple secondary entrances to provide access to interior apartments, an exterior of vinyl siding, non-historic replacement windows, and an enclosed front porch which would not meet adopted design guidelines. The City of Knoxville proposed to demolish the house in 2022 which was ultimately denied by the HZC. The house was sold to the current owners, who are proposing a major exterior rehabilitation which retains as much of the historic fabric as possible.

2. No historic photographs of the house have been located. The application draws from the house's physical evidence and a Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of the footprint for the proposed work.

3. Several of the non-historic additions, porch enclosures, and entrances are extremely deteriorated. Removal of the non-historic porch enclosures, additions, siding materials, and windows as proposed is appropriate. Removing these elements will assist in identifying original elements of the house to continue to guide the rehabilitation.
4. Overall, the building footprint as proposed will reflect that depicted on the 1917 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map.

5. Reconstruction of the roofline as proposed is appropriate, as it draws from physical evidence on the existing house and the footprint depicted on the Sanborn map. The restored roofline will eliminate the non-historic additions and create a more consistent cross-gable roofline, with a pitch matching what is visible from the original, and reflects roof pitches similar to comparable existing houses on the block. The proposal includes eave overhangs, fascia and continuous frieze boards, and louvered vents compatible with the style. New asphalt shingles meet the design guidelines.

6. The proposed front porch reflects the footprint as visible on the Sanborn map, and meets the guidelines of "replicating the original porch if documentation of its size […] can be discovered". Both stories of the porch incorporate design elements recommended within the guidelines (tongue-and-groove floors, balustrades with spindles set into top and bottom rails, wood columns). The proposed composite tongue-and-groove porch flooring material has been approved by the HZC as a replacement material in Old North Knoxville. The Commission should discuss the second-story porch element; there is no historic evidence of a second-story porch on the house, and the level of decoration/detail on the proposed porches.

7. Replacing the non-historic shed-roof addition on the rear elevation with a shed-roof, two-story, screened-in porch is compatible with the footprint and design details of overall house and will not be visible from the right-of-way.

8. The proposed wood lap siding in a 4" exposure, trim, and cornerboards draw from the limited sections of visible original wood siding and meet the design guidelines. The Commission should discuss the proposed shingles in the front gable, which lack historic evidence but are visible in similar houses in the neighborhood.

9. Overall, the proposed window repair and replacement meets the design guidelines. The final specifications for windows, including the decorative stair window, should be provided to staff for approval.

10. Additional repair elements like repair and reconstruction of the porch foundation, the installation of new half-ground gutters and downspouts, etc are appropriate.

11. The secondary structure/garage and ADU meets the design guidelines for new accessory structures. Placement of the building at the rear of the property, minimally visible from the right-of-way, is appropriate. Final site plan for the ADU, and any related driveway, should meet the City zoning and Engineering standards.

12. The secondary structure is compatible in design with the primary house. Smooth-finished fiber cement lap siding and painted fiberglass windows have been approved for new secondary structures in ONK. The proposed solar panels are on a less visible roof slope.