Historic Zoning Commission

Ft. Sanders NC-1: Level IV

4-I-04-HZ

Applicant Request

Level IV. Demolition or relocation of contributing structure

LEVEL IV Certificate. Demolish Pickle Mansion, burned August, 2002.

Site Info

Two story frame with brick veneer wall covering and solid masonry construction. Hip roof with lower cross gables and rounded turret, frieze at roof line, terra cotta roof covering. Central projecting bay with gable roof, tripled attic vent windows, applied curvilinear motif at lentils and rusticated stone sill and balcony at second floor. Rounded second story end opposite rounded turret. One over one double hung windows with multipaned windows and triplet windows on second story under full arches, segmental one over one windows on remainder of second story, belt course at top of window line, rusticated quoins around windows. Five window grouping on first story with eight paned windows under arched transom, remainder of windows are one over one double hung. Transoms above entry door. One story full front and side wrap around porch with rounded corner pavilion, square stone posts with Ionic capitals on brick piers with stone cap, stone balcony with stone cap, stone cap on buttressing at front steps, dentils under cornice on front porch. Rusticated stone foundation. Interior side brick chimney. Irregular plan. Rusticated stone wall at front sidewalk line. Separate two story Tudor Revival c. 1925 apartment building at rear.

Note: The front 1889 building was substantially damaged by fire in the summer of 2002. Since that time, the house has sat open to the weather. Enclosed photographs illustrate the fire damage in 2002.

First, Professor Stan Rabun, U.T. School of architecture, examined the building prior to the fire and is of the opinion that most of the damage to the exterior of the building could be readily repaired. Second, the form and mass of the structure are extremely significant to the Ft. Sanders neighborhood and to understanding the evolution of architectural design in Knoxville. Third, many of the design features of the building's exerior remain. Fourth, no design for an alternative structure has been presented to he Historic Zoning Commission, and no documentation of the overall damage to the structure or its inability to be repaired has been

Staff Report - Certificate No. 033004FTS
Knoxville Historic Zoning Commission
Meeting of April 15, 2004
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filed with this request.

While it may be justifiable to demolish this building, that has not been proven, and there is no suggestion of the type of structure that will take the place of the Pickle Mansion in the event of its demolition.

Attached for your information are photographs of the fire damage sustained by the Pickle Mansion. These photographs were taken the day of the fire.