Historic Zoning Commission

Old North Knoxville H: Level II

6-D-21-HZ

Applicant Request

Modification to house's rear porch (northwest corner of the house). The porch will be enclosed with screens using removable batons adjacent to porch columns. A railing will be installed on the rear and side elevation of the porch, with a chamfered half-round handrail and turned wood balusters to match the balustrade and handrail on the front porch. A screen door will be installed on the right side, salvaged from a previous renovation, in its original location.

Conditions of approval per 6/17/21 HZC meeting:
1) new balustrade and handrail match the front porch in design and size, with balusters set into the top and bottom rails;
2) if any of the rear columns are proposed for replacement, final specifications with dimensions should be submitted to staff for approval.

Site Info

Two-story residence with a hipped roof with gables projecting to front and sides, clad in asphalt shingles, an exterior of wood clapboard siding, and a continuous brick foundation. Gable fields feature fish-scale and diamond-patterned wood shingles, decorative fascia boards,and cornice returns. Two-story, wrap-around porch with turned wood balustrade and round wood columns with Ionic capitals on the lower porch. Two brick chimneys. Double-hung, two-over-one wood windows.

1. 1329 Armstrong Avenue is a contributing resource to the Old North Knoxville National Register Historic District and local overlay.

2. The property is a corner lot, with the rear porch to receive rehabilitation fronting Kenyon Street; work on the porch will be visible from the public right-of-way.

3. In general, work on the porch draws from physical evidence of a past porch design. The salvaged screen door to be installed will be placed in its original location, drawing on physical evidence from the porch beam. Enclosing the porch with a screen will retain sufficient transparency and would be easily removed without effect on the house.

4. The installation of a new balustrade and handrail to match the front porch will create a sense of visual symmetry from Kenyon Street, with compatible front and rear porch elements. The new balustrade and handrail should match the front porch in design, size, and detail. Balusters should be set into the top and bottom rail.

5. All modifications could be removed without effect on any character-defining features of the house.