Historic Zoning Commission

Ft. Sanders NC-1:

6-K-01-HZ

Applicant Request

Demolish six existing buildings and clear lot; construct new multi-family development.

Site Info

All buildings are on one lot - Parcel 94NE026.
1601 HIGHLAND. Two story frame with weatherboard wall covering. Hip roof with lower cross gables, shed roof front dormer. Three over one windows. Projecting one story bay. One story front and side wrap around front porch, partially enclosed, with pediment at entrance, sawn wood balustrade, square wood columns. Brick foundation. Irregular plan.
1605 HIGHLAND. Two story frame with weatherboard wall covering. Hip roof with lower cross gables, shingles in front facing gable, applied trim on bargeboard and attic vent window with scroll designed lentil and sill; triangular shaped wood louvered attic vent forming gablet on front facing portion of hip roof. Sixteen over two double hung wood windows. One story full front porch with sawn wood balustrade and square wood columns with engaged pilasters; corbelled brick interior offset chimney. Brick foundation. Irregular plan.
1609 HIGHLAND. Similar in design to #1605 Highland.
1617 HIGHLAND. Two story frame with weatherboard wall covering. Hip roof with lower cross gables, asphalt shingle covering; applied sunburst motif in front facing gable. Windows boarded up. Two story one-half altered front porch with square wood posts. Transom at front door and balcony door. One story octagonal bay on front elevation. Interior offset brick chimney. Brick foundation.
1621 HIGHLAND. Two story frame with asphalt roll brick pattern wall covering. Hip roof with lower cross gables, two interior offset brick chimneys, side and rear. Two over two double hung wood windows. Attic vent in front gable with paired four light windows. Square one story bay on front elevation. One story one-half front and side wrap around porch. Porch and bay window boarded so architectural details cannot be seen. Brick foundation. Irregular plan.
217 SIXTEENTH. Two story frame with weatherboard wall covering. Hip roof with lower cross gables, gablet with louvered attic vent, asphalt shingle roof covering, ten light attic window with shaped surround, applied trim on cornice board and imbricated shingles in front gable. One story full front porch, now half enclosed, with square wood columns and engaged pilasters, turned balusters. Sixteen over one and six over six double hung windows. Beltcourse at base of second story window. Interior offset brick chimney. Brick foundation. Irregular plan.

The applicant has requested permission for demolition and approval of a design for a new apartment development for this parcel. The buildings are condemned and in need of rehabilitation, but appear to be in fairly good structural condition. The location is highly visible in the district, and rehabilitation of these existing buildings is important to the district's integrity. These buildings were noted as contributing to the Ft. Sanders NC-1.

The adopted Fort Sanders Design Guidelines provide for demolition of non-contributing buildings. For contributing buildings, the guidelines require the Knoxville Historic Zoning Commission to consider the following provisions when determining if a demolition is acceptable: 1) The HZC may allow demolition if a building has been condemned for structural reasons, and if the structural problems and associated costs to address those problems are excessive based on an assessment by a licensed structural engineer or architect; 2) The HZC may allow demolition if the original design is so compromised that historic architectural integrity is lost and cannot be reasonably re-established. (See Pg. 17, Fort Sanders Design Guidelines).

The proposed new construction does not meet several provisions of the adopted Fort Sanders Design Guidelines.
1) Street-facing facades of new buildings should be broken up with bays or porches that are consistent with the dimensions of historic buildings in the neighborhood (pgs. 6 & 7);
2) Apartment buildings shall have porches with an outside entrance from the street for every 50 to 75 feet of street frontage, with porches proportional to pre-1940 housing (pg. 7);
3) Porches should be no less than 6 feet deep (pg.10);
4) There should be at least 30% transparency on street walls, which is created by windows or French doors and balconies, on the recessed breaks between sections of buildings (pg. 13);
5) Bays should extend up to 5 feet for 50% of side façade on corner lots (pg. 6);
6) Setbacks should be consistent with the provisions for the main portion of the building, bays and porches (pg. 6);
7) The foundation height needs to be raised (pg. 7);
8) A landscape plan needs to be included, addressing the points raised in the landscaping section (pg. 16) and the parking section (pg. 15);
9) For a structure of this length along a block, there should be more complexity in the roof design (pg. 14); 10)The design of the facades facing 16th Street needs to be addressed (pgs. 5 & 6), including setbacks, which should be closer to the street;
11) There needs to be a break in the front façade to simulate the spacing of historic buildings (pg. 7);
12) The pedestrian orientation on Highland should be kept. A break cannot be provided for parking purposes. Access or egress should be to the alley;
13) Stucco and corbelled corners are not consistent with materials used on Highland Avenue, or a building of this proportion.
14) Lot coverage appears to be too great. Provisions for parking and yard space must be observed. Have the R-3 regulations been addressed?

These buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and a rehabilitation that meets the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings could result in the owner receiving tax credits for a portion of the rehabilitation expenses. New construction is anticipated by the design guidelines for the Fort Sanders NC-1. Those guidelines allow latitude in addressing issues such as lot coverage and setback. The applicant should consider mixing the rehabilitation of the existing buildings with the construction of new space that meets the NC-1 guidelines, resulting in an economically viable project.