Historic Zoning Commission

Bijou Theatre Individual H Landmark: Level II

7-C-20-HZ

Applicant Request

Level II. Major repair or replacement of materials or architectural elements

All work to be completed on north (side) elevation fronting Cumberland Avenue. Removal of existing fabric canopy above staircase; and removal of copper canopy above ground-level entry.

Canopies over doors: installation of four bronze-colored canopies over egress doors on side elevations; canopies will project 4' max from the masonry wall, with an approximately 14" eave overhang on each side of the door. Canopies over doors will have a hipped roof with a curved design, 1" standing seam, an 8" tall ogee fascia, and a flush soffit.

Canopy over stairs: in place of existing canvas canopy, a powder-coated, bronze colored aluminum canopy will extend from the second-story entry, northwards, down to the first-story entry. The flat canopy will extend 4' from the exterior wall and feature a 12" tall custom fascia with a flush soffit. Canopy will connect to walls with 1.5" by 1.5" square metal supports and triangular brackets.

Exterior lighting: new copper light fixtures to be installed in place of existing lights under stair canopy. Two new half-round lights to be installed in place of existing door lights.

Basic repairs: repair to existing metal side elevation doors, including patching holes, scraping, sealing, and painting. Masonry repointing (or replacement in-kind in small sections) as needed at anchor points for canopy attachments to brick wall.

Site Info

The Lamar House/Bijou Theatre was built as a private residence, the Lamar House, sometime before 1816, and was designed as a late Georgian/early Federal style building. In 1837, a major regrading of Gay Street converted the present street-level entrance from a basement entrance to the building. A photograph from that era shows six over six sash windows, a standing seam metal roof, and a portico and balcony, with a pediment at the attic story and a standing seam metal gable roof. Changes made c.1900-1909 resulted in the current flat roof and overhanging cornice with modillions, the alternating arched and triangular window hoods and the details of the Gay Street entrance, as well as internal changes to the floor plan.

1. The Bijou Theatre is listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places and is a local historic landmark.

2. Work is focused on the Cumberland Avenue elevation, which is a prominent side of the building that serves a utilitarian purpose, providing access to the auditorium and the rear of the theatre. This project was awarded funding from the City of Knoxville's Historic Preservation Fund.

3. Removal of the non-historic fabric canopy over the stairs is appropriate. Masonry repair in the canopy locations is appropriate; contractors should utilize mortar and replacement bricks that are consistent with the existing historic masonry materials.

4. The Theatre has identified 1909 as the central period of significance, drawing on the date the building was converted into the theatre. The majority of the building's exterior features date to the same period. This date provided inspiration for the design of the canopies and lighting fixtures.

5. The exterior door canopies are necessary to protect the large, custom-made egress doors on the side elevation. The patina which develops on a copper canopy will allow the canopy to blend in with the historic masonry wall over time.

6. The zoning ordinance specifies that when extending over a sidewalk, a fixed awning must not exceed more than 2/3rds of the width of the sidewalk. As proposed, the awnings meet this requirement. Fixed awnings over sidewalks must also have 9 feet of minimum vertical clearance from the ground level. The applicant has provided two sets of drawings: the first (computer-produced) drawings reflect the 9' clearance requirement. The second (hand-drawn) drawings reflect an 8' vertical clearance, and visually align more clearly with the historic door openings. The Commission could approve both sets of drawings to give the applicant capacity to explore options in permitting.

7. While the SOI standards discourage adding features that "create a false sense of historical development," the proposed stair canopy is thin in profile, simple in design, and utilizes materials that complement the historic building. The canopy will have a significantly smaller visual impact than the existing fabric canopy.

8. The lighting fixtures are modest in design and will not detract from the integrity of the building. The door lights will replace existing fixtures, and the stair lights will be minimally visible due to the canopy.