Historic Zoning Commission

Old North Knoxville H: Level II

7-G-21-HZ

Applicant Request

In June 2020 (6-G-20-HZ), a different contractor from the applicant submitted an application for exterior rehabilitation of the house, which was significantly damaged from fire. The application was approved with several conditions. These conditions of approval are reflected in the attached COA and staff report (6-G-20-HZ). The applicant is now applying for modifications from the previously-approved design.

New siding pattern on the second story: applicant requests to install cedar shake/shingle siding on the front and rear gable fields, instead of the wood lap siding. Shingle siding would start immediately below second-story window sills and continue to roofline.

Modified rear elevation and new rear addition: after-the-fact review of new rear addition. Previous rear elevation included a gable-roof rear addition, with a shed-roof section extending towards the east. The applicant removed this rear addition and constructed a continuous shed-roof addition in the same footprint as the previous. The rear elevation will now contain two adjoining windows followed by a secondary entry door recessed on the main massing, with an 8' wide by 15" tall transom window centered on the shed-roof addition.

New deck: after-the-fact review of a new pressure-treated wood deck on the rear right (northeast) corner of the house. Deck measures 11'-9" wide by 10' deep and extends from the middle of the leftmost window to the projecting shed-roof addition.

Conditions identified at 7/15/2021 HZC Meeting: 1) omit cedar shakes and use lap siding with an exposure and placement to match existing siding on front and rear gable fields; 2) rear addition to receive siding, cornerboards, window and door trim to match original house; 3) new windows to be installed on rear elevation and rear addition should be compatible with historic windows in materials, size, and design, with final specifications submitted to staff for approval.

Site Info

Two story frame residence with weatherboard wall covering. Jerkin head gable roof with asphalt shingle covering. Double hung two over two and four light casement windows. One story three-quarter front porch with paired wood posts on brick piers and enclosed balustrade. Interior offset brick chimneys. Brick foundation. Irregular plan. Sidelights and transom at front entry.

1. 1017 Thompson Place is a contributing resource to the ONK National Register and local historic districts. The house underwent a significant fire in early summer 2020, necessitating reconstruction of many exterior and interior elements.

2. In June 2020 (6-G-20-HZ), a different contractor from the applicant submitted an application for exterior rehabilitation of the house, which was significantly damaged from fire. The application was approved, with the several conditions. These conditions of approval are reflected in the attached COA and staff report (6-G-20-HZ). The applicant is now applying for modifications from the previously-approved design.

3. The applicant has proposed cedar shakes instead of wood lap siding in the upper-story gable fields due to current cost constraints with wood siding. In "wood wall coverings," guidelines note that "an entire wooden feature that is too deteriorated to repair "shall be replaced in-kind" and be "compatible with the original in size, scale, and material." Guidelines also recommend that replacement parts should be based on historical, pictorial, and physical documentation. There are instances of Craftsman residences with Dutch Colonial influences using shingle siding in Knoxville; however, there is no evidence of shakes or shingles as an original siding element on this house's gable fields.

4. The new rear addition was built within the same footprint of the previous rear addition. The rear addition is slightly inset from the main house (~6 inches) and is minimally visible from Thompson Place. While the shed roof on the addition is somewhat large in massing, the previous addition featured a combination gable and shed roof which were also not fully compatible in in mass and design.

5. The rear addition should use wood lap siding with a matching exposure, corner boards, and window and door trim to match the main house. As currently built, the foundation's sill plate is resting on the old bricks from the old foundation. The applicant should clarify the foundation finish materials and how it will meet the design guidelines.

6. New windows installed on rear elevation and rear addition should be compatible with the historic windows in materials, size, and design, with final specifications submitted to staff. The secondary door on the rear elevation should meet design guidelines for secondary entries and be submitted to staff.

7. The deck is minor in size, uses pressure-treated wood, appropriate within the base zoning code, and will not be visible from the public right-of-way. Guidelines usually encourage balusters to be set into the top and bottom rails.