Historic Zoning Commission

N/A: Level II

8-G-09-HZ

Applicant Request

Level II. Replacement/repair

Applicant is requesting exemption from zoning ordinance requirements regarding scrolling, display timing and text size for electronic message center located on theater marquee.

Site Info

The Tennessee Theater, built in 1928, is Knoxville's only movie palace and was designed by the firm of Graven and Mayger of Chicago. Construction was by the George A. Fuller Construction Company of New York. Three related components comprise the Burwell Building/Tennessee Theater. One is the Tennessee Theater itself, a 1928 Moorish Movie Palace style theater. The Burwell Building is a ten story (plus basement and mezzanine) Second Renaissance Revival office building, with the theater entrance through the ground floor of the building.

The front façade of the complex faces Gay Street with the entrance to the Tennessee Theater being through the Burwell Building, a Second Renaissance Revival office building. The Burwell Building is organized with the ground floor, mezzanine and second floor forming a base, highlighted by stylized pilasters from the ground to the mezzanine. A strong course separates the mezzanine from the second floor and a cornice divides the second floor from the third floor, a second cornice separates the third through the ninth floors and a terra cotta belt course separates the ninth and tenth floors. At the tenth floor a heavy cornice with massive dentils is underlain with a second row of smaller dentils and supported by massive single and paired bracketed consoles.

The base of the building contains rustication formed by alternating protruding and receding brick courses, with terra cotta moldings forming cornices, capitals, surrounds and decorative panels. The middle portion is smooth brick, with windows surrounded by a flat brick lintel with a pronounced keystone.

Seven horizontal bays organize the Gay Street façade. Windows, which are not original, are one light single metal sashes. The northern three bays were built in 1907-08, with the additional four bays added in 1928 when the Tennessee Theater was built. The design of the 1928 portion matches the original building. The Tennessee Theater is entered through a recessed opening at the ground floor and is one story high. There is an unaltered free standing box office structure in the center of the entrance. The marquee was replaced in 1966, and is above the entry. The large vertical sign spelling "Tennessee" was removed in 1966.

The sign for the Tennessee Theater is one of a very few in Knoxville that should retain the historic character of moving and flashing signs. Those are not legal except through the type of appeal and approval contemplated by this application.