Design Review Board

Edgewood Park Infill Housing Overlay District

4-D-24-IH

Applicant Request

1. The house is proposed to be set 28.5' from the front property line to the entry stoop, which measures 4' deep; the main massing of the house would be 32.5' from the front property line. The average front setback of the blockface is 40.2', with the adjacent house at 39'. The house should be recessed towards the rear to align with the adjacent house, and the overall front setback pattern of the block.

2. The block to receive new construction is characterized by Minimal Traditional houses. There are several comparable houses in the surrounding neighborhood, featuring 1.5-story, front-gable roof massings with nested front gables or entry stoops, particularly on the 3300 block of Bellevue Street. The proposed house aligns with the Tudor Revival style shown in the design guidelines and called out as prevalent in the "grid streets near Emoriland." The 1.5-story residence is proportional to the dimensions of the lot and the other houses on the block.

3. The proposed parking meets the Infill Housing design guidelines as located behind the house and accessed from the secondary street. Final site plan modifications may be necessary to meet city Engineering standards.

4. Overall, the 1.5-story, three-bay façade is similar in scale and width to the context, in particular on a block characterized by Minimal Traditional houses where the wider elevation faces the street. The neighborhood's foundations are not as tall as other historic neighborhoods in Knoxville but the final foundation should be at least 12" tall to be compatible with the context.

5. The proposed entry stoop meets the guidelines for front porches in neighborhoods characterized by "small lot 1930-1950-era houses," with a 4' by 5' entry stoop with a steeply pitched front-gable roof. The rounded arch over the door contributes additional complexity.

6. Guidelines recommend window and door styles be compatible with historic houses on the block, with a consistent ratio of solid to void. The façade uses a variety of window sizes and designs, while the neighborhood features primarily double-hung windows. The Board should discuss if double-hung windows are preferable to the multi-light casements on this design.

7. Overall, the roof pitch meets the design guidelines, though the 6/12-pitch massing projecting towards the rear is a unique element for the neighborhood context.

8. Design guidelines note that "clapboard-like materials should be used where wood siding was typically used," and "brick may be appropriate in some older neighborhoods, particularly those with a mix of architectural styles," and "other non-historic materials should not be used in building new houses." The proposed stucco-esque acrylic coating is not compatible with the context. The acrylic should be revised to brick or lap siding to reflect the other siding materials on the house.

9. The application includes extensive information on trees to be retained and planted.

Site Info

New primary structure fronting Bellevue Street. One-and-one-half story residence features a side-gable roof (10/12 pitch, with a 6/12 pitch massing towards the rear), with a projecting front-gable roof massing on the right side. The house measures 30' wide by 35'-4" deep. The house features an entry recessed below a front-gable roof entry vestibule. Parking is located to the rear and accessed via Seymour Avenue.

The façade (east) features a projecting bay window with a multi-light window on the left bay with a small front-gable wall dormer above, a centrally located door below the entry vestibule, and a rounded window on the upper gable field. The right side (north) elevation features a projecting shed-roof massing clad in lap siding, with a steel panel roof. The left side (south) elevation features three bays of windows on the first bay and two on the gable field. Windows are depicted as multi-light casement windows.