New addition for West End
People may expect to see another building in West End Center.
The owners and architects from Sprinkle Engineering Inc. presented a concept plan for a 9,000-square-foot building in the center to Farragut Municipal Planning Commission during its meeting Thursday, Oct. 16, to get feedback on the plan as a workshop item.
The retail building would be situated along West Point Drive, near the intersection with West End Avenue, according to Town Community Development director Mark Shipley.
“The proposed liner building along West Point Drive would help advance the design concept included in the Town’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan for the West End portion of the Mixed Use Town Center,” Shipley said. “The building and parking modifications would reduce the number of parking spaces but still exceed the parking space requirements that apply to the MUTC.
“Since this site is within the C-1 (commercial) MUTC land use area, the new building has more flexibility in terms of where it can be placed with only a 10-foot setback from the West Point Drive right of way,” he said. “The applicant decided not to include a liner building along West End Avenue due to concerns over blocking the visibility of businesses in the existing building,” Shipley noted.
“I like where these guys are going with this,” Planning Commissioner Noah Myers said.
However, there were concerns about the percentage of masonry.
“Since the building is within the MUTC, the building would be subject to either being two-story or having the appearance, as viewed from all building elevations, of a building that is at least two stories in height,” Shipley said. “The building is also subject to the requirement for all four building elevations to be at least 75 percent face brick, excluding doors and windows.”
He said the proposed building does not appear to
meet the masonry requirement and height dimensions also would need to be added to “determine if the proposed height is
consistent with other new buildings that have been
erected recently within the MUTC, namely within the Town Center at Biddle Farms.
“The applicant has expressed to staff that they would like to try to make the new building consistent with the existing building to the southwest in terms of general exterior materials and appearance,” he said. “The Planning Commission has considered this on other projects, such as the Little Turkey Creek Commons, but none within the MUTC.
“And, since the building materials and height are requirements in the zoning ordinance specific to the MUTC, if any changes are requested from these zoning requirements, the Board of Zoning Appeals would need to review and approve the request.”
But, Myers noted, “Quite frankly, when I look at your elevations, I don’t think you’re that far from 75 percent.”
And, Mayor Ron Williams suggested matching the color of brick to the top part of the building to help with the percentage.
