Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Design Review Committee praises preservation in Old Ice House hotel plan, questions visibility and materials
Summary
An applicant proposing partial demolition and a boutique hotel addition at the Old Ice House at 251 Second Avenue South won generally positive feedback from Franklin City’s Design Review Committee for preserving existing fabric, while committee members raised concerns about a visible egress tower, metal panels and massing.
Brandon Priddy, the applicant for the Old Ice House project at 251 Second Avenue South, presented plans to partially demolish a non‑contributing later addition and build a small boutique hotel on the site of the historic ice house.
The project would preserve about 80% of the existing building footprint while removing an altered, non‑historic portion currently occupied by a jiu‑jitsu studio and a metal-clad former chicken plant. Priddy said the proposal would replace higher‑occupancy uses with roughly 16–17 hotel units, which he described as generating lower and different peak parking demand than the current uses.
The committee’s staff reviewer, Emily (city historic preservation staff), said the building is a contributing structure to the National Register district and commended the applicant for incorporating prior DRC feedback and efforts to keep the addition subordinate to the historic massing.
Committee members generally praised the preservation emphasis, but several asked the applicant to refine design details before a formal application to the Historic Zoning Commission. Concerns included: - A vertical elevator/stair “pop‑up” or egress shaft that will be visible from South Margin and Second Avenue. Commissioners asked the applicant to explore lower or more set‑back placement and to provide three‑dimensional views showing existing and proposed rooflines. - Use of vertical metal paneling between windows on the new construction. Staff recommended removing metal panels under windows because they accentuate verticality; some commissioners noted there are existing metal panels on the site and asked for clearer precedent and for the team to explain how the new metal relates to historic materials. - Massing and parapet details. Commissioners suggested reducing perceived bulk by simplifying parapet treatment, lowering or setting back parapets where feasible, and clarifying how rooftop mechanicals and a proposed roof deck will be screened. The applicant said the roof deck is intended as modest amenity space, not for large events.
Priddy said the stair/elevator pop‑up will be set back roughly 30 feet from South Margin to reduce its street presence and that he will explore shifting or softening the element. He also said the design team will revisit the metal panel treatment and brick detailing to provide a stronger relationship to existing historic materials.
The DRC asked the applicant to return with clearer 3‑D views, roof plans that show parapet and mechanical screening, material samples keyed to the guidelines, and a plan that clarifies setback and entrance locations.
No formal vote or permit decision was made; the meeting served as design review and guidance prior to a formal Historic Zoning Commission application.
