The Design Review Board voted Dec. 17 to approve a Certificate of Appropriateness for a six‑story mixed‑use hotel at 210 East Jackson Avenue, subject to several conditions requiring final technical details and coordination with city staff.

Planner Samuel Hawk briefed the board on Case 12P25TT: the project fronts Jackson Avenue with ground‑floor retail, pedestrian connections and lighting; staff recommended approval provided the applicant meets all applicable zoning and engineering requirements, coordinates streetscape elements with the city's Old City streetscape project and returns signage separately for review. Staff also noted the TK District design standard that requires an entrance every 50 feet of building facade and asked the applicant to add an entrance between the hotel entry and the westmost retail door if required.

Applicant representative John Halford and team described the project as physically tied to the Tennessee Theatre and said they plan to submit detailed shop drawings for signage, lighting and landscaping as the design progresses. Halford said the internal illumination will be limited to the acrylic logo and letters and that final spacing of exposed LED bulbs will be confirmed during production.

Board member Matthew DeBard Laben moved to approve staff's recommendation with added conditions requiring the mural surface material be identified (the applicant said plaster is intended), that lighting return with the landscape submission for staff review, that alternate detailing for the board and batten area be submitted for staff approval or return to the board, and that the wood‑slat soffit match the wall material. The motion passed on a voice vote. The board recorded no opposed votes on the record.

Staff will track required coordination with engineering and review the additional materials and lighting when formally submitted.