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Design tweaks advised for Magnolia Hall Lot 11; tower element questioned
Summary
At their third DRC review, the Lot 11 Magnolia Hall applicant incorporated earlier feedback on massing and garage design, but staff and several commissioners recommended removing or shrinking a prominent tower element and revising window rhythm to better align with adjacent Magnolia Hall and the district.
Jennifer Lombard presented a third Design Review Committee discussion for a new house at Lot 11, Magnolia Hall, which staff described as having Queen Anne and early Colonial Revival influences. Staff thanked the applicant for previous revisions (removal of a two‑story porch and balcony and garage massing changes) and noted the house now reads more like a 1½‑story building, but raised concerns about a prominent tower and the three‑window tower configuration.
Staff said the use of a prominent tower as an entry feature is not typical in the Boyd Mill Avenue historic district and recommended restudying the tower so the design is more compatible with adjacent buildings. Commissioners largely agreed: they praised massing improvements and the detached garage reading but asked the applicant to test the front gable option, reduce the tower’s visual mass or consider a recessed tower, and rework window spacing so elevations read more traditionally.
Commissioners also asked for stone and courtyard fence samples (the applicant identified Tennessee gray limestone for foundations), additional view studies that show the house in context with Magnolia Hall, and clarifications on window head heights and privacy/courtyard treatments. No vote was taken; staff requested revised elevations, material samples, and context imagery.
