418-420 Belleville St.

Staff Recommendations: 

418-20 Belleville St  is a Contributing, one-story, double shotgun building located in Algiers Point, constructed prior to 1896 according to Sanborn Maps. The applicant proposes to remove the chimneys, ridge tiles, and finials from the roof.

The Guidelines states that ridge tiles and finials are visually important features, accentuating the changes in roof slopes, and the HDLC encourages their retention. HDLC requires the reinstallation of existing ridge tiles and finials during re-roofing. For a Fortified roof, HDLC allows for the replacement of ridge tiles with new by Hecker, which is approved by the Fortified Roof program. Because Fortified certification requires historic material to be individually tested, the removal of the finials is allowable.

The Guidelines also state that chimneys are historically functional elements that complement the building's style. Their visual prominence against the sky is why the HDLC recommends that they are retained even if no longer providing a functional use. Removal of historic chimneys is only approved by the HDLC if they are structurally deficient. On March 31, 2026, HDLC inspectors completed an visual inspection of the chimney's walls within the attic space of the building and determined that they are structurally sound.  Previous attempts to mitigate water intrusion at the chimney - specifically by applying a coating of mortar at the roof-to-chimney junction - were unsuccessful and have also resulted in damage to the brick masonry. HDLC staff recommends tuck pointing of the deteriorating mortar or applying stucco to protect the chimney above the roofline as well as properly flashing the connection at the roof.

Recommendation: Denial of the removal of the ridge tiles and chimneys