2518 N Rampart St.

District: Faubourg Marigny - Full Control

Owner: Evan Goodberry

HDLC Staff: Dennis Murphy

Rating: Contributing

Applicant: Alejandra Barrientos

Permit #: 25-28628-HDLC 

HDLC Design Guidelines: 

Section 5, Pages 8-9 of the Guidelines for Roofing, state that ridge tiles can be found on a variety of building types and styles in New Orleans, and more specifically on sloped slate, terra cotta, asbestos and asphalt roofs. They are decorative and sometimes functional elements that help define the profile of a roof against the skyline and should complement the building’s style. They are also visually important features, accentuating the changes in roof slopes, and the HDLC encourages their retention. Most prevalent are those made from terra cotta, in either overlapping barrel forms or in an English-V mortared between joints. In addition, ceramic and cast iron versions are also still extant. Ridge caps are typically located along a top ridge or hip of a roof, and cover the intersection where two roof slopes meet. Cresting is similarly located to ridge caps, but its location tends to be limited to the upper portions of a roof. Finials are often found at the end of a gable roof form or dormer.

Staff Recommendations: 

The applicant is requesting approval to remove the existing barrel-style roof ridge tiles to install new continuous ridge vents as part of a Fortified Roof replacement. The installation of continuous ridge vents precludes the reinstallation of ridge tiles, as the tiles should be installed in their historic configuration directly along the roof ridge.

Staff has informed the applicant that new replacement English-V ridge tiles, which meet Fortified Roof program requirements, are available and may be approved at the Staff level to replace the existing ridge tiles. Additionally, any desired roof ventilation can be achieved through low-profile power or static roof vents rather than the proposed continuous ridge vents.

However, the applicant has stated that the owner prefers to remove the ridge tiles to allow for installation of the continuous ridge vents. The HDLC Design Guidelines note that ridge tiles are visually important decorative and functional roof elements that should be retained. Given the increasing number of Fortified Roof replacement requests, Staff is also concerned that approval of ridge tile removal could set a negative precedent for future applications. Based on these factors, and because alternative ventilation methods are available that would preserve the ridge tiles, Staff recommends denial of the request.

• Staff Recommendation: Denial