630 Saint Roch Ave.

Staff Recommendations: 

The asphalt shingle roof on this building was replaced without a building permit or Certificate of Appropriateness issued sometime between March 2022 and August 2025. The replacement work includes the installation of Harbor Blue–colored, architectural-grade asphalt fiberglass shingles, which are not considered appropriate for this historic building due to the blue color appearance.

The HDLC Design Guidelines note that the color and texture of a building’s roof can significantly impact its overall appearance and state that new asphalt shingle roofs should simulate the appearance of slate, typically within a range of dark gray to black. Had the applicant applied for this work in advance, HDLC Staff would have provided a list of pre-approved roof shingle brands and colors, allowing the owner to identify acceptable options or determine whether additional approvals may be required for shingles that are not staff-approvable.

However, during the the roof replacement, it appears that all existing masonry chimneys and decorative roof ridge tiles and finials were retained and reinstalled. Based on this, and because the blue shingles are expected to weather over time to a darker overall appearance, Staff has no objection to the request for retention, with the proviso that, if approval is granted, an appropriate shingle color must be installed when roof replacement is requested in the future.