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Owner of historic Bowker House seeks $233,000 from CPA to restore slate roof
Summary
Owner Stephen Taylor asked the CPC to fund replacement of the asphalt roof with slate on the 3‑Harvard Place Bowker House, citing historical significance and long restoration costs already incurred. The applicant said the building has stabilization and many renovations completed but lacks funds for a historically accurate slate roof.
Stephen Taylor, owner of the Bowker House at 3 Harvard Place, asked the Community Preservation Committee for $233,000 in historic resources CPA funding to replace an existing asphalt shingle roof with a historically appropriate slate roof.
Taylor, who bought the building in December 2019 and described a multi‑year, owner‑led restoration that has already cost roughly $350,000, told the committee the project has stabilized but that the roof is a visible historic feature he wants restored. He described prior approval by the Historical Commission for an asphalt roof in 2012 and said the current asphalt roof has largely kept water out but has recently started losing shingles.
Taylor said he has identified experienced slate contractors and would like to begin work as soon as city approvals and a city‑council vote allow; he described the roof job as complex, requiring scaffolding and specialized installers. Committee members asked about timelines, contractor availability, and whether the work was immediately urgent; Taylor said the roof currently keeps water out but that he preferred to replace it before doing spray‑foam insulation, and that a slate roofer he had contacted could mobilize with weeks’ notice.
A staff member noted the applicant received a positive determination of local historic significance, making the Bowker House eligible for CPA historic resources funding. The committee took no vote Thursday; the hearing was for Q&A and public comment.
