Historic Preservation Commission tables 198 Broadway roof decision after conflict finding

On July 31, 2025, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) voted that an associate commissioner has a conflict of interest and then tabled an application by the owner of 198 Broadway in the Broadway Historic District to replace a deteriorated slate roof.

The applicant, identified in meeting materials as Steven (Steve) Farren, sought a certificate of appropriateness to remove an existing slate roof and install GAF’s “Slate Line” architectural shingles on the house and matching material on an attached stable. Farren presented an insurance company notice and an engineering assessment saying the existing slate is beyond repair and that a full slate replacement would be prohibitively costly and delayed by contractor availability.

The case matters because 198 Broadway sits in the Broadway Historic District, where the HPC reviews exterior changes under the city’s historic-preservation ordinance (section 1-48). The applicant argued the combination of structural damage, a nonrenewal or conditional-renewal notice from his insurer, and contractors’ schedules amount to an exceptional-circumstances/hardship case under the ordinance. Supporters and several preservation professionals and contractors spoke at the meeting, while other participants urged strict adherence to historic-material standards.

Farren told the commission he sustained windstorm damage to the roof in December 2024. He submitted an insurance report from National General…