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Danville board clears synthetic-slate steeple covering for Second Street Christian Church
Summary
The Danville Architectural Heritage Board approved a Certificate of Appropriateness allowing Second Street Christian Church to replace a deteriorated steeple covering with a DaVinci synthetic slate product, citing structural limits, cost and a 50-year manufacturer warranty.
The Danville Architectural Heritage Board on Dec. 3 approved a Certificate of Appropriateness allowing Second Street Christian Church to replace the church steeple’s existing, deteriorated cladding with a DaVinci synthetic-slate product. Board members and staff said the current covering is not original, is past its useful life and is actively leaking.
Presbyter Dennis Miller spoke for the church at the meeting and presented the board with a sample of the proposed material. An on-site assessment by preservation staff concluded that the existing cladding likely dates to the 1970s and that documentation of the original material is lacking. "That stuff was probably put on in the '70s," staff said, adding that the original treatment was likely a wood shake.
A project representative described the DaVinci synthetic slate as lightweight, repairable in single pieces and backed by a manufacturer warranty. "It does come with a 50 year warranty," the representative said. Preservation staff and several board members noted the product’s lower weight and the risk that a true slate roof could overload the existing steeple framing; one staff member said, "I would not recommend that for that particular structure at this point." The product’s fire-rating and a lower cost relative to sourcing and installing authentic slate were cited as additional benefits.
After discussion, a board member moved to approve the COA. The board voted by voice and staff said it would issue the COA and send it to Pastor Miller. Staff also asked the church to document any historic fabric uncovered during removal with photographs and to provide those images to the board for its records.
The board noted that replacing the remainder of a roof with standard asphalt shingles is considered like-for-like replacement and does not require a COA. The preservation staff encouraged the church to forward images if they discover historic materials while working on the steeple.
Next steps: staff will finalize and deliver the COA to the church and collect any documentation discovered during repair work.
