Architectural board approves reconstruction at 34 Marshall Place, allows standing‑seam metal roof

The Webster Groves Architectural Review Board approved exterior repairs and limited design changes Tuesday for a house at 34 Marshall Place that was damaged by fire, clearing the applicant to replace a deteriorated asbestos roof with a standing‑seam metal roof and to add an exterior landing and stairs.

The board approved the reconstruction with three recorded aye votes and one opposed after a public hearing in which applicant representative Mike Blazon explained that the house’s windows were replaced or damaged by firefighters and that the owners want to replace them “in kind” and install a factory‑finished Kynar‑coated standing‑seam roof to match an existing front‑bay seam. "The house caught fire and basically we're rebuilding," Blazon said, describing the project as an effort to restore the house while updating damaged roof materials.

Board members urged the applicants to clarify exterior materials in follow‑up submittals. The motion that passed includes: approval of a flat‑seam standing metal roof matching the existing front‑bay style; addition of a landing and exterior stairs at the south elevation; and an option to construct the new work in stucco rather than siding. The board also confirmed that an existing basement door will remain unchanged.

Why it matters: The project combines a repair response to fire damage with discretionary design decisions that affect visible features on a neighborhood street. The board required applicants to document the chosen materials and finalize the roof and siding details in resubmitted drawings.

What’s next: The owner may proceed under the board’s conditions; the record shows that the board expects a clarified material callout and completed drawings that match what was presented at the hearing. The applicant received verbal approval to proceed with the noted conditions.