The Other View: The Vinyl Solution

A certain precedent was addressed Thursday evening in the Historic District meeting with regards to Francis Carol Place, the new street just off Judson Place behind the Knights of Columbus building. I say this ‘precedent’ was “addressed”, not “set”, because as was one of the Commissioners to approve the siding issue for a new development of houses (up to 5 in total) to be built on that property, we commissioners yet again, addressed previous HDC approvals as well as some new information in order to come to a decision.

The big discussion for many months now has been whether the issue of vinyl siding on these new structures is appropriate for their appearance in the Historic District. After months of deliberation, I and two other Commissioners voted yes for this project, while Michael Bingham was the nay vote. Kudos to Michael for standing for what he believes is correct. I believe differently in this instance.

As a Commission, we are given the responsibility to oversee the appropriateness of building projects from simple repairs to full out replacements and new construction within the District boundaries. As charged to us by our enabling legislation, the Commission shall consider: “…texture and material of the architectural style and pertinent features of other buildings and structures in the immediate neighborhood.”

1) 2 of the 3 newest homes build in our neighborhood (considered as full new construction) are sided with vinyl: 2288 Elm Street, built in 1997- clapboard; 125 Ferry Boulevard, built 1994- vinyl; 823 Broad Street, built 1981- vinyl.

2) According to our Chairman Tom Yemm, there is a distinct percentage of homes in the immediate area of Francis Carol Place that are vinyl sided for a variety of reasons. Therefore, another deciding point: this is not a significant change to the “style and pertinent features of other buildings” in the immediate neighborhood, regardless of how it affects the density of the type of siding in the immediate area. Should we not allow another wood-clapboard house because there are 8 in a row?

3) According to the US Census Bureau, 2007 report, 80% to 85% of the new construction in the Northeast uses vinyl siding. I was unable to find ANY statistics on the siding for new homes in Historic Districts.

4) In a publication from the National Parks Service, Technical Preservation Services, “Aluminum and Vinyl Siding on Historic Buildings”, John H. Meyers writes: “An historic building is a product of the cultural heritage of its region, the technology of its period, the skill of the builder and the materials used for its construction”. If the trend were simply for wood siding, would we see a stucco house at all in the District? If the trend were simply for stucco, would we see a brick building such as Sterling House in the district? If historically we only used thatch for roofs, would we have begun to use cedar shakes? If cedar shakes, then why slate? If slate, then why asphalt shingles. And so on. My point is these homes are being built in 2008- 2009 and the trend is for vinyl on new construction.

The Historic District Commission has been grappling with the issue of vinyl siding for many years now. My research shows this was not an incorrect decision on this project. Each and every home has its distinct character of the era, as well as the building materials available at the time it was built. INCLUDING the last 3 houses built in the district. That was also a factor in my decision, and one that I could not dispute.

I do not favor vinyl siding. I am thoroughly against it in remodeling work. I have personal experience with vinyl siding as a person in the building industry, and I have promoted the drawbacks of using vinyl for residing houses. For me, there will always be a drive to protect the neighborhood, and I still do. I am fully aware of the additional cost of owning an historic home. However, new construction is and has been different. It is a decision that has had many factors for me, and I know the future ramifications all too well.

This is “New” construction, not remodeling. For those of you who may think I personally have destroyed the Historic District and promoted the “Vinylization of the District”, I assure you, you’re wrong. Vinyl siding and windows, as a remodeling tool, are not acceptable to me, and I will continue to educate on the negatives of these items to those people who apply to the Commission for permission to use them.

To summarize: a decision was made, based on the facts available to us as commissioners. It will not change how we look at future remodeling projects that come before the Commission, but it will allow vinyl siding on these new houses in the neighborhood. This is not something I’m happy with, but it was the correct decision in this case.

-- Paul Joy