Princeton homeowner withdraws siding replacement application after commission objects to vinyl proposal

Catherine Millett, owner of 258 John Street, withdrew a proposal to replace the house's existing wood siding with a new premium vinyl product after the Princeton Historic Preservation Commission raised concerns about losing defining historic features and urged repair or replacement in kind. The commission reviewed a staff report and heard from Millett and her contractor, Emmanuel Pujols of Pujols Roofing and Siding LLC, before recommending the applicant work with staff rather than pursue the current application.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the house's two‑material treatment — clapboard below and staggered shingles above — and its two‑tone colors are characteristic of the American Foursquare examples in the Witherspoon‑Jackson Historic District and contribute to the block's coherence. Several commissioners said replacing both levels with a single modern vinyl product would erase that historic character.

Elizabeth (staff) opened the item with a summary of jurisdiction and findings from White's Preservation Planning LLC's 2015 property inventory, noting the house is a contributing building in the…