Martha K. Allen has been an active, full-time realtor in Northwest Florida since 1997. As a business owner, she was seeking a new office building to call her own and support her real estate company. This led Allen to the historical community of Milton, Fla., and a 2-story home, built in 1855, called Chaffin House.
She soon realized the space had more potential than just an office. “Shop, dine, and unwind” was the new vision, with space for retail, coffee, food, and eventually a liquor and beer license.
However, historic buildings serve as landmarks of the past, helping to maintain a community’s unique sense of character. Therefore, the 19th-century building required interior and exterior renovations to meet today’s more rigorous building codes. The exterior siding was one of the first components of the structure that needed attention; the existing vinyl siding had experienced decades of wear and tear, and wind had blown off a portion of the siding on the back side.
Given the building was located in a historic community, Allen had to work with the local historic district board. The board initially requested she refinish the original wood cladding that was underneath the failed vinyl siding. That was not an option, according to Allen, so the historic district eventually approved the use of fiber cement siding for the job. However, Allen did not want to deal with costly maintenance and painting of the fiber cement siding. Therefore, the contractor suggested a low-maintenance, high-performing product called Everlast advanced composite siding. Everlast siding was ideal for Allen, who wanted a one-and-done material that did not require caulking or painting…