Boyte - Triangle Modernist Houses - America's Largest Archive of Residential Modernist Design

Enjoy browsing, but unless otherwise noted, these houses are private property and closed to the public -- so don't go tromping around uninvited.

JACK ORR BOYTE (1920-2005)

Boyte was born in Charlotte and attended Charlotte Central High School. He served as a Captain in the Army Air Corps during WWII. In 1951, he graduated from Georgia Tech with a BS degree in Architecture. It was there he met Frank Lloyd Wright, who looked at his drawings and said, "You’ve got work to do." In 1952 he went to work for Louis H. Asbury & Son and left in 1959 to start his own firm.

At that point Boyte abandoned Modernism entirely, preferring instead to focus on traditional design and the historic preservation of older buildings. In 1992, he published "Houses of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County." He received the Robert Stipe Award from the North Carolina Preservation Foundation and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission's Annual Award for achievement in historic preservation.

About 1952 - A house at Cassamia Place and Providence Road, Charlotte. Designed by Boyte when he worked for Louis Asbury and Son. Destroyed.

1954 - The Nieman House at 1930 Providence Road, Charlotte.
Sold in 1996 to Ronald Wootten and Timothy Hamilton.

1956 - The Solomon and Shirley Levine Residence, 2300 Cloister Drive, Charlotte. According to Solomon Levine, Boyte's initial design for the Solomon and Shirley Levine House proposed constructing the house around an existing tree. The Levines vetoed the idea. Features a kosher kitchen with two sinks. Sold in 2003 to Brian and Martha Herbert. Sold in 2007 to Carol Ambrose and Andrew Beary. Rejected for historic designation by the Charlotte City Council who found it difficult to consider this modern house historic. All photos except top by George Smart.

On October 20, 2008, the house was the first to be turned down for historic landmark status from the City Council in 30 years. The owners, the city-county historic landmarks commission, and the state preservation office supported the designation, which carries certain property tax deferments. However, the Council had legitimate questions - is the house truly endangered? Is it even historical? The video above is their discussion and vote.

1956 - The Hyman Polk House, 2101 Cloister, Charlotte. Sold to at least three other owners, the last of which painted the brick! Sold in 1993 to Michael K. Warner. Sold in 2010 to Luka and Kelly Lojk.

1957 - The M. B. Koontz Residence, 2535 Cloister Drive, Charlotte. 4500 square feet.
Sold in 2002 to Christopher Keysor. Sold in 2005 to William and Sue Davis. Top left photo is of Koontz on the interior steps, featured in the Charlotte Observer in October 1957. Color photos by George Smart.

Sources include: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission,
Historic Charlotte, Sue Davis, Charlotte Observer Boyte Obituary.