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WILLIAM CRUTCHER ROSS, AIA (1930-2011) Ross was born in Clanton AL. He graduated from Phillips High School in Birmingham. He attended Auburn University in 1949 for two years then was drafted into the Air Force for three years in the Korean War. He finished up at Auburn with an Architecture degree in December 1958 and went to Paul Rudolph in Sarasota FL. Upon arrival, there was not enough work in that office. So Ross, with Rudolph's blessing, he worked for former Rudolph architect Bill Rupp in Sarasota then Robert Wielage in Tampa. Ross recalls the sliding glass door was invented in Paul Rudolph's office. He returned to Alabama, got married, and got a job offer from Hugh Stubbins. He passed that up to return to Charlotte and work for Alan Ingram (six months), a few months for J. Norman Pease (his classmate at Auburn), about a year for Murray Whisnant and Charles Wheatley, and about a year for A. G. Odell. Ross went on his own in September 1963 and had an office on Brevard Court -- for which he won a 1971 AIANC Award of Merit. He taught Architecture at Central Piedmont Community College from 1973-1975 and from 1975-1979 as visiting faculty for the then-new UNC-Charlotte College of Architecture. He is credited with starting the successful Fourth Ward neighborhood in central Charlotte as Chair from 1977-1979, taking it from 12 to 4000 residents in just a few years. In addition to houses, Ross designed many hotels and literally hundreds of condominiums. His most famous hotel is the landmark 1974 Myrtle Beach Hilton, below. He was vigorous and active in architecture through his 80's.
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1964 - His own house, aka Platform in the Trees, 6515 Sharon Hills Road, Charlotte. Sold around 1968 to Jack Deita Barnhardt. Subsequent owners have expanded the bottom floor and significantly changed the footprint, bottom photo. As of 2011 owned by Philip Cahill and Nena Jones who bought it in 1994.
About 1964 - The John and N. Martha Woods House, 6528 Sharon Hills Road, across from his former house in Charlotte NC. On a lake. The ground floor contained the bedrooms. Sold to Christopher Dossin in 1996. Burned down in the late 1990's in an accidental fire. Sold in 1999 to Constantine and Mary Ann Zitsos. Replaced in 2000 by a Spanish-style villa, bottom photo.
About 1965 - A duplex at 5739 Closeburn Road, Charlotte NC. Designed with Marley Carroll.
1966 - The Clay and Doris Felts Residence, 4409 Parview Drive North on the Carmel Country Club golf course, Charlotte NC. Interior and entrance remodeled by Ross for the Felts in the late 1970's. As of 2011 owned by James and Tonya Lackey. They completely remodeled, making the original Modernist design unrecognizable, bottom two photos. Video.
1968 - The Walter and Dorothy Frieze House, 4500 Swing Lane, Charlotte. Was sold to Robert Bitterman and completely remodeled in 1999, right photo, completelyl away from the original Modernist design. Sold in 2007 to Jean Davis and Robert Metzcer.
1969 - The Gordon H. and Rebecca Schenck Residence, 5624 Glenkirk, Charlotte. A former train engineer, Schenck changed careers to become an internationally known photographer. A stream runs through the middle of the house, so Schenck got the land for a song. Built by George C. Holmes. Commissioned around 1967. As of 2011 still owned by the Schencks. Photos by Gordon Schenck.
1969 - The Robert and Jean Sing House, Brawley School Road, Charlotte NC. Was built.
1969 - The Gerson and Wilma Asrael Residence, 6508 Trenton Place, Charlotte. 5600 square feet. Sold in 2006 to Robert Bruns.
1970 - The Mark Bernstein House, 5300 Hardison Road, Charlotte NC. Designed by California's Lawrence Allen Bernstein, Mark’s brother. Locally, Ross was the project architect. Sold in 2004 to Carol and Joseph Gigler. See additional photos and details here. Color photo by George Smart.
1972 - The Mary and Doug Grimsley Residence,
2310 Rocky River Road, Charlotte NC.
1975 - The Henry and Mary Miller Residence, aka The Sea House, aka Carmel by the Sea, 3847 Columbine Circle, Charlotte. The project architect was Sam Greeson. Commissioned 1973. Henry Miller owned Miller Tile and filled his house with tons of various colors, shapes, and artisan forms. Sold to Carrie Gault and Lisa Griffin. Top photos by John Daughtridge, rest by George Smart. Built by Reynolds Construction. On the Historic Charlotte May 2009 Tour. Sold in 2011 to Lauren Lassiter and Gary Farrar. Renovations by Liquid Design. New landscape design by Pam Granade.
1974 - The Lee Kamilar Residence, Vilas NC. 120 acres. From up here, you can see three states.
1975 - The Dan Shaver Residence, 12
Sunrise Point Court, River Hills Country
1975 - The Marshall Karro House, 122 Cove Road, River Hills Country Club area of Lake Wylie SC. Ross married his second wife Linda at this house in the mid-1980's. Video.
1975 - Condominium, River Hills Country Club area of Lake Wylie SC. Address unknown.
1977 - The Alan Wendt Duplex,
5949A and B Deveron Street,
Charlotte NC.
1978 - The Red Taylor House, 10 Sandy Cove Road, River Hills Country Club, Clover SC. Taylor found Ross through admiring his Hilton Hotel in Myrtle Beach SC. Commissioned 1975. Aerial photos are from around 2008. Sold to Bonnie Hart. Renovated in 2011 by architect Tim O'Brien of DS Studio.
1987 - A house for his daughter, Renee Ross Battle, and her husband Robert Thomas (Tom) Battle, 21246 Pine Ridge Drive, Cornelius NC. Sold in 1995.
About 1985 - The Gurdus Residence, a triangular
house in Cornelius NC.
Late 1980's - The Linda Tressel Renovation, Wellington FL.
1989 - The Gaylord House, downtown Wilmington NC. When a man tragically died in a house fire, Ross was engaged by his son to design a new Modernist house. Unbuilt. Video 1. Video 2.
About 1990 - The Rolfe Neill Lake House, Lake Norman NC.
2010 - Modernist spec house with Harry Porter,
Shady Bluff Drive, Charlotte.
2010 - The Ross and Haley Morgan Addition, Lakeside Trail, Myrtle Beach SC. Unsure if built.
Year unknown - House for a Doctor in Debidue SC. Address unknown. Unbuilt.
Year unknown - House for the CEO of the American
Saint-Gobain Corporation, |
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