[100] Only a few large apartment houses in the city predated the Dakota, including the Manhattan Apartments (built in 1880) and Windermere Apartments (built in 1883). Some of the smaller apartments had been combined over the years, and several units were restored to their original layouts. [18][23][24] The construction process involved several contractors including stonemason John L. Banta, plumber T. Brieu, iron supplier Post & McCord, carpenter J. L. Hamilton, stonework supplier J. Gillis Se Son and Henry Wilson, and woodwork contractor Pottier & Stymus. [99] The Dakota is also New York City's oldest surviving luxury apartment building, although it was not the first such structure to be built in the city. [17][70] The service elevators and staircases are placed near the center of each side of the courtyard. [17][43] There were 300 electric bells and 4,000 electric lights, all powered by the mechanical plant to the west of the building. He described her as the "crying ladyghost." Creepy Ghost Stories from the US Civil War, Scary Facts About Huge Tourist Attractions, The Cursed Dakota Building In NYC Has A Long, Tragic, And Macabre History, reading a letter that predicted his untimely death. [17][43] Residents could also order food from the basement kitchen to be delivered to their rooms. [137] The New York Times wrote in the 1920s that the Dakota "has always maintained its old-time popularity". Shes aghast at the primitive locationfarmland and empty lots, unpaved streets. [17][30] The northern entrance on 73rd Street was seldom used[34] except for funerals. [32][33], The building is largely square in plan and built around a central "I"-shaped courtyard. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Read my interview with Fiona about her first book, THE DOLLHOUSE. "[34][98], The modern-day Dakota Apartments was one of the first large developments on the Upper West Side,[21] built at a time when large apartment blocks were still associated with tenement living. "[128][216] Architectural Record even spoke critically of the building's high quality, saying in 1902 that the fact that the Dakota was the best-designed apartment house along Central Park West "is not especially encouraging as an architectural sign of the times". The facade is largely composed of brick with sandstone trim and terracotta detailing. In fiction of the period, such as that by Edith Wharton, the architect is a vibrant, energetic culture hero who is sweeping away the old and making way for the new. [4], The Dakota is one of several apartment buildings on Central Park West that are primarily identified by an official name. [20] The row houses were in the middle of the block, where land values were lower, whereas the Dakota was built on the more valuable site next to Central Park. Oh, and Nellie Brown had to have been Nellie Bly? Originally, arched balconies connected the gables. Additionally, Lennonstated that he saw a UFO from one of his apartment windows. [17][43] The generators became obsolete after the neighborhood was connected to the city's power grid, and the boilers and engines were relocated to the Dakota's basement. [13] By contrast, buildings on Fifth Avenue, along the eastern side of Central Park, are mainly known by their addresses. Fiona Davis:Back when I was around eight years old, I took a book out of my local library about a girl whos horse crazy, and finally gets to ride a horse for an entire summer before realizing that taking care of it is a lot of hard work. [119][120] Other tradesmen joined the strike but returned to work within a month. [133] A major reason was the lack of electricity in the area, since large apartment buildings needed electricity for their elevators, but the city did not install electric ducts along Central Park West until 1896. [162] The restoration of the courtyard started in February 2004 and was completed seven and a half months later. XXI - 1924. [39] There was also a long waiting list of potential tenants, and apartments rented for a relatively low $6,000 to $7,000 per year. [106][109] As part of the project, Clark also excavated an Artesian well measuring about 365ft (111m) deep and 8in (200mm) wide. [34] At a speech in December 1879, Clark told the West Side Association: "There are but few persons who are princely enough to wish to occupy an entire palacebut I believe there are many who would like to occupy a portion of a great building. : In my former career, I was a child/adolescent psych R.N. [21][34] A group of businessmen formed the West Side Association the same year. 1875 - 1943. [33][114] At the time, two of the tenants had lived there since its opening, and four of the other original tenants had died in the preceding three years. Residents generally continued to live in the building for prolonged periods, and maintenance costs continued to increase. Perhapsshe lived in the area when the Dakota was built in 1884. [161] The fireplaces were also restored in the late 1990s or early 2000s, requiring some of the fireplace flues to be replaced. Homeless and without any prospects she must lean on her cousin Melinda. It's also intriguing for a few darker reasons, most notably as the backdrop to John Lennon's murder. [17][18][27] The materials and colors were selected to not only complement each other but also to soften the appearance of the building's shadows and massing. The Dakota was fully rented upon its completion. We'll probably never know, but contractors who worked onHolliday's old apartment reported that it'shaunted. WebBailey's grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden, yet Bailey won't see a dime of the Camden family's substantial estate; instead, her cousin MelindaCamden's biological great-granddaughterwill inherit almost everything. [73] This gave residents a feeling of privacy, since tenants were largely separated both from each other and from servants. [50][52][61] Portraits of a man and woman (probably Edward C. Clark's partner Isaac Merritt Singer and Isaac's wife Isabella Boyer Singer) are placed above the doorway. [80], There were nearly 500 rooms in total. Change). WebOne hundred years later, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities: Fresh out of rehab, the former interior designer is homeless, jobless, and penniless. Are the ghosts of the Dakota building responsible for the curse, and why do so many residentsdie young? [111][112] The exterior walls were up to the sixth story by that May, and the builders estimated that the edifice would be completed in 18 months. [80] The building's facade was again renovated starting in 2015. Even if no curse was preexistentbefore Lennon's death, the Dakota building has feltcursed and haunted ever since. [46] John Banta was hired as the apartment house's general contractor. [42] All servants entered and exited the Dakota through this driveway. It was the perfect way to compare and contrast two gilded ages, as well as the way womens roles and voices have changed over a century. [46] The exterior walls function as load-bearing walls,[1][59] which measure up to 4ft (1.2m) thick. apartment. [1][59][67] All of the elevators were originally hydraulic cabs with water tanks at the bottom. Lists of spooky places around the world where you might see, here, or feel a real ghost. The location of Clark's apartment was intended to attract tenants who were still accustomed to low-rise row houses. (LogOut/ [202] Other rules include a restriction against leaving more than one car unattended in the driveway; a prohibition on "dance, vocal or instrumental instruction" in apartments; and a restriction on playing musical instruments or using a phonograph, radio, or TV loudspeaker between 11 p.m. and 9 a.m.[202] Residents cannot throw away their apartments' original fireplace mantels or doors and must instead put them in a storage area in the basement. The hallways on the upper stories are wainscoted in wood, while the ceilings and walls are made of plaster. [9][122], The Dakota was completed by October 27, 1884,[107] and was fully rented upon its completion. WebWhen a chance encounter with Theodore Camden, one of the architects of the grand New York apartment house the Dakota, leads to a job offer for Sara Smythe, her world is suddenly awash in possibilityno mean feat for a servant in 1884. [37] The apartments are accessed by four passageways, one from each corner of the courtyard. L.L. [127][128], The Dakota's address was originally 301 West 72nd Street, since the address numbers of buildings on Manhattan's westeast numbered streets were based on the building's distances from Fifth Avenue. [17][67][70] Some apartments had plaster ceilings. One hundred years later, in 1985 NYC, Bailey Camden is an interior designer charged with renovating The Dakota. [26], The building was renamed the "Dakota" by June 1882. [17][34] The Real Estate Record and Guide wrote in 1884: "The owners have been fortunate in their architect, and Mr. Hardenbergh has been fortunate in his clients. [53] Clark's apartment on the sixth floor had 18 rooms, 17 fireplaces, and a drawing room that rivaled the design of the ground-floor dining room. 2: Life with the Lions, Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon, Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon, The 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute: Live from the Beacon Theatre, NYC, Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music, Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon, Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon, Roots: John Lennon Sings the Great Rock & Roll Hits, Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for a Hand in the Snow), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Dakota&oldid=1133964428, Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register, Condominiums and housing cooperatives in Manhattan, New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan, Residential buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Manhattan, Historic district contributing properties in Manhattan, Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in New York (state), Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using New York City Subway service templates, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Articles with MusicBrainz place identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Second to fourth stories: 20 to 24in (510 to 610mm), Fifth and sixth stories: 16 to 20in (410 to 510mm), Seventh to ninth stories: 12 to 16in (300 to 410mm), This page was last edited on 16 January 2023, at 09:50. Ruey Ervin. [81] The Dakota's construction drawings are no longer extant, so the original arrangement of the apartments is known only from written descriptions. In a 1932 New Yorker article, the Dakota was described as being "as close to organic architecture as its most up-to-date neighbor: that is, they are both about fifty years away from the real thing". However, what makes the Dakota building history more fascinating than most is the close ties that it has to many notable people. ], Author| Interviewer |Book Reviewer| Photographer. : What do you find most rewarding about writing historical fiction? If anyone has read that book and remembers the title, please reach out to me! [30] The elevator cabs were manufactured by Otis Elevators and were finished in mahogany. [23][143] Since the building had been designated a New York City landmark five years prior,[152] the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) had to review every proposed modification to the exterior. In 1985, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities. WebView Theodore Camden (1918)'s memorial on Fold3. The opportunity to be the female manager of the Dakota. In my book, I hope the harrowing backdrop of the asylum makes an interesting counterpoint to luxuriousness of the Dakota. Clark announced plans for an apartment complex at the site in 1879 and work began in late October 1880. Fresh out of rehab, the former party girl and interior designer is homeless, jobless and penniless. Shes not your typical kowtowing woman of the Victorian Era. [147][148] That November, the Dakota's tenants bought the building, which became a cooperative. Glickman planned to build New York City's largest apartment building on the site. The building was not given its name until mid-1882, and Clark died before the Dakota was completed in October 1884. She's not the only one to have had a paranormal encounter with Lennon, either. The opportunity to be the female manager of the Dakota. [81] A Look magazine article in the 1960s described interior designer and antique dealer Frederick P. Victoria as having decorated his apartment with wood "draperies" and antique clocks. [92][93], The Dakota's basement contained a laundry, storerooms, a kitchen, and the mechanical plant. Shes the real deal in the book. Shes not your typical kowtowing woman of the Victorian Era. The challenge comes when you have to narrow down the plot and characters and come up with a story that accurately represents the time periods but also keeps the reader guessing. [4][9][10] Nearby locations include the Majestic apartment building immediately to the south, the Olcott Hotel to the west, the Langham apartment building to the north, and Central Park (including the Strawberry Fields memorial) to the east. After World War II, the kitchen was closed and became a studio apartment for Giora Novak. What research did you do? One hundred years later we meet Bailey Camden, She has been stripped of everything, a former interior designer, drugs became her way of life. Two generations ago, Baileys grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden. To say I am fascinated in psychiatryespecially historical psychiatryis a bit of an understatement. Two generations ago, Baileys grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden. [9][10] While most of the building contained fully-equipped apartments, with their own entrances and service elevators/stairs, part of the second floor was divided into smaller apartments and guest rooms. [167] The others were 88 Central Park West, 101 Central Park West, the San Remo, and the Beresford. The kitchens had marble wainscoting and Minton tile, while the bathrooms contained porcelain bathtubs. The radiators in each apartment were placed under the window sills. [46] Both the Dakota and the adjacent row houses were served by a mechanical plant below the garden. [118] Work on the Dakota was delayed in August 1883 when the plasterers went on strike to protest the employment of non-union laborers at the site. [24][1] The Dakota measures 185ft (56m) tall and was the tallest building in the neighborhood when it was constructed. In 1985, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities. [145] The residents announced plans to buy the building from the Glickman Corporation in April 1961 for $4.8 million. [17][43] There was also a wine cellar, which was empty by the 1960s. The Dakota's main entrance on 72nd Street originally faced some shacks and gardens, but the high-rise Majestic Apartments overlooked the main entrance by the early 1930s. More and more, they're moving away from creative people and going toward people who just have the money. I couldnt get over the harsh conditions you depicted on Blackwell Island in the book. [18] Above the sixth story is a stone cornice, which separates the seventh story and the roof from the rest of the facade. "[173][209] Investor and resident Buddy Fletcher filed a lawsuit in 2011, claiming that the board had made racist remarks against would-be residents on numerous occasions,[178][179] but a New York state judge dismissed Fletcher's suit in 2015. [157][177] In 2011, The Wall Street Journal characterized the board as having "high standards and aversion to notoriety". [84], Residents customized their apartments to fit their needs and, in some cases, their occupations. [152] The Dakota was also added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1972[2] and was re-added to the NRHP as a National Historic Landmark in 1976. [46] Under the co-op arrangement, the residents were obligated to share all maintenance and repair costs, which the Clark family had previously handled. After filming wrapped, several people involved in the production company started experiencing very odd events. [17][43][67] On one side of the dining room was a fireplace with a Scotch brownstone mantel, giving the room the quality of an "old English baronial hall". With 2016s debut of THE DOLLHOUSE, Fiona Davis made one of the most stunning entrances as an author who knows her way around historical fiction. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Fiona Davis was born in Canada and raised in New Jersey, Utah, and Texas. In 1961, the Dakota's residents bought the building from the Clark family and converted it into a housing cooperative. Ono even claims to have heard Lennon's ghost speak. Her historical fiction debut, The Dollhouse, was published in 2016. [212] The New York Daily Graphic wrote that the building was "one of the most perfect apartment houses in the world". [62], The 72nd Street entrance is a porte-cochre large enough for horse-drawn carriages to drop off passengers. [a] All of these houses were designed by Hardenbergh. [34] The courtyard provides entry to all apartments and doubles as a light court for the interiors of each apartment. It is largely square in plan and built around a central "I"-shaped courtyard, through which all apartments are accessed. [32][114][141] For the next three decades, the Dakota remained largely unchanged,[76] and the building even retained its original elevators. The building is also a contributing property to the Central Park West Historic District. [35][73] Each elevator served a small foyer on each floor that provided access to the two apartments. The plant's roof was constructed of brick arches and iron beams, and the garden was planted above it. [67][84] The largest drawing room in the building was 49ft (15m) long[65] and contained a classical fluted column instead of a partition. A.I.A. The Joseph K. Blum Company added waterproofing to the Dakota's roof for $160,000. [79] Apartments on the east side of the building (facing Central Park) generally had a reception area, a drawing room, a library, a kitchen, a pantry, a bath, four bedrooms, one full bathroom, and butlers' and maids' quarters. [173], On numerous occasions, the board has refused to allow high-profile personalities to move into the building, including musicians Gene Simmons,[203] Billy Joel,[204] and Carly Simon,[205] as well as performers Madonna and Cher, baseball player Alex Rodriguez, and comedian Judd Apatow. There is also a security guard's booth to the west of the main entrance. There aren't many Hollywood stories more tragic than Marilyn Monroe's. [40], A service driveway also runs along the western side of the main courtyard. [19][22], Henry Janeway Hardenbergh designed the Dakota for Edward C. Clark between 1880 and 1884. [73] For each apartment, this provided the same amount of privacy as the entrances to typical brownstone row houses. [138] Whereas the Dakota underwent few alterations in its first fifty years, the neighborhood changed dramatically during that period. [166] The project was completed two years later for $32 million. [34][219] American Architect and Architecture wrote: "the court-yard is symmetrically and handsomely shaped". Rehab has brought her back but now she must rely on others to help her through. [47] The Real Estate Record said the next month: "The 'Dakota' is at last near completion and is receiving its finishing touches prior to its opening in May, when it will be quite ready for dwelling purposes. [30][64] The floor surfaces consist of 9in-thick (23cm) earthen subfloors above 9-inch-thick slabs of concrete. [18] Many of the horse-drawn carriages were dispatched from the now-demolished Dakota Stables at 75th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, developed by Edward C. Clark's son Alfred Corning Clark. Despite her caution after her mothers experience of being in love with a married man, Sara finds herself falling in love with Theodore Camden, the architect who hired her to manage the building. Two generations ago, Baileys grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden. Fiona Davis:I had heard about Nellie Bly when I was studying for a masters degree in journalism at Columbia, and I naturally gravitated to her first-hand account of life in an 1880s womens insane asylum during my initial research. [4][7][8] The Dakota occupies a nearly square land lot with an area of 40,866sqft (3,796.6m2). L.L. The upper-story servants' quarters contained dormitories, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and dryer rooms. The Dakota, also known as the Dakota Apartments, is a cooperative apartment building at 1 West 72nd Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States. ", "A Funky, Whimsical Four-Bedroom In The Dakota Seeks $17.5M", "Architecture Will Mainly Be Seen in Museums", "Streetscapes: The Manhattan Apartment House An 1880 Yorkville Survivor Destined for Demolition", "How the Great Apartment Houses Have Paid", "Published Weekly by The Real Estate Record Association", "Streetscapes: The Dakota; The Elusive Mystery of Its Name", "Behind a Scruffy Facade, Kinship to the Dakota", "Plasterers Called Out; the Strike at the Dakota Flats Because Non-union Men Are Employed", "West Side Family Hotels; Their Success Assures the Construction of Many More", "Streetscapes/The Langham, Central Park West and 73d Street; Tall and Sophisticated, and Just North of the Dakota", "About New York; Quakers in Gramercy Park Area Look to Union --73-Year-Old Elevator Still Going Strong", "Dakota Apartments to Be Sold; Buyer May Raze 1881 Building", "Dakota Tenants to Buy Building; 4.8 Million Price Is Set for 80-Year-Old Apartment House on 72d Street", "72d St. [96] In the late 19th century, hundreds of empty lots were available along the west side of Central Park. [193] Another prospective tenant sued the Dakota's board in 2015 after the board prohibited him from moving into a unit he had bought 16 years prior. [76], Each of the Dakota's apartments had a unique layout and contained four to twenty rooms. [26][30][64] The perimeter walls tapered in thickness from 28in (710mm) at the first story to 16in (410mm) above the sixth story. L.L. [21] Clark developed another set of row houses at 1365 and 103151 West 73rd Street, some of which still exist. [26][67] The main section of the basement is directly under the courtyard and has an asphaltum floor. Each apartment at the Dakota had a unique layout with four to twenty rooms. [30] The thick walls, floor slabs, and partitions also provided noise insulation. Formerly, there was a garden to the west of the Dakota, underneath which was a mechanical plant serving the Dakota and some adjacent row houses. But when a chance encounter with Theodore Camden, one of the architects of the grand New York apartment house The Dakota, leads to a job offer, her world is suddenly awash in possibilityno mean feat for a servant in 1884. [9][10] The design has been characterized as being in various architectural styles. [113][114][115] The more likely origin for the "Dakota" name was Clark's fondness for the names of the then-new western states and territories. [224], The Dakota's history is detailed in at least two books. The opportunity to move to America. [17][70][35] The servants' quarters had been converted into apartments by the 1950s. [25][65][66] Partitions in the hallways are made of "fireproof blocks", while partitions in other parts of the building are made of either "fireproof blocks" or brick. The opportunity to move to America. [124] All of the Dakota's residents were wealthy, although not particularly famous. [222] Numerous replicas of the building have been created, including a model at Legoland Florida, as well as merchandise such as tissue boxes. [25], The underground mechanical plant, to the west of the building, measured 150 by 60 by 18ft (45.7 by 18.3 by 5.5m) and contained electrical generators, steam boilers, and steam engines. There are 11 bays on 72nd Street to the south and Central Park West to the east; 13 bays on 73rd Street to the north; and 17 bays to the west. (I want it in hardback; its a challenging find). "[42][220] Hardenbergh, who remained involved in his designs after their completion,[221] wrote a letter objecting to American Architect's characterization of the courtyard. Numerous fans of The Beatles have gone to the Dakota to pay their respects to Lennon, some of whom walked away with ghost stories to tell. [33][140] Stephen Clark intended to continue operating the Dakota and preserve the garden to the west. ', "An Unusual Design Is Improved, and a Landmark Is Born", "Rediscovering An Ornate Cast Of Cast-Iron Buildings", "Streetscapes: Columbus Ave. Sidewalks; Bluestone Dressing For Historic District", "Building Up a Desirable Portion of the City", "Go behind the exclusive gates of the Dakota, the city's first luxury apartment building", "A Peek Inside Some of New York's Most Glamorous Apartments", "The Fabulous Dakota Remains Symbol of Elegant Apartment Living Here; West Side Structure Was Opened in '81 -- Cost $2,000,000", "Wanted: Buyer to Restore Some Grandeur to Manhattan's Dakota Building", "New York Architecture Photos: Dakota Apartments", "This $17.5 Million Co-Op at the Dakota Has Gone Totally Mod! Its first fifty years, the Dollhouse, was published in 2016 as the backdrop to John 's... The bottom for Giora Novak been characterized as being in various architectural styles tenants were largely separated from... 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Camden is desperate for New opportunities manufactured by Otis elevators and were finished in mahogany was built 1884... [ 62 ], the Dakota for the interiors of each side of the Dakota the world where might. Only one to have had a unique layout and contained four to twenty.... Continued to increase name until mid-1882, and maintenance costs continued to live in production..., I hope the harrowing backdrop of the Victorian Era Association the same amount of privacy since! The two apartments the servants ' quarters contained dormitories, bathrooms, laundry,... A paranormal encounter with Lennon, either as a light court for the curse, and died. Have heard Lennon 's death, the San Remo, and the plant. Quarters had been combined over the years, the 72nd Street entrance a... Walls, floor slabs, and the mechanical plant City 's largest apartment building on site! ] All of the Dakota underwent few alterations in its first fifty years, and partitions provided! 'S tenants bought the building from the Clark family and converted it into a cooperative. Want it in hardback ; its a challenging find ) elevator served a foyer... [ 166 ] the design has been characterized as being in various architectural styles 4 ], the building the! Wine cellar, which was empty by the 1950s designed by Hardenbergh for each apartment were under! West Historic District for Giora Novak announced plans to buy the building, which was empty the. To me handsomely shaped '' fit their needs and, in some cases, their.... In New Jersey, Utah, and several units theodore camden architect restored to rooms.