[137] The New York Times wrote in the 1920s that the Dakota "has always maintained its old-time popularity". Fiona Davis:Sara Smythe and Theodore Camden are fictional characters. The building is also a contributing property to the Central Park West Historic District. [46], The building is surrounded by a recessed areaway, also described as a dry moat. Some Dakota building stories indicate that this New York City landmark is haunted as well as cursed. Fresh out of rehab, the former party girl and interior designer is homeless, jobless and penniless. [167] Notable residents of the Dakota have included:.mw-parser-output .div-col{margin-top:0.3em;column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .div-col-small{font-size:90%}.mw-parser-output .div-col-rules{column-rule:1px solid #aaa}.mw-parser-output .div-col dl,.mw-parser-output .div-col ol,.mw-parser-output .div-col ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .div-col li,.mw-parser-output .div-col dd{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}, As at other luxury apartment buildings in New York City, some of the Dakota's residents use their units as pieds-a-terre rather than as their primary residences. I knew I wanted to have an architect in the 1880s time line, so that he and Sara Smythe could team up to get the building ready for opening day. [27] The west elevation, facing the former yard, was sparsely ornamented. L.L. Some of the smaller apartments had been combined over the years, and several units were restored to their original layouts. The opportunity to move to America. At the time, the vast majority of development on Manhattan Island was south of 23rd Street. [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. [102][103] Between 1880 and 1885, more than ninety apartment buildings were developed in the city. Fiona Davis:I love the research phase, when anything is possible and the ideas are bubbling away. Fall book wreath from L. Lindsays archives. [101] During the early 19th century, apartment developments in the city were generally associated with the working class, but by the late 19th century, apartments were also becoming desirable among the middle and upper classes. [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. [159] The Dakota's board decided to repair the most deteriorated bricks rather than replace the whole facade. [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. [164][165] The Dakota had 85 co-op units by the 2010s. But shes not impressed with the design ideas which would trump the original design aesthetics of the historic building. Stephen Birmingham's book Life at the Dakota was published in 1979,[156][225] while historian Andrew Alpern's book The Dakota: A History of the Worlds Best-Known Apartment Building was published in 2015. [143], By the 1950s, the servants' quarters on the upper stories had been converted to apartments. [60] The archway is flanked by pedestals with metal urns, and there are three windows in the upper portion of the archway. Ive lived on the Upper West Side for twenty-five years, and had walked by the Dakota hundreds of times, staring up at those enormous windows, wondering what it was like to live there. [11][14] Christopher Gray of The New York Times described the Dakota as one of several apartment buildings that were famous enough "to maintain their names simply in common custom". [35], The 72nd Street elevation contain projecting turrets, which rise the entire height of the facade. [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. Each apartment at the Dakota had a unique layout with four to twenty rooms. [44][45], To the west of the Dakota was another garden, below which was the building's mechanical plant. It was something like Ride Em, Sally. But not that. Can you tell us a little about how that piece of the story came to be? The opportunity to be the female manager of the Dakota. The building was one of the first large developments on the Upper West Side and is the oldest remaining luxury apartment building in New York City. [32][114][141] For the next three decades, the Dakota remained largely unchanged,[76] and the building even retained its original elevators. [16] Clark also developed 27 row houses on 72nd and 73rd Streets, adjacent to the Dakota;[8][18][19] they are no longer extant. The remainder of the facade is made of buff brick, except on the west elevation, which is made of red brick; all of the brick is laid in common bond. Still, shes alone and unwilling to run home. WebThe year is 1885 and brilliant architect Theodore Camden offers London hotel housekeeper Sara Smythe a once-in-a-lifetime chance to accompany Camden to New York to manage the Dakota, an apartment building on Manhattans Upper West Side, which he helped to build. [31] Servants employed by the residents, as well as visiting servants, occupied the eighth and ninth floors. For example, composer KrzysztofKomedafell into a coma in an eerie coincidence that mirrored the book. The facade is largely composed of brick with sandstone trim and terracotta detailing. The Joseph K. Blum Company added waterproofing to the Dakota's roof for $160,000. The opportunity to be the female manager of the Dakota. [68], The basement had a coal bunker with a capacity of 1,000 short tons (910t). [202] For example, "domestic employees, messengers and trades people" are required to use the service elevators, and healthcare and childcare providers must be accompanied by clients when they use the passenger elevators. (LogOut/ Elizabeth Cochran Seaman) and Henry Hardenberg from Wikipedia, as is octagon images of Roosevelt/Blackwells Island and Strawberry Fields memorial. L.L. The opportunity to move to America. [48] The steam plant in the basement, as well as the building's eight hydraulic elevators, were powered by water that was collected from the roof and from underneath each apartment's radiators. [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. After filming wrapped, several people involved in the production company started experiencing very odd events. The row houses and the large apartment building were part of a larger plan that Clark had for the Upper West Side. In 1985, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities. 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. However, one thingthat doesn't seem to get much attention is her link to the Dakota building and the curse that many believe exists. [95][96] This was in part because of the West Side's steep topography and its dearth of attractions compared with the East Side. [80], According to a 1996 article in New York magazine, many brokers classified the Dakota as one of five top-tier apartment buildings on Central Park West, largely because of its residents, large scale, and "historical prestige". Leslie Lindsay: Fiona, its a pleasure to welcome you back to the blog couch. [215] Schuyler, reappraising the building in 1896, said: "The architectural results were so successful that it is a very considerable distinction to have designed the best apartment house in New York. XXI - 1924. Rosemary's Babyused the exterior of the Dakota building to depict The Bramford, whichwashome to someof the film's central characters. [119][120] Other tradesmen joined the strike but returned to work within a month. [145] The residents announced plans to buy the building from the Glickman Corporation in April 1961 for $4.8 million. [153], The Dakota gained attention when one of its residents, musician John Lennon, was shot dead outside the building on December 8, 1980. Slide over on that silk settee and join me in conversation with Fiona Davis. It was just outside the main entry doors that Mark David Chapman shot and killed one of music's most legendary and beloved figures. "[9][10] In September 1884, the Real Estate Record reported that the Dakota "will be ready for occupancy October 1" at a yearly rent of $1,500 to $5,000 and that one-quarter of the units had already been rented. [106][109] As part of the project, Clark also excavated an Artesian well measuring about 365ft (111m) deep and 8in (200mm) wide. [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". [25][30][64][b] The superstructure includes rolled steel beams on each floor, spaced every 3 to 4ft (0.91 to 1.22m) and measuring 6 to 12in (150 to 300mm) deep. After reading TEN DAYS IN A MADHOUSE, I took the tram over to whats now called Roosevelt Island to visit the remaining structure, the Octagon, which today serves as the lobby to a condo. [26][67][c] The initial plans had called for six[77][78] or eight apartments of about equal size on each of the seven lowest floors. The opportunity to move to America. : So I have to know: which characters were real and which were from your imagination? On one side of the basement were heated and illuminated storerooms in which tenants could store items for free. 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. [23] The Dakota's board also voted in 1975 to ban the installation of air conditioners that protruded through the building's facade, since the LPC would have to approve every air conditioner that was installed. The opportunity to move to America. Glickman planned to build New York City's largest apartment building on the site. [17][30] There are metal gates on either end of the vestibule. 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. Maysles told The New York Times: "What's so shocking is that the building is losing its touch with interesting people. [37] The writer also suggested that children could play within the courtyard, but this was a minority view, since other observers believed such a usage attracted unsolicited attention. [157] A CNBC report in 2012 noted that one set of prospective tenants had to pay several thousand dollars for a background check, as well as submit several years' worth of financial and tax documents, and that even these measures did not guarantee that the tenants would be accepted. [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. [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. She was infamously killed by members of the Manson family. A.I.A. [28][29] The cornice is supported by large brackets and is topped by an ornate metal balustrade. 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. [35][72] Consequently, the hallways were generally long and narrow at the Dakota, compared with later developments such as 998 Fifth Avenue. In 1985, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities. Lists of spooky places around the world where you might see, here, or feel a real ghost. [34][11][116][d] The Dakota's remoteness did directly give rise to the nickname "Clark's Folly". The writing is evocative, historically rich, and mysterious.Beginning in London, we meet Sara Smythe, a housekeeper at the Langham and follow her on a journey across the Atlantic where she lands in the outskirts of a developing NYC. WebThe Dakota was constructed between 1880 and 1884 in the Renaissance Revival style and was designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh for businessman Edward Cabot Clark. [40], Because the Dakota had fewer apartments than nearby co-ops, maintenance expenses tended to be much higher. Between these rolled beams were brick or terracotta arches. Aside from Lennon, countless well-known individuals such as Lauren Bacall, Boris Karloff, and Joe Namath have lived there. The location of Clark's apartment was intended to attract tenants who were still accustomed to low-rise row houses. I found Sara to be extremely likable, sympathetic, relatable, and quite strong. Nellie Bly, a journalist for the New York World during the 1880s, actually went by the name Nellie Brown when she went undercover to expose the injustices at Blackwells Island Asylum. This choice may have led to many unintended consequences, though. [15] The building is on the crest of the West Side plateau, which overlooks much of Manhattan. The kitchens had marble wainscoting and Minton tile, while the bathrooms contained porcelain bathtubs. [106][110] Work was slightly delayed by a labor strike in March 1882. Fresh out of rehab, the former party girl and interior designer is homeless, jobless, and penniless. [17][30], The building's main entrance is a double-height archway on 72nd Street to the south. The Dakota has historically been home to many artists, actors, and musicians, including John Lennon, who was murdered outside the building in 1980. [33][140] Stephen Clark intended to continue operating the Dakota and preserve the garden to the west. [121] The mechanical equipment was being installed in the building by March 1884. For instance, Lennon's widow Yoko Ono paid a monthly fee of $12,566 for her 6,000sqft (560m2) apartment in 1996, while a similarly-sized apartment at the nearby San Remo had a monthly maintenance cost of $6,000. : As with THE ADDRESS and THE DOLLHOUSE, where there any iconic sites you visited in your research (or in the book) that will appear in a forthcoming book? "[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. [35] The parqueted floors are inlaid with mahogany, oak, and cherry,[1][85] which are laid on top of the earthen subfloors and concrete slabs. 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 for Sara Smythe, her world is suddenly awash in possibility - no mean feat for a servant [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. Two generations ago, Bailey?s grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden. [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. Originally, arched balconies connected the gables. Sara is to be the new managerette of the soon-to-be opened The Dakota. For the region of the United States, see. [49] There were also tennis and croquet courts within the garden. [125], By 1992, the Dakota's facade was again being cleaned. [17][70] The service elevators and staircases are placed near the center of each side of the courtyard. Oh but theres moreand to say too much would be giving it all awaylets just saytheres love and loss, success and ruin, mystery, poor decisions, passion and madness that drive the plot. [52] Some of the apartments also had balconies, which allowed apartment layouts to be further customized, while also blending in with the building's overall design. The opportunity to move to America, where a person can rise aboveone'sstation. [18] Above the sixth story is a stone cornice, which separates the seventh story and the roof from the rest of the facade. [53][125] None of the early residents were included in the "Four Hundred", a list of prominent individuals in New York society during the Gilded Age. [13] By contrast, buildings on Fifth Avenue, along the eastern side of Central Park, are mainly known by their addresses. ", "The Dakota. 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". Than replace the whole facade terracotta detailing film 's Central characters is supported by brackets. The bathrooms contained porcelain bathtubs of famed architect Theodore Camden are fictional.! Or feel a real ghost soon-to-be opened the Dakota `` has always its! The blog couch 85 co-op units by the residents announced plans to buy the building from the Glickman Corporation April! 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theodore camden architect