[212] The New York Daily Graphic wrote that the building was "one of the most perfect apartment houses in the world". Two generations ago, Baileys grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden. The Dakota apartment building is one of the most architecturally significant places in New York City. In particular, he proposed the following names: 1900 US Census, 1907 Passport Application, "Moon New York Walks", Moon Travel Guides, Avalon Publishing, 2017, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, List of National Historic Landmarks in New York City, List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan from 59th to 110th Streets, National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan from 59th to 110th Streets, New York City Department of City Planning, "What Are Dakota and Montana Doing in New York? WebBaileys great-grandfather is Theodore Camden, architect of the famous apartment-hotel, The Dakota. [102][103] Between 1880 and 1885, more than ninety apartment buildings were developed in the city. [28][1] A depiction of a Native American's head is carved on the facade. [210][211], Before The Dakota was completed, architectural critic Montgomery Schuyler was skeptical of the building's potential, saying: "At present, it is too isolated to come to anything like an immediate favor with the wealthy classes"[69] By the time the Dakota opened, it was widely acclaimed. [42], After the Dakota was completed, ornamental-iron contractor Hecla Iron Works published advertisements of the building in Architectural Record. WebTheodore may be an amalgamation of famous, visionary architects of the Gilded Age. [31] Servants employed by the residents, as well as visiting servants, occupied the eighth and ninth floors. 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. [38], A "handsome doorway", measuring 10ft (3.0m) tall,[60] also led from 73rd Street to the courtyard. Shes a graduate of the College of William & Mary and the Columbia UniversityGraduate School of Journalism and is based in New York City. Strawberry Fields, just across the street from the Dakota, is an important location in the book as well. [17][30] The northern entrance on 73rd Street was seldom used[34] except for funerals. Fresh out of rehab, the former party girl and interior designer is homeless, jobless and penniless. [33][140] Stephen Clark intended to continue operating the Dakota and preserve the garden to the west. The hallways on the upper stories are wainscoted in wood, while the ceilings and walls are made of plaster. It was my favorite book I was horse crazy but deeply moved by the characters insights and transformation and I mustve checked out the book dozens of times to re-read. Fall book wreath from L. Lindsays archives. ", "The Dakota. [143][159] New mortar had been applied to the brickwork in the facade, but the light color of the mortar contrasted sharply with the darkened bricks. 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. 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. There are, of course, numerous conspiracy theories around Monroe's death. 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. The opportunity to move to America, where a person can rise aboveone'sstation. [35], The 72nd Street elevation contain projecting turrets, which rise the entire height of the facade. It's also intriguing for a few darker reasons, most notably as the backdrop to John Lennon's murder. [77][79][80] Look magazine characterized the differing apartment layouts as a legacy of the "rugged individualism" that had been common when the Dakota opened. [160] The LPC gave craftsmanship awards to the restoration architects, Ehrenkrantz & Eckstut Architects and Remco, in 1994. 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. - An architect, died in New York City, March 1, 1924. [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. [40], A service driveway also runs along the western side of the main courtyard. Two generations ago, Baileys grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden. Fiona Davis:In addition to checking out the Octagon on Roosevelt Island, I modeled the library for the ball scene after the one at the Morgan Library & Museum, and used the Tenement Museum on Orchard Street as inspiration for Daisys familys WebBut 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 possibility--no mean feat for a servant in 1884. [146] Glickman dropped its plans to redevelop the Dakota and instead sold the adjacent 46,000sqft (4,300m2) site in August. However, what makes the Dakota building history more fascinating than most is the close ties that it has to many notable people. Renovation workersreported spectral activity in the 1960s. On Central Park West, the central section of the roof is a hip roof. [18][47][48] The decision to place the mechanical plant under a garden, rather than directly under the building, was a deliberate measure to reassure residents in case the machinery exploded. The Dakota. [37] The apartments are accessed by four passageways, one from each corner of the courtyard. What are some of the challenges? [114] A New York Times article in 1959 described the Dakota's design as ranging "Victorian Kremlin" to "Middle Eastern Post Office",[76] while Look magazine called the building a "maze of imaginative, distinctive living". ', "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! [17][70] The service elevators and staircases are placed near the center of each side of the courtyard. [142] The Clarks were responsible for all repairs and maintenance and were subject to little, if any scrutiny. [136] Images show that, in the first decades of the 20th century, some dormer windows were added on the roof of the building. WebView Theodore Camden (1918)'s memorial on Fold3. [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". 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 She was infamously killed by members of the Manson family. [143] The Dakota was one of twelve apartment buildings on Central Park West to be converted into housing cooperatives in the late 1950s and early 1960s. 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. [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. Aside from Lennon, countless well-known individuals such as Lauren Bacall, Boris Karloff, and Joe Namath have lived there. According to witnesses, the paranormal figure wore outdated clothing. [50] Images show that the garden was surrounded by a fence, and the area above the mechanical plant was further enclosed by a hedge. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. [Author and cover image courtesy of Dutton and used with permission. [159] The Dakota's board decided to repair the most deteriorated bricks rather than replace the whole facade. [3][230] The Dakota is also part of the Central Park West Historic District, which was designated as an NRHP district in 1982,[231] as well as the Upper West Side Historic District, which became a New York City historic district in 1990.[232]. L.L. But the absence of a genetic connection means Bailey won?t see a dime of the Camden family?s [63] Inside the archway is a groin-vaulted vestibule that leads to the courtyard. [164][165] The Dakota had 85 co-op units by the 2010s. [162] The restoration of the courtyard started in February 2004 and was completed seven and a half months later. "[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. 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. [104], In 1879, Clark announced plans for an apartment complex at the intersection of 72nd Street and Eighth Avenue[23] (the latter of which was renamed Central Park West in 1883[6]). [106], Construction commenced at the end of October 1880. [30][64] The floor surfaces consist of 9in-thick (23cm) earthen subfloors above 9-inch-thick slabs of concrete. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. [69], In addition to the Dakota's in-house staff, each tenant could employ up to five of their own servants on site. [62], The 72nd Street entrance is a porte-cochre large enough for horse-drawn carriages to drop off passengers. 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 possibility--no mean feat for a servant in 1884. Another reward is hearing from readers. [68], The basement had a coal bunker with a capacity of 1,000 short tons (910t). [60][78][105] Hardenbergh simultaneously designed several dozen low-rise row houses for Clark on 73rd Street. [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. ; a Description of One of the Most Perfect Apartment Houses in the World", "The Dakota Finds Repairs To a Landmark Are Costly", "New Buildings of Prominence New York City", "Bus Seekers Talk of Horse-car Days; Meet in Oldest Central Park West Apartments to Fight 'Old-Fashioned Trolley. [71] Architect Robert A. M. Stern wrote in 1999: "The Dakota was an undisputed masterpiece, far and away the grandest apartment house of the Gilded Age in New York and rivaling, if not exceeding, in logic and luxury any comparable building in Paris and London". [1] The building is topped by gables at each of its corners. [55] A cast-iron fence separates the areaway from the sidewalk. [69][220] American Architect had only one complaint: "The service-entrances to the suites are situated upon the same court-yard, so that grocers' wagons and ice-carts are almost always to be seen standing about in the space which should be reserved exclusively for more fashionable equipages, and for the promenades of the tenants of the house. I was mesmerized and couldnt wait to get my hands on THE ADDRESS. [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. The kitchens and bathrooms contained modern fixtures, though other decorations such as moldings, woodwork, and floor surfaces were similar to those in many row houses. [34] Christopher Gray said in 2006 that "The Dakota remains Mount Olympus in the mythology of New York apartment houses, its baronial majesty the gauge by which all others must be judged. [74] Each service stair and elevator served two apartments per floor. When the courtyard was rebuilt in 2004, the sidewalk under the breezeway was reconstructed with bluestone pavers that measure up to 6ft (1.8m) long and 5in (130mm) thick. [76] The building particularly appealed to theatrical figures because of its proximity to the Broadway Theater District, which was also on the West Side. One hundred years later, in 1985 NYC, Bailey Camden is an interior designer charged with renovating The Dakota. [88][89] Dancer Rudolf Nureyev placed classical paintings in his living room and theatrical artwork in other rooms. The Address Davis, Fiona, 1966- "After a failed apprenticeship, working her way up to head housekeeper of a posh London hotel is more than Sara Smythe ever thought she'd make of herself. [53][56] The sidewalk was originally made of bluestone slabs. [32][139], Edward S. Clark died in 1933, just before the Dakota's 50th anniversary, and his brother Stephen Severin Clark took over the building's operation. [143], By the 1950s, the servants' quarters on the upper stories had been converted to apartments. At the time, many tenants were diplomats, theatrical figures, or publishers. [73] For each apartment, this provided the same amount of privacy as the entrances to typical brownstone row houses. [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. [155] The building was also depicted in Jack Finney's 1970 novel Time and Again. In 1985, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities. [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. While living in the Dakota Apartments, Lennon also gave an interview that included him reading a letter that predicted his untimely death. It's possible that the ghost John Lennon talked about seeing made appearances in front of several other people. The opportunity to move to America. [14] The Dakota's board announced in 2002 that it planned to restore the interior courtyard, and it hired Higgins & Quasebarth as a consulting architect. Two generations ago, Bailey?s grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden. [65][97][113] Back in 1879, Clark had proposed naming the Upper West Side's north-south avenues after states or territories in the Western United States, though his suggestions had been ignored. 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. [35] In some cases, an elevator served only one apartment on a floor, so the elevator doors opened directly into that tenant's foyer. Henry Hardenbergh was the actual architect for the Dakota (and the Plaza Hotel and a number of other fabulous buildings), so I didnt mind having him make a cameo, but I didnt want to try to fit his life into my story. [161] The fireplaces were also restored in the late 1990s or early 2000s, requiring some of the fireplace flues to be replaced. [76] Beside servants' quarters, there was a playroom and a gymnasium on the roof, which was labeled as the "tenth story". 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. [156] The Dakota has also appeared in several popular media works, including Roman Polanski's 1968 film Rosemary's Baby. [222] Numerous replicas of the building have been created, including a model at Legoland Florida, as well as merchandise such as tissue boxes. [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. 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". [46] Under the co-op arrangement, the residents were obligated to share all maintenance and repair costs, which the Clark family had previously handled.
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