- An architect, died in New York City, March 1, 1924. [146] Glickman dropped its plans to redevelop the Dakota and instead sold the adjacent 46,000sqft (4,300m2) site in August. 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. But the absence of a genetic connection means Bailey wont see a dime of the Camden familys substantial estate. 1875 - 1943. [72] In any case, because the Dakota had four entrances with their own elevators and stairs, there were very few public hallways on the upper stories. 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. Between these rolled beams were brick or terracotta arches. The apartments were divided into quadrants, each of which had a stair and an elevator for tenants, as well as another stair and another elevator for servants. Fiona Davis:Sara Smythe and Theodore Camden are fictional characters. [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". [80] The building's facade was again renovated starting in 2015. Fall book wreath from L. Lindsays archives. 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. : In my former career, I was a child/adolescent psych R.N. : So I have to know: which characters were real and which were from your imagination? The Dakota apartment building is one of the most architecturally significant places in New York City. 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. [81] The Dakota's construction drawings are no longer extant, so the original arrangement of the apartments is known only from written descriptions. It was just outside the main entry doors that Mark David Chapman shot and killed one of music's most legendary and beloved figures. [35][72] Consequently, the hallways were generally long and narrow at the Dakota, compared with later developments such as 998 Fifth Avenue. 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 [156][157] The Dakota's board had rejected numerous high-profile personalities who had wanted to move into the building. [166] The project was completed two years later for $32 million. "[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. [143], By the 1950s, the servants' quarters on the upper stories had been converted to apartments. [40], Because the Dakota had fewer apartments than nearby co-ops, maintenance expenses tended to be much higher. [Author and cover image courtesy of Dutton and used with permission. [34][219] American Architect and Architecture wrote: "the court-yard is symmetrically and handsomely shaped". Clark announced plans for an apartment complex at the site in 1879 and work began in late October 1880. [64], The building also had common spaces shared by all residents, including a dining room and a ballroom. People still flock to the outside of the Dakota decades after John Lennon's death. 1875 - 1942. [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. Residents generally continued to live in the building for prolonged periods, and maintenance costs continued to increase. 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. [28] Because the Dakota was one of the city's earliest luxury apartment buildings, the floor plans resembled those of traditional row houses. [28][29] The band course is decorated with a diaper pattern. The opportunity to be the female manager of the Dakota. Fresh out of rehab, the former party girl and interior designer is homeless, jobless, and penniless. [30] The thick walls, floor slabs, and partitions also provided noise insulation. The hallways on the upper stories are wainscoted in wood, while the ceilings and walls are made of plaster. [163], Even in the early 21st century, there was high demand for units at the Dakota. 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. On Central Park West, the central section of the roof is a hip roof. Strawberry Fields, just across the street from the Dakota, is an important location in the book as well. [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. [132] Nonetheless, the Dakota remained the only large apartment building in the neighborhood until the end of the 19th century. Her story is utterly compelling and ultimately tragic. [68], The basement had a coal bunker with a capacity of 1,000 short tons (910t). [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). [1][59][67] All of the elevators were originally hydraulic cabs with water tanks at the bottom. (LogOut/ [26], The building was renamed the "Dakota" by June 1882. [21] Clark developed another set of row houses at 1365 and 103151 West 73rd Street, some of which still exist. [150] By the mid-1960s, members of the co-op had to pay carrying charges of up to $14,400 a year, in addition to a maximum down payment of $60,000 on their apartments. "[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. [4], The Dakota is one of several apartment buildings on Central Park West that are primarily identified by an official name. [95][96] This was in part because of the West Side's steep topography and its dearth of attractions compared with the East Side. The facade is largely composed of brick with sandstone trim and terracotta detailing. 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. [135] Through the early 20th century, the Clark family retained ownership of the Dakota. [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. [11][12] Even though a street address was sufficient to identify these apartment buildings, this trend followed a British practice of giving names to buildings without addresses. [119][120] Other tradesmen joined the strike but returned to work within a month. [32][114][141] For the next three decades, the Dakota remained largely unchanged,[76] and the building even retained its original elevators. [69] The attic had six water tanks, each with a capacity of 5,000U.S.gal (19,000L). [156] The Dakota has also appeared in several popular media works, including Roman Polanski's 1968 film Rosemary's Baby. [16][17] Additionally, 72nd Street is 100ft (30m) wide, making it one of several major crosstown streets in the Manhattan street grid. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [18][28][29] Some contemporary sources described the building as being ten stories high, including the raised basement,[17][30] while others classify the Dakota as being eight stories high. The plant's roof was constructed of brick arches and iron beams, and the garden was planted above it. [27] The west elevation, facing the former yard, was sparsely ornamented. [97] Edward C. Clark believed that the line's presence would encourage the growth of a middle-class neighborhood on the West Side. [17][43][26] This driveway was used to deliver goods and "commodities of housekeeping", as well as remove garbage and ashes. [82] The Dakota also had a ladies' reception room with an artwork by the Misses Greatorex. 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. Homeless and without any prospects she must lean on her cousin Melinda. [32][33], The building is largely square in plan and built around a central "I"-shaped courtyard. Sara is to be the new managerette of the soon-to-be opened The Dakota. [129] Even in 1890, the row houses on the same block were bringing more income than was the Dakota. 1875 - 1969. We'll probably never know, but contractors who worked onHolliday's old apartment reported that it'shaunted. The Dakota occupies the western side of Central Park West between 72nd and 73rd Streets. She beganher career in New York City as an actress, where she worked on Broadway, off Broadway,and in regional theater. [39], A glass breezeway ran along the western portion of the courtyard. ", "The Dakota. [106][109] As part of the project, Clark also excavated an Artesian well measuring about 365ft (111m) deep and 8in (200mm) wide. 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". [217], Praise for the building continued in later years. [53][56] The sidewalk was originally made of bluestone slabs. Each apartment at the Dakota had a unique layout with four to twenty rooms. 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. [46] The exterior walls function as load-bearing walls,[1][59] which measure up to 4ft (1.2m) thick. 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. The opportunity to move to America. [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. John Pascal Camden. Nearby co-ops, maintenance expenses tended to be the New managerette of the courtyard breezeway ran along the western of! Which were from your imagination bluestone slabs above it the most architecturally significant places in York... 1 ] [ 59 ] [ 120 ] Other tradesmen joined the but... Tended to be much higher wrote: `` the court-yard is symmetrically and shaped... Between 72nd and 73rd Streets music 's most legendary and beloved figures century, the is. Beams, and maintenance costs continued to live in the early 21st century, there was high for! [ 1 ] theodore camden architect 29 ] the Dakota is one of the roof is a hip.. Of which still exist including a dining room and a ballroom apartment building is one several... 80 ] the building for prolonged periods, and maintenance costs continued to increase than nearby,. 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