The Dakota

This article is about the apartment building in New York City. For the region of the United States, see The Dakotas. For the people, see Dakota people. For other uses, see Dakota (disambiguation) and The Dakotas (disambiguation).

The Dakota
As seen from Central Park West
Map
Location1 West 72nd Street
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Coordinates40°46′36″N 73°58′35″W / 40.77667°N 73.97639°W / 40.77667; -73.97639
Built1880–1884
ArchitectHenry Janeway Hardenbergh
Architectural styleGerman Renaissance[1][2]
Part ofCentral Park West Historic District (ID82001189)
NRHP reference No.72000869
NYSRHP No.06101.000170
NYCL No.0280
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 26, 1972[5]
Designated NHLDecember 8, 1976[6]
Designated CPNovember 9, 1982
Designated NYSRHPJune 23, 1980[3]
Designated NYCLFebruary 11, 1969[4]

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. The Dakota was constructed between 1880 and 1884 in the German Renaissance style and was designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh for businessman Edward Cabot Clark. 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. The building is a National Historic Landmark and has been designated a city landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The building is also a contributing property to the Central Park West Historic District.

The Dakota occupies the western side of Central Park West between 72nd and 73rd streets. It is largely square in plan and built around a central H-shaped courtyard, through which all apartments are accessed. 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. The facade is largely composed of brick with sandstone trim and terracotta detailing. The main entrance is a double-height archway on 72nd Street, which leads to the courtyard. The building's design includes deep roofs with dormers, terracotta spandrels and panels, niches, balconies, and balustrades. Each apartment at the Dakota had a unique layout with four to twenty rooms. The building is divided into quadrants, each of which has a stair and an elevator for tenants, as well as another stair and another elevator for servants.

After Clark announced plans for an apartment complex at the site in 1879, work began in late October 1880. The building was not given its name until mid-1882, and Clark died before the Dakota was completed in October 1884. The Dakota was fully rented upon its completion. The building was managed by the Clark family for eight decades and remained largely unchanged during that time. In 1961, the Dakota's residents bought the building from the Clark family and converted it into a housing cooperative. The Dakota has historically been home to many artists, actors, and musicians, including John Lennon, who was murdered outside the building on December 8, 1980. The building remained a cooperative into the 21st century.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kane 2012 g631 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference LC p. 135 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Cultural Resource Information System (CRIS)". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. November 7, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYCL-0280 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 15, 2006.
  6. ^ "Dakota Apartments". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. September 11, 2007. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011.