Architect: Henry J Hardenbergh
Location : 1 West 72nd Street
Date: 1881-1884
Style: German Gothic, English Victorian, French Renaissance
The architectural firm of Henry Janeway Hardenbergh was commissioned to do the design for Edward Clark, head of the Singer Sewing Machine Company whose firm also designed the Plaza Hotel.*
The building's high gables and deep roofs with a profusion of dormers, terracotta spandrels and panels, niches, balconies and balustrades give it a North German Renaissance character, an echo of a Hanseatic townhall. Nevertheless, its layout and floor plan betray a strong influence of French architectural trends in housing design that had become known in New York in the 1870s.*
According to popular legend, the Dakota was so named because at the time it was built, the Upper West Side of Manhattan was sparsely inhabited and considered as remote as the Dakota Territory. However, the earliest recorded appearance of this account is in a 1933 newspaper story. It is more likely that the building was named "The Dakota" because of Clark's fondness for the names of the new western states and territories. High above the 72nd Street entrance, the figure of a Dakota Indian keeps watch. The Dakota was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976.*
The building's high gables and deep roofs with a profusion of dormers, terracotta spandrels and panels, niches, balconies and balustrades give it a North German Renaissance character, an echo of a Hanseatic townhall. Nevertheless, its layout and floor plan betray a strong influence of French architectural trends in housing design that had become known in New York in the 1870s.*
According to popular legend, the Dakota was so named because at the time it was built, the Upper West Side of Manhattan was sparsely inhabited and considered as remote as the Dakota Territory. However, the earliest recorded appearance of this account is in a 1933 newspaper story. It is more likely that the building was named "The Dakota" because of Clark's fondness for the names of the new western states and territories. High above the 72nd Street entrance, the figure of a Dakota Indian keeps watch. The Dakota was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976.*
against a blue sky it was just a gorgeous site to be seen
I did not dislike one thing about it at all
loved the entrance area
What a truly remarkable piece of art work
those are real lanterns with fire burning inside
don't wait as long as I did to view this wonderful piece of architecture
a lovely view with the American Flag flying high
the area around the building is gorgeous as well...the Upper West Side is a great place to stroll and feel like a real New Yorker!!
in case you are wondering, here is a floor plan of a Dakota apartment.....cost is about 25 million...maybe if all the followers got together we could buy one and rotate weeks?? wouldn't that just be so grand!!!
Today's Words of Wisdom: Age is only important if you are cheese
*information from http://nyc-architecture.com/
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3 comments
Great photos and history of this iconic NYC building! Thanks for sharing this, Rosemary! Have a great weekend! xoxo
It is nice that you featured the West side. It is always the East Side that we see or Downtown. Would love to see some Cafes and Museums from the West Side. The Dakota Building is for sure a landmark Building on this part of NYC.
Glad you enjoyed Pamela I will have to re-post some Upper West side info for you as I do have some other areas It is a great part of the city, very unique feel to it.
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