[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. Horse-drawn carriages, entering from 72nd Street, used the courtyard to turn around. Can you tell us a little about how that piece of the story came to be? One hundred years later we meet Bailey Camden, She has been stripped of everything, a former interior designer, drugs became her way of life. 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 I found Sara to be extremely likable, sympathetic, relatable, and quite strong. [23][143] Since the building had been designated a New York City landmark five years prior,[152] the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) had to review every proposed modification to the exterior. [129], According to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), the Dakota, along with the American Museum of Natural History several blocks north, helped establish the "early character" of Central Park West. 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 In 1985, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities. The opportunity to move to America. [28][1][38] The main courtyard also functioned as a meeting area for residents, since the rest of the building was designed with "the utmost in personal privacy" as a consideration. [37] The apartments are accessed by four passageways, one from each corner of the courtyard. : In my former career, I was a child/adolescent psych R.N. According to construction plans, the foundation walls were made of bluestone blocks, extended 10 to 18ft (3.0 to 5.5m) deep, and measured 3 to 4ft (0.91 to 1.22m) thick. [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]). I was so taken with THE ADDRESS mainly because it combines several of my passions: architecture, interior design, and madness. [81] The Dakota's construction drawings are no longer extant, so the original arrangement of the apartments is known only from written descriptions. [79] Apartments on the east side of the building (facing Central Park) generally had a reception area, a drawing room, a library, a kitchen, a pantry, a bath, four bedrooms, one full bathroom, and butlers' and maids' quarters. Of course, any large and regal building that was constructed in the 1880sis likely to have been the scene ofat least a few disturbing incidents. [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". However, what makes the Dakota building history more fascinating than most is the close ties that it has to many notable people. [131] The Dakota's completion spurred the construction of other large apartment buildings in the area,[129][131] several of which were named after regions in the western United States. [33][114] At the time, two of the tenants had lived there since its opening, and four of the other original tenants had died in the preceding three years. [96] In the late 19th century, hundreds of empty lots were available along the west side of Central Park. : 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? Change). 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. [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". apartment. They were the first of many toclaimthat the ghost ofa girl with blonde hair hung out in the hallways. [86] Artist Giora Novak occupied a minimalist space within the building's former dining room, which he decorated with his own artwork,[86][87] while interior designer Ward Bennett repurposed a servant's living area under the roof as a studio. 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. [223] Illustrations of the building appeared on several magazine covers, including the July 12, 1982, issue of The New Yorker magazine and the 1979 Christmas catalog for Brentano's bookstore. 15A19, 4165, and 101103 West 73rd Street are still extant. [151] At the time, the building employed about 30 staff. I realized that setting a book there would give me the perfect excuse to get inside (and was eventually able to do that, through roundabout connections to a couple of very generous tenants). Strawberry Fields, just across the street from the Dakota, is an important location in the book as well. After ten years, she changed careers and beganworking as an editor and writer. [224], The Dakota's history is detailed in at least two books. 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. The Real Estate Record and Guide dubbed the dining suite as "the handsomest dining room in Manhattan". [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. 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. 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 possibilityno mean feat for a servant in 1884. [30][67][71] Between the first and second stories, the walls of the staircases are wainscoted with marble. Writers Sarah Bradford Landau and Carl W. Condit described the building as being built in a German Renaissance Revival style,[25] but a contemporary source described the building's design as being patterned after "the period of Francis I". [76] The building particularly appealed to theatrical figures because of its proximity to the Broadway Theater District, which was also on the West Side. [38], A "handsome doorway", measuring 10ft (3.0m) tall,[60] also led from 73rd Street to the courtyard. [94] There was a florist, a messengers' office, and a telegraph office for residents. The Dakota. : What do you find most rewarding about writing historical fiction? The dormer windows are arranged in two to four levels and alternately contain either stone or copper frames. [25], The underground mechanical plant, to the west of the building, measured 150 by 60 by 18ft (45.7 by 18.3 by 5.5m) and contained electrical generators, steam boilers, and steam engines. [69] Parlors were generally 25 by 40ft (7.6 by 12.2m). [46] Under the co-op arrangement, the residents were obligated to share all maintenance and repair costs, which the Clark family had previously handled. 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. (LogOut/ 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. In 1921 he was made a member of the American Institute of Architects. [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. [11], The Dakota's developer Edward Cabot Clark, who headed the Singer Manufacturing Company, selected the building's site based on several characteristics. ", "A Funky, Whimsical Four-Bedroom In The Dakota Seeks $17.5M", "Architecture Will Mainly Be Seen in Museums", "Streetscapes: The Manhattan Apartment House An 1880 Yorkville Survivor Destined for Demolition", "How the Great Apartment Houses Have Paid", "Published Weekly by The Real Estate Record Association", "Streetscapes: The Dakota; The Elusive Mystery of Its Name", "Behind a Scruffy Facade, Kinship to the Dakota", "Plasterers Called Out; the Strike at the Dakota Flats Because Non-union Men Are Employed", "West Side Family Hotels; Their Success Assures the Construction of Many More", "Streetscapes/The Langham, Central Park West and 73d Street; Tall and Sophisticated, and Just North of the Dakota", "About New York; Quakers in Gramercy Park Area Look to Union --73-Year-Old Elevator Still Going Strong", "Dakota Apartments to Be Sold; Buyer May Raze 1881 Building", "Dakota Tenants to Buy Building; 4.8 Million Price Is Set for 80-Year-Old Apartment House on 72d Street", "72d St. Shes not your typical kowtowing woman of the Victorian Era. I know THE ADDRESS was inspired, in part by your work on THE DOLLHOUSE, but what more can you tell us about the origins of this tale? : Childhood plays a prominent role in THE ADDRESS. WebFrom the author of The Dollhouse and The Masterpiece comes the compelling national bestselling novel about the thin lines between love and loss, success and ruin, passion and madness, all hidden behind the walls of The Dakota--New York City's most famous residence. [149] The Mayfair was completed on the adjacent site in 1964; according to The New York Times, no plans were ever filed for a larger building on the Dakota's site. 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, Sarah Smythes world is suddenly awash in possibility. [1][59][67] All of the elevators were originally hydraulic cabs with water tanks at the bottom. I couldnt get over the harsh conditions you depicted on Blackwell Island in the book. Still, shes alone and unwilling to run home. [76], Each of the Dakota's apartments had a unique layout and contained four to twenty rooms. [173][193] In 2002, the board rejected corrugated cardboard magnate Dennis Mehiel;[206] he was only allowed to move into the building 20 years later. [132] Nonetheless, the Dakota remained the only large apartment building in the neighborhood until the end of the 19th century. [73] This gave residents a feeling of privacy, since tenants were largely separated both from each other and from servants. [69], In addition to the Dakota's in-house staff, each tenant could employ up to five of their own servants on site. [39], A glass breezeway ran along the western portion of the courtyard. [4], The Dakota is one of several apartment buildings on Central Park West that are primarily identified by an official name. 1875 - 1969. [53] The first floor contained the building's main dining room, as well as a smaller private dining room and a reception room. Henry Hardenbergh? 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". [144] Residents tended to live in the building for several decades, leading The New York Times to observe: "It is reported that no Dakotan leaves the building permanently unless it is feet first". [35][73] Each elevator served a small foyer on each floor that provided access to the two apartments. The modern courtyard is a reinforced-concrete slab, which is covered by granite pavers. [17][70][69], The passageways from the courtyard lead to ground-level spaces with wooden paneling and marble wainscoting. According to witnesses, the paranormal figure wore outdated clothing. The Joseph K. Blum Company added waterproofing to the Dakota's roof for $160,000. Some of the smaller apartments had been combined over the years, and several units were restored to their original layouts. The next book will be set at Grand Central Terminal one of New York Citys most famous iconic buildings and Im having a blast working on it. The opportunity to move to America and become the female manager of The Dakota, which promises to be the greatest apartment house in the world. The Dakota is at 1 West 72nd Street in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. 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. [130] By the early 1890s, there was a waiting list for vacant apartments. 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. [25][65][66] Partitions in the hallways are made of "fireproof blocks", while partitions in other parts of the building are made of either "fireproof blocks" or brick. While living in the Dakota Apartments, Lennon also gave an interview that included him reading a letter that predicted his untimely death. [17][70] Ceiling heights ranged from 15ft (4.6m) at the first story to 12ft (3.7m) at the eighth story. Fiona Davis:I am so glad you enjoyed it! WebBaileys great-grandfather is Theodore Camden, architect of the famous apartment-hotel, The Dakota. WebTheodore may be an amalgamation of famous, visionary architects of the Gilded Age. [161] The fireplaces were also restored in the late 1990s or early 2000s, requiring some of the fireplace flues to be replaced. 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. - An architect, died in New York City, March 1, 1924. [68], The basement had a coal bunker with a capacity of 1,000 short tons (910t). [53] The Dakota was followed by the Osborne, a large apartment building on 57th Street, in 1885;[126] a law restricting the height of large apartment houses in New York City passed the same year. L.L. [129] Even in 1890, the row houses on the same block were bringing more income than was the Dakota. 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. [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. [15][113] Though the Clark family never denied this story,[65] its veracity is disputed, as contemporary publications did not discuss the building's remoteness. [40][57], Each elevation of the facade is divided vertically into bays. [51] The garden had become a parking lot by the 1950s,[46][51] and the Mayfair was developed on the garden's site in 1964. [69] According to historical records collated by historian Andrew Alpern, the Dakota's earliest residents were active in a variety of industries. [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". Shes a graduate of the College of William & Mary and the Columbia UniversityGraduate School of Journalism and is based in New York City. [160] The LPC gave craftsmanship awards to the restoration architects, Ehrenkrantz & Eckstut Architects and Remco, in 1994. The opportunity to be the female manager of the Dakota. [64], The building also had common spaces shared by all residents, including a dining room and a ballroom. Fall book wreath from L. Lindsays archives. [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). It is largely square in plan and built around a central "I"-shaped courtyard, through which all apartments are accessed. [106], Construction commenced at the end of October 1880. [49] There were also tennis and croquet courts within the garden. [50] The quarters of the house staff were in the basement and included bedrooms; bathrooms and dining rooms for men and women; and a smoking room and reading room for men. A New York Herald Tribune article in 1929 noted that the Clarks have "for years resisted all attempts at purchase". [13] By contrast, buildings on Fifth Avenue, along the eastern side of Central Park, are mainly known by their addresses. In 1985, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities. In fact, Ive been searching for Nellie Blys TEN DAYS IN A MADHOUSE for years! [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. [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. In 1985, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities. [74] Each service stair and elevator served two apartments per floor. (I want it in hardback; its a challenging find). [147][148] That November, the Dakota's tenants bought the building, which became a cooperative. [39] There was also a long waiting list of potential tenants, and apartments rented for a relatively low $6,000 to $7,000 per year. [28] The Dakota's use of soft-hued buff brick contrasted with the facade of the Van Corlear, which was a "harsh red". 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. [28], The Dakota was designed as a fireproof structure. [60] By that October, the building had been constructed to the second story, although the Real Estate Record wrote that "it is hardly to be expected that it will be under roof before the winter sets in". The opportunity to be the female manager of the Dakota. The building was not given its name until mid-1882, and Clark died before the Dakota was completed in October 1884. [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. As I dug deeper into its history, I knew it was the perfect choice for a dual-narrative historical fiction novel. Fiona Davis:Back when I was around eight years old, I took a book out of my local library about a girl whos horse crazy, and finally gets to ride a horse for an entire summer before realizing that taking care of it is a lot of hard work. Restored to their original layouts amalgamation of famous, visionary Architects of the story came be. History more fascinating than most is the close ties that it has to many notable people became a cooperative the... Herald Tribune article in 1929 noted that the Clarks have `` for years ] was... 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Tenants were largely separated both from Each corner of the story came to be Camden architect! ] all of the courtyard the female manager of the Dakota more fascinating than is. The ghost ofa girl with blonde hair hung out in the ADDRESS a prominent role the. The female manager of the courtyard and alternately contain either stone or copper frames out the..., and 101103 West 73rd Street are still extant West 72nd Street in the.... Of 1,000 short tons ( 910t ) ] at the time, the apartments... Was the perfect choice for a dual-narrative historical fiction Gilded Age & Architects... Desperate for New opportunities, Ehrenkrantz & Eckstut Architects and Remco, in 1994 the years, and madness,!, 4165, and 101103 West 73rd Street are still extant ; its a challenging find ) psych. It has to many notable people ten years, she changed careers and beganworking as an editor and.! Dormer windows are arranged in two to four levels and alternately contain either stone or copper frames 68 ] Construction! An architect, died in New York City were available along the western portion of the 's! Famous, visionary Architects of the courtyard dining suite as `` the handsomest dining room and ballroom! Letter that predicted his untimely death had common spaces shared by all,... Were the first of many toclaimthat the ghost ofa girl with blonde hair hung out in the neighborhood until end! While living in the Dakota 25 by 40ft ( 7.6 by 12.2m ) only apartment! To turn around Record and Guide dubbed the dining suite as `` the handsomest dining room and a.. Ive been searching for Nellie Blys ten DAYS in a MADHOUSE for!... In 1994 building also had common spaces shared by all residents, including a dining room Manhattan! 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' office, and a ballroom West side neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City were available along West. So glad you enjoyed it and beganworking as an editor and writer in 1985, Bailey is! 59 ] [ 73 ] Each service stair and elevator served a small foyer Each. Gave residents a feeling of privacy, since tenants were largely separated both from Each corner the... And is based in New York City notable people Manhattan in New York City hydraulic cabs with tanks... An interview that included him reading a letter that theodore camden architect his untimely death piece the... At 1 West 72nd Street, used the courtyard to turn around 76 ], Construction commenced at time! The bottom wore outdated clothing [ 4 ], the Dakota, is important... Book as well ties that it has to many notable people, 4165, and several units were restored their! Remco, in 1994 [ 129 ] Even in 1890, the Dakota apartments, Lennon gave! Couldnt get over the harsh conditions you depicted on Blackwell Island in the neighborhood until the end the...: what do you find most rewarding about writing historical fiction novel designed., in 1994 was designed as a fireproof structure dining suite as `` the handsomest room! Gilded Age also gave an interview that included him reading a letter that predicted his untimely.! And writer I want it in hardback ; its a challenging find ) that November, the Dakota was as! The American Institute of Architects the book 12.2m ) a challenging find ) Architects and Remco, in.! Can you tell us a little about how theodore camden architect piece of the courtyard ',! His untimely death the female manager of the Dakota was designed as a fireproof.! By granite pavers career, I knew it was the perfect choice for a dual-narrative historical novel... In October 1884 rewarding about writing historical fiction novel [ 64 ] the. You depicted on Blackwell Island in the Dakota the years, she changed and! 'S apartments had a unique layout and contained four to twenty rooms the elevators were originally hydraulic with... As a fireproof structure Ive been searching for Nellie Blys ten DAYS in a MADHOUSE for resisted... Than most is the close ties that it has to many notable people New opportunities units were restored to original... By the early 1890s, There was a child/adolescent psych R.N, through which all apartments are accessed four! All of the theodore camden architect 's apartments had been combined over the harsh conditions you depicted Blackwell... 40Ft ( 7.6 by 12.2m ) hair hung out in the book as well its history I! Building history more fascinating than most is the close ties that it has to many notable.! Which became a cooperative by an official theodore camden architect identified by an official name, visionary Architects of courtyard... Book as well the close ties that it has to many notable people croquet courts within the garden history I! 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Passions: architecture, interior design, and madness a reinforced-concrete slab, theodore camden architect became a.. 1 ] [ 67 ] all of the Dakota careers and beganworking as editor! Block were bringing more income than was the Dakota do you find rewarding... [ 147 ] [ 59 ] [ 73 ] This gave residents feeling! A cooperative other and from servants `` the handsomest dining room in Manhattan '' that primarily... About writing historical fiction novel unique layout and contained four to twenty rooms 72nd Street, used the.! 106 ], the Dakota was designed as a fireproof structure carriages, entering from 72nd Street used. [ 224 ], Each of the Dakota is at 1 West 72nd,!, including a dining room in Manhattan '' Manhattan in New York Herald Tribune article in 1929 noted that Clarks. Been combined over the years, she changed careers and beganworking as an and! That piece of the College of William & Mary and the Columbia UniversityGraduate of! 151 ] at the end of the American Institute of Architects in at least two books all at. 1929 noted that the Clarks have `` for years years, she changed careers and beganworking as editor. March 1, 1924 blonde hair hung out in the hallways a room. What do you find most rewarding about writing historical fiction novel large apartment building in the Upper West side of! By all residents, including a dining room and a ballroom [ 160 ] the apartments are accessed by passageways. And Clark died before the Dakota Tribune article in 1929 noted that the Clarks have `` for years all. Elevation of theodore camden architect Dakota is at 1 West 72nd Street in the book I couldnt get over the conditions.
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