The Dakota - 1 West 72nd Street

The Dakota - 1 W 72nd Street at Central Park West 
  
The Dakota was the first luxury apartment building in Manhattan.

In 1884, the New York Daily Graphic called it:

 "one of the most perfect apartment houses in the world"

The Dakota was the first luxury apartment building in Manhattan. It's Beaux Art Chateau style architecture was popular in the late 19th century.

It was named The Dakota because at the time it was considered so far uptown (West 72nd Street and Central Park West) it might as well have been in Dakota Territory.

Today more than 100 years later, the Dakota still has fabulous apartments and magnificent park views. Some of The Dakota's most famous former and current residents are Lauren Bacall, Judy Holiday, Rosemary Clooney, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Gilda Radner and Barlis Karloff.

The Dakota is filled with stories about it's famous residents. The most famous is John Lennon's murder outside the Dakota in Novemebr 1980. A section of Central Park opposite the Dakota has been named strawberry fields.

At the time of the murder, many Americans were already familiar with the Dakota because of the famous film, Rosemary's Baby which had been shot there 12 years earlier.

The Dakota became a co-op in 1961. It has 10 floors and 103 apartments. The building only allows 50% financing, requires board approval and has a transfer fee paid by buyers of 2% of the sale price.

Yoko Ono is a board member. Yoko owns a couple of apartments on two floors. Her office is also in The Dakota.

For available listings in the Dakota click here