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John Lennon - 2 gunmen. Shot in front 4 bullets 3 coming out of his back; as per surgeon and 2 nurses. Shot inside building from 2 feet away. Security guard - Jose Perdomo (CIA), worked with Frank Sturgis - Watergate burglar.
Because the upper apartments were servant quarters they were not landmarked and could be modernized. I was a Dakota carpenter for about a decade during the 80s and 90s and did work in almost all the apartments including the pyramid. An extraordinary building. I appreciate your videos.
The servants were given stellar views of the city? Of course the claim is outrageous. Everything we are told about His Story is a lie. There was a massive effort of destruction of these old world buildings, along with their interiors that began at the end of the 1800s and that obsession to destroy these architectural masterpieces continues to this day. All the reasons they give us for the destruction are lies. The craftmanship from that era cannot be done today. It is truly criminal what the parasites that control old world buildings have done to destroy them.
I met Ward and he invited me to see his residence. The way up to his pyramid was an adventure, taking an elevator,going up stairs and across the roof to the entrance.The furnitire was low and you had a lovely view of the park,and looking east a view down Central Park West. He had beautiful art leaning against the walls or on carpeted platforms. He was a humble kind man.Some years ago the doorman told me that an architect is living there.
I don't remember the exact year,but it was in the late 70"s. I met Ward at a 5th Ave .home he was designing and was so so surprised when he asked me my thoughts on how to treat a steel beam in one of the rooms. I felt honored that he would ask me. Some of the features he designed for the home seemed so advanced at that time.The control panel by the bed to control window shades,lighting and the sound system, not so advanced theses days. At his home in the Dakota he had a beautiful inscribed Picasso, of course leaning against the wall.The inscription " to my friend Ward" signed Picasso.It was interesting walking on the roof and looking close up at the architecture. I remember when I arrived in the cab at the front entrance and the doorman came out and held open the cab door,how people immediately gathered around to see who it was.Were thet disappointed Lol. I so enjoy your channel and am subscribed. Thanks.
@@thomasahrens567great story! Ok..I gotta ask ..if it was the late 70's..did you run into John or Yoko or Sean? What a capper to this story if you did!🏰
My grandmother lived in the Dakota in the 50's. She sublet from Boris Karloff. She had an opportunity to buy the apartment for $17K when it went co-op but my uncle was afraid the Dakota was a fire hazard. I have so many memories of that building. I remember running into Judy Holiday in the laundry room in the basement and Eddie Albert's wife in the elevator. My grandmother used to take me up to the 9th floor to visit a friend who operated the elevator. That 9th floor was fascinating and spooky. You took an old wrought iron staircase to the roof. We saw Nikita Khrushchev in Central Park from the roof. We also saw the Macy's Parade from there. Even now, over 60 years later I can still smell the steam from the boiler in the basement and the steam vents on the street. She lived in a corner apartment on the 8th floor overlooking 72nd Street which had views looking East, South, and West. I love that song, "Watching the Wheels Go By," by John Lennon because I used to spend hours on her window seat in the bay window over looking 72nd Street watching the cars and the old 1950's taxi's going up and down the avenue. I remember her apartment overlooked the Oliver Cromwell Building. I have so so many memories of that place. I remember the elevators. The elevator driver had to adjust up and down a little before we could get out. And the room the elevator was in was a fancy little foyer with carpeting and victorian love seats. But when you went down the halls they were dark and spooky with bare lightbulbs and red light bulbs for the emergency exits. It truly was the Black Bramford. Now I don't know if this was a false memory, but I remember when you went through the arch where the doorman was and to the left towards the door to the elevator lobby there was a glass corridor like the Crystal Palace at the exhibition in Chicago, that went around the perimeter of the courtyard, to protect you from the weather. Maybe this was dismantled in the summer. In the middle of the courtyard were a couple of large fountains with ceramic calla lillies. This old building will always haunt my memories.
Wow, those are priceless memories. Yes, indeed, all of your memories are correct. The courtyard corridor however only ran along the west side of the courtyard. I'm not exactly sure why except perhaps in the early days residents could perhaps walk down a hallway along the east side of the ground floor once they passed through the lobby in the SE quadrant. The large fountains and calla lilies are still there of course and are as amazing as ever.
I’ve been in that apartment. Ward Bennett’s partner, Calvin Morgan, was a mentor of mine when I was at design school. I got the full tour, including the studio apartment across the widow’s walk that my friend lived/worked out of as Calvin’s assistant. it is spectacular!
@@StrangeHistoryX it was in another gable, facing on to 72nd. the main apartment they called penthouse A, the studio they called penthouse B. they would walk across the roof from A to B.
I wondered how they got the furniture up there for the study. I also wondered how he managed just to get any amount of groceries upstairs to his kitchen, with all the flights of stairs and outside walk (which in inclement weather must have been not so great). Otherwise I loved the apartment!
This was really fascinating and so well done !! He was a true design visionary !!! He converted a Victorian space Into an Avant-garde Futuristic ( for his time) & Minimalist Heaven !!! Bravo @strangehistoryX!!!👏👏👏
Seriously? Okay! I can do that. I actually dd one once before but it was audio only. I think. It was so long ago. But, yeah, I can do a video. I do have menus!
Loved your video and shots of a tight and quirky space. Long ago I was in the Dakota apartment of Jan de Ruth. A great contrast: huge rooms with high ceilings and wall space for all the full length portraits he’d painted of the famous fashion models sans clothes! Abundant light and amusement.
Ward Bennett's apartment was incredible! The views from the skylight were spectacular! I never knew that was at the top of the Dakota. It must have been simply amazing living there and looking down at everything going on in the city.
Love the additional information about the Dakota. I didnt know much about it until Lauren Bacall's apartment was put up for sale after her death and they had photos inside! I love architecture. Grew up in a larger city in 60s that had so many interesting buildings. Department stores had floors with elevator operater saying 5th floor men's wear etc. Family gradually made its way more so to Southern California so it was all falt malls. But in every city Ive lived in Ive always graduated to all the old downtown areas no matter how small. I lived in several old converted Victorian buildings in a downtown art district until I met my first, last love of my life and now in high desert area. But it has its own cowboy, mining, petroglyph, ancient history. I will have to check out your other videos. Im also English major so.... Its ray-diator because heat radiates from it like rays of the sun. Not Rad-iate. I think because its straight line as in radius of a circle? Im straining my brain. Let me go get the root word definitions. But like you dont pronounce just the word ray as rah, you dont say rahdiator....here is the definition from root latin root words.......radiator1610s, "issue or spread in all directions from a point in rays or straight lines," from Latin radiatus, past participle of radiare "to beam, shine, gleam; make beaming," from radius "beam of light; spoke of a wheel" (see radius).
I honestly had no idea there would be so much interest in the Dakota itself. All most people care about is John Lennon's association. But there is soooo much more to know, so I'll keep pumpin' out the videos about it. :)
Your love and passion for this historical building is quite obvious. Because of that and your work and production of these wonderful videos, I for one believe that the management and/or owners of the Dakota should allow you to live there rent free.
There is no shortage of people willing to pay crazy prices for any unit in the building already. His lack of publicity would not decrease the demand for a place in this building. It is not like there are empty units going begging for buyers. No apartment in this building will ever be given away for any reason. Dream idea, nice as it is.
Wow! Super thanks ✨ 🙏🏼 ✨ I have always been fascinated by Old World architecture and what creative people have done to create a home within. Thanks again.
Thanks for the video. I've loved the Dakota since Rosemary's Baby. I pronounce it "ray dee ay tr". Their clanging is a happy sound to me (I live in a 130+ year old house, so it's part of winter).
You might have some air in the system? Have you bled then lately, there's always a bit of noise when they first warm up or cool down but you knew that I'm sure.
Whenever I am in New York City I have to walk by the Dakata House just to see it. I have always wondered what was in the Pyramid at the top of the Dakota beneath the flag pole....Thank you so much for making this video and letting us know... If I had unlimited funds, I would most definitely live in the Dakota....especially in the Pyramid! I will be looking forward to your next video!
Such an amazing building. You should do a video about the Smith tower in Seattle, Washington. It's a historical building that was built in 1914. At one point it was the tallest building on the West Coast. It has a pyramid like apartment at the very top and it's amazing. If you've never seen it, I definitely recommend checking it out.
Wow, Dakota has always been a subject of fascination for me. It felt as if I had gone back in time and was resident in the building. Great video, keep it up.
I watch this video and I can turn my head and see one of my photos of the Dakota on my office wall. I love that building, visited there many times when I am in the city.. That is such a great "modern" space in an old building. Smart choices all around. Subscribing now.
I am completely floored ! These images have to be taken in the 1970’s. This is that total vibe I remember from when I was kid growing up in the 70’s. Now this is the look I have tried my best to recreate today from memory. What an amazing space. Like a whole separate universe from my absolute favorite building in NYC - Thank you for sharing!! 🔝🔝🔝🔝‼️
Thank you for such an informative and romantic reveal of a design master’s personal retreat! Wonderful and I look forward to hearing and seeing additional spaces.
"Rosemary's Baby" was set at the Dakota. It was called The Bramford building. Whilst filming and production was primarily completed in Hollywood, the Dakota was the setting for the *spoiler alert* . . . coven of witches and warlocks.
What a great job you've done showcasing the architecture in the Dakota. I suspect there are many others who would also like more on the Dakota. Thank you!
I think any one of us who are reading this would love to live in that apartment. I wonder what the rent is now? Lol, I know it was quite a while ago but I gotta laugh at what his original rent in his original unit was. Loved this video
Must admit, that was not what I was expecting based on the exterior. But what a chic space! Still looks absolutely contemporary and I'm guessing those photos are at least fifty years old. Btw, I've only ever heard it pronounced RAYdiator - ditto the words radiate and radiation. Nothing 'rad' about that!
I love the Dakota even though it’s the place where my only true hero died. Also I love the way you ended the video and would like to add one thing. It’s not just dogs and cats. I many shelters are some beautiful rabbits who are the best pet you could ever have.
Thank you all for watching the videos and a HUGE THANK YOU for those who support the channel as a RU-vid Members and especially on Patreon. Just as little as $5 a month helps the channel tremendously!!! Please click here: www.patreon.com/StrangeHistory Thank you! 🙂
Very nice Strange History! I was living in NYC back in 1969 until 1974. I loved that building as I am a fan of Architecture, since my father was an Architect of note back in his day, said to have rated up with the likes of Frank Llyod Wright. I remember him always mentioning Frank Llyod I used to live on West 80 First Street right off Central Park West. I always walked in Central Park, and passed that lovely Archectrual Building..It holds ghosts of things past, and they never leave.
This was just fantastic, thank you so much for bringing us to us and taking us along! I am very interested in things like this and it's really neat to have it explained to me and shown to me. But I do have one question, is anyone living in it today? Happy New Year to you!
Leonard Bernstein had an apartment there too, and I remember a video showing the interior, around the time he passed away. It was like a beautiful library.
Your videos are AWESOME! I Have always been fascinated and incredibly interested in the Dakota apartments and your work on these presentations are nothing short of wonderful! THANKS!
